[Vkowefek]

The computer that my son uses I think has a virus. When you try to open Internet Explorer the only thing it does is creates another desktop icon. and Outlook express is gone. I have been trying to restore it but nothing will happen, I have had Trend Micro systems virus protection on there but now something is amiss.

you can still get access to online because I upgraded a registry program (that was already on the computer) to see if I could fix the problem that way and it upgraded it. But I still can not get Internet Explorer or MSN to restore....HELP.

[GotActichwicy]

As a start, I would suggest burning a CD from another computer with Firefox, Hijack This, and AdAware (all free from download.com) and installing those. If IE is corrupt, perhaps you can surf via Firefox. The other two programs might fix what your antivirus did not.

For a good antivirus program, try AVG it's free as well.

[Kitdowstyhodo]

spybot search & destroy is one of my recomendations.

also, the free version of AVG is buried on the AVG website.
Google for "AVG free" to get right to the download page.

[Ettiominiw]

I use Windows Defender (free) along with McAfee Security Center. Never had any problems thus far... although a good reminder would be to watch what you download and what sites you visit at all times. New viruses and spyware come out everyday and it takes someone to get one to allow a company such as McAfee to recognize it as a threat.

[TRASIAOREXOLA]

sounds like your computer is infected beyond repair

I would save all important data(pics, my docs) to cd or flash drive

then re-format your hard drive pop in windows xp disk boot from cd rom and format and reinstall that baby

then may sure NEVER to use internet explorer www.mozilla.com/firefox install that browser and you will have way less problems in the future

also download AVG free and the other 2 free tools avg makes

problem solved, much easier to fix than a car right

[Assauraarguck]

sounds like your computer is infected beyond repair

I would save all important data(pics, my docs) to cd or flash drive

then re-format your hard drive pop in windows xp disk boot from cd rom and format and reinstall that baby

then may sure NEVER to use internet explorer www.mozilla.com/firefox install that browser and you will have way less problems in the future

also download AVG free and the other 2 free tools avg makes

problem solved, much easier to fix than a car right

He's right and it is possible your computer might need a fresh install. Sometimes it is better to start over from scratch and whether or not your computer came with an XP disk, you upgraded prior, or you have a recovery partition on the HD I wouldn't know, but either way it never hurts. Take the advice on definitely backing-up everything beforehand. Even though running a system recovery may prove to be OK for a time, that doesn't remove any malicious software you may still have on the drive. Formatting and starting over is the best bet... Although time consuming it will prove to be the best method.

[chuecaloversvv]

He's right and it is possible your computer might need a fresh install. Sometimes it is better to start over from scratch and whether or not your computer came with an XP disk, you upgraded prior, or you have a recovery partition on the HD I wouldn't know, but either way it never hurts. Take the advice on definitely backing-up everything beforehand. Even though running a system recovery may prove to be OK for a time, that doesn't remove any malicious software you may still have on the drive. Formatting and starting over is the best bet... Although time consuming it will prove to be the best method.

anytime somebody ask me to fix their computer its usually just a format job simple as that just make sure you can find the drivers if its not plug and play

one time it was their power supply but thats a hardware issue

have fun aren't computers great!

[SinncmxM]

I would hold off on formatting until you tried the other solutions first. A format job is the lazy man's (no offense meant) way of fixing a problem. When you calculate the time spent backing up all your data, reinstalling your operating system, finding and reinstalling all your programs, resetting all your preferences, etc. you might have spent much more time and effort than a simple virus scan would have taken. Not to mention, if you back up a file that contains a virus, you would be in the same trouble all over again when you copy the files back to your computer after a format.

[gDGwm8BC]

Whether you reformat & reinstall, or get things cleaned up with hijack this, Microsoft Windows Defender (very useful), ad-aware and other programs, make sure you have installed XP Service Pack 2 and IE 7. Even if you don't plan on using IE, these updates, SP2 in particular, add some very good security features. You might also try another antivirus program, AVAST is free and works good, or temporarily install Norton, write down the viruses that it finds, then use their knowledge base for the info on how to delete them.

[CHyLmxDr]

Bob is right... there are so MANY free programs to help with these things... Did you add Spyware Dr.?

[juidizHusw]

I would hold off on formatting until you tried the other solutions first. A format job is the lazy man's (no offense meant) way of fixing a problem. When you calculate the time spent backing up all your data, reinstalling your operating system, finding and reinstalling all your programs, resetting all your preferences, etc. you might have spent much more time and effort than a simple virus scan would have taken. Not to mention, if you back up a file that contains a virus, you would be in the same trouble all over again when you copy the files back to your computer after a format.

yeah but a format is fast and easy as hell for me, I never back up viruses

save the important stuff on a 2nd partition and just format the C partition

most peoples computers are just too far gone for me to waste my time trying to remove ever spyware and adware and then editing the registry, id rather just format, but you know I AM LAZY!

[Flatlytaize]

Most people only have one partition.
Not everyone is computer savey enough to have multiple partitions.

I personally format my drive & re-install windows about once a yr.
I'd never wipe everything out just to get rid of a virus or spyware.
i'd get rid of the offending malware.

I think the idea of burning spybot or ad-aware free or one of the other free spyware apps along with AVG to a cd from another PC & booting the problem XP machine into safe mode & seeing if you can get them to install then run a scan.

Most garbage won't run in safe mode so you have a better chance of removing it.
Also, some viruses block the install of anti-virus apps.

Unfortunatly some apps won't install in safe mode & i can't remember off-hand which ones will.

[Npbfamgt]

Bob is right... there are so MANY free programs to help with these things... Did you add Spyware Dr.?

They are not all good though, one of the most difficult trojan horses I have ever had to remove from a computer was one parading as a spyware detection program. It would come back from the dead and the user would click away on it, thinking they were getting rid of it, but instead they were installing more spyware. It was also one of those that disabled other installers for anti-virus programs. If all these virus-writing jerks would actaully put their efforts into some good things, we would make a great leap in technology, and they would be wealthy little geeks.

[crycleascentyv]

They are not all good though, one of the most difficult trojan horses I have ever had to remove from a computer was one parading as a spyware detection program. It would come back from the dead and the user would click away on it, thinking they were getting rid of it, but instead they were installing more spyware. It was also one of those that disabled other installers for anti-virus programs. If all these virus-writing jerks would actaully put their efforts into some good things, we would make a great leap in technology, and they would be wealthy little geeks.

there is one called win-antivirus and win-antispyware that is pure virus and spyware it tricks you to thinking it helps then trys to get you to buy it or some crap

i tried to remove it from a machine at work it was not getting off no matter what it needs to be formatted

AVG has free antivirus and anti-root kit and antispyware

kasperskey is probably the best antivirus

[Forex Trading Software]

kasperskey is probably the best antivirus

I agree. It found several viruses that AVG didn't find.

[Reafnartefs]

is kasperskey free?

[Lerpenoaneway]

http://www.activevirusshield.com/ant...eav/index.adp?

[Aleksis]

How is resource use for Kaperski vs AVG?
Norton is a complete hog on my system.
It's why I switched to AVG.

[gorbasevhuynani]

I hated Norton. I reverted back to McAfee and the new version seems to run faster on the system. I have no complaints and no viruses, so it's a win-win situation.

[proslaviy]

%%% EXPERIMENTAL %%% ATTENTION: MIKE CONAWAY AND US.CONGRESS

Certain agencies of the government are legally allowed to put spywares into our computers, correct????

Certain powerful people are also legally allowed to put spywares into our computers to collect information for advertizing purposes, correct???

Well, the doors in our computers that enable these legally allowed government agencies and these legally allowed advertizing people to put spywares in our computers are also the doors by which these hackers and other criminals put their spywares and other malwares inside our computers.

One eurasian experimental solution is to remove the doors. For example, if activex is a door, ban active x. If email is a door ban e-mail. IF A PERSON WANTS EMAIL OR ACTIVEX, THE PERSON SHOULD SPECIFICALLY ASK FOR THESE SERVICES FROM THE PROVIDER. BUT TO JUST PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO EVERYBODY EVEN IF THE PERSON DID NOT ASK FOR THESE IS INVITATION FOR A VIRUS AND OTHER MALWARE INTRUSIONS.

A SECOND EURASIAN EXPERIMENTAL IS TO LEGALLY BAN PROVIDERS FROM SENDING E-MAILS TO OUR COMPUTERS. NO EMAIL EQUALS NO EMAIL GENERATED VIRUSES, SPYWARES, MALWARES, ETC

A third eurasian experimental is to put a notice: NO TRESPASSING

Or we can be more specific: NO TRESPASSING TO GOVERNMENT, ADVERTIZERS, HACKERS, ETC.

AND LEGISLATORS SHOULD PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR TRESPASSERS WHETHER THE TRESPASSERS ARE GOVERNMENT, ADVERTIZERS, HACKERS, ETC. AND THE PENALTY GENERATED MONEY SHOULD GO TO THE PERSON AND NOT TO THE GOVERNMENT!!!

A fouth eurasian solution is for Congressman Conaway or a member of his office to blog here at myopenforum so we can all dialogue publicly with each other without danger of being tracked.