| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Max0005
Junior Member
Italy
294 Posts |
 Posted - 27 October 2007 : 14:08:36
|
So, I'm using Windows XP Home Edition SP 2 udated, and using as anti-virus avast 4 home edition updated. Lately avast every 5 minutes (or less) pops up saying there's a virus, I click on delete, but the alert window comes back again for about 6 times... today first a popup came up with this address in it:
<link to some questionable spyware removal site removed>
then my desktop change, now there is a picture saying that my privacy is in danger, to visit a website, and when i click anywhere that's not an icon it opens a popup :S what should i do? |
Edited by - Doug G on 28 October 2007 01:55:27 |
|
|
phy1729
Average Member
USA
589 Posts |
|
|
Doug G
Support Moderator
USA
6493 Posts |
Posted - 28 October 2007 : 01:57:36
|
You probably have some spyware or trojan on your computer, judging by the popup link (the one I removed). Run spyware scan(s) with spybot or adaware or some other spyware removal tools and see if you can clean it up. Run an online virus checker in case you have something that avast doesn't know about.
|
======
Doug G
======
Computer history and help at www.dougscode.com |
 |
|
|
pdrg
Support Moderator
United Kingdom
2897 Posts |
Posted - 30 October 2007 : 12:46:41
|
| but frankly, once you've got an infection, you can't guarantee it hasn't opened the backdoor to all sorts of other nasties. As opposed to attempting to patch up the damage caused and never really being sure it's cured, instead spend a few hours and format your hard drive, and reinstall everything you need (including a better antivirus!). The bonus of this is that you'll realise how slow your computer was running and how fast it becomes again without all the legacy nonsense on it :-) |
|
|
|
Panhandler
Average Member
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 30 October 2007 : 19:06:26
|
Some guys were doing file sharing on a computer at my brother's business.
The computer got a virus like that.
So my brother had the hard disk reformatted. It didn't help.
So he gave it to my dad.
I was checking it out and found that it didn't have Service Pack 2 installed yet.
I installed SP2 and the virus died.
If possible, you might try re-installing SP2 - I have a feeling it might cure your virus.
|
"5-in-1 Snitz Common Expansion Pack" - five popular mods packaged for easy install
". . .on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam. . ."
HarborClassifieds
Support Snitz Forums
|
|
|
|
pdrg
Support Moderator
United Kingdom
2897 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2007 : 13:42:00
|
Hold up a second - formatting the hard disk didn't get rid of a virus? Seriously, that wasn't a formatted drive, seeing as a format (done from a boot disk) will kill the whole of Windows and anything else on the disk - that's the point, to completely bulldoze all the crud that's accumulated over the years!
However, I concur that XPSP2 really is not optional, but essential, before using the system online again |
|
|
|
AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2007 : 13:48:09
|
Its probably worth mentioning, but a while back I'd found a utility that will download all the updates for XP and create an .iso you can burn to a CD so you can update your installation with all the security updates/patches/etc. before you ever let it look to the network/internet.
If I remember when I get home today I'll post the link. |
|
|
|
Panhandler
Average Member
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2007 : 14:36:01
|
quote:
Originally posted by pdrg
Hold up a second - formatting the hard disk didn't get rid of a virus? Seriously, that wasn't a formatted drive. . .
All I know is what he told me. He has somebody do his secure IT work but probably had some knowledgeable in-house worker do a hard-disk format and not a external boot format.
The virus that Max0005 has does the following (AFAIK):
It makes a twin copy of itself - the twin copies watch each other.
If one of them gets erased, the remaining twin will make one or two more copies of itself, and then they watch each other.
And on it goes.
Sorry I don't remember what that type of virus is called, but it's really nasty and hard to get rid of.
|
|
|
|
Doug G
Support Moderator
USA
6493 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2007 : 21:47:02
|
quote:
Hold up a second - formatting the hard disk didn't get rid of a virus? Seriously, that wasn't a formatted drive, seeing as a format (done from a boot disk) will kill the whole of Windows and anything else on the disk - that's the point, to completely bulldoze all the crud that's accumulated over the years!
MS format may not clean your disk, there are mbr infections that don't get changed by formatting. For myself, I boot knoppix and use linux shred to nuke everything on a suspect disk, then reformat and reinstall windows.
|
======
Doug G
======
Computer history and help at www.dougscode.com |
|
|
|
AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 31 October 2007 : 23:15:31
|
Just for reference, once you get your formatting issues resolved you can use CTUpdate to grab a copy of all your windows updates and make a disk that will let you update your clean box before it hits the 'net.
If you're really feeling adventurous, you could use nLite to make a custom install disk that includes the updates you downloaded.
Just a couple ideas that made my last re-install a little easier.  |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
