[Enliseell]

I have an uncle that is new to computing. I gave him an older Dell desktop and set it up with the standard security package (Firefox with all the add ons, AVG, etc).

Somehow he has gotten one of those "Virus Scanner" programs on it. Couldn't begin to guess what they did....but this malware is completely locking down the computer. When you go to log on, it comes up. If you try to kill it, you can't (i haven't clicked the X in the upper corner, as i don't want to click anything right now).

When i do the three finger salute, it has the button for the task manager greyed out.

I tried to boot into safe mode, but it doesn't. it will boot up regularly (as an aside, it is a PW protected login, and it tries to log itself on, but can't because the PW field is blank). I have tried pressing F8 from the moment i pushed the power button, repeatedly (like a machine gun) up until the login screen appears. It won't boot into safe mode.

I also tried the F2 to access start up options. Won't do that either. All it will do is boot up normally, and then before you can get the desktop screen this malware takes over.

Any ideas, anyone?

[ecosportpol_ru]

If it's XP got to Start----Run---type in MSCONFIG----------go the the startup tab and kill everything that starts up. If you can do this successfully, reboot, and run a virus scan. That is where I would start anyway..........


Also, do NOT under any circumstances answer any pop up window questions.......let them be. Try to get to a point you can run the virus scan. Sometimes answering these pop ups is what triggers the virus.

[goldeneggs]

If it's XP got to Start----Run---type in MSCONFIG----------go the the startup tab and kill everything that starts up. If you can do this successfully, reboot, and run a virus scan. That is where I would start anyway..........


Also, do NOT under any circumstances answer any pop up window questions.......let them be. Try to get to a point you can run the virus scan. Sometimes answering these pop ups is what triggers the virus.

Its 2000 pro (i got the cpu from StarTek when they closed, but it was not as good as what i use so never really got used until i gifted it).

I can't even get to the desktop to try to access the start menu. That is why i tried to boot into safe mode.

I could try to click on the "X" to close the window, but i am sure that no matter where i click it will cause greater issue.

I don't have a copy of an OS, other than Win98, that he could use (that CPU was mass imaged by the IT guy at StarTek before he gave them out to employees).

My biggest concern is his machine being turned into some sort of file server or bot for child porn or something nefarious like that. So we have it shut down until we can figure out what to do. Next time i turn it on i am going to disconnect it from the internet first.

I just don't want to have to reimage it with Win98.

[Fainnamoony]

so....no one?


No one?



Bueller???





Bueller????

[Bonioners]

Win 2000 Pro CANNOT be used on the Internet anymore. It will be pwnd in no time quick.

The system is compromised. The only way you will clean it is by attaching it's hard drive as a slave drive to a good system and use that's system antivirus to clean it enough to get it running. After that you can then use process explorer, autoruns, hijackthis, malwarebytes and so on to clean it.

Again Win 2000 is impossible to keep safe. I'd download a nice Linux distro and give that to him. It will have all the software you need to run and be an up to date system secuirty wise and you avoid all the Winblows malware that auto infects systems just by visiting Facebook.

[floadaVonfoli]

Win 2000 Pro CANNOT be used on the Internet anymore. It will be pwnd in no time quick.

The system is compromised. The only way you will clean it is by attaching it's hard drive as a slave drive to a good system and use that's system antivirus to clean it enough to get it running. After that you can then use process explorer, autoruns, hijackthis, malwarebytes and so on to clean it.

Again Win 2000 is impossible to keep safe. I'd download a nice Linux distro and give that to him. It will have all the software you need to run and be an up to date system secuirty wise and you avoid all the Winblows malware that auto infects systems just by visiting Facebook.

You know, that might explain it.

I set his expectations that it likely was going to require more than a simple repair.

I don't have any other OS's other than Win98. He is planning on buying an HP or Dell...i may just have him give it up until then.

That sucks about Win2k. I was a big fan of it, using Win2k for many years while working in the call center.

[icyfreshy]

Microsoft stopped patching Win2K and you can't get IE 7 or 8 on it. IE6 is built into the OS and has serious flaws that can be exploited even if you are browsing with FF or Chrome. It is not safe for internet use anymore.

Download ubuntu and put that on it. Works, up to date, and safe.

www.ubuntu.com

[nTDsD0aU]

Microsoft stopped patching Win2K and you can't get IE 7 or 8 on it. IE6 is built into the OS and has serious flaws that can be exploited even if you are browsing with FF or Chrome. It is not safe for internet use anymore.

Download ubuntu and put that on it. Works, up to date, and safe.

www.ubuntu.com

can i install it from a boot file?

how would i go about starting the process, given the condition the machine is currently in?

I am wholly unfamiliar with Linux. If he is going to replace the machine anyway i might as well use it as an opportunity to get experience in this process.

[Wgnhqhlg]

It's not much different then installing windows. You need to download the ISO file. Use a program like Nero or isoburn to make a bootable CD. Then you boot off the CD, windows is not envolved in the process. You will get a boot installer that will walk you through the process. Ubuntu also has a live CD that will boot to the OS from the CD. You can try before buy, so to speak, and click on a desktop icon to install to the hard drive. Either version will ask you if you want to dual boot and keep windows or nuke the drive and only install Ubuntu. I'd just nuke it. The hardest part for most is burning the CD. Most people have never burned an ISO file before.

[acneman]

It's not much different then installing windows. You need to download the ISO file. Use a program like Nero or isoburn to make a bootable CD. Then you boot off the CD, windows is not envolved in the process. You will get a boot installer that will walk you through the process. Ubuntu also has a live CD that will boot to the OS from the CD. You can try before buy, so to speak, and click on a desktop icon to install to the hard drive. Either version will ask you if you want to dual boot and keep windows or nuke the drive and only install Ubuntu. I'd just nuke it. The hardest part for most is burning the CD. Most people have never burned an ISO file before.

I use IMGBurn, and can make an ISO file. If that is my only hang up....we are good.

Is Ubuntu freeware? If not, how long will he have before he buys?

[Clesylafabada]

Sacrilege. All versions of Linux are free software. Licensed under the GNU Public license.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Public_License

That is why there are so many versions of Linux. Anyone can take all the parts that make up a distro roll it up and make there own favor of Linux. Ubuntu is a fork of Debian.

There are several major distros. Redhat and Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu, Mandriva, SuSE, Knoppix. www.distrowatch.com