Computer problems.... HELP

BENTE

you know me can't ring in a new year without some computer problem..

somehow i have got some kind of anitmalware going on. i have macafee but it will not let me start the macafee.. i have downloaded something from spyhunter and spyware doctor but neither is doing me any good.. i keep getting popups and all kind of security bull$h!t.. anyone know anything about this stuff?


please help or i will be forced to throw this computer out the front door

WessB

Have you tried "adaware" by lavasoft..or "spybot" you'll have to google that one..both of those are free....I also use "malwarebytes" but I think you have to pay for that one...just a shot..good luck..

Ripnem

Just open the window first.

I'm a computer bonehead. But I know windows can get expensive.

Good luck

Fidel

Terrific at finding and correcting problem software.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

Gator Bait

 
Just a shot in the dark, have you tried starting in safe mode and then trying to run macafee.

Good luck,

Gator

 

BENTE

i am trying them both now thanks wess

WessB

If that doesn't work and you don't mind spending a few bucks...system mechanic does all kinds of good stuff..I think it's $29 for the first year and around $15 every year after that..and you can install it on 3 machines..I use it regularly...keep us informed..

WessB

on all of them..to get the latest files..

egret

Throw that damn thing the hell out the front door and get a MAC!! Your problems will be over.......

BENTE

wish i was that rich like you!!!

hope alls well with you Pal

BENTE

you could have tyoed that in chineese and it would have made about as much sense....


sorry but i am really a dummy on the computer so i would not know how to do that :(

buty i know how to solve the real problem and that is to follow egret's advice but then i would have to go take a mac course then try to remember all that stuff till i get used to it


plus a mac = $$$$

that we don't have around the holiday's

BENTE

if i can get it to stop throwing up porn shortcuts and security alerts (that give you only one option) i could proabably get something done if this continues i am just going to take it to office depot and tell them to fix it

BENTE

that is the next download in one of the googles i got when i used wes's advice it downloaded something called ad-aware and it is running a search right now.. i have not had a popup on 4 or 5 min so i might be on to something

thanks

WessB

Go into your windows pop up blocker and set it to block ALL pop ups..

Fidel

If you get those windows that only have one option, try ALT+F4 to do a hard close on them.

BENTE

i just got out a piece of paper to write that down... see dummy :pinch:

BENTE

ok i did that

the scanner has been running for 46 min and has not found anything i am scared to stop it cause it would just have to start over again

Gator Bait

 
Hi BENTE,

When you start your computer from scratch, called a cold boot, on one of the very first screens you should see an option to usually press one of the F keys such as F8 or F12. It is probably labeled something to do with "start up options", "boot options" or maybe even "set up". You have to press that key while that screen is showing. If you have the original manual for the computer it might tell how to start the machine in "safe mode".
Stating your compute in safe mode will allow Windows to load but nothing else. All TSR's (terminate and stay resident) programs are by passed and you have a basic, hopefully clean boot up. You may be limited with what your computer can do depending on the TSR's that you have not loaded. If the problem is tied to one of the TSR's or other start up fluff that you may normally run you may be able to side step it long enough to correct it. Starting in safe mode MAY let you run Macafee which MIGHT cure the problem. You would then restart your computer and let it boot normally, not in safe mode, and you could be back in business. "Safe mode" is there for times like this, sometimes it helps, sometimes not.

Good luck,

Gator

 

AZRP

I finally got fed up with my MS machine when we were at the Denver fest and I couldn't connect to the internet after waiting for 30 minutes for the freaking thing to finish booting. Bought a Mac about 3 hours after the plane landed at home and couldn't be happier. -RP

Fidel

My next laptop will be a Mac for the same reasons -- slow boot times are killer.

JB

Bente- hopefully you have resolved the problem, but if you haven't, download and run this: http://www.superantispyware.com/.

My wife's machine had the same problem a few weeks ago. Turned out she had a virus that was blocking all other anti-virus, spyware, malware programs from running. This got rid of it completely.

Good luck.

civil eggineer

I have found over the years that many of the anti spyware/adware programs online are nearly as bad as the infection. When things get bad I take it to a private computer geek store and pay $70 to have him clean it up and pick it up a day later. I hate to do it but it is the only way I can shake that stuff.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

rule number one is to keep a separate computer for all your p*rn, terry.

i'm so HIGH-larious!

you know. i got a virus one time and there was nothing i could do to fix it. i paid the geek squad guys a hundred bucks to do it from the other end of the phone. they take control of it and got rid of it. a lot of these new viruses will reinstall after they are removed. no amount of screwingaround by a regular joe like you and me is going to do it, and frankly, it took them maybe 6 or 8 hours of time to uninstall it. it was a new one, with no real easy removal by any of the anti-virus, anti-malware softwares available. they had to do it manually.

at a certain point, it becomes more cost effective to pay someone to do it. fixed fee, and they spent 6 to 8 hours. i don't know what your time is worth, but i'd imagine that at some point, a hundred bucks or so to have some expert remove it weighs against your time times your hourly rate.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i'd get a mac, except the entire knowledge base for my arch-viz software is skewed 95% toward windows.

i don't need to be the one clown in the universe running the software on a mac trying to figure out why i'm getting a crash when i close polygon holes...

speaking of which. it's been a while since i "closed a polygon hole", if you know what i mean. been working too hard. year end.

Fidel

That's been my holdup all along - we use a lot of banking and database software (old legacy DOS based stuff in some instances) that is built to run on an x86 platform. I know the Mac emulators work in many instances, so it's worth a try.

I'll keep the old laptop around in case I need it from time to time, but for everyday putzing around, personal stuff, email, etc. I am making the switch.

Grandpas Grub

 
Sorry to hear you are having problems.

Not sure if you have this fixed now, neverthelss, there is free software that should take care of all these type problems.

If you are running 2 antivirus programs at the same time, that in and of itself is a problem.

macafee if free with comcast but it takes a lot of time running the scans all the time. I have dumped it off of 3 of my systems now and am using avast - free and free updates.

If what you have won't let you view Trendmicor, Symantic or McAfee then there is a different way to attack this.

First go to trendmicro.com and run their online virus check (and remover).

If trendmicro completes successfully and you apply the fixes then download malwarebytes from malwarebytes.org (free).

These 2 steps should clear out the problems.

It is good to also run Spybot and Ad-Aware. Keep all three programs on your computer and use them at least once a month if not every 2 weeks.

McAfee should have prevented the problems but at times it doesn't and that's why I dumped the service.

These programs take time to scan & fix your system.

Spending the money to get it fixed is always easier, however, sometime the shops just delete and or corrupt the OS.

If you need further help/inforation let me know.

Kent

Gator Bait

 
I run the current version of Norton's Internet Security and don't worry. I haven't had my machine infected since I graduated from the University in 1995! Colleges are nasty when it come to that stuff. I was roaming the web one night a couple weeks ago and hit a sit the tried to plant at least 4 trojan's on my machine and Norton's stopped every one of them.
The latest version of Norton's Internet Security can be had at Sam's for about the same price as Norton's annual subscription price. So for about $50 I run a clean, safe machine while others around me have problems. Go figure.

Gator

 

thegrillster

you won't need it on a mac.

they are not perfect but close to it.

FSUScotsman

I hate to let the cat out of the bag, but the Mac world isn't virus safe any longer. Seems that the scum that right this stuff got tired of hearing "Macs don't have virus problems" and someone wrote a couple. From what I remember they either came out of China or Russia. What is even harder for the Mac people to deal with it that once they get a virus they are a lot harder to get rid of on a Mac.

Both platforms have their problems and their pluses.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i'm talkingabout the software having issues, not the computer.

my pc doesn't crash, it is the software that often crashes the pc.

they hang up on macs too. but the knowledge base for fixes ("why is my renderline bogging down at the horizon line and closing my program?") is skewed 99% toward PC.

if you aren't on a pc, you need to solve it yourself (i'm talking w/r/t my specific case of course). can't afford to be a pioneer.

i agree, often creative professionals tend to prefer macs, but photoshop runs the same way on a mac or PC. whether it is a mac or a PC won't make the user more creative. EDITED: in fact, i would buy a mac perhaps, but they don't make one that can match my PC, performance wise. if they did, it'd be twice as much, too.

van gogh painted with some pretty crappy brushes. i'm not van gogh, but my computer and my software don't run the show. they are tools, and as long as you treat your tools right and take care of them, it's splitting hairs to arguer mac vs. PC i think.

i have both in the house, and have used both professionally. "scheiss egal" as i like to say.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

the frank reason macs "don't have viruses" is necessarily because they are safer. they just held such a relative small portion of the market that no hacker is going to bother with the "small beans". focus on the giant PC user group.

as macs gain market share, they will be targeted.

they aren't magically inherently safer. they just aren't as attacked.

two ways to protect something. put it in a big fancy safe with armed guards around it, or wrap it in tinfoil and hide it in the freezer.

most criminals go for the obvious target

.