Virus?

[beenthere]

I interpreted this as I only have 41,000+ files to check, which I didn't interpret there were 41,000 virus's being checked for. Maybe I missed something. Those were the records at the end of the Norton scan, (after the 12/24/01 live update) indicating the number of files checked that had no virus detected.
Last evening, I went through a time where I found 925 of the 'unwanted' files, deleted them, and 'heard' them re-created about 8 minutes later. I rounded them up again, and deleted them (had the same date and time as previous ones), and this happened four times. After the fourth time, (and since then) they have not returned. They were all files with the type "Outlook Express Mail (or News) Message". Originally some were dated as early as 11/30/01, (several of those are still there, but I am not allowed to delete them), but those dated after the 11/30/01 date are deleted. I have not heard back from Trend Micro about the HouseCall free-scan problem. I will watch for new images to pop up, but at the moment (knock on wood) the problem seems to be dormant, or gone. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[beenthere]

Well, so much for the unwanted files to remain dormant. I found I could not use excel or word (could get in but could not open any files), so I decided I needed to remove MS Office 2000 and reload it. Probably a mistake, as when re-loading it, there were a number of long waits, with considerable hard drive activity. When the computer finished rebooting, I could not even get into any of the MS Office 2000 programs AND the unwanted files came back, this time as *.eml and *.nws files (with names of images from other image files). I deleted these files also, only to have them come back in 6 minutes. I removed MS Office 2000 again, but still the unwanted files re-create in the computer. I'm at a loss where to go next. Please weigh in if you have any other ideas?

 

[beenthere]

I have tried several times to download the free virus program, and also the pc-cillin 30 day version. I cannot seem to get it completed. The pc-cillin hung up with 4 kB to go (9851 of 9855), after a 25 minute wait to get to that point. Not sure what to do next, but will keep looking for something to do. Still hoping your suggestion works. I have Win 98 2nd ed., and have Netscape 4.+, so I qualify as near as I can tell.

 

[mikim]

ya know -- someday I'm gonna be where I dun't need no 'puter an' dun't want no 'puter ---
Years ago when home computers first started getting popular, a fellow worker asked me if I was going to get one; I said I didn't think so 'cause it wasn't gonna help me start my chainsaw ---- I wanna get back there again!
I feel for ya - I'm fightin' it right now too - (XP woes)
mike

 

[Anonymous Poster]

beenthere,
Your description sounds like it might be the Nimda Worm. Here is a link for its MO and method of removal.
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2001-26.html. See 'File System Propogation' area. Just my $.02, and be prepared to do a full reinstall if all else fails /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif. Good luck!

 

[beenthere]

That sure looks like what I have, and I appreciate you taking the time to point me in the right direction - however, it is a place I do not wannabe!

 

[Joe_W]

After I was hit with a virus a couple of years ago, I installed a program called GoBack, by WildFile. This program keeps a log of all activity on the computer, and if you have problems, you can revert the hard drive back to a time before the problem started. In other words if you install a program that doesn't get along with Microcrap, and it crashes the computer and makes changes that you don't like, you can pick a time before you installed the errant program, revert to that time, and all the changes will be erased. The only problem with this, is that you will also loose any data that you created between these two times. This will work with viruses, and any other software problems. It will not help if you have a hardware problem though. This program does take up some hard drive space and will slow down the computer a very small amout, but the peace of mind is well worth it.
When this program was unveiled at Comdex, they re-formatted their hard drive, then rebooted, ran GoBack, then reverted the hard drive back the way it was before the re-format.
Joe W.


PS. I forgot to mention that this program must be in place before you have problems so it can create a time schedule to revert back to. This will not do beenthere any good now, but it might save someone else from going through what he is.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Joe_W on 12/27/01 06:56 PM (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[beenthere]

Rick M You deserve a great big THANK YOU! I checked out the site you gave me, and followed the download of symantec, and it cleaned out the problem - as near as I can tell at this time. I have been able to re-load MS Office 2000 and it runs, and no more unwanted files created. There is one step that I could not do, and do not know why it didn't work. That was to replace a Riched20.dll file with one off the CDROM.

Now I can get back to my late Christmas letter. Can't let the relatives and friends get by without one this year!

Thanks again. This site is fantastic.

 

[Bird]

Joe, I'm running Norton SystemWorks 2002.05 and it includes GoBack.

 

[TerryinMD]

Scatology!!!!

My wife called me from home and said that the Nimda virus has attacked her machine. Seems like Norton has caught it but I'm not sure what is going based upon her discription.

Here we go..... /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif This is with a recent Norton Live Update this past weekend.

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Terry