Off topic; Computer infected

[Fluffysmom]

Despite all the precautions I and my roommate took with her computer, it has been infected.  I can't get McAffee to update, and scanning was slow and jerky.  Spybot says everything's fine.

The computer won't allow me to download Free AVG antivirus that IT person suggested.

I am able to get online through Internet Explorer, but when I go to sign off, I get 10 or more Internet Explorer screens cascading across the monitor like when you win at Solitaire, and I can't get rid of them, or do anything else.  I had to shut down the computer manually, then come back on to try downloading the other antivirus.  

Since I was online, thought I'd stop in and let you all know.  Continue to keep your antivirus updated, look for your computer doing strange things.

Is anyone else affected?  If so, I'll try to come back with information on how to fix it once I find out.  The IT person at the office is swamped; they're having issues, don't know if its the doggone Conficker thingy or what.

I'm going to my apartment today, and I think I'll skip turning on MY computer until I know how to fix any problems that it might have.

Hope you're all clean and safe!

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

I'm passing this computer off to my roommate for the weekend; she can call her IT person and figure everything out.

I'll check out my computer this weekend, see how it's doing.  I'll remember the F8 safe mode reboot if needed; I just hope my own computer is safe; I have Media Center and all sorts of stuff that I don't want messed with.

I'll have to make a point of using my computer more often so it can get its updates.

Have a good weekend, and thanks for the tips.

Kathy

[Want to feel well!!!]

Did you try the safe mode reboot?  Cyn's advice is good...it will allow you to isolate the virus through a scan, when the scan is done, you can do a "regular"reboot, go into your antivirus software and delete the isolated file(s).  I have done that myself in the past and it does work.

Frustrating isn't it???

Good luck!

Wanna :o)

[LLWB]

Sorry girl, but your computer has to be on to get automatic updates. Hope you can get things figured out soon. If your home computer hasn't been on for awhile, maybe it isn't infected. Good luck, I have a love/hate relationship with my computer.

Maggie

[Sunnytoday]

Kathy, how about you grab that piece of chocolate and a bowl of ice-cream while you are at it. :) Nothing can cause a person to want to pull out their hair faster than computer problems/viruses. I had one on my 'puter not to long ago, and I'm still crossing my fingers that my problems are all fixed for now. :)
((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))
~Sunnytoday~

[Fluffysmom]

After I signed off last time, the computer threw 15 Internet Explorer screens up, I couldn't close them, they had weird messages, like "unknown zone" and lots of numbers and stuff at the top of each screen, different ones.

I had to manually shut down the computer again.

My roommate called and asked for details, said I could go back online but not to try to fix anything more.  She'll call her IT person and have her talk her through what's going on.

I didn't get my errands run, I'm tired, and cranky.  Boo hoo!  I think a small piece of chocolate is in order...

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

Well, I was able to get to the Microsoft site though the link on the site that Lulu posted, and everything seems to be OK now; I certainly hope so.

I must have had some other glitch happen.  It was odd that I couldn't get the McAfee update to work.  I tried again, and it worked.  It says this computer is fine.

Maybe my unfamiliarity with Internet Explorer caused something to freeze up.  Who knows.  My roommate wanted me to write up the sequence of events for her IT person, but everything seems to be OK, and my roomie didn't answer her phone.

I have some errands to run, so I hope this puppy is healthy!  :o)

As for my home computer (forgive my ignorance), do the automatic updates only happen when the computer is on?  I have been using my computer every once in a while, and hope that all needed updates are on it.  

Kathy

[essdipity]

Thanks, Lu.

I advise everyone who might be worried about this to follow the link Lu lists above. That link will also take you to Microsoft's update site, where you should get a message about patches your computer has received from Microsoft, and what your update schedule is.
If you have never changed this, any available updates are sent to you and installed every day.

That's half of the solution. The other half depends on your virus/spyware software. Norton and McAfee are the main ones, but there is also freeware available on the web.

If you can get to the Norton, McAfee and Microsoft sites, your system is not infected. The ones that are get blocked from accessing solutions to the infection.

It's always a good idea to check periodically to make sure your computer is getting updates regularly. When in doubt, run a full scan and see what, if anything is suspect. This can take a long time, more than an hour, because on a state-of-the-art computer there are literally hundreds of thousands of system and other files that need to be checked.

This scare applies only to Windows-based systems. Mac or Linux users can just relax.

I'm an ex-IT person and tech writer, and I guess I just can't help myself from this kind of post!

ess

[Lulu54]

Conficker did not hit like predicted, but is still out there and causing havoc on a small scale.  To learn more, here's a good update

http://www.pcworld.com/article/162570/is_conficker_finally_history.html

[Fluffysmom]

The Conficker virus, or worm, actually, I guess, has infected tons of computers.  It's authors have continuously updated it, with a nasty little function of blocking your antivirus from running, or getting new updates to combat the latest mutation of the worm.

This computer said that Internet Explorer was blocking my computer from downloading the new antivirus, not the current antivirus, firewall, or spybot.

I would try the safe mode, but the antivirus apparently won't catch this worm, as it was run the day before the supposed launch (April 1) and it said everything was fine.  I assume the computer was already infected, also affecting the antivirus, so I doubt the safe mode scan will work.

Hey, I'll  give it a try, thanks, Cyn.  Crossing my fingers....

Kathy

[saveone]

I downloaded Avira several months ago.  Over the last few days it keeps telling me, esp if I use Explorer, that a malicious script is trying to access my comp and do I want to deny it access.  It doesn't seem to happen when I use Mozilla Firefox. Maybe it is the same thing that got you.

[syndismilez]

I'm no IT person. But if you shut down and then reboot. Hold  the F8 key down while it is booting up. This will bring you to "safe mode" option. Pick the safe mode and let it continue to boot. The safe mode looks different but you should be able to run your antivirus the same. The antivirus should be able to catch the virus while it is in safe mode. Safe mode is just running your computer without all the backgrounds and utilities running.
Hope this helps!!!!
Cyn