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Yeah, some Pre-War jackass with too much time on his hands apparently decided to inflict his misery on those around him.— Ibsen

The Hidden Valley computer virus refers to an unmarked quest in Fallout: New Vegas.

Quick walkthrough[]

Unmarked Quest: Hidden Valley Computer Virus 
Talk to Scribe Ibsen 
Locate the virus on three of the terminals in the room in under 60 seconds. (Actually only 50). 
Reward: Access to the Hidden Valley database 

Detailed walkthrough[]

The Brotherhood of Steel found a holotape while searching the wastes for technology. When it was put onto the system, it infected their database terminals with a virus. The virus was originally put on a holotape by "some pre-War jackass with nothing better to do", as said by the annoyed Scribe Ibsen. The computer virus infected a few computers in the bunker, and the Courier is asked by Ibsen to 'partition' the virus for Ibsen.

The Courier must find the virus on 3 terminals in 60 seconds to wipe it from the system. To do so, quickly enter each terminal and choose the only option one can. Then, if the text that shows up seems like a random string of letters and numbers, proceed to the next terminal. If one gets a taunting message on the second screen, choose the option to isolate the virus. The infected terminals are almost always in a row or close together in a group. The virus usually has one per section (such as 1 in the middle). If the player character does not get all 3 terminals in the time limit, they will have to speak with Ibsen again in order to receive a new countdown. Note that the virus can jump to the terminal Ibsen is standing in front of.

With a high enough Science skill (70), one can suggest partitioning the terminals when the virus jumps to it, giving read only access to the kernel administrator. This isolates the virus on that terminal permanently and leaves the player character with one fewer terminal to find should they fail.

With a Repair skill of at least 60, one can also repair the circuit breaker, located in a box on a wall on the western side of the room. Doing so results in the option to power down all but four of the terminals; interacting with the breaker again gives the option to restore power to all terminals. Note that interacting with the breaker may prove difficult - see the bugs section below for more info.

The virus can be partitioned easily by saving immediately after Ibsen tells the player character it has jumped and after finding and isolating the virus. The terminals the virus jumped to will be consistent when reloading a save.

Behind the scenes[]

The behavior of the virus is similar to that of "Creeper", the world's first computer worm created in 1971.

Bugs[]

  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Prior to version 1.2.0.314 (update 3): the quest can get stuck into a state whereas it is rendered impossible to complete after using the Science (70) option, and isolating the virus on 3 consoles by partitioning over multiple runs. If the problem was originally triggered in an older version, the update will not make the quest completable, and the problem should be fixed by other means: loading an earlier savegame, using the G.E.C.K. or a mod. [verified]
    • PCPC Fix: In the G.E.C.K., find the entry HVHuntingVirusScript. Open it and change the line "if VirusTimer > 0 && NumberFixed==3" (without the quotes) to "if VirusTimer > 0 && NumberFixed >= 3" (again, without the quotes). Save the file to your Fallout: New Vegas/Data folder, and load it as you would any mod/DLC from the launcher. Talk to Ibsen to start the virus count, and check one of the already partitioned terminals. Ibsen will then announce the virus is purged, and the terminals will work.
  • Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 After several tries a scenario arose where all 3 terminals had been found and isolated. This however did not cause Ibsen to react, and merely stated the Virus had jumped again a few seconds later. The next try was confusingly won after only 2 terminals had been isolated. The save exploit had not been used either. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Xbox 360Xbox 360 Although it may be a glitch, it could be considered a rapid solution to purging the virus. If one finds a computer with the virus on it, rapidly isolating it three times will result in the virus being purged. Ibsen will say the virus had gone and one will gain access to information stored in the database. [verified]
  • PCPC Playstation 3Playstation 3Playstation 3 Interacting with the circuit breaker box is only possible while being in third-person-view. The easiest way to access the interaction prompt is to stand close to the right of the breaker box, followed by turning south, and slowly moving the crosshair to the left until the prompt appears.[verified]
  • PCPC Using the breaker may not force the virus to the 3 remaining terminals, effectively removing this as a solution.[verified]
Main quests
Act 1Ain't That a Kick in the Head · Back in the Saddle · By a Campfire on the Trail · They Went That-a-Way · Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
Act 2Wild Card (Wild Card: Ace in the Hole, Change in Management, You and What Army?, Side Bets, Finishing Touches) · The House Always Wins (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII) · Render Unto Caesar · Et Tumor, Brute? · Things That Go Boom · Kings' Gambit · For the Republic, Part 2 · You'll Know It When It Happens/Arizona Killer
Act 3No Gods, No Masters · All or Nothing · Veni, Vidi, Vici · Eureka!
Side quests
New California RepublicAnywhere I Wander · Back in Your Own Backyard · Bitter Springs Infirmary Blues · Boulder City Showdown · Can You Find it in Your Heart? · Climb Ev'ry Mountain · Don't Tread on the Bear! · Emergency Radio · Eye for an Eye · Flags of Our Foul-Ups · Hard Luck Blues · I Don't Hurt Anymore · I Put a Spell on You · Keep Your Eyes on the Prize · Medical Mystery · No, Not Much · Pressing Matters · Restoring Hope · Return to Sender · That Lucky Old Sun · The White Wash · There Stands the Grass · Three-Card Bounty · We Will All Go Together · You Can Depend on Me
Caesar's LegionBeware the Wrath of Caesar! · Caesar's Favor · Caesar's Foe · Caesar's Hire · Cold, Cold Heart · I Hear You Knocking · The Finger of Suspicion · We Are Legion
The StripBeyond the Beef · Bye Bye Love · Classic Inspiration · How Little We Know · Pheeble Will · Talent Pool · The House Has Gone Bust! · The Moon Comes Over the Tower
Freeside & Outer VegasBirds of a Feather · Bleed Me Dry · Debt Collector · G.I. Blues · High Times · Someone to Watch Over Me · The Coyotes · Wang Dang Atomic Tango
BoomersAnt Misbehavin' · Sunshine Boogie · Volare! · Young Hearts
Great KhansAba Daba Honeymoon · Cry Me a River · Don't Make a Beggar of Me · Oh My Papa
Powder GangBooted · I Fought the Law · Run Goodsprings Run · Why Can't We Be Friends?
Brotherhood of SteelEyesight to the Blind · Still in the Dark · Tend to Your Business
OtherCome Fly With Me · Crazy, Crazy, Crazy · Ghost Town Gunfight · Guess Who I Saw Today · Left My Heart · My Kind of Town · The Legend of the Star and A Valuable Lesson · Unfriendly Persuasion · Wheel of Fortune
Companion questsED-E My Love · For Auld Lang Syne · Heartache by the Number · I Could Make You Care · I Forgot to Remember to Forget · Nothin' But a Hound Dog · One for My Baby
Unmarked questsA Bit of Slap and Tickle · A Final Plan for Esteban · Access Powers · All Fired Up! · An Ear to the Ground · Andy and Charlie · Arachnophobia · Arizona Scavenger · Barton the Fink · Bear Necessities · Big Winner (Atomic Wrangler, The Gomorrah, The Tops, Ultra-Luxe, Vikki & Vance) · Bounty Killer (I, II) · Brotherhood Bond (I, II) · Caching in at the Cove · Cajoling a Cudgel · Claws Mended · Claws Out · Dealing with Contreras · Defacing the Humble Stone · Democracy Inaction · Don't Poke at the Bear! · Eddie's Emissary · Exhumin' Nature · Fight Night · Flogging a Dead Corpse · Friend of the Followers · Gland for Some Home Cooking · Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger · Hat's Entertainment · Help for Halford · Hidden Valley computer virus · Highway to the Danger Zone (I, II) · Honorary Rocketeer · I Love Bananas · Iron and Stealing · Keith's Caravan Charade · Laurifer Gladiator · Lenk's Bad Debts · Lily and Leo · Long-Term Care · Malleable Mini Boomer Minds · Maud's Muggers · Meeting an Equal · Missing a Few Missiles · Most Wanted · Not Worth a Hill of Corn and Beans · Old School Ghoul · A Pair of Dead Desperados (I, II) · Papers, Please · Pistol Packing · Playing on the Old Joana · Powder to the People · Power to the People · Razzle Dazzle! · Reach for the Sky, Mister! · Rest and Resupply · Ringo's Caravan Rules · Rotface's Loose Lips · Saving (or Savaging) Sergeant Teddy · The Screams of Brahmin · Silus Treatment · Short-Term Treatment · Smooth-Talking Criminal · The Star Showdown · Strategic Nuclear Moose · Straus Calls · Strip Search · Suits You, Sarah · Tags of Our Fallen · A Team of Moronic Mercenaries · Thought for the Day · Tourist Traipse · Trudy's Radio Repair · A Trusted Aide · Useless Baubles or Fancy Trinkets? · We Must Stop Beating Like This · We Must Stop Meeting Like This · Wind-Brahmin Wrangler · You Gotta Break Out a Few Eggs · You Make Me Feel Like a Woman
Add-on quests
Dead MoneySierra Madre Grand Opening! · Find Collars (8: "Dog", 12: Christine, 14: Dean Domino) · Fires in the Sky · Strike Up the Band · Mixed Signals · Trigger the Gala Event · Put the Beast Down · Last Luxuries · Curtain Call at the Tampico · Heist of the Centuries · Big Winner, Sierra Madre
Honest HeartsA Family Affair · Arrival at Zion · Bighorners of the Eastern Virgin · Chaos in Zion · Civilized Man's Burden · Crush the White Legs · Deliverer of Sorrows  · Departing Paradise · Flight from Zion · Gathering Storms · Gone Fishin' · Happy Trails Expedition · Prisoners of War · Retake the Bridge · River Monsters · Rite of Passage · Roadside Attraction · Sanctity of the Dead · The Advance Scouts  · The Treacherous Road · The Grand Staircase · Tourist Trap
Old World BluesAll My Friends Have Off Switches · A Brain's Best Friend · Coming Out of Her Shell · Field Research · He Came... And Went · Influencing People · Midnight Science Fiction Feature! · Old World Blues · On the Same Wavelength · Picking Your Brains · Project X-13 · Sonic Emitter Upgrade · Welcome to the Big Empty · What's in a Name? · When Visitors Attack! · X-2: Strange Transmissions! · X-8 Data Retrieval Test · X-8: High School Horror! · X-13: Attack of the Infiltrator!
Lonesome RoadThe Reunion · The Silo · The Job · The Launch · The Tunnelers · The Divide · The Courier · The End · The Apocalypse
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