computer problem can you tell me how to fix them before hulk smash

[Frankie]

Theres nothing you can't fix with a good hammer.

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by Frankie

Theres nothing you can't fix with a good hammer.

True DAT!!

[CATALYST]

Originally Posted by slakker

That may be the case for some if not for most, but I've ran machines with and without. I find the time it takes me to rebuilt a machine is easily offset by how slow my machine runs with "protection". I rebuild about once every 2 years, and sometimes I upgrade my PC before I even have to rebuild.

But whatever works for ya...

Rebuilding your computer is a walk in the park compared to data theft and recovery from it. That's like having sex with prostitutes without a condom and saying that you can get a prescription for penicillin. It's not about the cooties you can get, it's about the info you loose.

They call it 'windows' for a reason.

[tbittner]

I'm not worried about my computers and my network, I'm worried about some dunderhead walking around with a laptop with hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of peoples personal information on it and then losing the laptop. You know, people like the IRS and Home Land Security for instance...

[Motokorth]

My one big advice for everyone is to back up your import files like your kids Baby pictures. I have had 2 coworkers who hard drives died on them and I had to try to recover the files. It was not fun for me to recover or for those people who almost lost a large amount of their kids photos.

It may seem like a pain in the arse to do but it saves you from a lot of potential headaches in the future.

[Edd13]

if it is the same one my father got... it shows up as a download for "Something" ... him it was a Codec ... I sent him an AVI file of the kids and he could not read the file due to his codecs wern't up to date and he saw one online and installed it and BINGO.... that thing was in everything over 500 places in the regestry alone ... I wiped the disk and started over

[slakker]

Originally Posted by CATALYST

Rebuilding your computer is a walk in the park compared to data theft and recovery from it. That's like having sex with prostitutes without a condom and saying that you can get a prescription for penicillin. It's not about the cooties you can get, it's about the info you loose.

They call it 'windows' for a reason.

True enough... that's why I use a seperate computer for ALL my personal stuff like banking. I don't surf, or do anything else with it. That's really the only way to be safe and have functionality, cause anti-virus software is like using the same condom all the time and hoping it works with the new virus and trojans that keeps popping up. It's on a low end and cheap machine.

[BoomerD]

Difficult to tell what your box is infected with, but it's DEFINITELY not healthy.

Start with the AVG antivirus free download found here:
AVG Free Advisor - Installation files & documentation

Then get the Spy-Bot Search & Destroy free download here:
The home of Spybot-S&D!
The LavaSoft Ad-Aware is a good program as well.
Ad-Aware 2007 - Reviews and free Ad-Aware 2007 downloads at Download.com

I use BOTH Spybot and AdAware on my PC on a weekly basis.

It's hard to say what kind of nasty stuff your computer has been sending out to the world...or at least the folks in your email contact list...

Another good program to run is called Stinger:
McAfee Threat Center
It only detects certain common viruses, but it's GOOD at what it does.

It SOUNDS like you just have a bad case of spyware/adware, but you NEVER know...sounds like you need to find a better grade of um..."clothing-optional, horizontal recreation" site to visit...

Seriously, this crap can come from emails, links on other sites, and yep, even hidden inside porn clips...(dirty bstards...messing with porn. They should be ashamed of themselves! isn't ANYTHING sacred anymore?)

There are some VERY good options listed here:
AnandTech - Freeware programs and applications (continuation)

Some are free, others are pay, and many of the pay programs offer free trials.

[CAVINCA]

Originally Posted by BigAl07

For some serious self-help go to That Computer Guy - Central Wisconsin Computer Repair, Computer Repair Stevens Point, Friendly Computer Help Online and register there. Then go to That Computer Guy's Help Forum -> Virus and Spyware/Adware/Malware Issues (Post HIJACK THIS logs here) and follow the instructions there. That's an AMAZING site and they will help you help yourself. The great part is that you'll learn about the infection and be better educated in the end.

"HIJACK THIS" sites are amazingly helpful... id go there first. you post a log (which theyll help you do) and they well find the processes and registry files that are the bad guys.

AS FOR complete rebuilds... if you dont have the appropriate protection before you plug in to the net youll be right back in the same boat you started. as soon as you plug into the internet every port on your pc is bombarded with malicious content.

Buy a MAC. far less of a target than a pc. although they arent virus proof, non windows compatability actually comes in handy. its fun to watch and laugh as im bombarded by hundreds of trojan.bat or .exe files. My computer cant read them and tosses them in the trashbin

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by slakker

True enough... that's why I use a seperate computer for ALL my personal stuff like banking. I don't surf, or do anything else with it. That's really the only way to be safe and have functionality, cause anti-virus software is like using the same condom all the time and hoping it works with the new virus and trojans that keeps popping up. It's on a low end and cheap machine.

not a very good analogy buddy. The GOOD Anti-Virus programs out there are updated DAILY and some more than that when new "High Level" threats are detected. Software Updates is the name of the game. Plus with newer programs they use some cool software code that doesn't just look for specific viruses but they also try to detect and remove Virus-Like activity. Virus have certain "characteristics" that can be detected and stopped fairly easily. The better programs use very little system resources and do an amazing job at trying to help you protect yourself. Some of the larger name-brand ones are merely Resource HOGS that will slow your system down to a crawl and even though they work good it's not worth it to have a sluggish system. That's why I only use and suggest AVG for my Anti-Virus needs. I use bot the FREE version and the paid Corp versions. They both have their place.

Originally Posted by CAVINCA

"HIJACK THIS" sites are amazingly helpful... id go there first. you post a log (which theyll help you do) and they well find the processes and registry files that are the bad guys.

That's exactly right. Many of these "Nasties" have multiple entries all through your system and once they to a certain "Degree of infection" they may require a good degree of manual cleaning. That's where That Computer Guy - Central Wisconsin Computer Repair, Computer Repair Stevens Point, Friendly Computer Help Online comes into play. They are nothing short of AMAZING! Thats the other site where I would be "hanging out" if I weren't "Reefing".

Originally Posted by CAVINCA

AS FOR complete rebuilds... if you dont have the appropriate protection before you plug in to the net youll be right back in the same boat you started. as soon as you plug into the internet every port on your pc is bombarded with malicious content.

True TRUE! Even a total rebuilt (hardware or software) is only good for a few minutes.An unprotected system is compromised in less than 10 minutes after hitting just a few seemingly SAFE websites. Even the most Un-Adult websites can become compromised due to disgruntled employee, college pranks or any number of other "Reasons" to hack into and manipulate a site. CAVINCA is so right. Literally THOUSANDS of times a day your PC is "searched" for open ports if it's not behind a firewall (speaking of a Hardware Firewall here). Think about it.. it's like a common crook walking around your house every single day checking every door and window looking for one you've left open by mistake. Then behind him comes a thousand more trying the same thing. Some of them have a box of keys and are trying to "Get Lucky" and find a key that fits. Then behind them come a THOUSAND more with boxes of GARAGE DOOR REMOTES hoping to get lucky and get your "Code". All of this while you're home, away and even while you're USING your PC!

Originally Posted by CAVINCA

Buy a MAC. far less of a target than a pc. although they arent virus proof, non windows compatability actually comes in handy. its fun to watch and laugh as im bombarded by hundreds of trojan.bat or .exe files. My computer cant read them and tosses them in the trashbin

Again BINGO! MAC's aren't 100% against these nasties but these jerks are playing a game to get the most BANG for their BUCK! Why write code for such a small margin of the computer world when you can spend the same amount of time to hit the MAJORITY of the population. It's a game of numbers. This was the same case when FireFox came out. Not many were using it so it was VERY robust for a long time. Now "words gotten out" and it's being attacked very often. Oh well.... gotta keep trying!!

With all this said and done.. education is the BEST protection. Knowing what to look for.. how to handle certain "situations" and also know what to NOT do go a long way. No security software in the WORLD can protect your computer from YOU! Computer Usage is the biggest risk of all. On a last word of caution... if you use P2P (Peer to Peer) networks (File Sharing Networks) it's not a matter of IF you'll get infected.. it's a matter of WHEN! P2P is a HUGE no-no in the computer security world.

Well I hope that wasn't TOO long winded. This is ONE subject I'm intimately familiar with. This is something I do daily and as you can tell am VERY passionate about!!

[Frankie]

Woh Allen, I don't have time to read all that! LOL!

[BigAl07]

Cliff's Notes:

unplug your PC from the Power and Internet

[CAVINCA]

YUP!!! listen to Al... he knows his stuff well. Not like us young wippersnappers in the field. I heard he used to program computers with Punch Cards!!!!

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by CAVINCA

YUP!!! listen to Al... he knows his stuff well. Not like us young wippersnappers in the field. I heard he used to program computers with Punch Cards!!!!

well.... Let's just say I'm impressed you KNOW what a Punch Card is/was

I did spend MANY hours in school over one weekend "programming" in my room just to make a simple scrolling text program that when you hit the Enter Key (and it loaded every time the machine was booted up) it would launch and scroll across the screen over and over the words..

Allen is a STUD! You know you want HIM! I literally spent an entire weekend writing code just to play a prank in computer lab on Monday! It was a HOOT too! Apparently some of the "faculty" didn't appreciate My sense of humor....

[CAVINCA]

Originally Posted by BigAl07

well.... Let's just say I'm impressed you KNOW what a Punch Card is/was

I also know what vacuum tubes are... how ENIAC worked/what it stands for... and how to use an ABACUS

I did spend MANY hours in school over one weekend "programming" in my room just to make a simple scrolling text program that when you hit the Enter Key (and it loaded every time the machine was booted up) it would launch and scroll across the screen over and over the words...

i did something like this as well. i programed my calculator to calculate wrong, and gave it to my physics professor to use during his classes i was the only person who could answer his problems correctly he looked like this...