The semaphore timeout period has expired

The semaphore timeout period has expired

This is a very similar scenario on most of the computers I’ve checked and fixed where after starting the computer nothing else worked besides the keyboard. The screen displays nothing but the wallpaper as background. No icons, no start menu, no task manager. Most of the time than not, this is the result when the computer is completely infected by a virus.

And the usual remedy for this in this severity is to format the hard drive and install Microsoft Windows again. Simply cleaning the system using an antivirus is not recommended because the infection is so severe that the malware already damaged the system and can no longer be restored. Most of the time when the problem is like this, you will find not only one virus but a bunch of them and you will find them mostly in the System Volume Information folder in the root of the system drive.

This is their favorite spot because this is where the system stores all the system restore information of the computer. That’s why when it gets damaged the system can’t be restored. If you want to confirm if your computer is really infected, shut down your computer and unplug it. Remove the hard drive and connect it to a computer with a clean operating system.

Update the computer’s antivirus and scan the hard drive you attached and you will see how severe it is.