This is not a call for help, as there was a happy ending. But just in case anyone here has come across the same problem I did (your computer being disabled in the BIOS), I am describing it in detail. Perhaps the solution that helped me will help someone else. Sorry for being so long.

Several weeks ago, a small box suddenly popped up, claiming that a company at "ef-soft.com" was somehow being used by Microsoft to help customers keep their computers clean, and that I had "a virus." The message continued with a warning that if I closed the message box without 'contacting Microsoft' at the given phone number to get my problem fixed, "we will be forced to disable your computer to protect our network." My first thoughts were, "Oh yeah? What network? Who are you? And how could a virus in MY computer possibly harm YOUR network?" I knew MS doesn't do things like that. I also googled ef-soft.com and got no results, although there does appear to be an efsoftWARE.com, so I thought it was just spam and ignored the message.

The next time I turned my computer on, I found that it had, indeed, been disabled. I could sign in, but at the point where the desktop should appear, I got a brief message telling me that I was shut out. Over and over again. I used my Samsung Galaxy tablet to try to find a solution online. I have a recovery disk for my Windows 7 Home edition and finally made up my mind to bite the bullet and set my computer back to factory condition if necessary. At least, I had all my important documents, pictures, and videos backed up to an external drive.

However, I found that in the BIOS, all of the devices that could be used for booting had been disabled, so I couldn't even set the computer to start from the rescue CD. The enable/disable toggle just wasn't available. After a few hours of "blood, sweat, tears" and raging, the charge on my tablet ran out, so--although now without hope--I switched to my iPad. Perhaps I phrased the question differently, but whatever--this time I found a useful answer: the F9 function key would re-enable the boot devices, so I could move the CD/DVD drive to the top of the list and use the rescue disk in it. There was also something about F10 for saving changes and exiting, but as soon as I made the change, with the rescue CD already in the drive, the rescue process began.

In all it must have taken about 4 hours, but fortunately it gave me the option to recover all my personal data, so I didn't even lose things that had been added since my last backup (always manual, and only done somewhat sporadically). Afterwards, of course, there was a hassle getting Microsoft Office and a few other things back and working, and I still haven't replaced or brought back a few programs, but I certainly enjoyed the feeling of having thwarted whatever the malware had hoped to accomplish.

I only wish I had had the presence of mind to do a screen shot and printout of that little message, because I could have phoned the number it gave (from a public phone, not my home!) and found out if it was just spam or expensive ransomware and laughed MWA-HA-HA at its creators. Though if it were real ransomware, it would have encrypted my information, wouldn't it? Could this have been just an amateurish attempt aimed at people who aren't very familiar with computers? I don't know much myself, but was just stubborn enough to keep trying to figure things out, and I'm glad I did, even though I suspect the stress involved helped this nasty cold get a grip on me.

The MORAL: Make sure you have created a rescue disk and for your peace of mind, have your most precious personal stuff on an external backup.