Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 This is a long story but please stick with it. Oh and i have some kind of computer stupidity gene in me before you rip it out of me. My computer has been fine for a long time. I run AVG, Zone Alarm and BT Yahoo Spykiller. Then the other day my computer would not boot up. It would start but then it would just reset before it had booted up and would keep doing this in a loop. So i stuck in the windows repair disk. I pressed repair but it actually reinstalled Windows XP and wiped my whole computer in the process. I was not happy as i`ve lost alot of stuff. So i reinstalled all my programs off their corresponding CD`s. Eventually i reloaded my modem driver and BT internet software. I went on the net to try it and tried a couple of forum websites like this one. The computer kept crashing so i had to keep restarting the computer. It would only give me a few seconds window on the internet. Then i thought i`d better download AVG and Zone Alarm. Eventually it gave me a big enough window to download them. I ran AVG and it found 21 trojan horses which it removed. My mate told me to turn off system restore and restart the computer which i did. When i run AVG now it finds nothing, so i think they are all gone. But Zone Alarm is coming up with a red message every couple of minutes saying that it is blocking something. In two years i`ve never had a red message. My internet is working fine now until i click on a photo on like this website to open the photo or on links on any website and my computer crashes straight away. Anyone any idea? Avg and Spykiller aren`t bringing anything up but zone alarm keeps popping up red messages. Help, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Re-format and before touching the net, set your firewall. I never noticed how fantastic my hardware firewall was until I removed it... never again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Restart your computer in safe mode and then run your spyware/virus scans. Just did someones PC the other night with much the same problem, spyware scan brought back nothing, in safe mode came back with 108 results! Must admit the system was still knackered and had to reformat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 I`d have to go on the net to download my firewall wouldn`t i? Or is there one on the computer already? And also how do i start in a safe mode? Sorry my computer skills and knowledge is particuarly low! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 No, XP has it's own firewall. Do you have broadband? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Restart the PC and keep pressing F8, should then see an option for starting in safe mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 Yes mate. 2mb service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Ok when you rebuild, right click on network places (if you use standard old fasioned view it'll be on your desktop) and lick properties. Your network card will be in there so right click on that and hit properties. Click the advanced tab and tick the box for the firewall. This can help stop virus's coming in, in the first place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Rebuilding is a bit drastic at this point! At least try to boot in safemode without network support, then run a full virus scan. If this doesn't help (or you don't have a virus scanner) then try safemode with network support, download a free virus scanner and check again. Also download and run another scan for spyware. Unless any nasty viruses are found you should at least be able to get your system back again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 If he's not put anything back on and he's not a million miles away from the re-format as it is, I'd just whipe it again. 90% of the time things never go back to normal and traces the the virus still exist. If it's gonna cause no real inconvenience... get it whiped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 ah right, I'd read it that just the O/S had been reinstalled, rather than the entire drive formatted. If there's no data on the drive worth retaining then do as Steve says start from fresh. Its a damn site easier than trying to save the original o/s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 Guys, i`ve started in ssafe mode and virus scanned and it found another trojan horse. Removed it, started normally but it still crashes when opening links and zone alarm keeps coming up like crazy. looks like i`ll have to start all over again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 To format the drive do i just put the recovery disk in again and reload windows again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Chances are it'll give you the option. If you've lost all your data anyway whipe it completely. It'll save niggly problems in the future. If you still have your data on there... like the guys say, stick with it to try and back everything up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 I downloaded another anti virus program. It has found Mybot virus and Shepher virus. For some reason AVG isn`t picking this up. The program i downloaded doesn`t clear them, it just tells you and then you have to buy it. I`ll email AVG and see whats what. Cheers lads for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Try this http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/ Stand alone virus removal tool which does exactly what it says on the tin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 Oops, after explaining all thats happened i clicked on your link and the internet crashed on my computer! I`ll copy it into the address bar and give it a go. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 Still in trouble here so i`m going to format my drive and start again. Only problem is i can`t do it. My friend told me how to do it but it isn`t working. He told me to start in safe mode and open Command Prompt. Then type in format c: ............ but then it tells me that there is a volume in use, do i want to dismount it. I press Yes but it says it can`t do it. Any ideas please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Noooooo.... Do you have your win XP CD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 I do but although it is all the proper Microsoft stuff i can`t find my licence number anywhere. It wants this before it lets you carry on and says it is on the certificate of authenticity but i`ve never seen this. My microsoft works suite and adobe photoshop have the numbers printed on the case but nothing on my recovery disc. So is there another way round it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 You sure you get asked for the serial when you use the recovery disk? You don't always get asked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 Definately. I thought it seemed a bit weird! But then as you might of worked out i know crap all about computers! Thanks for your help by the way Steve, much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieSteve Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 No problems mate. If push comes to shove I might have a spare.... *cough* original version of XP tomorrow (if the git brings it back) so I'll run you a copy off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarface GTti Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 Cheers mate. I`m off to look through all the guff i got with my computer to find this number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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