I've never really had to deal with these before because I've never downloaded stuff that might contain them before, but now my younger brothers use my computer and they play all kinds of online games and download things. And I have some really bad viruses on my computer now and I don't know how to get rid of them. I can't use google because whenever I click on a link it takes me to some advertisement instead of the URL it says. Also, I get tons of popups telling me I have viruses and giving me stuff to download to get rid of them .
Help!
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
In the worst case scenario you'll have to reinstall your operating system. However, this may not be as bad as you think. First download a free anti-virus scanner (such as AVG) and also download AdAware. Run them both and have them remove what they find. Then run HijackThis and post the scan file here. If you can't download them on the infected computer then you can always download them on another computer and transfer them via USB or CD.
From what it sounds like, you may only have some adware which isn't too bad.
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
First thing you should do is download firefox on another machine, take it to your machine, and install it.
Use it to download AVG free edition, spybot, adaware, and CCleaner. Get all updates and boot into safe mode. (F8 during start up)
Run ccleaner first...this empties out temp folders and junk. Run Spybot and adaware next. Run AVG.
Open up IE and reset homepage to something like Google. Restart.
If this is not a basic enough clean, you either need Hijackthis (free but powerful and dangerous if you don't know what your doing) or reformat your drive and do a fresh install.
Once everything is moderately fixed, create a limited account for other users and password protect your admin account.
* just for the fun of it, you might as well defrag while in safe mode.
EDIT: Dang you Threads! Beat me to it! I do recommend CCleaner first as it empties out so much junk, and there are less files for your other programs to scan. Plus some things like to hide in temp folders.
Safe mode is the most effective place to run virus spyware scanners.
Posted by Pegasus (Member # 10464) on :
Seconds Thread's advice EDIT: and lem's
I have gotten in trouble with HijackThis before, definitely be careful with that one, though running it and posting the results without deleting anything is safe enough.
Posted by Threads (Member # 10863) on :
Seconds lem's advice to run these programs in safe mode.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
I use Firefox. I already have CCleaner, AdAware (but I get an error whenever I try to retrieve the new updates for it), Spybot, and I'm downloading AVG right now. I'll run those four in that order and see how it goes. Thanks!
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
You are very likely dealing with something that has done a couple things. 1. Hijacked LSP entries in Winsock (Techno babble for screwed up the way your computer communicates with the Internet). To fix this, go here. Run lspfix.exe it'll pop up a window with two boxes in it. One on the right, and one on the left. If anything is in the right side, you've been hijacked, and you can just click Finish. You'll need to reboot. 2. Hijacked HOSTS file. The hosts file is what your computer uses to translate domain names to IP addresses instead of what they normally are. There are cases where this is useful, but here it's just a problem. This can be fixed with hijack this, but if you're not really sure what you're doing, hijack this can be a bit of a problem causer. To fix... Open My Computer, enter C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc in the address bar. Right click on the file HOSTS and click open, then click notepad and click ok. That will allow you to edit the file. Delete everything in there except the lines with a # in front of them and the line that says "127.0.0.1 localhost". Save the file. If you had an entry on the right in LSPfix or had a lot of entries in the HOSTS file, this should help your non connection to google problem. Then download AVG and AdAware (If you can get AdAware SE I'd get it.) Run both, in safe mode if you can. Also run a search for a program called smitfraudfix (no spaces) and run that. It'll fix some other problems you likely have. (It's a little DOS utility that will scan your computer for certain problems. If you have some thing in the lower left corner of your screen that pops up all the time telling you you have viruses, this is the only thing that will remove it).
That should take care of your problems. Safe mode is the place to work in, cause most viruses can't run there (The one with the little popup you have viruses thing does).
Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
Boris gave great advice. You should follow all of it. I forgot about the HOST files.
BTW, you can download the latest definition file for adaware. Just unzip it and copy (overwrite) the file where your other def file is in the program.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
I ran all of the programs in safe mode and checked the host file and used the lspfix. The programs all found some stuff, and I think AdAware deleted something called smitfraudfix. There were no lines in the host file that didn't start with a # and lspfix didn't show anything on the right side. So far I haven't had any popups, but google links still don't work. I just have to highlight the URL and drag it to the address bar, which I can live with, as long as it doesn't mean I have some bigger problem.
One more thing, I have to use my credit card to pay for a deposit on the internet, is it safe to put in the card information on my computer even though I'm having these problems? Is it possible I have a virus that will be able to steal the card information?
Thanks for all your help.
Posted by SoberTillNoon (Member # 6170) on :
I really would not. If you can call them, that would be a much safer medium to give such information considering you have doubts as to the security of your computer.
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
Honestly, at this point you should just backup whatever you want to keep and reinstall the operating system. It's the only sure fire way to make all those nasty viruses go bye bye. Then definitely follow lem's advice about creating limited access accounts and password-protecting your own.
Posted by SoberTillNoon (Member # 6170) on :
Yes, that is all well and good. However, one would have to be careful not to but the virus in the back up on accident. Those things are pretty sneaky. What about a knoppix distro? Those have pretty good tools for dealing with viruses among other things.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
I recommend submerging your computer in isopropyl alcohol for a minimum of five minutes.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: I recommend submerging your computer in isopropyl alcohol for a minimum of five minutes.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
*wheezes at the thought*
Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
How about dipping your *brothers* in isoproyl alcohol for five minutes to teach them not to download any old stuff without thinking.
They should learn it is Very Nawty.
Knoppix is a great idea for removing virus files from your PC. However, unless you *really* know what you're doing I'd stick with the CCleaner/Ad-aware/AVG route.
You might also like to try 'Spybot - Saerch and Destroy' which has a 'teatimer' function which runs in the background to alert you of stealth software installs or changes to how your computer is set up.
Above all, GOOD LUCK!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
I take mine to Danny the Computer Guy and he fixes it for me.
This works great if you, like me, are not one of those people who "*really* know what you're doing".
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
If you want to give Hijackthis a try, I can probably help you with it. Download it and run it, then tell it to do a scan and save a log file. Save it wherever you want, and then email the log file to me. I'll look through it and let you know which entries to remove. (My email is in my profile)
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
I agree with Threads. When it is that bad, I just reinstall the operating system.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I haven't had to reinstall yet, and I've come across some really really badly infected computers. But then, hey, I was paid by the hour to fix 'em, so what do I care? Posted by lem (Member # 6914) on :
If you do reinstall the operating system because of security fears, I recommend you use a program that overwrites your disk with 0s. It will destroy any virus.
Reformats and reinstalls really don't do as much damage to old programs,files, viruses as you think--unless it is that something you really want .
A complete overwrite of your drive will pretty much ensure any nasties are gone!
I use wipedrive that came with windows washer, but I am sure there are free utilities out there that do it.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
I don't know about AVG, but Avast can be set to do a virus scan at boot time before anything else is loaded. You might want to give that a try, so that it can scan before any viruses actually get loaded after your computer reboots.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
This is the utility that I was talking about. Download it, run it. It opens a DOS window and gives you a few options. press 1 to scan your system, then press 2 to clean anything it finds out. If AVG or AdAware found smitfraud, it's likely they weren't able to fully remove it, since it's pretty sneaky.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
Can someone walk me through how to reinstall my operating system? My computer now runs super slow and has enough problems that I'd rather just start over, and there really isn't anything that I need to save on my computer, except for my music.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
Please?
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
If you have the Operating System Disc it should be pretty self explanatory. They really do a pretty good job of giving you step by step instructions on how to install. Just make sure to format it, at the very least.
Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
Didn't realize there is a disc that does it for you.
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
I am not a computer person, but I do know that reinstalling makes things all fresh and clean! We do that once a year to the main computer as part of spring cleaning. Forces you to back up pictures and important stuff, too.
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
It's the actual Windows XP system disc that should do it. It can do a clean reformat that erases most of the information. However as someone mentioned, either in here or another thread like this, it doesn't always get rid of everything. There are programs that completely cover up everything on the hard drive, and then you can start anew. I don't know the names of these, though, just that they exist.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I'm surprised no one has recommended a good shotgunning.
Posted by adfectio (Member # 11070) on :
you mean where you take a shotgun to it? (I'm guessing here, as the Urban dictionary definitions were less than helpful. unless you meant some crude sexual act )
As someone who really enjoys technology in all shapes and fashions, that is too painful an option to consider.
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Didn't realize there is a disc that does it for you.
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