The Conservative Cave
The Help Desk => Computer Related Discussions & Questions => Topic started by: franksolich on October 11, 2008, 05:18:03 PM
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Suddenly this afternoon something popped up on the screen of this computer advising me I had spyware in this computer.
The program is something called "Virus Response Lab 2009," and appears to come from Microsoft, although I'm not sure.
I tried to register it for a free evaluation, but no workee.
Okay, how do I clear all this damned stuff off this computer?
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Normally I would say buy a new computer.
But for you, I suggest Spybot: http://www.spybot-se.com/
It is a free download and does a heck of a good job in disinfecting your PC.
If you don't have an antivirus, get AVG -- http://www.avg.com/ -- which is free.
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Frank DO NOT register for anything using that!
It actually INSTALS spywares and virus programs rather than fixing them.
Get someone who knows computers to walk you through a system restore to a date a few days back and then buy an anti-virus/anti spyware prog.
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Frank DO NOT register for anything using that!
It actually INSTALS spywares and virus programs rather than fixing them.
Get someone who knows computers to walk you through a system restore to a date a few days back and then buy an anti-virus/anti spyware prog.
Both AVG and Spybot are clean -- I have used both extensively.
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Both AVG and Spybot are clean -- I have used both extensively.
I think he was referring to the pop-up that "told" frank he had a virus. Virus Response Lab 2009 is malware.
http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?locale=de&forumId=1&comments_parentId=176301
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I use Spybot S & D, also Ad-Aware (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/adaware.html) , Both have found things the other has missed. The third thing I use is Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx) , a free program from Microsoft.
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(http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/funny-pictures-the-manual-version-of-the-lolware-removal-tool.jpg)
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I use Spybot S & D, also Ad-Aware (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/adaware.html) , Both have found things the other has missed. The third thing I use is Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx) , a free program from Microsoft.
Before you use WD, check this out:
[youtube=425,350]jOh6Nh8w6f8[/youtube]
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Before you use WD, check this out:
[youtube=425,350]jOh6Nh8w6f8[/youtube]
*snort* LOL
That was good.
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I think he was referring to the pop-up that "told" frank he had a virus. Virus Response Lab 2009 is malware.
http://support.mozilla.com/tiki-view_forum_thread.php?locale=de&forumId=1&comments_parentId=176301
Yeah that!
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Trend Micro Internet Security is a winner too.
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Apparently Frank didn't listen. See my thread elsewhere.
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Apparently Frank didn't listen. See my thread elsewhere.
:-)
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TrendMicro.com, AVG and AdAware, Spybot S&D are all good malware removers. CCleaner catches some. The one thing I have experienced is that IF one doesn't have these programs already installed, some viruses/ malware will restrict access to those sites. One PC, I had to actually download AVG onto a different PC (I have 4 of them at home), burn it onto a cd and THEN install it from the cd onto the infected PC.
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Credentials: I fix the damned things for a living.
Do a System Restore to a time before you installed this. Get Windows Defender, as mentioned above. Also get Spybot Search and Destroy, and run it, but don't run the TeaTimer or anything in the background.
The correct link for AVG's free software is http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition Avast also has a free antivirus program that's pretty good.
Finally, I recommend that all of my users use Firefox for web browsing. Internet Explorer just isn't as secure. (Although you still need it for some things, like Windows Update.)
If it's still causing trouble, there are a few other things you can do. Reply here if it's still giving you fits, and I can give you some pointers for free diagnosing and repair.
Woody
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Credentials: I fix the damned things for a living.
Do a System Restore to a time before you installed this. Get Windows Defender, as mentioned above. Also get Spybot Search and Destroy, and run it, but don't run the TeaTimer or anything in the background.
The correct link for AVG's free software is http://free.avg.com/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition Avast also has a free antivirus program that's pretty good.
Finally, I recommend that all of my users use Firefox for web browsing. Internet Explorer just isn't as secure. (Although you still need it for some things, like Windows Update.)
If it's still causing trouble, there are a few other things you can do. Reply here if it's still giving you fits, and I can give you some pointers for free diagnosing and repair.
Woody
Are you not thinking you should be installing these software devices?
If answering the phones you are then assuming in India you are being?
;)
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Okay, as others have probably figured out by now, I could never get that Virus Research Lab 2009 thing to respond. At first thinking it legitimate, I tried to register, but it wouldn't let me register. It took 15 or so minutes before I speculated, uh, this doesn't seem legit.....but it never did allow me to register anyway.
So no harm done.
However, I am curious about something. I already had Norton--updated and good and all that--but Norton never caught this thing. I took the suggestion of freedumb, and downloaded and installed that thing.....but it never detected this virus lab either. I downloaded and installed a third anti-virulent.....but it never detected that thing either.
At that point, I decided, oops, it might be a good idea to get off the internet.
Just before doing that, I checked Outlook Express, which opened, and then something similar to a three-mile-long strip of adding-machine paper stubbornly adhered to the right side of the screen of Outlook Express, repeating hundreds and hundreds of times the same thing, the same line over and over and over "connecting to [my internet service provider]."
That was when I yanked the connection cord to the internet.
And thus my comment to Mr. Wiggum, which perhaps seemed odd to him, given that Mr. Wiggum had no knowledge of the script I had devised for our telephone conversation, that I find anti-virulents all but useless. Why did their "findings" vary so much, from 19 threats to 211 threats?
The next morning, Sunday morning, I gave it all one last Boy Scout try. I turned on the computer (with the connection to the internet still unconnected), and ran a disc scan. The disc scan said everything was okay, and after it got done, up again popped the Virus Research Lab 2009.
This time, however, the message was different; it said if I paid $79.95, it would remove the threats.
Immediately after which I got out the wire-cutters, screwdrivers, and hammer, reducing the thing to Rice-Krispies-sized pieces of black plastic and metallic metal.
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Immediately after which I got out the wire-cutters, screwdrivers, and hammer, reducing the thing to Rice-Krispies-sized pieces of black plastic and metallic metal.
:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
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Immediately after which I got out the wire-cutters, screwdrivers, and hammer, reducing the thing to Rice-Krispies-sized pieces of black plastic and metallic metal.
That's definitely one option. My brother "drop tested" his PC once - Surprisingly, it failed the three-story drop. I took a frustrating hard drive to the shooting range once, and it turned out to be the best possible use of that drive.
Part of the problem was that clicking on the "alert" installed the software. Most anti-malware programs won't stop user actions, and try to warn you beforehand. Although MS is working on this with Vista (by popping up an "are you sure?" that everybody clicks anyway... We learn to crawl before we learn to walk, I guess.)
I don't normally do this, but you might want to look at a Mac. Apple computers work "as advertised". They're a bit more expensive, but you don't get targeted by software like that. (Because Apple is only 15% of the market.) And the software is very user-friendly.
On the downside, if you buy a Mac, you need to get regular manicures and start wearing v-neck sweaters...
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That's definitely one option. My brother "drop tested" his PC once - Surprisingly, it failed the three-story drop. I took a frustrating hard drive to the shooting range once, and it turned out to be the best possible use of that drive.
Part of the problem was that clicking on the "alert" installed the software. Most anti-malware programs won't stop user actions, and try to warn you beforehand. Although MS is working on this with Vista (by popping up an "are you sure?" that everybody clicks anyway... We learn to crawl before we learn to walk, I guess.)
I don't normally do this, but you might want to look at a Mac. Apple computers work "as advertised". They're a bit more expensive, but you don't get targeted by software like that. (Because Apple is only 15% of the market.) And the software is very user-friendly.
On the downside, if you buy a Mac, you need to get regular manicures and start wearing v-neck sweaters...
And crocs.....
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Macs are not immune to viruses. Hell, I'd opt for a pc that runs Linux. That's even less virus prone than the Macs.
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And crocs.....
HEY NOW!!!
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Hey Sarge, I'll bet you wear those Camo Crocs......... :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: