another person needing computer help

[amiquechu 0]

I don't know what my wife downloaded, but our computer has some serious virus or trojan horse or whatever they call it these days. Does anybody know what I need to do, assuming we've got a really bad...virus ??? Am I stuck needing to have the hard drive re-imaged (again)? Or is there an easier way around it? Internet Explorer is shutting down at random times, the internet explorer interface is jacked up, she can't open her messenger , everything moves slower, our computer's screwed, etc., etc. Any advice from a lot more computer savvy VJer than me?

[Dan J 277]

I don't know what my wife downloaded, but our computer has some serious virus or trojan horse or whatever they call it these days. Does anybody know what I need to do, assuming we've got a really bad...virus ??? Am I stuck needing to have the hard drive re-imaged (again)? Or is there an easier way around it? Internet Explorer is shutting down at random times, the internet explorer interface is jacked up, she can't open her messenger , everything moves slower, our computer's screwed, etc., etc. Any advice from a lot more computer savvy VJer than me?

Malware is the generic term for that kind of stuff.

If you know what your doing, you can probably remove it, but if you don't reformatting and reinstalling windows is probably the fastest way to get back to normal.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

CNET.com...check out what programs they recommend.

Open your Task Manager and see what applications or processes are running. Anything that looks suspicious, do a Google search and you might find a lot of info on what it is and if it is malware, how to get rid of it.

I'd recommend using another web browser beside Internet Explorer.....use Firefox.

[amiquechu 0]

CNET.com...check out what programs they recommend.

Open your Task Manager and see what applications or processes are running. Anything that looks suspicious, do a Google search and you might find a lot of info on what it is and if it is malware, how to get rid of it.

I'd recommend using another web browser beside Internet Explorer.....use Firefox.

I'll give that a shot and see if I can get anywhere. Thanks a bunch for the help Dan and Steven.

[Scott & Lai 12]

Have you tried doing a System Restore? Depending on what is actually causing the problems, that will often fix things.

[amiquechu 0]

Have you tried doing a System Restore? Depending on what is actually causing the problems, that will often fix things.

How do I do that?

[amiquechu 0]

Never mind. I think I found it with a simple google search.

[KimandRuss 0]

First...

Read this link... and follow the steps.

If you have to... download and save the software to a jump drive on a 'good' pc and then upload and install on your wife's in safe mode.

If after what you have done in those instructions does not work follow their advice and post your hijackthis log in their thread. They are a great group over there and will help you out. Full of wisdom ...and FREE!

Geeks2Go

Then download AVG

Spybot Search and Destroy

& Ad-Aware

Also all free and they will (should) protect your pc after it's been cleared.

Repairing windows or reinstalling your OS should always be a last resort.

[KimandRuss 0]

System restore may very well work to clean the registry files but if the trojan/virus/malware is still there (which it usually is) it will just initialize again on start up when you reboot. Also, many viruses disable system restore.

[JanaknJanet 0]

disk clean up?

defrag..

run a good virus scan.

[BRIAN AND ISA 0]

I would do a system restore back a week or so before you noticed the problems and that should do it. Worse case scenario you can reset your computer to the original factory settings but you will loose all of your saved files unless you can save the clean ones on to a disk and then reinstall them. Good luck.

Ps.. Not that I know anything about computer but it has happened to me as well.

Edited June 25, 2008 by BRIAN AND ISA

[Scott & Lai 12]

First...

Read this link... and follow the steps.

If you have to... download and save the software to a jump drive on a 'good' pc and then upload and install on your wife's in safe mode.

If after what you have done in those instructions does not work follow their advice and post your hijackthis log in their thread. They are a great group over there and will help you out. Full of wisdom ...and FREE!

Geeks2Go

Then download AVG

Spybot Search and Destroy

& Ad-Aware

Also all free and they will (should) protect your pc after it's been cleared.

Repairing windows or reinstalling your OS should always be a last resort.

In addition to the three programs KimandRuss mentioned, I'd add ZoneAlarm. It stops external programs from accessing your computer w/o your permission, and also keeps programs on your computer from accessing the internet w/o your permission. Even better, a hardware firewall, such as a router, will make your system practically invisible to hackers. Before I got a router, ZoneAlarm was very active, frequently alerting me to potential outside attacks. Now, it is very quiet, mostly only coming up to alert me of a program on my computer trying to access the web, usually checking for updates.

[DeadPoolX 9]

And for reference, stop using Internet Explorer!

Yes, I know it comes with Windows, it's easy to use and every website on the planet accepts it, but... it's about as safe as wearing armor made out of jello. You'd be far better off downloading either Firefox or Opera.

Both are much, much more secure in how they handle websites and offer a lot more in terms of functionality as well...

Firefox has something called "extensions" (more recently, the term has been changed to "add-ons") which are mostly user-made and can change the way Firefox works. For instance, there's an add-on called AdBlock Plus which allows you to permanently block any one advertisement (or all ads from the source) so you no longer have to see that stupidity. Another neat add-on is VideoDownloadHelper, which enables you to download videos from sites like YouTube.

Opera is a lot like Firefox in some ways, but different in others. It's faster than either IE or FF, but it lacks the cool add-ons that FF has. It does, however, have a small community dedicated to creating something called "widgets" for it. These are interesting and some are pretty useful, but overall, they lack the same flare that FF's add-ons do. The main benefit to Opera over FF is that it has some unique features, such as the ability to masquerade as either IE or FF on websites that prefer one or the other, and it seems to be quicker and less of a resource hog.

No matter which one you choose, neither will be quite as accepted all over the Internet as IE, but that's generally due to lazy web developing. Regardless, the number of sites you'll come across that'll demand IE and only IE are limited (Microsoft's website, for instance, probably wants IE) and most places will work just fine -- sometimes even better -- with Firefox or Opera.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Try using a Trojan Horse Removal Tool from Microsoft. If that doesn't work, use an anti-virus program. That's a given. If that doesn't work, do a system restore. There is no set procedure to fix a computer.