Our Tech Guy reformatted my hard drive

[Winslow]

Unbelievable.

I got a spyware or malware program soo frickin' nasty - we couldn't clean it off the machine. We tried several different spyware software programs - nothing worked. The program kept hiding and replicating itslef with different names lke a virus. And our anti-virus program couldn't find it and kill it.

Two days of lost time for two people.

I have litigation sensitive information on my computer, so I can't have leaks to the internet via spyware.

These idiots have to be stopped.

[west3man]

Unbelievable.

I got a spyware or malware program soo frickin' nasty - we couldn't clean it off the machine. We tried several different spyware software programs - nothing worked. The program kept hiding and replicating itslef with different names lke a virus. And our anti-virus program couldn't find it and kill it.

Two days of lost time for two people.

I have litigation sensitive information on my computer, so I can't have leaks to the internet via spyware.

These idiots have to be stopped. He was able to save your important info, though, right?

[thehod]

I've had my new PC for about a year now, and its shot through with Spyware, and Trojan's and CoolWebThings and all sorts. I can use email, and use the machine generally for word processing and playing games and so on, but getting onto the web, forget it (I'm doing this on my works PC - shhhh!)

The problem is that I know squat about all this stuff. Seriously, I'm the guy that goes looking for the ANY key, so when it comes to protecting my PC, or cleaning it up after it gets infected, I'm totally lost.

I've got a number of scanning thingies that apparently tell me what’s on my systems, but I'm always concerned that I'm deleting something I shouldn't be, so I don't bother.

I'm really going to have to get around to taking my machine to PC World or someplace like that and getting them to sort it, but I know that'll cost a fortune and there's no guarantee that I won't be back in the same boat a year from now.

I loathe the fact that the internet has now become a place where I've got to have virus scans, and spyware scans, and firewalls, Hijack removal programmes and a suit of armour and a fucking condom on just to use the damn thing safely.

The people who write these programmes are the scum of the earth and if I ever find one I'll spend a wonderful few hours repeatedly slamming his gonads in a fridge door.

[west3man]

I've had my new PC for about a year now, and its shot through with Spyware, and Trojan's and CoolWebThings and all sorts. I can use email, and use the machine generally for word processing and playing games and so on, but getting onto the web, forget it (I'm doing this on my works PC - shhhh!)

The problem is that I know squat about all this stuff. Seriously, I'm the guy that goes looking for the ANY key, so when it comes to protecting my PC, or cleaning it up after it gets infected, I'm totally lost.

I've got a number of scanning thingies that apparently tell me what’s on my systems, but I'm always concerned that I'm deleting something I shouldn't be, so I don't bother.

I'm really going to have to get around to taking my machine to PC World or someplace like that and getting them to sort it, but I know that'll cost a fortune and there's no guarantee that I won't be back in the same boat a year from now.

I loathe the fact that the internet has now become a place where I've got to have virus scans, and spyware scans, and firewalls, Hijack removal programmes and a suit of armour and a fucking condom on just to use the damn thing safely.

The people who write these programmes are the scum of the earth and if I ever find one I'll spend a wonderful few hours repeatedly slamming his gonads in a fridge door.
If your pc came with restore discs, you could simply save your important files, then restore the pc to factory condition. There's a good chance you'll wipe it clean in a way that doesn't require you to be particularly tech-savvy.

After saving your files, place the first of the restore discs into the optical (cd-rom/dvd-rom) drive and reboot. The computer will walk you through it.

[Gaz]

If your pc came with restore discs, you could simply save your important files, then restore the pc to factory condition. There's a good chance you'll wipe it clean in a way that doesn't require you to be particularly tech-savvy.

After saving your files, place the first of the restore discs into the optical (cd-rom/dvd-rom) drive and reboot. The computer will walk you through it.
I'd also recommend a newbie friendly spyware scanner like SpybotS&D, which tells you how big a problem the things it detects are on a 1-10 scale, then you can delete as you feel appropriate.

[west3man]

I'd also recommend a newbie friendly spyware scanner like SpybotS&D, which tells you how big a problem the things it detects are on a 1-10 scale, then you can delete as you feel appropriate.
He's scared of that.

That's why I suggested a method which would always put him back to square-one, without his needing to distinguish between which files are actually important system files and which aren't.

Of course, he might think that's scary, too. I look forward to his reply.

[thehod]

If your pc came with restore discs, you could simply save your important files, then restore the pc to factory condition. There's a good chance you'll wipe it clean in a way that doesn't require you to be particularly tech-savvy.

After saving your files, place the first of the restore discs into the optical (cd-rom/dvd-rom) drive and reboot. The computer will walk you through it.

Yep, that's the other solution that has sprung to mind.

I need to get me some CD's to save my stuff to, and then I'll probably spend an afternoon sorting it out.

What I want to do is get around to getting broadband, then I can give AOL the shove and almost have a brand new system.

Having said all that, it doesn't protect my system from getting infected again in the future without me having to spend a fortune on firewalls, barbed wire and a moat.

[Gaz]

He's scared of that.

That's why I suggested a method which would always put him back to square-one, without his needing to distinguish between which files are actually important system files and which aren't.

Of course, he might think that's scary, too. I look forward to his reply.
I thought he meant he was scared of the ones that just flag certain "types" of file then leave you to it. Spybot only flags as critical the harmful ones, although some cookies get chucked into "negligible"

[Typo Lad]

Spybot rocks because you can immunize.

[thehod]

I'd also recommend a newbie friendly spyware scanner like SpybotS&D, which tells you how big a problem the things it detects are on a 1-10 scale, then you can delete as you feel appropriate.

I've got loads of these systems that have also been suggested, but they all come with the caveat that I may be deleting some legitimate stuff, and to get advice before deleting anything.

I still think its shitty that I should have to scan my hard drive for this sort of shit in the first place. If Bill Gates is so fucking smart had should have come up with a system that was locked up like Fort Knox, and not come up with one that left all the doors open and posted a big neon sign outside saying "Come in and trash the joint. All welcome."

[west3man]

Yep, that's the other solution that has sprung to mind.

I need to get me some CD's to save my stuff to, and then I'll probably spend an afternoon sorting it out.

What I want to do is get around to getting broadband, then I can give AOL the shove and almost have a brand new system.

Having said all that, it doesn't protect my system from getting infected again in the future without me having to spend a fortune on firewalls, barbed wire and a moat.
Good surfing and low-level maintenance practices will leave you in a comfortable position, without having to spend a fortune.

Ultimately, though, it'd be a good idea to become familiar with the tools you DO have at your disposal. There's no use starving to death because you won't learn how to use a can opener.

[Gaz]

Spybot rocks because you can immunize.
Meh. I use SpywareBlaster to block, hell, even Spybot admits it's better. (I try to immunize, and it prompts me to check the other program. :p )

[Typo Lad]

Another good prevention method: Use Firefox instead of IE. BEtter security.

[west3man]

I've got loads of these systems that have also been suggested, but they all come with the caveat that I may be deleting some legitimate stuff, and to get advice before deleting anything.

I still think its shitty that I should have to scan my hard drive for this sort of shit in the first place. If Bill Gates is so fucking smart had should have come up with a system that was locked up like Fort Knox, and not come up with one that left all the doors open and posted a big neon sign outside saying "Come in and trash the joint. All welcome."
Shared responsibility.

Extra safety measures usually require SOME effort on the part of the end-user. I think greater measures either reduce one's level of freedom or increase the need for the user to be more tech-savvy. Those aren't always bad things, of course, but there's usually a price of SOME SORT to pay.

[Gaz]

Another good prevention method: Use Firefox instead of IE. BEtter security.
Yes, but it takes a while to get the hang of. OTOH, fewer pop-ups is a nice bonus. :)

[thehod]

Good surfing and low-level maintenance practices will leave you in a comfortable position, without having to spend a fortune.

Ultimately, though, it'd be a good idea to become familiar with the tools you DO have at your disposal. There's no use starving to death because you won't learn how to use a can opener.

True, and I really should think about taking a computer course so that I can get more out of my PC. My local school does a night course on this sort of thing I think. At the very least, I may get friendly with someone who can actually take a look at my system and show me how to protect it. That's really the best way for me to learn, by someone showing me, rather than me attempting to self teach myself, and doing more harm than good. I've been down that road before with DIY, and I've got the scars to prove it. ;)

At the end of the day, all I want to be able to download music, seeing as everyone says its better than buying albums, use some message boards, look at some game sites (won't let me do that at work) and download some retro games.

[west3man]

True, and I really should think about taking a computer course so that I can get more out of my PC. My local school does a night course on this sort of thing I think. At the very least, I may get friendly with someone who can actually take a look at my system and show me how to protect it. That's really the best way for me to learn, by someone showing me, rather than me attempting to self teach myself, and doing more harm than good. I've been down that road before with DIY, and I've got the scars to prove it. ;)

At the end of the day, all I want to be able to download music, seeing as everyone says its better than buying albums, use some message boards, look at some game sites (won't let me do that at work) and download some retro games.
If you've been burned before, it's understandable that you'd be hesitant.

I still think there are baby steps you can take which will reduce your vulnerability without breaking your wallet. You've got to do what you're comfortable with, though.

[Typo Lad]

Yes, but it takes a while to get the hang of.

Really? Aside from the tabbed browsing (which I now could not live without) I don't really see what is so tricky.

OTOH, fewer pop-ups is a nice bonus. :)

With third-party ad ons, you can get 0 pop-ups.

[Gaz]

Really? Aside from the tabbed browsing (which I now could not live without) I don't really see what is so tricky.



With third-party ad ons, you can get 0 pop-ups.
The tabs, and the toolbar take a little getting used to.

[Typo Lad]

True, and I really should think about taking a computer course so that I can get more out of my PC. My local school does a night course on this sort of thing I think. At the very least, I may get friendly with someone who can actually take a look at my system and show me how to protect it. That's really the best way for me to learn, by someone showing me, rather than me attempting to self teach myself, and doing more harm than good. I've been down that road before with DIY, and I've got the scars to prove it. ;)

Heck, my entire career in computers is based on people showing me just how they did "that thing you just did".

The "For Dummies" books are actually quite good in this regard.

At the end of the day, all I want to be able to download music, seeing as everyone says its better than buying albums,

Obviously, I'm going to say I like iTunes Music Store. I like the idea that you don't have to worry that if the Music Service vanishes, you can't play your songs (a risk with Napster).

use some message boards, look at some game sites (won't let me do that at work) and download some retro games.

You know, you can do everything that you want to do on a Linux-based system or a Macintosh, and you'd be more secure.

Still not bullet-proof though.

[Typo Lad]

The tabs, and the toolbar take a little getting used to.

Really? Maybe it wasn't for me because I started from Netscape, and the toolbar is very Netscape-esque (obviously).

As for the tabs, I just introduced my wife to tabbed browsing recently. She'd been using FF at work and home and just not tabbing.

[macul]

spyware is a pain in the butt. I've ran across some that took only a few minutes to remove, but I've ran across others that took hours. I've become quite good at removing the stuff and I haven't ran across anything in a long while that I couldn't get rid of. That said, reformatting a hard drive is often a quicker (meaning cheaper) method of removing spyware. However, even that may not be enough as stuff can hide in a user's profile is in a domain environment.

[west3man]

Really? Maybe it wasn't for me because I started from Netscape, and the toolbar is very Netscape-esque (obviously).

As for the tabs, I just introduced my wife to tabbed browsing recently. She'd been using FF at work and home and just not tabbing.
I just found out how do it... maybe two or three days, ago.

[Night]

There was one where we had to edit the registry several times to get rid of (they insisted on using IE)..... personally I would have wiped the drive... but I'm a bit wipe happy myself... it gets rid of the things you don't even know about. not to mention all the junk even legit programs leave behind. Then again, it's one of the things that makes XP a pain in the neck... you have to ask MS's permission to use it on each install.

[Dennis K]

Unbelievable.

I got a spyware or malware program soo frickin' nasty - we couldn't clean it off the machine. We tried several different spyware software programs - nothing worked. The program kept hiding and replicating itslef with different names lke a virus. And our anti-virus program couldn't find it and kill it.

Two days of lost time for two people.

I have litigation sensitive information on my computer, so I can't have leaks to the internet via spyware.

These idiots have to be stopped.

How did your computer get infected to begin with?

[Typo Lad]

How did your computer get infected to begin with?

The Department of Homeland Security did it.

[Winslow]

How did your computer get infected to begin with?

I will readily admit I did a stupid search. :o

I was trying to find a password to an old yahoo email account I use for buying stuff online (to keep the spam down I set up an account for online purchases). I searched for "yahoo passwords" or something like that, and clicked on a link before I examined where it was taking me. My antivirus went beserk, and next thing I know I got pop-ups out the wazoo.

Anyway - I backed up the files I wanted, but I'm almost afraid to restore in case something is hiding in them.

I've heard these guys are getting so sneaky - sometimes files are written in such a way that "system restore" doesn't work either (yeah we tried that too).

Bastards.

[MKTerra]

Owch. Definitely get Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org). As of 1.0.4 there's no way for stuff to install themselves through it without asking (the most recently discovered (and AFAIK only) bug of this type was fixed in about a week).

The MozillaZine (http://www.mozillazine) forums can be helpful if you run into issues.

(downloads go to the desktop by default, btw)

Also, if you have no firewall, grab ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp) or Sygate (http://soho.sygate.com/download_buy.htm) for free.

[howyadoin]

With third-party ad ons, you can get 0 pop-ups.Who needs any 3rd-party stuff? Just open up the preferences and select "block pop-up windows".

[MKTerra]

Who needs any 3rd-party stuff? Just open up the preferences and select "block pop-up windows".Some places have popups that can get through.

See this MZ post (http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=240548) for other tips.

[MKTerra]

Edit: Double post. Figured as much...

[macul]

Owch. Definitely get Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org). As of 1.0.4 there's no way for stuff to install themselves through it without asking (the most recently discovered (and AFAIK only) bug of this type was fixed in about a week).

One thing I've learned: there is always a way.

[Winslow]

Owch. Definitely get Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org). As of 1.0.4 there's no way for stuff to install themselves through it without asking (the most recently discovered (and AFAIK only) bug of this type was fixed in about a week).

The MozillaZine (http://www.mozillazine) forums can be helpful if you run into issues.

(downloads go to the desktop by default, btw)

Also, if you have no firewall, grab ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp) or Sygate (http://soho.sygate.com/download_buy.htm) for free.

Thanks.

I do use Firefox from home.

I don't have "administrator privileges" on my work computer - so I can't download and install programs.

But I'm going to save these links and install on my home computer. I use Firefox at home, but need a firewall.

[Bard]

Anybody try the Microsoft antispyware program? It seem to do it's job, but it kept crashing my other programs when I kept it operational while surfing the web. When I removed it, my problems cleared up.


Current I have several adaware, but I have earthlink's spyware blocker (which doesn't seem to catch all the spyware that Microsoft seems to spot). And with my limited budget, my husband and I can't afford to spend a lot of money on to many programs).

[Gaz]

Anybody try the Microsoft antispyware program? It seem to do it's job, but it kept crashing my other programs when I kept it operational while surfing the web. When I removed it, my problems cleared up.


Current I have several adaware, but I have earthlink's spyware blocker (which doesn't seem to catch all the spyware that Microsoft seems to spot). And with my limited budget, my husband and I can't afford to spend a lot of money on to many programs).
The MS program is OK, much like a lot of MS stuff, but there are far better freeware apps.