Virus Issues

[Bevian Osrive]

Hey all, I know it's been a while since I posted, but I need some help. Somehow I got a virus on my computer, and I can't seem to get rid of it. Mcafee cant' find it, and several other free programs I've downloaded also have failed to detect and get rid of it. The only reason I know it's even there is the fact that there are two symptoms. 1: Randomly, when I click on a link, it gets hijacked and I get taken to seemingly random sites. The major symptom, though, is that my Mcafee is unable to connect to download updates, so my virus definitions are out of date. Along with this, I am unable to pull up websites for Mcafee, Norton, Kaspersky, or several other anti-virus sites that have been recommended to me.

I'm tempted to wipe the computer and start fresh, but I hate the idea of having to back up all of my stuff onto DVD, and I don't have the extra cash to buy an external hard drive, etc.

Any suggestions on how to rot this virus out?

(And yes, I'm already planning on dumping McAfee...this is the 2nd time I've gotten a virus that I couldn't get rid of...)

[Lizentor]

Oh that's bad. Put Malwarebytes (free at Malwarebytes.org) on a USB drive and try running it from there. Usually at work, if a PC has something like that, I just wipe it and reload everything. You might have a version of the vundo virus.

[Mantuke]

Panda also has an online scan http://www.pandasecurity.com/activescan/index/?track=1

we use this software for work and the pay for version is solid. It is also easy to un install if you are having problems with certain apps.

I use avg on Lynns pc and have it scan mine too via the network at home. Their free version is pretty good but the paid version is really good.

http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

Like Liz said for me if it takes over 2 hours to fix then all files will be dumped to second drive and the system will be purged and rebuilt. My process for this is to copy all data files, downloads, programs that are hard to refind, most games are stand alone with minimal register keys so you can copy your whole WOW folder over without having to reinstall.

Next step after you have got all your files you want to keep copied over is to unplug that back up drive and reformat and start all over on your system drive. Get your OS up and running, all updates current and anti virus malware software loaded and updated. Complete scan of new install. Most good software now has a realtime protection so when you are ready to bring that second drive back up with all your files if it is infected the software should catch it before it can reinfect your OS. It is alot of work and can be a real pain. Sorry for you having to go through this. I just did this for Lynn on her laptop a while back and it took me several days to get everything back up and running.

[Bevian Osrive]

Thanks guys. I'll try these when I get home from work. Tuke, I was actually going to do exactly as you said and dump everything onto a 2nd gard drive, then unplug it, but it turns out that all of the old hard drives I have laying around aren't compatible with my computer. Looks like my PC has a SATA drive, and the old hard drives I have aren't...so my backup options are to burn it all to DVD, or see if I can get one of the old machines I have laying around running and networked with my current machine, and transfer everything to it via the network.

But I'll try the programs you both mentioned first.

[Bevian Osrive]

Malwarebytes software was a no-go, the virus is blocking Panda, and I'm downloading AVG's free trial right now. If this doesn't work, I think I'm just going to network an old PC to this one and save all my important files to it and wipe this one clean.

[hjpchs]

May the Force be with you

[Lizentor]

Yea I was afraid of that. Well if you get AVG up and running (and updated) try to also run it while windows is in safe mode. Some viruses can't run in safe mode and can be cleaned off that way.

[Bevian Osrive]

Yeah I tried safe mode, the virus i still active. Downloaded AVG, but as it installed, it said it ran into an error and couldn't complete the install. Tomorrow, it looks like I'm wiping the computer. GRRR. Thanks for the help guys.

BTW, what does everyone here think of Kaspersky? It comes to me highly recommended by several people I know.

[Prodimysterio]

Originally Posted by Bevian Osrive

Yeah I tried safe mode, the virus i still active. Downloaded AVG, but as it installed, it said it ran into an error and couldn't complete the install. Tomorrow, it looks like I'm wiping the computer. GRRR. Thanks for the help guys.

BTW, what does everyone here think of Kaspersky? It comes to me highly recommended by several people I know.

Heya Bev,

This is my recommendation:

Clicky!

In my experiences, ESET Smart Security is the best suite you can purchase. And believe me, I have tried them all - Norton, Panda, McAfee, Kaspersky, AVG, etc. I have ESET Smart Security on three workstations at home and two workstations where I work. I have never had any issues with it and it has a tiny footprint on your pc meaning it is very efficient at using system resources. It is also an extremely powerful software-based firewall and the anti-virus engine is second to none. Just google up "NOD32" and you will read all of the great things about this anti-virus engine. Just my two cents, but you cannot go wrong with it. I am extremely pleased with the product and would recommend it to anyone in a New York minute as the best security suite you can purchase.

[Mantuke]

For the record ...Prod does this type of stuff for a living.... I provide the network that internet services run over and when it comes to OS and desktop support I know my way around but am just a user in the end LOL

[hjpchs]

Prod is a Prodigy..

[Moose]

Have you thought of installing one of top av programs on another computer and then having it scan the drive.

[Bevian Osrive]

I had another friend recommend ESET as well, but it was another website I couldn't access. I think I may have beat the virus, though, and without a reformat. The tool that finally did it: Microsoft Security Essentials. It's free, and seems pretty effective thus far. I had an issue at first where it couldnt' download it's virus definition update, which is what was happening to my McAfee, but Microsoft offers the virus definiton update as a standalone download that you can run as an .exe file to bypass that particular problem. Crossing my fingers that all remains well. Thanks for all the help!

[Chatmoca]

Bev I too use Eset on my main box, my XPS. However, I'm about to put it to the ultimate test....gonna buy another license and put it on my pRoN box. lol We'll see how good it really is now.....