sick computer

Okay...please bear with me as I am not the most computer literate person and I am trying to help a friend fix his sick sick computer!

First of all, on boot up, it literally takes 15-20 minutes just to get the computer to boot up.

Once it is finally booted up, I am trying to go online to get this computer installed with an anti-virus checker, pop up blocker, firewall and spyware using the excellent programs available from download.com.

This is when several more odd things happen! I'll click on internet explorer and each time it will open up usually showing a different web site -- and NO SEARCH BAR for me to enter a new web site address. I have gone into view and tools and tried every option to get a search bar so I can change the web site but to no avail. I then tried to change the default homepage to download.com thinking there's more than one way to skin a cat. This will work but then when I select my file to download, the system throws me out of the web page.

Thinking that the computer is plagued with too many viruses, my friend went to the local Best Buy and bought Norton Antivirus 2005 since we could not download any programs. It took three attempts to get Norton installed and the pre-install scan identified 52 virus. After installing Norton, we ran the full scan and it had more than 700 viruses. These viruses were noticed when watching the computer perform the scan. However, after the scan was finished and displayed the status report, the status report indicated no viruses detected, repaired or quarantined.

My friend has a Dell that is about 10 mos old which came with 128MB Ram. He also receives the message about "not enough RAM."

My son advised if I cannot get any of the needful programs installed, to reformat the HDD and reload all the applications.

Other oddities about this computer include there is an icon on the desktop identified FXSASSER. Also once this computer is connected to the internet, an XXX web site comes up. I know my friend and he would not try to view or have any such web site. When I click on to close this window, a box comes up asking "are you sure you want to close the window?" The window will not close until you have clicked in this box. In fact, the box comes up asking this question twice before closing.

My friend is even less computer literate than me so we may be the blind leading the blind here. I'm going to try again tomorrow morning to see if we can make some headway over this computer.

Any advise/instructions would be very helpful!!!

 

That computer got OWNED!

That means it's infected and possibly taken over. Your son is right, reformat and reinstall. Use a bootable CD and reinstall the OS. Then install ad-aware from http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ This is a software based firewall and anti-spyware software. Also get a good virus detector.

Believe it or not, many computers are currently infected and people don't know about it.

-Teak
VMware + revert feature = protection

 

AdAware isn't really a firewall but moreso a spyware detection/removal tool. What you want is SpyBot Search + Destroy and ZoneAlarm (or the Windows Firewall included in XP service pack 2...ZoneAlarm is more user friendly). Install SpyBot's resident detector (TeaTimer) and ZoneAlarm and you should be good to go after a reinstall. Also, be sure to install XP Service Pack 2 and enable automatic updates so that any security holes are patched automatically.

Oh, and put these on a CD to install from, do NOT hook the computer back up to the internet right after you reinstall as it will most likely get comprimised again before you can install any protection.

http://users.belgacom.net/bn657515/spybotsd13.exe
http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/1012_zl/zlsSetup_55_062_004.exe
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

Carol,

I have the same issues with my computer. Have the "extended warranty" from Dell-they told be to reboot. Problem is, there are TONS of my personal stuff on my computer I need to get off prior to the reboot. So far it's taken me 3 weeks to slowly pull stuff off the computer, still have a ways to go.

FYI the Dell warranty is useless-their response "reboot"-I think I could have figured that out myself...

 

As has been mentioned ... you have adware/malware/spyware on your machine. I have a business that does desktop support, and I use both Ad-Aware and Spybot:Search and Destroy to clean up computers. The reason is one finds things the other misses, and vice-versa. I then recommend a GOOD security program. Norton Internet Security 2005 contains a very user friendly firewall and Norton AntiVirus 2005, which now detects adware/malware/spyware.

Once I have installed these on a customer's computer, the only way they pick up adware/malware/spyware is if the make a concerted effort to click on pop-up windows that say (Click here) or (Click here to close).

I advise my customers to NEVER click on a button that says 'click here to close' on any non-requested POP-UP windows, as they usually install some type of spyware. Always use the 'X' at the top right of the window.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

If you install Spybot's TeaTimer program (along with using the immunizing feature of the main program), it'll stop stuff from being installed even if you try to install it. It's very good for the uninformed home user.

 

That's what you get when you outsource your first line support to India. Next time, escalate and demand to speak to someone in second or third level support...and install the programs listed here and you shouldn't need to reinstall (or 'reboot' as they seem to call it).

 

Thank you everyone for the advise. In fact, these are all the programs my son (a techie) suggested. I've got them all downloaded to my pin drive and will 'try' to see if they install on my friend's computer.

What is also frustrating if in the event we have to reformat and reinstall, is that I think his computer came "pre-loaded" with many of the programs and did not come with CD's or disks.

 

If I recall correctly, DELL allows you to restore your computer
the way it was shipped to you .. with all the softwares and drivers ...( keep in mind you lose all your changes / new software install / documents ) ...however, your problem about not having the orginal disk is not an issue ... ( I believe the command is ZZTOP or somethng like that ) ....

Mention it to DELL support and they will know what you are referring to .. ( at least they should )

 

To get rid of the viruses, you may need a bootable CD/floppy than can scan your computer and remove them, sicne you already have active viruses on the computer... then you can boot back into windows and install Norton/AVG/whatever and proceed to remove the spyware/adware...

 

Yes, but don't use the infected computer to create the bootable floppies/CD or you'll be right back where you started -- with an infected hard drive!

 

When you are in the market for a new computer, you may want to consider buying one that does not have the Windows operating system. Windows is currently the most unsecure operating system on the market. Linux and Mac OS X are currently the best choices available for avoiding viruses, spyware, adware, and so on. Given your description of your friend as not being computer literate, then I'd cross Linux off your list and go for Mac OS X.

Enjoy!
--- John B.

 

Yah...if someone has trouble not clicking on popups and opening virus emails, I doubt they'll be able to figure out linux.

 

Well, it was quite a day today! I've learned more about viruses, trojan horses and worms that I wanted...once I arrived at my friends it was to find that his computer would not even boot up from yesterday's work. So I finally got it to boot in safe mood but safe mood did not allow me to install zone alarm. However it did allow install of ad-aware and spy-bot. But I found that there were just too many viruses etc., and I did not have the knowledge and know-how to correct all the problems. So we ended up taking it to Circuit City which is near where my friend lives and they are going to clean it up and then also load the appropriate programs to keep it most secured. Oh yes, I also managed to do a disk defrag too...this was a real wake up call and reinforced how important it is to keep our computers properly protected.

Neil...I think since you are local and maintain computers as a business, you should also run a periodic message on the board letting everyone know of your services and how to reach you!

 

I'm also on the HOA board, and do not advertise via the forums for that reason. However, look for my ad in Sunday's Washington Post's Loudoun Extra, and in the 'Red Book' yellow pages.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Okay! In fact, I was going to contact you yesterday before we took my friends computer to Circuit City but since we could not get online to send a message, we were stumped. I'm sorry, I had forgotten you were on the HOA as I would have called you through them.

 

Feel free to bring your computer to our next Tech Committee meeting (every 2nd Tuesday of the month at the CC at 7:30). We will be more than happy to take a look at it and help you with any computer-related issues.

---------------
Got Broadband?

 

Actually it was my poor friend in Rockville who had these problems. Fortunately the local circuit city there was able to get it back in good working order and now set up with a firewall, anti=virus, spyware and popup blocker! But thanks for the offer!

 

How much did they charge?

 

After all was said and done it was around $280