Virus/Trojan Help

[Black Sabbath]

Alright, well, within the last few hours my computer was some-fucking-how infected with God knows what. I have no idea how and don't even want to fucking know. Anyway, let me get to the bigger point. Right now, I'm running my computer in Safe Mode, which allows me to do the majority of the things I could do before the infection. I can't run my scan for the computer though, so I'm going to just to the System Restore. Before I do though, I have everything I need backed up, except for my music. All of that is over the limit of my Flash Drives, but all of it is on my iPod. My main question is, after I do a System Restore, and have iTunes installed again, if I put my iPod in, will I be able to transfer all of the songs on my iPod back onto my computer into iTunes?

Also, how long can I run and work on my computer while it's in Safe Mode? I suppose I could live with it if I had no other choice, but everything looks like I'm back in 1998.

[mandead]

I fucking miss 1998.

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

The following is extreme.

First while in safe mode i would back up any files i needed, then i would wipe it and start again.

First off SR will not rid you of infections.Im not entirely sure about the I Tunes thing but as long as the software wasn't installed after the restore point it will still be there and working as before.System Restore isn't the solution to the problem though so its kind of irrelevant .Safe mode will get really annoying after a while but there is no limit to how long you can use a pc like that.

As i said, back up and wipe the drives and start again, some computer manufacturers have built partitions on the HDD so you don't need the original discs, check out the manufacturers website if you're unsure.

[Marky]

You'd need to restore it to Factory Settings (How the PC was when you first bought it).

Im not sure about the iPod thing, just google something like 'transferring music ipod to itunes'

[SunnyDRE]

If your scan won't work.

I doubt system restore will work.

[Black Sabbath]

You'd need to restore it to Factory Settings (How the PC was when you first bought it).

That's usually what I do if I ever get one this bad and it always seemed to work fine. I haven't had a virus/Trojan for the longest damn time, and I just can't believe I get infected last night.

Fuck the bastard who invented viruses and whatnot.

[Lithium]

So how did you get the virus, mang

[SunnyDRE]

If you did do a system restore, then that was the wrong thing to do.

I don't know why people seem to think that if you get a virus or trojan it is the end of the world.

From your first post (not being able to run a virus scan, but STILL BEING ABLE TO WQRK OUT OF SAFE MODE), I think the trojan/virus was nothing.

With a little bit of searching of Googel, you could have fixed that yourself.

[Black Sabbath]

So how did you get the virus, mang

Good question.

If you did do a system restore, then that was the wrong thing to do.

I don't know why people seem to think that if you get a virus or trojan it is the end of the world.

From your first post (not being able to run a virus scan, but STILL BEING ABLE TO WQRK OUT OF SAFE MODE), I think the trojan/virus was nothing.

With a little bit of searching of Googel, you could have fixed that yourself.

I've always done a system restore, and it's always seemed to work. It seemed to have worked this time as well and all of my stuff is fine.

Also, if I wasn't in Safe Mode, I could hardly do anything on my computer. All I could do it look at my files, but nothing else. I couldn't open iTunes, any type of Internet Browser, burning programs, nothing. I don't know what the hell I had, I just know that it's not affecting me now, and I'm running a scan on my computer right now, just to make sure.

[Marky]

Damn dawg, I got Norton, it fixed dat shit up straight off

[Tater Totts]

Stop downloading porn BS

[Max™]

The simple answer would be to run Combofix from safe mode with networking. That would do the trick, then use MBAM to finish off reg entires. Works every time for me and I see loads of these a week being a computer tech. Only in heavily infected situation would I consider a reformat and using System Restore when a virus is around is just asking for trouble. I'd be running combofix anyway, to make sure its gone.

[SunnyDRE]

So how did you get the virus, mang

Good question.

If you did do a system restore, then that was the wrong thing to do.

I don't know why people seem to think that if you get a virus or trojan it is the end of the world.

From your first post (not being able to run a virus scan, but STILL BEING ABLE TO WQRK OUT OF SAFE MODE), I think the trojan/virus was nothing.

With a little bit of searching of Googel, you could have fixed that yourself.

I've always done a system restore, and it's always seemed to work. It seemed to have worked this time as well and all of my stuff is fine.

Also, if I wasn't in Safe Mode, I could hardly do anything on my computer. All I could do it look at my files, but nothing else. I couldn't open iTunes, any type of Internet Browser, burning programs, nothing. I don't know what the hell I had, I just know that it's not affecting me now, and I'm running a scan on my computer right now, just to make sure.

I don't mean any offense, but just the idea that you could run stuff from Safe Mode, lets me know that you could beat this without a Restore (which sucks)....

That's all I'm saying.

I think you overreacted.

[Black Sabbath]

It wasn't a full System Restore. I just restored it back about a week ago.

We'll see what happens. If it ended up not working in the long run, then I'll try something else. Until then, It looks as if I'm fine right now.

[kevin]

Install Gentoo to solve your problems

[myguiltysecret]

What antivirus do you have? I had a free one and got a trojan the other day. Luckily it quarantined it but the virus stopped it from downloading updates so my comp went funny anyway. I tried several free avs afterwards and the trojan did the same to them. Had to buy Nortons just to clear the trojan from my comp, seems stronger than the free avs.

Maybe you can try installing a decent antivirus like Norton's antivirus to help you clean the system before doing the other stuff?

[SunnyDRE]

What antivirus do you have? I had a free one and got a trojan the other day. Luckily it quarantined it but the virus stopped it from downloading updates so my comp went funny anyway. I tried several free avs afterwards and the trojan did the same to them. Had to buy Nortons just to clear the trojan from my comp, seems stronger than the free avs.

Maybe you can try installing a decent antivirus like Norton's antivirus to help you clean the system before doing the other stuff?

Whatever norton is a fucking rip off and shit at that.

I read on a forum that they create virus to get people to buy their shit!!

Most virus and trojans originate from Russia and the have almost no laws concerning this shit.

Guess who provides alot money into the Russian economy.

Norton is shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[myguiltysecret]

What antivirus do you have? I had a free one and got a trojan the other day. Luckily it quarantined it but the virus stopped it from downloading updates so my comp went funny anyway. I tried several free avs afterwards and the trojan did the same to them. Had to buy Nortons just to clear the trojan from my comp, seems stronger than the free avs.

Maybe you can try installing a decent antivirus like Norton's antivirus to help you clean the system before doing the other stuff?

Whatever norton is a fucking rip off and shit at that.

I read on a forum that they create virus to get people to buy their shit!!

Most virus and trojans originate from Russia and the have almost no laws concerning this shit.

Guess who provides alot money into the Russian economy.

Norton is shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The version I have right now 2009 I am very grateful for because it sorted out my comp and I feel I can rely on it a bit.

But you know, I do think there might be something in it when you say they create a virus. I last had Norton's on my comp back in 2002 and after it expired I didn't uninstall it fully from my comp so for for years afterwards I kept getting odd messages from Nortons saying it had found a "malicious" virus on my comp -even though the av had expired. I always suspected that it was just trying to encourage me to buy it again by trying to scare me. It can't really be so can it?!

[Black Sabbath]

I used Norton a few years ago and didn't like it at all. I've been using ESET NOD32 Antivirus and it's been doing great for me (despite yesterday).

I got everything sorted out now though.

[ThinkAboutYou]

AVG provides a free antivirus I've never had any problems with it

http://free.avg.com/

Edited June 25, 2009 by ThinkAboutYou

[Dariablue]

It wasn't a full System Restore. I just restored it back about a week ago.

We'll see what happens. If it ended up not working in the long run, then I'll try something else. Until then, It looks as if I'm fine right now.

Does that actually get rid of the problem though? Wouldn't it still be there?

I had this random program pop up and say that my roommate's computer was infected with all this shit. But when I looked at it, it said that in order for it to get rid of the problem you had to purchase their program. That seemed kind of sketchy.

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

It wasn't a full System Restore. I just restored it back about a week ago.

We'll see what happens. If it ended up not working in the long run, then I'll try something else. Until then, It looks as if I'm fine right now.

Does that actually get rid of the problem though? Wouldn't it still be there?

I had this random program pop up and say that my roommate's computer was infected with all this shit. But when I looked at it, it said that in order for it to get rid of the problem you had to purchase their program. That seemed kind of sketchy.

System restore does not rid you of viruses

[Dariablue]

It wasn't a full System Restore. I just restored it back about a week ago.

We'll see what happens. If it ended up not working in the long run, then I'll try something else. Until then, It looks as if I'm fine right now.

Does that actually get rid of the problem though? Wouldn't it still be there?

I had this random program pop up and say that my roommate's computer was infected with all this shit. But when I looked at it, it said that in order for it to get rid of the problem you had to purchase their program. That seemed kind of sketchy.

System restore does not rid you of viruses

I didn't think so. I'm hoping that random program was just to get us to buy their crap.

[Black Sabbath]

I did the Semi-Restore. I was able to run my scan. It found infections. Got rid of infections. Done now.

[KBear]

What antivirus do you have? I had a free one and got a trojan the other day. Luckily it quarantined it but the virus stopped it from downloading updates so my comp went funny anyway. I tried several free avs afterwards and the trojan did the same to them. Had to buy Nortons just to clear the trojan from my comp, seems stronger than the free avs.

Maybe you can try installing a decent antivirus like Norton's antivirus to help you clean the system before doing the other stuff?

Whatever norton is a fucking rip off and shit at that.

I read on a forum that they create virus to get people to buy their shit!!

Most virus and trojans originate from Russia and the have almost no laws concerning this shit.

Guess who provides alot money into the Russian economy.

Norton is shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, Norton offers excellent protection and the new version is very light. They may or may not write viruses, but that doesn't mean their software doesn't do it's job. I wouldn't put it past corporations like Symantec to write viruses to help sales of their software, but if Symantec is doing it you can almost bet the farm that others are doing the same fucking thing! I simultaneously run Norton and Counterspy. They seem to work well together.

As for System Restore, this is kind of how I understand it. It basically saves older system states so that you can return to them. But to do it's job SR will also save a virus that you may have caught. Anti-virus scanners typically skip over the system restore folder for whatever reason. So even though you've scanned your system and the scanner removes all infections, your system restore folders may still be affected. Therefore, future scans could reveal infections even after they've been removed. I think it may be a good idea, when you think you've got a virus or something, to shut off system restore (you will lost all system restore points) and then do a scan. This will ensure everything is removed. Someone who knows more about computers can say if any of this is right, but I've heard about this multiple times.