GRRRRRRR....dang virus!

[musical74]

Had a NASTY virus and wound up having to use System Recovery to get rid of it because nothing else worked. My AV found 15 threats and could NOT get rid of 4 of them. (3 tries to get rid of them too) Kept saying *threat on opening* file and there was a lot of them....I tried system restore to an earlier date - that wouldn't do it. I couldn't ask the board for help because it affected my ability to browse webpage - as in it wouldn't let me. System recovery got rid of the problem but now I need to reinstall or re download a BUNCH of things because of it....at least things are back up and running!

Couple questions for the computer wizards out there: After doing SR, AVG now tells me that it's an old version and won't let me do anything (not even uninstall it!) Will re downloading it solve this problem? I REALLY like AVG - it's heaps better than Norton! Also, Given that System Recovery was probably a *use if nothing else works* what could I do if this sort of thing happens again?

[azureXtwilight]

Couple questions for the computer wizards out there: After doing SR, AVG now tells me that it's an old version and won't let me do anything (not even uninstall it!) Will re downloading it solve this problem? I REALLY like AVG - it's heaps better than Norton! Also, Given that System Recovery was probably a *use if nothing else works* what could I do if this sort of thing happens again?

It happened to me as well, have you ever tried updating it online?

[mugenjohncel]

- CONTENT NO LONGER RELEVANT -

[azureXtwilight]

Whoa, it worked for me! No more AVG!

[Twar3Draconis]

Generally, you get viruses from doing risque activities, such as P2P and visiting certain sites. For the most part, you should be fine without any Anti-virus if you don't do those. P2P should be fine, if you can trust the source (aka, not trackers, or portals).

Of course, I'd say to get rid of Windows in the first place. There are way too many viruses targeting Windows. In the grand scheme of things, BSoD excluded, you're better off switching to a *nix system (Ubuntu, Solaris, Mac OS X, YDL). For these, I suggest the E Window Manager, which not only looks attractive, but gives you 2000+ virtual workspaces.

[sciencewarrior]

Here's another tip: if you really want to do dangerous stuff like run P2P, you can use Virtual PC to have an isolated, disposable environment.

[musical74]

OK as soon as I redownload SP 2 <GROAN.....that's gonna take forever on a dialup! wish SR left that alone> things are totally back up and running. Not sure how I got the virus - don't do P2P anymore unless you count IM and as far as risque goes - don't really do that either. Don't have a choice as far as type of computer Don't make enough to be able to put money aside for much of anything. HOWEVER, first virus in 18 years of having a computer, so not too worried

Also, thanks, mugen.....your help was really appreciated

[Neon Lemmy Koopa]

Viruses are a pain. some can be fixed, others are fatal. Ive dealt with both. I can give a few steps to keeping as safe as possible:

• Use an internet sandbox - It places your browser, files related to it, and files created by it in a virtual isolation called a sandbox. This more or less prevents files like cache and downloads to access your system unless you say so.
• Use a Download Manager - Alot of download managers out there offer fast, pause and resumable downloading. They also allow integration of a virus scanner to check downloaded files. It can usually be found in the settings, you can choose the scanner (in your case it would be called "avgscan.exe"). My recommendation for a download manager is GigaGet. My favorite of the many out there.
• Dont install suspicious plugins - This one has gotten me a few times: The dreaded Video ActiveX Plugin. This is one of the top tricks out there. A site will tell you that in order to view some type of media (usually videos, but not only), you need to install a plugin, and then it will show you a download dialog. Try to avoid those.

Thats all I have right now. Its a good start though. My biggest recommendation tho is the download manager.

[musical74]

24 HOURS to download SP2..GROAN I hate dialup...but everything's back up and running now!

North Lemmy Koopa: What's an internet sandbox? Never heard that tern before. Was NOT aware of the suspicious plugins possibility; maybe that's how I got the dang thing? I'll have to be more careful of. them Regarding a download manager...I actually have one now Due do DIALUP when I want to download something big...need a download manager, otherwise I risk losing EVERYTHING, and it's really annoying when I've just about finished a 80 MB download (so about 6 hours) and it disconnects...leaving me with ZILCH to show for it! GetRight seems to work pretty well for a download manager, Thanks to monele for suggesting it!

[Neon Lemmy Koopa]

basically an internet sandbox keeps your browser and files it creates from having direct access to your computer. that way nothing can attack and get in. I dont know much as Ive just started using one, but people I know really recommend it saying it is very effective.

As for the video plugin, according to Panda Software's Virus Alert newsletter, the Video Plugin is one of the top tricks out there. Ive fallen for it a few times.

And to correct, its "Neon" Lemmy Koopa not "North" Lemmy Koopa

[lordcloudx]

If you've been infected with brontok, it won't let you browse to any antivirus sites. Try booting into safe mode with networking (on xp) and download avast! antivirus. It can remove most traces of brontok and will allow you to at least browse and download some anti-brontok specific tools.

This is how I fixed my infected computer at one point.

[Twar3Draconis]

OK as soon as I redownload SP 2 <GROAN.....that's gonna take forever on a dialup! wish SR left that alone> things are totally back up and running. Not sure how I got the virus - don't do P2P anymore unless you count IM and as far as risque goes - don't really do that either. Don't have a choice as far as type of computer Don't make enough to be able to put money aside for much of anything. HOWEVER, first virus in 18 years of having a computer, so not too worried

Also, thanks, mugen.....your help was really appreciated

Well, everything I listed was free, except for Mac OS X. From my testing, RenPy should run on all of them- GIMP as well.

[herenvardo]

24 HOURS to download SP2..GROAN I hate dialup...

Suggestion (maybe for next time): don't install SPs directly from Windows Update. Instead, go to Microsoft's Download Center and get the offline instaler, then burn it into a CD. From then on, you'll never have to download that SP again (unless the CD gets broken or somethink like that, but you should treat it carefully). Furthermore, if you have an original Windows CD (ie: the one with Microsoft's own setup program, not those fancy "custom" installers that most PC vendors provide), you may slipstream the SP into it and create an integrated installation CD. ie: if you have a "original" Win XP with SP1 CD plus the SP2's offline instaler, then you can create (100% legal for your own use, as long as your Windows is already legal) a WinXP with SP2 CD which will not only save you the time of the download for the next time, but also the pain of the installation process. If you try to do this, I suggest using a rewritable disk (you know, burning a custom OS installation disk is not the kind of thing one's likely to get right at the first try ).

Here's another tip: if you really want to do dangerous stuff like run P2P, you can use Virtual PC to have an isolated, disposable environment.

You don't need a Virtual PC to make your environment disposable .
I have had (although for a short while) a boot setup that rewrote an entire partition image into my HD and booted it everytime I had to run Windows. Booting often took ~3 minutes, but the system would run smoothly and safely... I had to abandon that configuration when I started using Visual Studio Express: I couldn't manage to get a working installation inside the image .
Also, I remember one of the sub-networks we had at college: they "downloaded" a Win98 image from the LAN via VFTP and booted it on each startup. The silly thing was that we had to use floppy disks if we wanted to save any file we worked on; but, honestly, those computers served their purpose quite well.

Currently, I try to format my Windows partition once every one or two months, and that's a really good thing: my system is far cleaner: since installing all the software at once upon each format is such a pain, I only install it when the need arises (right now I have OpenOffice links on my startup menu that point nowhere); no valuable data is stored on the win partition (I have a data partition that I use from both Win and Kubuntu, despite I almost never boot on the latter), with immediate backups on a USB HD, dayly backups on the LAN, and weekly backups on my webserver; even in the unlikely event something slips through my security measures (ie: manual monitoring and merciless slaughter of the process trees running on my machine, just aided with some batch scripts and small programs to deal with the most painfully repetitive tasks; all of this on top of ESET Smart Security, itself on top of Windows Firewall), then it won't last too long anyway, and it even serves as a reminder when format time is getting near.


In summary: every time you go through a painful process like a format after a long time, take note of what made it painful, and take measures to ease the pain for the next time