Damn viruses!!

[QuadJunkies]

IVe had a hell of a time trying to get my home computer up and TRYING to get race coverage done and its taking me FOREVER !!

I cam home to 38 viruses on my computer and a win32.dll message and I know that is NOT good . :(

SOOO... tomorrow Im going to bite the bullet and wipe my hard drive , I pretty much lost alot of important stuff, but nothing I cant re-do over time . Its too late to back up the files now.

Thank goodness my pics from the racing were on my laptop. lol

What Im wondering is... how hard is it to do myself? Ive only had to wipe mine once and Dell walked me threw it.
Im trying to not pay someone I cant understand $100 bones and do it myself tomorrow.

Brandon keeps doing alot of gaming and cheat codes on my computer, I, suspecting that how I got the virus since I dont use it much .

How do I ever start the process?
Ill be getting new virus software tomorrow, I never cared too much for this Panda protection anyhow .:ermm:


Just what I wanted to do on my day off!!! :mad:

[scuzz]

Chances are you got a recovery CD with your PC from Dell. Did you? If so it's pretty easy. LMK if you have this and I'll see what we can do...

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by scuzz
Chances are you got a recovery CD with your PC from Dell. Did you? If so it's pretty easy. LMK if you have this and I'll see what we can do...
Yup, I sure do!
I just need to find it in the morning somewhere in my office.

[gncc025]

id go with AVG. its worked wonders on my computer

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by gncc025
id go with AVG. its worked wonders on my computer
Ive used that before when it was free and I was pleased, I think thats what Ill get .
Norton I hated and this Panda crap I havent even had 2 months!:grr:

[quad2xtreme]

If you are willing to put a new hard drive in it, you should be able to retrieve those data files you want.

Install the new hard drive and use that for installing the OS. Once you have that installed and install your antivirus (personnally recommend Symantec Internet Security Suite or McAfee), you can connect the old drive up too so it acts as a 2nd drive. You will be able to read it without infecting your new hard drive. You can pull off those documents, pictures, and video that probably mean the most to you.

[<DRS>GPF]

id get a 2nd hard drive, then install the OS onto the new one and use the original drive as a "stuff i dont want to lose" drive..(pretty much what quad2xtreme is saying)

as for the reinstallation, ive rarely used the dell recovery CD..
it puts the PC back to day 1(so to speak) and has all that useless garbage and "trial" software, likely including norton.(which i view as not much more than a virus itself)
norton horribly dogs down a PC unless youre savvy enough to disable the rediculous parts.. scanning anything you've created as you create it is stupid.. as well as scanning pictures and such from your own peripherals.(cameras, mp3 players etc.)

my advice would be to spend money on a new harddrive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148316), then buy an OEM copy of windows XP (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116511). once installed, look up and install windows Defender and AVG anti-virus.
if you arent a vigilant user, then leave everything to be auto-updated.

you'll get a very clean, very efficient PC.

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by <DRS>GPF
id get a 2nd hard drive, then install the OS onto the new one and use the original drive as a "stuff i dont want to lose" drive..(pretty much what quad2xtreme is saying)

as for the reinstallation, ive rarely used the dell recovery CD..
it puts the PC back to day 1(so to speak) and has all that useless garbage and "trial" software, likely including norton.(which i view as not much more than a virus itself)
norton horribly dogs down a PC unless youre savvy enough to disable the rediculous parts.. scanning anything you've created as you create it is stupid.. as well as scanning pictures and such from your own peripherals.(cameras, mp3 players etc.)

my advice would be to spend money on a new harddrive (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148316), then buy an OEM copy of windows XP (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116511). once installed, look up and install windows Defender and AVG anti-virus.
if you arent a vigilant user, then leave everything to be auto-updated.

you'll get a very clean, very efficient PC.

So how would I know if both are compatable for the computer I have?
the only problem is me finding someone at home who knows how to do this .I am clueless when it comes to computer problems. :o

[Quad18star]

Saw your status on Facebook ... when I read " What do you get when you have 14 Trojans ..." I started to laugh . I was gunna reply " A good night" but decided not to . LOL

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Quad18star
Saw your status on Facebook ... when I read " What do you get when you have 14 Trojans ..." I started to laugh . I was gunna reply " A good night" but decided not to . LOL
haha!
Saying I had worms prol. didnt sound too good either .:p

[quadbod]

Before you format the HD, try this anti-virus/ trojan/ sh*t remover!!

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

It is the best thing I have ever used, I use AVG home as well as this. It found 43 spyware's that AVG and spybot search and destroy missed. I use it once a week and my PC always runs tip top.

Also, try this file remover, I have freed over 7 Gig of room in three months.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/cleanup.html

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
haha!
Saying I had worms prol. didnt sound too good either .:p

Yeah ... thought maybe that's why you had 14 Trojans . :ermm:

[<DRS>GPF]

Originally posted by QuadJunkies
So how would I know if both are compatable for the computer I have?
the only problem is me finding someone at home who knows how to do this .I am clueless when it comes to computer problems. :o


hmm.. if i had to compare installing windows XP home to something else... perhaps it would be like installing and setting up an account for "Call of Duty World at War".
ill bet it takes less effort than the inital setup on the Dell software.(all the registering of the various software etc.)
other items will install later as you come across them(Java, quicktime, etc)

the windows OS will do most the work for you..

as for the harddrive compatibility, i chose that one because its an SATA type of interface/connection.(and its the longest industry warranty)
if your PC is less than a 3yrs old(or so), its likely to have SATA type connections for your harddrive and CD/DVD drive. still though, id verify it before buying.
look up the model/service tag of your PC and it should reference the internal stuff like drives , video, etc.

[Ellingsoc26]

I run avast with superantispyware both are free and just google them to find them. I work at a computer shop and those two seem to work the best of everything i have tired.

[F-16Guy]

+1 for AVG.:cool:

[AbnMP13]

If you have a Dell first try rebooting, during the reboot hit F8 a couple of times, it will ask if you want to TOTALLY restore you computer to just like the day you bought it.

It'll walk you thru the process and it's easy. Get it started and walk away. Much easier than reinstalling or adding a second hard drive. You will lose all data on the drive but it's really easy.