• Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
New posts

YellowDog

Beach Comber
Dec 15, 2005
37
5
Bad virus. Rootkit. Turns off anti-virus software protection. Need someone with experience and tools to get rid of it. Can anyone help?
 

ASH

Beach Fanatic
Feb 4, 2008
2,153
443
Roosevelt, MN
Call Chuck the Beach Geek. This is what he does and he's local. Call him at (850) 687-5174.
He fixed my last computer when it crashed.
 

ComputerWorks

Beach Lover
Dec 21, 2010
77
37
seaside
Happy to help

Bad virus. Rootkit. Turns off anti-virus software protection. Need someone with experience and tools to get rid of it. Can anyone help?

I am here for you and will be at your door with my mobile computer service within a few hours of your call. I've been doing this 24 years! Most viruses I remove in under one hour without losing ANY of your information. Some years ago I had 17 employees, now it's just me and will remain that way because I have never been able to find/employ and train anyone who can do what I do in a timely, 100% effective professional way as myself. I literally have hundreds of fresh references, some on my website Home - ComputerWorks we come to you for all computer needs, including repairs, upgrades, networking, web design, data recovery
I'm so confident with what I do, I guarantee not only to remove your virus(es) but make your computer faster than it was brand new or you pay nothing! Call Mark, the owner of ComputerWorks (850) 687-3161
 
Last edited:

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,644
1,773
You probably have malware, not a virus, but it will still make you want to throw away your computer and start over. You can get rid of it if you have another computer to download some free software to like Malware bytes. You have to restart in safe mode, and maybe rename the Malware bytes files, so that the malware doesn't recognize the name of the protection software. Then, you just run a scan and quarantine. Dont make the mistake of trying to delete the problems, because that may open a new can of worms!

If you aren't tech savvy at all, you should just call someone to do that stuff for you.
 

YellowDog

Beach Comber
Dec 15, 2005
37
5
You probably have malware, not a virus, but it will still make you want to throw away your computer and start over. You can get rid of it if you have another computer to download some free software to like Malware bytes. You have to restart in safe mode, and maybe rename the Malware bytes files, so that the malware doesn't recognize the name of the protection software. Then, you just run a scan and quarantine. Dont make the mistake of trying to delete the problems, because that may open a new can of worms!

If you aren't tech savvy at all, you should just call someone to do that stuff for you.

Well, I did start over ? the dreaded ?recover to delivery status? routine. I had gotten to the point where it wouldn?t start in safe mode, so I gave up the hunt. I had previously scanned with Malwarebytes, and windows malicious, and others and had found files which were quarantined. I did remove them ? never had heard that deleting them might not be a good thing.
So, my computer is theoretically clean now, but what?s disturbing about it all is not knowing where the problem came from. This is just the second time in 25 years of computing that I have gotten a virus. First one came from a friend?s diskette about 15 years ago ? small problem compared to this one. Since this is my business computer, I?m very paranoid about opening attachments or going to unfamiliar websites, so it must have come from someplace that I will encounter again. Can?t wait!
Used to consider myself somewhat tech savvy ? that opinion has gone steadily downhill with the rise of Windows! I did call someone, by the way, but no luck with his attempt to help. Obviously will need someone who can delve deeper the next time.
Also, no one seems to know of an anti-virus package that will catch these rootkit viruses. That?s not encouraging.
Thanks for ?listening.?
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,644
1,773
AVG looks for viruses, and Malware Bytes looks for malware. I use both on my pc. You don't want to use more than one virus protection and one malware protection.

Note that the free versions of each won't catch it until after the fact, and that's IF you have set up auto scans daily (or nightly). The pay versions of each are supposed to catch it before it gets to your computer.

Note that for the future, it is a good idea to keep a download of each on a thumb drive, which you can plug in to run while in safe mode. Otherwise, you won't likely be able to run if from your puter in safe mode.

My worst malware came from a friends link on facebook. It took me at least a week of searching online (another pc) to finally figure out how to get rid of it. They can be a real PITA.
 

YellowDog

Beach Comber
Dec 15, 2005
37
5
Aargh!!!

AVG looks for viruses, and Malware Bytes looks for malware. I use both on my pc. You don't want to use more than one virus protection and one malware protection.

Note that the free versions of each won't catch it until after the fact, and that's IF you have set up auto scans daily (or nightly). The pay versions of each are supposed to catch it before it gets to your computer.

Note that for the future, it is a good idea to keep a download of each on a thumb drive, which you can plug in to run while in safe mode. Otherwise, you won't likely be able to run if from your puter in safe mode.

My worst malware came from a friends link on facebook. It took me at least a week of searching online (another pc) to finally figure out how to get rid of it. They can be a real PITA.

The guy who tried to help me recommended Windows Security Essentials, so I'm using that now (scanning daily). I looked at AVG, but comments indicate that it still has some problems with Win 7 x64. So much for being on the tech edge.

I do have everything on a stick so I can run scans in safe mode. That's how I thought I was getting rid of the problem the first two times it popped up. Files found did indicate a root kit (TDSS, Alureon, TDL3, SPM/LX, several connected to JAVA).

So, I'm still trying to figure out where it came from, hoping I can avoid future incidents (wishful thinking). Will probably never know how I got it. I think I need McGee and Abby!!!
 

YellowDog

Beach Comber
Dec 15, 2005
37
5
The guy who tried to help me recommended Windows Security Essentials, so I'm using that now (scanning daily). I looked at AVG, but comments indicate that it still has some problems with Win 7 x64. So much for being on the tech edge.

I do have everything on a stick so I can run scans in safe mode. That's how I thought I was getting rid of the problem the first two times it popped up. Files found did indicate a root kit (TDSS, Alureon, TDL3, SPM/LX, several connected to JAVA).

So, I'm still trying to figure out where it came from, hoping I can avoid future incidents (wishful thinking). Will probably never know how I got it. I think I need McGee and Abby!!!

btw, I think if we could just take a couple of these virus writing people and hang them in public, it might slow them down a little.
 

SlowMovin

Beach Fanatic
Jul 9, 2005
483
42
Sometime back I had a virus issue, despite being religious about running anti-virussoftware, not opening strange attachments, not going to weird sites, etc. When I finally got it fixed (after having to re-format the hard drive, reinstall Windows and recreate almost everything) I ditched McAfee and Internet Explorer and switched to MS Security Essentials and Mozilla Firefox. Have had no problems ever since and everything seems to run much more smoothly.

Oh yeah. Also run Spybot frequently.
 
New posts


Sign Up for SoWal Newsletter