I need help in getting rid of the virus. While I do like porn I do have actual work that I need to get done, can anybody help me?
You can't really reinfect it if it wasn't clean to begin with.There's a nasty one running around that you need special programs to get rid of. Steps include booting to safe mode, running the program, then manually editing the registry. It's painful. I suggest getting someone to do it because it's very easy to reinfect the PC if you don't get all of it out.
You can't really reinfect it if it wasn't clean to begin with.
If you know the name of it that would help a lot, but your best bet for a quick fix would probably be to boot into Safe Mode with Networking so you can still get online without having to worry about the problem. Snag Spy Bot Search and Destroy, Hijack This, or Lavasoft's AdAware. All do a pretty excellent job provided the problem isn't technically a virus (which in my experience as a repair tech has generally been the case).
At the very least, there's a good chance (especially Hijack This) will be able to hook you up with the name of the offending app, which will allow you to do a better search.
However, given you're already online here, you can probably skip the Safe Mode with Networking bit and just snag the installers for those apps from whatever computer you're using at the moment.
Yes Hijack this can do great harm to your computer if you dont know what you are doing. If you are broadband turn the modem off when you are not using the computer. If you leave it on (you are on line) someone could hack your computer even without it turned on. Spybot, AVG etc are all great. They are just as good as Norton and the like and best of all they are free. Go to download.com. They have all of this and more and information to help you.HiJackThis is a dangerous application in inexperienced hands. I would stick to Spybot in the first instance, then AdAware if you are still having problems. If after using both of these you still have a problem, the AdAware site has a forum where they will help you to use HiJackThis safely. There is a whole forum dedicated to the software and instructions re what they need from you to help you remove the problem from your system.
Maintaining my own computer (which is alway connected via broadband), I use SpybotS&D, Norton Internet Security and CookieWall. NIS has a firewall but I also have a separate one in my router so that acts like a double barrier (as it were!) for the critters to get through. And that's all I use. I used to use about half a dozen applications to prevent the download of diallers and the like but these days many of them conflict with each other (and that can stop them working properly) so I don't bother.
Oh, and the biggest favor you can do for your computer? Switch to Firefox browser. Most websites work with Firefox. I used to use IE and was forever picking up tracking cookies, diallers and malware. These days I don't get any unless my son uses Windows Live Messenger...
Little tips that I use:
Click Start > Run
Type MSCONFIG
Go to the services tab. Tick the box for 'hide all microsoft services' then untick all the boxes that come up (or just the ones that are suspect if you can). Usually virus services have bullshit names like ljfdlajfldaj or kfjdlkjdl etc.
Then go to Startup tab and click disable all. Exit then restart.
As it restarts press F8 continuously til a screen comes up. Go down the list and click return on Safe Mode. Login and then click Start > My Computer > C:/ (Or whatever your main drive is, might not be C drive
Then from C:/ go to:
Windows > System32
In system 32 click Date Modified to list the files by the date they were made.
Delete everything from today or the past few days (depending when the problems started).
Go to recycle bin and empty it.
Then restart. Things won't be perfect but it should improve them. Then do a scan with HijackThis (google) and then Spybot Search & Destory (google).
Then you might also want to do a virus scan.
Yes Hijack this can do great harm to your computer if you dont know what you are doing. They are just as good as Norton and the like and best of all they are free. Go to download.com. They have all of this and more and information to help you.
DO NOT DO NOT DO XP Service Pack 3 Through Windows Update!! If you want SP3, download the full network distributable and then load it. The Winupdate version is corrupted and will JACK your system up.
Hijack this is primarily used to target a single file that cannot be deleted due to being in use or a tough virus...IF...you can find the source file. Agree - you can really booger your PC up if you start deleting critical system files.
Norton and McAffee are the biggest bloatware programs to come along.
They HOG system resources, and completely take over your PC.
You can't just simply remove them through add and remove programs. you have to download THEIR Uninstaller to STRIP the program out, since it leaves registry keyes, and their proprietary firewall intact, which...by the way... disables all connectivity when removed.
The first thing I do, if I get a machine with Norton or McAfee - is disable them completely, and then remove them if at all possible.
C
Norton and McAffee are just high price garbage. With the new computers they only come with a 90 day trial period most of the time anyway. They rob your system of memory and dont do a good job at all. If you have them installed you have to download their uninstaller. Its a good idea to get a registry cleaner too. Avg, Spybot etc, and a good registry cleaner are all free at Download.com. Everyone should check this site out. Also remember to defragment your computer at least once a week and do disc clean up. Every time you remove a file or program (spyware too) the disc becomes fragmented. So defragment often. The first thing i did when i got my new computer is get rid of Norton.Hijack this is primarily used to target a single file that cannot be deleted due to being in use or a tough virus...IF...you can find the source file. Agree - you can really booger your PC up if you start deleting critical system files.
Norton and McAffee are the biggest bloatware programs to come along.
They HOG system resources, and completely take over your PC.
You can't just simply remove them through add and remove programs. you have to download THEIR Uninstaller to STRIP the program out, since it leaves registry keyes, and their proprietary firewall intact, which...by the way... disables all connectivity when removed.
The first thing I do, if I get a machine with Norton or McAfee - is disable them completely, and then remove them if at all possible.
C
Can we get the distributable via the windows update site?
Can we get the distributable via the windows update site?
No - Update only does it's own thing.
You can get it from the Microsoft Download Center:
Download details: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview
Rikter - Are you sure Update's SP3 is corrupt - or did it just do a number on you? I mean SP3 has been knocking about for long enough for them to have had complaints and fixed it. That's a fairly serious issue, I find it strange that MS would leave that unfixed for any length of time at all.
I would stay away from any further XP updates except security patches. They will simply bog your machine down and force you to get Vista. The updates will become so heavy your computer wont be able to handle it. A nasty dirty trick indeed. By the way Vista and Xp can be installed and run on the same computer. I and another co-worker are working on this now. This will happen soon. It looks good.No - Update only does it's own thing.
You can get it from the Microsoft Download Center:
Download details: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview
Rikter - Are you sure Update's SP3 is corrupt - or did it just do a number on you? I mean SP3 has been knocking about for long enough for them to have had complaints and fixed it. That's a fairly serious issue, I find it strange that MS would leave that unfixed for any length of time at all.