I think my computer is dying or at least got a virus...

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well as i came home from school today i realised that someone had left my computer on and some strange things have happened since then and i think they're to do with viruses it has a lil icon with a red circle and a white x in the middle and now it keeps spamming the screen and the toolbar with messages titled "Symantec email proxy" and a percrentage bar and keeps spamming the message till the screen is full with them and keeps going, it's even doing it now as i type this message -.- i think my computer has a virus and suggestions on what i should do? take it to someone to get fixed? or is there a way norton can kill this ****... thanks.
 
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Reformat your pc (which is reinstalling windows, backup your data and only reformat as last resort if anythnig else fails), scan for viruses/spyware (Use Ad-ware, hijackthis, Spybot search and destroy and spyware blaster).

That's all you can do really, unless you could track registry entries and get rid of them.

It's ethier that or you are over assuming things, if norton is lagging down your system then disable it/uninstall it.
 
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well i'm not really a computer type fella so, i ask you this how to i re install windows? :O
 
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Why not check for spyware? Are those 'percentages' etc. popping up everyone online ads by any chance?
 
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no they're like e-mail things with stupid topics and they say they're sending them to 'someone'@hotmail.com
 

Gon

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Uh.. isn't that spyware then?
 
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Just go Safe mode and run as many anti-virus/ad-aware etc you can.
Hopefully that'll put a finish to it.

-GuZzie
well i would but i don't know how too, btw, can i still play games like esf and use msn?

OMg, these messages are annoying gotta turn off the internet :O
 
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Just go Safe mode and run as many anti-virus/ad-aware etc you can.
Hopefully that'll put a finish to it.

-GuZzie
lol, dont recommend stuff that's not even needed. if you arent sure of it then just leave the topic alone :O~

I suggest downloading Ad-aware at download.com and running a clear check.

http://www.download.com/3001-8022_4-10399602.html

download, install, blah blah blah.

Once you start running, perform a 'smart system scan'

if nothing comes up, try a FULL system scan. Might take several minutes to only a few. Depends how fast it goes. Update when your done :)
 
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lol, dont recommend stuff that's not even needed. if you arent sure of it then just leave the topic alone :O~

I suggest downloading Ad-aware at download.com and running a clear check.

http://www.download.com/3001-8022_4-10399602.html

download, install, blah blah blah.

Once you start running, perform a 'smart system scan'

if nothing comes up, try a FULL system scan. Might take several minutes to only a few. Depends how fast it goes. Update when your done :)
what happens if it finds a virus? :O what do i do from there? and do ya reckon i can play esf in the next couple of hours?

EDIT: the page loads up and it says :thanks for downloading and automatically closes, got any other places where i can download it?
 
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what happens if it finds a virus? :O what do i do from there? and do ya reckon i can play esf in the next couple of hours?
lol, it doesnt find a virus. it finds spyware/adware.

After it's done scanning, check all the spyware, etc. and keep hitting Next.

After you complteely Quarentine (lock up) the spyware, stop browsing porn and you'll stop gaining the adwares/spywares :O

edit: go here

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=pdp_prod

click Download Now!
 
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i gotta be fast eh? lol :p and btw i wasn't on porn :S my brother had a teacher only day :S! OMG! :p
 
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Yeah, re-install the computer man, that's the hardest way.

Make sure to back up your drivers, and software.
 

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Try this. Go into Start -> Run, type in "msconfig" without the quotes, and go into the Startup tab. Now click "Disable All", and go into the Services tab. Check "Hide All Microsoft Services", and then click "Disable All". Once you've done all of that, click Apply, and restart your computer. If that fails to fix the problem, post back here for a few more solutions.
 
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Run this free online virus scanner!

http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_frame.asp

Another good program to use is Ewido, get i here:

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

And of course Adaware:
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,7423-order,1-page,1-c,alldownloads/description.html

Also if you wish to format:


1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive, Restart the computer.

2. When the message comes up "Booting from CD, Press any key to continue" do so.

3. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER to continue.

4. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.

5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you will be prompted to repair it. At this point hit the ESC key (do not repair).

6. Now you should be given a list of partitions, select the one where Windows is installed to. (Usually drive "C").
Press ENTER!

Follow the instructions step-by-step (Everything will be explained to you).
And printing this out before formatting might be helpful as well!
But if your going to take your computer to get it "Repaired" You may as well have a shot at a format.
And when you get the choice's on different ways to format choose the one that says:
Format the drive with the NTFS File system (Quick).

From then on in, it should be easy! :)

Remember, When you format EVERYTHING will be deleted, allowing you to start from scratch. So I suspect you still have all your CD's with drivers on them, That came with your computer?

Anyhow, If you need any questions answered give us a buzz :)
 
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Yeah, re-install the computer man, that's the hardest way.

Make sure to back up your drivers, and software.
You mean reinstall windows/reformat.... Reinstalling the computer is taking it apart and putting together (by the sound of your sentence). He can easily go get the latest drivers and install them after he reformats, he'd need to backup up the install files for the drivers themselves, you can't just go to a system folder and backup a drivers, shove it in it's original location and expect them to work... Plus if he has any cds that came with his pc he can also reinstall the drivers from there or go to the manufacturer's website and get the latest drivers from there.
Pemalite said:
Also if you wish to format:


1. Insert the Windows XP CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive, Restart the computer.

2. When the message comes up "Booting from CD, Press any key to continue" do so.

3. At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER to continue.

4. Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.

5. If an existing Windows XP installation is detected, you will be prompted to repair it. At this point hit the ESC key (do not repair).

6. Now you should be given a list of partitions, select the one where Windows is installed to. (Usually drive "C").
Press ENTER!

Follow the instructions step-by-step (Everything will be explained to you).
And printing this out before formatting might be helpful as well!
But if your going to take your computer to get it "Repaired" You may as well have a shot at a format.
And when you get the choice's on different ways to format choose the one that says:
Format the drive with the NTFS File system (Quick).
I usually format with ntfs non-quick, however whatever floats your boat. you can also go into your bios and change the boot sequence to boot of yourt cd-rom first, making this process a bit quicker (assuming you know how to change this in your bios, which as soon as you turn on your computer press delete, on some computer's it may be a different key to access your bios at boot).

If you wish to get rid of the spyware/adware/virus you are experiencing, use multiple removal tools (in the case of spyware, don't just use ad-aware, use other tools, it seems that everyone is just tellnig you to only use ad-aware, and if that doesn't pick it up you should try using few other apps that I suggested in my previous post).
 
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well what kain told me helped alot and all the pop up's have stopped and the red x that plagued my computer taskbar dissapearred till i came back from school today and it's back!!! :O no pop ups though just the red x.... anyway to get rid of it?
 

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