!%#%@^ viruss!!

[psycho44]

that's awesome. Just to be sure if it happens next time try to go into safe mode and run the virus checker. Delete it in safe mode. In safe mode they run the bare minimum so if you screw anything up it likely won't corrupt your computer.

K well...i just used 'SUPERAntiSpyware' downloaded it from the net, forgot the link. I installed it and ran it. it found the virus i stated above as well as 4 tracking cookies and quarantined some and delete some...it made me reboot the comp so i did...then i went back into the quarantine and delete what the program didnt.....and so far so good..everything seems a-ok and i dont get those stinkin popups from IE...

havent restarted since i erased everything though...lets see what happens.

[Portuguese_Pzyco]

So i donno how, but my computer got a virus. I have the latest norton antivirus but apparntly this little basterd slipped through..

What it does, or atleast what i can see is that it opens my Internet explorer and opens this random url but never loads it..and it opens up a new tab every couple of mins non stop. I use mozilla cuz i dont like IE but now this wont go away...

Any suggestions on how to get rid of it?? thanks.

I had to completely reformat........i had the same thing. Disconnect the internet and just start from scratch

[psycho44]

formating and reinstalling windows is not a problem and you won't lose anything if you partition your drives. Have a c drive for just system files, d drive for your program files, e drive for music files, f drive for movie files and g drive for pron files.

So when you go to re-install windows just format the c drive. You won't lose anything on d,e,f and g drive. Also makes it easy for quick backups onto dvd discs.

[mr.fizz]

this is why pc/windows sux, get a mac

[Chuck U. Farlie]

this is why pc/windows sux, get a mac

or save some cash, use linux.

[DVS]

What you guys are speaking of is malware..... this is markedly different that viruses.

Norton and Symantec etc, are virus protection software. What you need is some Spyware protection such as CounterSpy.

Yes, there is some overlap between protection provided by the virus and spyware protection programs.

[Mikey-D]

do a ctrl + alt+ delete once to open up task manager.

look for any suspicious program, note it down and kill it. Kill all unneccessary programs.

go into your registry. (regedit) short form microsoft => internet explorer => run or something and delete the suspicious program keys that are running. While you're there delete any program that you don't need to startup.

do a google search for that suspicious program and how to get rid of it forever.

I don't have a virus checker because that's how I kill all my viruses lol.

Oh god! Don't advise people to go meddling about in the registry if they don't know what they're doing....

formating and reinstalling windows is not a problem and you won't lose anything if you partition your drives. Have a c drive for just system files, d drive for your program files, e drive for music files, f drive for movie files and g drive for pron files.

So when you go to re-install windows just format the c drive. You won't lose anything on d,e,f and g drive. Also makes it easy for quick backups onto dvd discs.

A word of advice for the future: oftentimes, if you tell people things like this, they'll have no idea what you are talking about and will therefore refuse to do anything at all for fear of screwing something up. The vast majority of people are non-technical, and won't even understand what it means to format a hard drive or partition it, let alone be able to a) accomplish this task or b) determine appropriate partition sizes/types.

I've spent a lot of time helping both technical and non-technical people with things like this and have found that you have to walk them through it. To casually suggest that someone format their hard drive or remove registry keys means that, more often than not, something is going to get fubar-ed. Guess who they're going to come complaining to when they lose all the pictures of their kids they had stored on their hdd...

[gixxer_flexx]

Regardless thanks for the help guys. I may look into partitioning next time i re-instal windows, im too lazy to do it now...thanks for the help im just glad my computer is back to normal...for now.

thanks!

[Kuro]

or save some cash, use linux.

This guy is right. Now get some sleep!

[zeekat]

To add to the other tips of don't use IE and Norton is crap, I'll also add Windows Task Manager is also crap when you want to see if you have a rogue program (aka virus/spyware) running. Process Explorer to replace Task Manager, free download:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896653.aspx

One program from a bunch of utilities from the former Sysinternals (now under MS) bunch. Provides more info about a process (much more technical for developers) and actually kills a process unlike Task Manager which is a maybe when you try.

As for partitioning, my advice at a minimum is 2 drives - C: for system and program files and D: for your data (documents, music, photos, mailbox files, etc.). Then you only have to blow away the C: for a rebuild. A reasonable compromise for non-techies. Just a little extra work at the beginning to move the target folders for your docs/music/mail/etc on initial build and rebuild.

[gixxer_flexx]

@^%@#%$!^&$&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!....

I retract my earlier statement. Everything is NOT fine. Not its even more screwed up then it was yesterday-it somehow hacked Norton and its turning it off and not letting me update it or run system scans.

Unfortunatly im not amazing with computers so i gotta take it in. I just bought this computer from best buy a couple of months ago so ill probably take it back tomorrow and have this Geek Squad Business...is that the best place to take it? Are the prices rape expensive?

Any other options i have? Places i can take it in around Richmond Hill area?

Any help is appreciated i am soo ****ing ****** the **** right off UGH!

[CruisnGrrl]

bend over, don't worry they don't use lube so you'll feel everything. dump norton

[Bumbobee]

Stop surfing elephant porn.

[oomis]

Buy a mac.

[Riceburner]

Damn....got it on my kids PC. Today, I wiped the C drive and re installed XP. hopefully it didn't get to any of the other PC on the network. Had Spybot, Malwarebytes, AdAware and Norton on it too. And couldn't get rid of "Windows Live Family Safety".

[El Zilcho]

K well...i just used 'SUPERAntiSpyware' downloaded it from the net, forgot the link. I installed it and ran it.
[...]
lets see what happens.

@^%@#%$!^&$&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!....[...]

Not its even more screwed up then it was yesterday-it somehow hacked Norton and its turning it off and not letting me update it or run system scans.

Too bad nobody told you before that this is usually what happens after you run any "super anti spyware" stuff that you "download from the net"...

Stick to something trustworthy.

I hope none of your important files were lost. Copy them to some external drive or burn them on a CD or DVD and start over. Basically reformat your hard drive and reinstall everything from scratch. It will likely be quicker and cleaner solution than trying to fix your system as it is now.

[knowledge]

Someone doesn't know about xvideos & youporn
...amateurs.

But then again, I have a mac so maybe I would've had one by now.

[Kuro]

did you try system restore yet?
Not sure what virus or malware you got, but it could work, its always worth a shot before you bring it in to any computer store.

Start--> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Restore

Roll your computer back as far back enough to be sure you hit a date where you know you were not infected. May save you a few bucks. Plus I've heard best buy or other computer places lose your information. I think it may have gotten better now though.

[gixxer_flexx]

Zicho the problem didnt start Afterdownload the anti spyware. I waz getting ie pop upz so i rAn norton And nothing found so i googled it Nd found thAt program which found the virus. Anyways im compter is in a steAdh state gunna move my music Nd dat to xternal drive and reformat C.

Im not ****** at the virus as much as norton couldnt do Nything or even find the virus. Anyways gunn redo C and i will pArtition into systemfiles Nd D into data.

Srry bout speelin. On iphone in. Boring *** lecturd

[El Zilcho]

Zicho the problem didnt start Afterdownload the anti spyware.

Alright then. Still, I admire your courage.. I wouldn't download any anti-malware software, unless I knew it (or of it) and I downloaded it from a trusted location.