NationStates Jolt Archive

Ok, through some momentary stupidity of mine, I got a crapload of viruses installed on my computer. I've been trying to get rid of them all, but it's been a long fight (especially since I refuse to spend money on antivirus software, and am thus stuck with things like Spybot and AVG.

So another program I got (Malwarewipe) Will identify the viruses and where they are, but will not delete them unless you pay for it. So I've been using that information to manually delete them. Only problem is (and I think this is what kept AVG from getting rid of them all) a couple of them just keep running, and when I open the task manager and end task them, they just pop back up. How do I stop a task from coming back, or wipe out a file while it's still running?

Ok, through some momentary stupidity of mine, I got a crapload of viruses installed on my computer. I've been trying to get rid of them all, but it's been a long fight (especially since I refuse to spend money on antivirus software, and am thus stuck with things like Spybot and AVG.



And therein lies your problem.

am thus stuck with things like Spybot and AVG.

Those are two quite good programs.


How do I stop a task from coming back, or wipe out a file while it's still running?

You'll have to stop them from starting in the first place (when Windows starts). Press the Start button, select Run, type "msconfig" and on the program that starts select the Startup tab. There you'll see a list of applications that are launched when you log in to Windows - you'll have to uncheck the items that correspond to the crapware. If you're unsure about which to uncheck, post the list here.
Also, Adaware does a good job on spyware.

You have a few choices.

1. Become a security expert.
2. Pay money for advanced security software and run the cleaining programs at least weekly.
3. Deal with a comp that runs like shit and find a techie friend to clean it up when it gets too bad.
4. Get a Mac and forget about viruses and adware and all that shit.

Those are two quite good programs.

Yeah, I usually think so, but several things are slipping through their clutches.

You'll have to stop them from starting in the first place (when Windows starts). Press the Start button, select Run, type "msconfig" and on the program that starts select the Startup tab. There you'll see a list of applications that are launched when you log in to Windows - you'll have to uncheck the items that correspond to the crapware. If you're unsure about which to uncheck, post the list here.
Also, Adaware does a good job on spyware.
Thank you. I knew about this, but I forgot exactly what I had to do to have it go. Thank you again!

Ooh, the ones that rerun themselves are the fun ones. My friend had one like that, you have to manually delete the files and the registry entries.

Do you have Hijack this! and Microsoft Antispyware(Defender)?

Thank you. I knew about this, but I forgot exactly what I had to do to have it go. Thank you again!
Alot of stuff won't show up there, especially really intrusive virii.

If you can't clean the system with a combo for AVG, Spybot, Ad-aware, and MS Defender, try online virus scanners - Norton, Pandasoft, McAffee, and Trillian. Some of those won't remove the virii though.

You have a few choices.
4. Get a Mac and forget about viruses and adware and all that shit.
At least until mac's become popular enough that people start writing viruses and adware and all that shit for them. Mac's do not posess some uber security, it's just that there are fewer people trying to crack them.

Oh the perils of pr0n.

Use AVG, go on Symantec's website and see what will wipe the bastards out if they rerun, download ZoneAlarm so that you've got a decent firewall in the future and don't waste money on Norton or anything, AVG is pretty good and cheap as free.

And another piece of advice is to do a rollback to a System Restore Point before you got the viruses. That worked for me in the past.

When I try to use Diagnostic Startup with MSconfig, it gives me an error message saying "an access denied error was returned while attempting to change a service. You may need to log on using an administrator account to make the specified changes"
However, I am the sole user of my computer. Is there some special way I have to log in as an administrator?

At least until mac's become popular enough that people start writing viruses and adware and all that shit for them. Mac's do not posess some uber security, it's just that there are fewer people trying to crack them.
And they test their security better before they go to market with an operating system and their operating system is open source so a security fix comes out pretty much on the same day that the security flaw does. Windows get viruses and adware because it sucks and is easy to break. Particularily with viruses. If you really wanted to do a shitload of damage out there you'd attcka the internet and that means attacking Unix/Linux, but these ops, like Apple's OS X and for the same reason, are harder to crack and easier to fix. OS X is, in fact, at it's heart a Unix op.

And therein lies your problem.
No it doesn't. I've had Norton, McAfee, AVG and Avast. I'd rate avast over all of those, although that's partly because I fucking hate Norton.

4. Get a Mac and forget about viruses and adware and all that shit.

Yeah except now that more people are buying macs more people are writing viruses for them, especially the absolutely insecure OS X.

No it doesn't. I've had Norton, McAfee, AVG and Avast. I'd rate avast over all of those, although that's partly because I fucking hate Norton.
I gotta say that the way Norton constantly bugs you after you stop subscribing is really annoying, and there's no way to get it to stop without disabling it completely.

And they test their security better before they go to market with an operating system and their operating system is open source so a security fix comes out pretty much on the same day that the security flaw does. Windows get viruses and adware because it sucks and is easy to break. Particularily with viruses. If you really wanted to do a shitload of damage out there you'd attcka the internet and that means attacking Unix/Linux, but these ops, like Apple's OS X and for the same reason, are harder to crack and easier to fix. OS X is, in fact, at it's heart a Unix op.
Been watching too many Mac commercials and drinking their spiked punch huh?

At least until mac's become popular enough that people start writing viruses and adware and all that shit for them. Mac's do not posess some uber security, it's just that there are fewer people trying to crack them.

Not quite true. Mac's DO have much better security than Windows, simply because Microsoft have made some very bad choices on security. BTW, older versions of the Mac OS DID have viruses, despite having low marketshare.

That doesn't mean Mac users can relax. No system is foolproof, especially if it's being used by fools. If the user deliberately DLs a virus, no OS will save him.

However, I am the sole user of my computer. Is there some special way I have to log in as an administrator?
You need an account with administrative privileges to do these sort of tasks; didn't you give an Administrator password when you installed Windows?

I gotta say that the way Norton constantly bugs you after you stop subscribing is really annoying, and there's no way to get it to stop without disabling it completely.
...hence why I hate it. That and the fact that it 'protected' one of my friend's computers by not allowing him on the web until he turned it off. A pain to use and a drain on resources.

EDIT: Get Avast! - almost all of the computer geeks I know of use it and swear by it.

That doesn't mean Mac users can relax. No system is foolproof, especially if it's being used by fools. If the user deliberately DLs a virus, no OS will save him.

Linux *can* save you, unless you run it as root, then youre an idiot and should kill yourself.

No it doesn't. I've had Norton, McAfee, AVG and Avast. I'd rate avast over all of those, although that's partly because I fucking hate Norton.

I've never tried AVG, but Norton sucks AND blows! And I've heard McAfee is just as bad. I'm happy with avast.

I've never tried AVG, but Norton sucks AND blows! And I've heard McAfee is just as bad. I'm happy with avast.
AVG will defeat any virus but the really 1337 ones. And for those, using a SRP is vital anyway.

Try one of the free online scanners, like housecall or panda. They run from an external server instead of your pc.

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan

AVG will defeat any virus but the really 1337 ones. And for those, using a SRP is vital anyway.
It wasn't any good for me when I was on my uni network. I downloaded Avast and bam! worms and trojans found all over the place.

Linux *can* save you, unless you run it as root, then youre an idiot and should kill yourself.

There are no shortage of idiots. And Linux can be a problem to install, especially on newer hardware.

sounds like the virus/adware is also in your regestry. if you are not 100% confident on going through and weeding out the virus in your regestry, then I suggest taking it in to be reformatted. then buy some Anti-Virus software.

While the Free ones are good, they are not nearly good as subscription services. updating your virus protection should be monthy.

WARNING: Do not fiddle with your registry if you are not 100% sure you know what you're doing... Deleting the wrong Item will really mess up your computer!

If you have a ton of viruses that keep coming back, then the only thing to do will be to back up your data and take it in for reformatting.

Been watching too many Mac commercials and drinking their spiked punch huh?
Been sitting here with a G4 Mac at home, a G5 Mac, two PC's, one running XP the other running FreeBSD at work and a server running my websites in Dallas Texas running Redhat ES Linux. I have more problems on the Windows box athan all the others combined.

sounds like the virus/adware is also in your regestry. if you are not 100% confident on going through and weeding out the virus in your regestry, then I suggest taking it in to be reformatted. then buy some Anti-Virus software.

I already dug through the registry and got rid of a ton of it, but there are these three in there that keep renewing themselves. I will NOT take it in to be reformatted! This fight is to the death!

Been sitting here with a G4 Mac at home, a G5 Mac, two PC's, one running XP the other running FreeBSD at work and a server running my websites in Dallas Texas running Redhat ES Linux. I have more problems on the Windows box athan all the others combined.
I never have any problems with my Windows stuff because I use preventative stuff.

4. Get a Mac and forget about viruses and adware and all that shit.

This was my solution.

In my opinion AVG is as good as any other virus OBLITERATOR!

I already dug through the registry and got rid of a ton of it, but there are these three in there that keep renewing themselves. I will NOT take it in to be reformatted! This fight is to the death!

Have you tried rebooting into safe mode and removing them there ?

Have you tried rebooting into safe mode and removing them there ?
Possibly won't work. My friend's virus prevented you from logging in upon booting in safe mode.

Have you tried rebooting into safe mode and removing them there ?
I just did that, and it worked. The viruses are now gone. However, when I go to AT&T worldnet Service connect now, I get a runtime error with WNconnect.exe
I was able to get online by running that malwarewipe program. (It's update feature triggered a new dial up executable.)
Any advice on that one?

I already dug through the registry and got rid of a ton of it, but there are these three in there that keep renewing themselves. I will NOT take it in to be reformatted! This fight is to the death!
those three viruses are still in the registry. Do you know the names of those viruses?

I just ran the free google-pack antivirus software and that sorted it out. and it's free.

those three viruses are still in the registry. Do you know the names of those viruses?
I've gotten rid of them now, but one was called Atmclk.

Ok, through some momentary stupidity of mine, I got a crapload of viruses installed on my computer. I've been trying to get rid of them all, but it's been a long fight (especially since I refuse to spend money on antivirus software, and am thus stuck with things like Spybot and AVG.
May I suggest an excellent freeware AV program. I use it and I adore it. You have to register to use it, but, it's free. Plus, it's is a real solution that's free and efficiant. It's also user friendly! My dad uses this and hasn't complained about viruses since I installed it for him.

Avast! Home Edition (http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html)

You'll have to use your real email address because they send your code there. Otherwise, it's total free; the home edition that is.