computer virus help!!!!! PLEASE!

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ambercole
ambercole Posts: 426
in Chit-Chat
I have aquired a horrible computer virus. The virus redirects anything that I search on the internet to advertisement websites so I can't use my internet. That wouldnt be so bad except the virus also will not allow me to run any antivirus software or access my control panel. When I click on them nothing happens. my computer is pretty much a lump of junk now. I an having to use the net on my iphone and I am trying search for ways to fix this problem but I am having a hard time. Are there any computer savvy people out there? TIA!

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  • sackingsfan
    sackingsfan Posts: 1 Member
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    What OS are you running? Assuming it's some form of Windows (since Mac and Linux rarely get these kinds of viruses) do you get the same behavior when booted into Safe Mode?
  • KimSchnizleinWECHANGED
    KimSchnizleinWECHANGED Posts: 189
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    I have aquired a horrible computer virus. The virus redirects anything that I search on the internet to advertisement websites so I can't use my internet. That wouldnt be so bad except the virus also will not allow me to run any antivirus software or access my control panel. When I click on them nothing happens. my computer is pretty much a lump of junk now. I an having to use the net on my iphone and I am trying search for ways to fix this problem but I am having a hard time. Are there any computer savvy people out there? TIA!

    Once that type of virus gets to your hard drive it usually multiplies at alarming rates. The only fix for it, that I'm aware of, is to have your hard drive wiped clean. That means doing a total recovery back to original factory settings. In my experience that has sometimes not worked, and then the hard drive would have to be replaced. Just hope that you can do a complete recovery on the existing hard drive. Disks for that purpose are usually purchasable through Microsoft. If my advice is incorrect, or incomplete I hope someone out there has an easier solution. Once the virus has gotten to the point of disallowing access to the internet running a scan is usually not an option. Most virus protection packages are set up so that they run without user prompting on a routine pattern .... In other words, they run the scan on a set time pattern every few days and then quarantine or vault viruses. A user can initiate a scan whenever they feel it necessary to do so, but a good virus protection takes care of the found issues without user intervention. This is the information that I know to be true from my experience and computer knowledge.
  • KimSchnizleinWECHANGED
    KimSchnizleinWECHANGED Posts: 189
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    What OS are you running? Assuming it's some form of Windows (since Mac and Linux rarely get these kinds of viruses) do you get the same behavior when booted into Safe Mode?

    Great point! That's a question I forgot to ask!
  • Susan57
    Susan57 Posts: 40 Member
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    you can put your anti virus cd in and run it like that, i did it and it worked. if you have an o.s. you can reinstall that and it should wipe everything clean and you woun't have a lump of whatever. lol! you can get malware bytes and superantispyware free editions and that may help. good luck let me know how it turns out.:noway:
  • Mirabilis
    Mirabilis Posts: 312 Member
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    You know about SafeMode, yes? I'm assuming Windows, since I know nothing about Macs. You can get internet support for SafeMode, which should allow you to freeze the virus while you find a solution (but your machine will look like hell).

    If you can get to an online virus checker to download their quickie program (like Windows Defender for Windows for example, which is free), then you should be able to shut down, disconnect from the web and set your machine on safe mode to run it. Don't wipe your hard drive except as a last resort.

    Not every virus scanner will catch it, so you might have to try more than one. If you have access to a friend's machine, you might try emailing the program to yourself (might have to change the extension to get past the virus checker, ironically). If you can, try the Sophos trial version. It's a business virus protection and does more and different things than the regular commercial programs like Norton or McAfee.

    Typically these things will corrupt a .dll in your win.ini that might be critical, but not always. Sometimes they just add a new .dll which directs your machine to replicate the virus.

    My version of a last resort would be a computer techie. They charge $35/hr or so and can get to the heart of it quicker than you can. Also, they won't wipe your hard drive except as a last last resort.

    Mirii
  • ginag06
    ginag06 Posts: 3
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    hoped it worked
  • Susan57
    Susan57 Posts: 40 Member
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    she got it working
  • ginag06
    ginag06 Posts: 3
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    Susan where are you
  • ginag06
    ginag06 Posts: 3
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    where are you susan

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