Stupid Viruses...

[liladypokerpro]

Well poor Carrie (not knowing any better) clicked on something today while I was at work and now we're ate up with a virus again *sighs* The good thing is it seems to be a fairly harmless one...by way of tracking cookies...causes pop ups at random...could just be a worm...not really sure just yet since I just got home. The problem is, I found the source files but cannot delete them because they are masked/encrypted. Tried using online anti-virus tools (The usual...BitDefender, Trend Micro, Kaspersky...the best), but it did the same thing our old pc did...shut down Java so the scanners were unable to open, function or run. *sighs*

Anyway just thought I'd let you know why I'm a bit scarce in case it gets any worse (like the last one did) and might not be able to get on at all anymore. I'm really hoping this doesn't end up to be the case.

Can't really afford it but going to have to purchase a full version anti-virus and hope that it will work/run.

Cross your fingers for me....

[Fictive]

Things like that are extremely annoying. Even though it does cost a little, one really should have his/her computer really well protected. It pays off in the end. Norton anti-virus or F-Secure internet security are the best, or so I'm told. I've got F-secure and it works like a charm. You know, you can go to Antivirus Software and Internet Security Tools - F-Secure and there's a search box. You can write the name of the virus/worm/trojan and there are usually instructions on how to remove them manually.

[liladypokerpro]

Meh @ Norton LOL although I've never heard of F-secure so may have to look into that one. Unfortunately as it stands I am unable to launch any programs from our desktop. The only way I'm able to get on here is luckily I put a quick launch button on the taskbar for Mozilla so this is about all we've got right now. Everything was fine until Carrie went to look up lyrics to some song tonight while I was at work. She doesn't know the risks of surfing through random web links, and lo and behold she had to pick one that was ate up, and now so is our computer. I can't be mad at her tho because although I've told her time and again what to watch out for, these kinds of things are getting masked better and better, to where some times you don't even know anything is wrong until it's too late. *sighs*

Oh well...if you all don't see or hear from me for a period of more than a day, then you know the computer probably finally crapped out.

[gamer4life27]

The best thing for any virus that won't go away and isn't that harmful yet, is to save all the files that you want to keep onto a USB drive (like pics, important docs, etc.), nothing else. Then, completly whipe out your computer of EVERYTHING. THe easiest way to do that would be to run the start up disk again. It will move all your old files from the virus infected desktop to a zip file that won't harm the next desktop that you start up.

So save all the important files onto a USB drive, nothing else, run the start up disk again, and don't touch the zip file with all the other files and virus in it. Thats what I did once and it worked completly fine after. My computer eventually deleted the zip file because it noticed that it wasn't in use by any of the users. Hope this helps.

[Boilermaker]

you have the Windows 2000 CD if all else fails, reinstall. If I remember correctly, All the drivers needed are supported on the Win2000 cd. Some computers have some hardware (soundcard, modem , lan card, etc) that need specific drivers not supported by Win2000.

any problems, feel free to give me a holla.

I'd also try to install Win2000 on your other computer.

[Krahsami]

Well we all know that when you finally get your computer Exactly the way you want it something always happens to mess it up. What I suggest is using disk imaging software once you get it where you want it. Norton ghost is a type I myself use ACronis true image.

K dont forget to get all files you want off the drive first. Also Make sure you have good network card drivers just in case windows doesn't have yours during setup. This way you can access the net still to get any drivers you might need. When making your image try not to access the net alot until done, No need making a image that has some BS virus trojan in it cause you accessed wrong page during creation.

Imaging wipes out complete drive. K bad part is you have to start fresh reformat hard drive and reinstall windows if you want to do this right. Good part is once you do you ll never probably have reformat again uless you make major hardware changes to your computer. (which you can make a new image if you do, for example new motherboard was put in ect.) After that you make your image of your newly installed operating system once its where you feel it is best. Once you have your image your set though. You can basically get it to that image point you like it at any time now in far more less time than to reinstall even the first half of a windows set up cd.

These programs are priceless. It basically takes a picture of your hard drive and can reinstall that picture exactly at any given time. So persay you make an image right now. then a minute from now you get a virus, you can reinstall that image and your computer will be exactly like it was a minute before without the virus. they say back up your information. Well this is the ULTIMATE back up.

For me to reinstall my Image which is windows XP & service pack 3 plus loose updates since
SP3, All my drivers and software I use. including poker only takes me around 5 minutes.

VOILA completely fresh virus free Computer exactly the way you want it, in the time span it takes to make a coffee. (Pretty sure you'll thank me for this if youv'e never used imaging software before) Best thing since sliced bread.

Just do a search for hard drive imaging software in google and find what you prefer to use. I swear though making an image like this is exactly what you want to do from now on. With a secure image in your arsenal trojans viruses ect are just to be laughed at and purged at will.

(before I actually save my image I even defrag the drive first.) Ive even made images of command.com and startup files only BUT one with NTFS startup and one with fat 32 start up files. I want to switch filing sytem types I just reimage from fat 32 to NTFS without the need for partion magic or FDISK
to change file system types. Quite a time saver.

[liladypokerpro]

Actually there wasn't a disk in the box...I just figured you didn't have one, so didn't think anything of it. Poor Carrie feels so horrible...bless her heart...she thinks she's a curse on computers LOL I told her not to worry about it, that this is not as bad as the other and will be a lot easier to fix.

Anyway, here's what I've done that seems to have helped as far as the Worm:

Disabled all remote access to our computer in the "services.exe"

Went into REGEDIT, found and altered the infectious files to where they can only open in notepad...i.e. they cannot open because I've disabled notepad. The original system files were not harmed which is a major plus.

Only problem now is that before I was able to disable remote access something or someone had already disabled Windows Manager, so that is why all my programs are acting all funky. Typically you can go in and just change the properties to "Automatic" or "Manual" but since Windows Manager also controls the execution of program editing, it will not pop up the properties window for me to enable it.

No biggie tho...the worm is pretty much disabled and destroyed, so all that's left to deal with is the remnants. Won't take me too long to get it sorted out. Gonna work on it this weekend.

Oh and Gamer, duly noted and done with reference to the file storage idea I learned my lesson the first time...thankfully this pc that Boiler sent has a built-in ZIP drive, so all's saved.


By the way......the infection was a variation of the Welchia Worm......

[Krahsami]

But nothing compares with having an image. Also something to be said for having a fresh operating system installed. You know for sure there isn't BS files in it, and all the junk crap isn't there for sure now. You need not worry about disabling anything ect.

It took me 2 days to create my image PERFECT just the way I wanted. But honestly it has saved me weeks of hassle in the year and a half since I created it. I will honestly reimage my computer as look at it with no worries. Just another day at the office type thing. I even made an image of gaming. So like medal of honor and crysis ect is on my D drive and all regestries ect are put to C drive. Now when Im not gaming I just reinstall my regular image and VOILA no extra files on C drive that are linked to gaming. I want to game I reinstall my gaming image and all files are put back ( I can reimage my computer in less time than it takes to install the games I play ). I even have a software image that allows me to use all the programs I use for video, sound editing and programming. Done using that stuff reimage to my main image, which is as if I just had Windows reinstalled FRESH that secound.

[liladypokerpro]

May have to check into that in the near future. Right now we don't have any extra money to spare on softwares, but I'll definitely keep this info in my back pocket for when we do. Thanks a bunch.

[Fictive]

When all else fails... format c:

That will definetely do the trick, but it's annoying and time consuming to install everything back. Had to do that myself a week ago, but not because of a virus or anything. Everything works again, except for the fact that my internet connection cuts itself off once every hour and I have no idea how the hell I'm supposed to fix that.

[liladypokerpro]

Well after tediously searching and nit-picking through the registry, I finally was able to re-enable the workstation and windows managers, so everything seems to be working alright except for one minor detail which I'm not even going to stress over ATM. So it's pretty much fixed for the most part...about 95% anyway.

I've got a registry repair tool to help possibly save me some time and fix the minor glitch that is left over, but in all honesty it is not something that is affecting the way anything runs, so I'm pretty darn happy right now LOL

[Fictive]

Originally Posted by liladypokerpro I've got a registry repair tool to help possibly save me some time and fix the minor glitch that is left

Be very careful with those. I used (and as far as I know, correctly) a registry repair program around a year or so ago... didn't go too well, lol. Seemed like everything was okay, turned off the comp, tried turning it on later and got an error message before windows even started loading up about something missing from system32 folder. Some .dll file... Aaaannnd... format c:. Lol, classic.

[Boilermaker]

NO DISK?
Are you sure? I taped it securley to the back of the computer.
I'll send you another copy if you can't find it, I made several copies.

[liladypokerpro]

Yep I looked and didn't see one so I dunno but I will tell you that one corner of the box looked like someone had tried to get into it...I could fit my hand into the hole so I dunno...wouldn't speculate that someone took it but perhaps in transit it could have slipped out somehow. Like I said tho I really didn't think anything of it at the time...I was just so tickled to have a working computer that I was in temporary La La Land

[liladypokerpro]

Okay well the improvements were short-lived sadly....error files have all reappeared...didn't take long. *sighs* Guess I won't be back online for a while now...scared to turn computer off now but at the same time I can't leave it running either.

Oh well I will try to figure something out...not sure what right at this point but working on it...just very tired right now...been up literally all night fighting with it...