A Bad Virus

[MmC-Sample246]

Hey guys. Been playin' ESF for years.

Anyways, about a month ago, I got this strange virus. You see, about once every 5 or 10 minutes, a new browser window pops up. In the address bar it says "1%" and the page is blank. Well, I was using Netscape back then. I figured, maybe if I changed browsers, this would stop. Well, I got Firefox browser and started using it and uninstalled Netscape. Well, it continued. Now, however, Firefox responds to it being blank and automatically re-directs it to Mozilla.com (FireFox's homepage). I've ran countless, up-to-date virus scans. About 5 Ad-Aware scans, a full, thourogh "Avast!" scan (took about 5 hours), a full "Spybot-Search and Destroy" scan, a full "AVG Free Edition" scan, a scandisk, and a defragmentation. No luck. This virus does not COMPLETELY hinder my activities on the computer. It's just annoying to have to close this window every 5 or 10 minutes. The MAIN problem with this, however, is that I cannot play any games that involve Full Screen, like ESF. I've put up with this for so long, and I would kill for a solution to it. Nobody has been able to help me before. Maybe you guys can. Thanks in advance! :]

 

[Fire Phoenix]

Well, first off do you know what gave you the virus? Assuming you don't, I would try Norton Anti-Virus. The beauty of Norton, is it's constantly updated. And it protects your computer while you're on. So if you get a virus it notifies you and deletes it on the spot so nothing bad happens to your computer. It's honestly the best thing I've ever bought for my comuter.

Assuming you do, delete what ever program gave it to you. Not sure if that would work, but you can give it a try.

 

[Grega]

When all else fails just use FORMAT C: ^^ (i miss the good old DOS) and reinstall evrything

 

[EncorE_SX]

Why don't you play with Registry editor? I've removed hundreds of CoolWebSearches from regedit.exe >_<

And its a SPYWARE, not a VIRUS, seeing what it does.

 

[Draylock1]

If you have a legitamit copy of Windows XP and bought your computer at a store, or you know your Windows CD Key, go to www.microsoft.com and look for downloads, and get Microsoft Anti Spyware.

It WILL fix your problem. And problems you didn't know about

 

[MmC-Sample246]

If you have a legitamit copy of Windows XP and bought your computer at a store, or you know your Windows CD Key, go to www.microsoft.com and look for downloads, and get Microsoft Anti Spyware.

It WILL fix your problem. And problems you didn't know about

Ok, cool. I downloaded it and all that junk, but does it ONLY work for XP?

I tried to install it, but this error popped up:

"Microsoft AntiSpyware requires that your computer is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP or Windows 2003 Server"

and then it exits without installing. I have Windows ME Millinium(sp?) Edition. Isn't that "Windows 2000"? (Yes, my Windows is legit.)

EDIT: : Oh, and I'm 75% sure I got the virus from when I tried to download "Heroes of Might and Magic 2" off of a bittorrent program "BitLord". I finished the download and activated the install.exe and it wouldn't install the game. Then I started getting the "1% pop-ups." I've already deleted the entire folder of stuff that I got in that download. It probably spread somewhere else.

EDIT 2: : In response to EncorE_SX, I was messing around with that file you mentioned, and I found this in the BitLord section:

Should I completely delete the BitLord program off of my computer (no biggie)? Or should I just keep messing around with the registry editor? And also, what do you mean by "mess around with it"? You mean, delete files? If so, how do I know which files to "mess with"?

EDIT 3: Ok, I deleted all the stuff in that picture and the entire "BitLord" program. The problem is still there. Any help is appreciated...

 

[Chakra-X]

You might have to turn off system restore when you delete that, then turn it back on. Then restart your computer.

 

[Fire Phoenix]

Ok, cool. I downloaded it and all that junk, but does it ONLY work for XP?

I tried to install it, but this error popped up:

"Microsoft AntiSpyware requires that your computer is running Windows 2000 or Windows XP or Windows 2003 Server"

and then it exits without installing. I have Windows ME Millinium(sp?) Edition. Isn't that "Windows 2000"? (Yes, my Windows is legit.)

EDIT: : Oh, and I'm 75% sure I got the virus from when I tried to download "Heroes of Might and Magic 2" off of a bittorrent program "BitLord". I finished the download and activated the install.exe and it wouldn't install the game. Then I started getting the "1% pop-ups." I've already deleted the entire folder of stuff that I got in that download. It probably spread somewhere else.

EDIT 2: : In response to EncorE_SX, I was messing around with that file you mentioned, and I found this in the BitLord section:

Should I completely delete the BitLord program off of my computer (no biggie)? Or should I just keep messing around with the registry editor? And also, what do you mean by "mess around with it"? You mean, delete files? If so, how do I know which files to "mess with"?

EDIT 3: Ok, I deleted all the stuff in that picture and the entire "BitLord" program. The problem is still there. Any help is appreciated...

How big is your hard drive. Do you have anything important to you? If so I suggest you back it up. Put anything important to you onto CD's. And do a reformat. If not a reformat then a system restore.

 

[MmC-Sample246]

To Fire Pheonix: What is the difference between "reformatting" and "system restore"? And what do they do? I'm considering wiping my computer clean except for the essential files. Is that what reformatting/system restore is?

To Chakra-X: How do you turn off system restore?

 

[Fire Phoenix]

System restore- what it does is back dates your computer to a previous time. (Like before you got that problem) So say you do a system checkpoint on July 12 2004. And now it's July 23 2005. If you do a system restore to July 12 2004. Your computer will be exactly as it was on July 12 2004.

Reformatting- This is when you wipe your hard drive clean and have just Windows XP (I suggest backing up important files for this)

To turn off system restore (Highly unrecommended) go to Start>Control Panel>Performace and Maintenance>System Restore>System Restore settings>Check the "Turn off System Restore on all settings"

 

[|Overlord|]

If I were you I'd reformat rather then use system restore (i'ts a useless peace of junk imo , any third party restore utility is better though as i have found. I had a mate screw something up on his computer , he used windows system restore then poof , when of the nessacary windows files had been corrupted and needed to do a reformat , that's with xp mind you)

windows 2000 is a completely different os then me , me is built off fat and 2000 is built of the nt file system.

 

[MmC-Sample246]

If I were you I'd reformat rather then use system restore (i'ts a useless peace of junk imo , any third party restore utility is better though as i have found. I had a mate screw something up on his computer , he used windows system restore then poof , when of the nessacary windows files had been corrupted and needed to do a reformat , that's with xp mind you)

windows 2000 is a completely different os then me , me is built off fat and 2000 is built of the nt file system.

Well, lets just say that I have no other choice but to do a system restore or reformat. Would it be best to attempt a system restore FIRST and if it fails, THEN do a reformat? Or should I just reformat from the start?

 

[Chakra-X]

I say try a system restore first, then if not reformat, since the first one is easier.

How DO you make a restore point anyway...

 

[MmC-Sample246]

Alright guys, I've pretty much decided to reformat.

Now, I've got all of my pictures from my digital camera put onto a disk. So that's out of the way. Now, I need to backup more stuff. Let's say I need to put the entire Microsoft Word program onto a CD. How would I do that? What would I put onto the disc? Install file? The entire folder?

 

[Fire Phoenix]

The installation file. If you have it that is. I downloaded microsoft word and things like that specifically for the reason incase I reformat. Then I don't have to worry about it.

 

[Pain]

Moved to Tech Bench.

 

[MmC-Sample246]

So, you are saying I need to just download these programs so that I'll have an installation file that I can easily use after my computer is cleaned? Ok, but I thought you had to buy these certain programs if they didn't come with your computer. These are all the Microsoft programs in my "Program Files" folder:

Is there any reason why Microsoft Word isn't there? Or is it a part of Office?

Anyway, the main question is

Can I simply download all of these programs (legally, so I won't get another virus) for free? If not, is there any other way to find an installation/setup file? Because I couldn't find one in those folders.

EDIT: Ok, I found some old discs that came with the computer. They have Microsoft Word and all that junk on them so no problem with that any more. I just read the topic about DragonDude's 100% CPU usage and he mentioned that he didn't have a CD to install Windows XP with. Woah, wait a sec. Reformatting means that even my Windows will be deleted?!

Ok, that may not be a problem for me. See, when I found those discs that had Microsoft Word and that junk, there were also three CDs in there called "System Restoration Kit" that came with my computer (my computer is a Gateway I bought around the end of 2000 or beginning of 2001)

CD 1 contained "Hardware Drivers - Partial Backup of applications*Note at Bottom* - NT 4.0 Driver Locator Utility"

CD 2 contained "Operating System Restoration Program (My Windows?)"

And CD 3 contained "Backup of Applications*Note at bottom*"



Now, if I have my facts straight, all I have to do is:

1. Completely wipe out my hardrive.

2. Put in Disc 2 to restore my Windows Operating System (Why would they put it on disc 2 and not 1?).

3. Put in Disc 1 and 3 to restore the Hardware Drivers and applications.

4. Re-Install Microsoft Word and all that junk.

Is that correct? If I'm missing a step or doing something wrong please tell me.

Thanks again for all of your help guys. I know I'm asking a LOT of questions but I've never reformatted my computer before and I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything right so I don't screw up the computer.

*Note 1* What does it mean by "Partial backup of Application"?

*Note 2* By applications, do they mean stuff like Notepad, MSPaint, basic games, and pretty much all the basic programs that the computer came with?

 

[Cyb0rg]

I must reformat...and install deep freez is the best

 

[Pain]

I must reformat...and install deep freez is the best

You've been told not to revive dead threads. Have a warning. :warning:

- Closed.