Virus On A Pc No Resore Discs

[Broxi_jim]

My in-laws have got some sort of virus on their PC.

It's an old compaq system with only a 1.0ghz processor with 128mb memory. (well thats what they said it is) running xp

They don't have any restore disc's with it.

So basically I want to ask, is using windows xp black suitable for it ? or will I need to try and find something else !!!

Thanks in advance

 

[The-Wolf]

download
AVG, which should find and repair/isolate the virus so it can't do anything

 

[rabbut]

Aye, AVG is good, download it from http/free.avg.com Way better than most packages you can get for under £100, so ideal for home users IMO If it comes back, there's a rootkit installed, and that's where things get a little more tricky/risky...

Any version of Windows install disks will work to re-install Windows, but note that it won't stay working for long without a valid licence for that version (I think they give 15 days to activate/validate)

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Broxi_jim]

Cheers for the replies...

I can get most anti-virus software free !!

So will give AVG a try.

Hopefully they will just upgrade their comp as its ancient...lololol

 

[jimmyringo]

I always use AVAST(free) anti-virus and theres a free virus removal tool on their website too

Malwarebytes is an excellent free tool as well.

 

[JenCliBee]

try an online scanner called trend micro completely free picks up most viruses and because its web based its always fully updated.If it finds a virus that it cant remove just follow the path 2 where the virus is and manually remove it then rescan

 

[rabbut]

Failing that, boot from a dos floppy disk and use the rm command to remove the file if it's in use and you get an access denied error on trying to remove it via windows... Be warned however, this can lead to the machien failing to boot afterwards, so make shure you have back-up's

All the best
rabbut

 

[Arfie]

Firstly I'd download Belarc Advisor. Run this and it will give you an inventory which you can print off, of the computer including details of all the hardware, all software loaded, the licence numbers for software including whichever version of windows and also quite importantly details of which drivers are required.

If you do reformat and reinstall windows, you will then have a list of all the things you need to get it working again!

Next as has been said get a free antivirus program - my choice is AVG, all the others mentioned are OK, but I just get on best with AVG.

Also get Malwarebytes which will clear up a lot of crap that AVG doesn't.

I'd also add Spybot S+D which just may pick up some stuff missed by AVG + Malwarebytes.

Ccleaner will get rid of loads of temp files and messed up registry entries (Back the registry up before altering it!) which will make an old PC run much better.

And finally get a firewall on to stop any nasty stuff that has got through the other stuff from being able to get back online and send personal information back to the spammers. My personal choice is Zonealarm, but others are available.

Don't forget to update all the software before running them.

That lot should get it working much much better! If it doesn't reformat it and start again.

Arfie

 

[Broxi_jim]

Thanks for all the replies...

It was an old computer someone gave them...So they have NO form of back-up disc's / floopy disks

I was hoping to just put windows xp black straight ontot the machine and solve the problem. If that was possible.

They can log-in for about 2-3minutes before the computer shuts down !!!!!

 

[JenCliBee]

Thanks for all the replies...

It was an old computer someone gave them...So they have NO form of back-up disc's / floopy disks

I was hoping to just put windows xp black straight ontot the machine and solve the problem. If that was possible.

They can log-in for about 2-3minutes before the computer shuts down !!!!!

gonna sound like a silly question now lol, but have you done a windows update ? there were a few issues with windows doing this but with the updates it solved the problem

 

[raptorrex]

try an online scanner called trend micro completely free picks up most viruses and because its web based its always fully updated.If it finds a virus that it cant remove just follow the path 2 where the virus is and manually remove it then rescan

be very careful of online scanners. most if not all are there to convince you to buy a, specific, bit of software. the results are from unreliable to downright falsehoods. scan your computer with, good quality (fully downloaded), software. AVG being my choice. if you have a router, windows own firewall is fine. those without, need a much better firewall, Commodo/Kesperski/Zonealarm. if you identify ROOTKit problems, i would just install a copy of XP black and be done with it.

 

[JenCliBee]

try an online scanner called trend micro completely free picks up most viruses and because its web based its always fully updated.If it finds a virus that it cant remove just follow the path 2 where the virus is and manually remove it then rescan

be very careful of online scanners. most if not all are there to convince you to buy a, specific, bit of software. the results are from unreliable to downright falsehoods. scan your computer with, good quality (fully downloaded), software. AVG being my choice. if you have a router, windows own firewall is fine. those without, need a much better firewall, Commodo/Kesperski/Zonealarm. if you identify ROOTKit problems, i would just install a copy of XP black and be done with it.

trust me ive used it for years and never once been prompted to by anything lol

 

[Arfie]

if you have a router, windows own firewall is fine. those without, need a much better firewall, Commodo/Kesperski/Zonealarm. if you identify ROOTKit problems, i would just install a copy of XP black and be done with it.

I've had this discussion with an IT professional before.

Yes a router with inbuilt firewall will prevent casual hackers (not anyone that is serious though) getting access to your computer. But ...... if something like a Trojan gets past your antivirus/malware (which can happen with new ones) the router will not prevent it accessing the internet to send the info back to the scumbag. A software firewall will (or should) stop it sending info, so long as you don't allow it My experience of Windows Firewall is that it's not even close to being good enough, though it is better than nothing.

I don't see why anyone wouldn't install a free firewall when they don't even take up that much in system resources. I backup my documents, so a virus getting on and wiping my computer wouldn't be a complete disaster, but someone getting my personal details off the computer could be

Arfie

 

[raptorrex]

try an online scanner called trend micro completely free picks up most viruses and because its web based its always fully updated.If it finds a virus that it cant remove just follow the path 2 where the virus is and manually remove it then rescan

be very careful of online scanners. most if not all are there to convince you to buy a, specific, bit of software. the results are from unreliable to downright falsehoods. scan your computer with, good quality (fully downloaded), software. AVG being my choice. if you have a router, windows own firewall is fine. those without, need a much better firewall, Commodo/Kesperski/Zonealarm. if you identify ROOTKit problems, i would just install a copy of XP black and be done with it.

trust me ive used it for years and never once been prompted to by anything lol

thats odd, the first thing it does, after starting the scan, is ask you if you want to download and buy the software. so you can have "active protection", why not download a "good" anti virus, like AVG instead? it also flagged a number of viruses, i know i don't have, and missed all the, backdoors worms and crackes, i know i do have. poor perfomance, for me, at best.

if you have a router, windows own firewall is fine. those without, need a much better firewall, Commodo/Kesperski/Zonealarm. if you identify ROOTKit problems, i would just install a copy of XP black and be done with it.

I've had this discussion with an IT professional before.

Yes a router with inbuilt firewall will prevent casual hackers (not anyone that is serious though) getting access to your computer. But ...... if something like a Trojan gets past your antivirus/malware (which can happen with new ones) the router will not prevent it accessing the internet to send the info back to the scumbag. A software firewall will (or should) stop it sending info, so long as you don't allow it My experience of Windows Firewall is that it's not even close to being good enough, though it is better than nothing.

I don't see why anyone wouldn't install a free firewall when they don't even take up that much in system resources. I backup my documents, so a virus getting on and wiping my computer wouldn't be a complete disaster, but someone getting my personal details off the computer could be

Arfie

yep you cant legislate for stupidity i agree. a good anti virus will detect all Trojans, once they are identified. using a router, not running Widows from an Administrators account, using a good anti virus and windows firewall is more than good enough. but i agree many are too stupid to follow the basic rules. so they, DO, need resource sapping programs to make up for it.

Microsoft concluded that 90+% of windows infections could be avoided if we just stopped using administrators rights/account for normal use.
look here

 

[JenCliBee]

thats odd, the first thing it does, after starting the scan, is ask you if you want to download and buy the software. so you can have "active protection", why not download a "good" anti virus, like AVG instead? it also flagged a number of viruses, i know i don't have, and missed all the, backdoors worms and crackes, i know i do have. poor perfomance, for me, at best.

ahhh sorry wot i ment 2 say was u dont need 2 buy 2 actually let it remove viruses, yes u can buy the complete software but i personally wiouldnt when as you say AVG is perfectly ok for day to day running , thats what i run and it works perfect