RoyJackson
Rest in Peace
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My computer must have a virus...help please ...
- Thread starter eee
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DocHeb
Veteran Member
I couldn't run my computers without Norton Systemworks/Internet Firewall. It scans for errors - after finding them it asks if I want to have Norton Systemworks fix them - darn right I want you to fix them, since I have no idea myself on how to fix most of this stuff. I've used the Norton Systemoworks/Utilities for 13 years, and won't set up a computer without them.
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Here's a link to Registry Mechanic.
Just be careful working with the registry. )</font>
Could you elaborate? Gerard
Just be careful working with the registry. )</font>
Could you elaborate? Gerard
RoyJackson
Rest in Peace
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2001
- Messages
- 23,144
- Location
- Bethel, Vermont
- Tractor
- John Deere 4052R Cab,, Deere 855D UTV, Z920A Zero Turn Mower and assorted implements
I don't know anything about Registry Mechanic...just what I read on the site.
However, anytime one works on the registry, there is a possibility for real problems. If the registry gets corrupted, your computer may not boot up.
So, just be careful when you go in there. Back up first and know what you're editing!
However, anytime one works on the registry, there is a possibility for real problems. If the registry gets corrupted, your computer may not boot up.
So, just be careful when you go in there. Back up first and know what you're editing!
Junkman
Super Member
My computer has also been running slow, so today after reading this thread, I decided to look into some of the different software that repairs registry problems. I downloaded Windows Registry Repair Pro and did a scan. It found over 500 problems in the registry of my machine. I figured what the heck and purchased a licensed copy on line and ran the program again. It backed up the registry and then deleted all the broken links, etc. When I ran it for the second time, it only found one and repaired/fixed/deleted that one also. Rebooted my machine and it is definitely faster. Prior to running the new program, I did run another program that I had looking for problems. It also recored a few hundred, but unless you purchase that program, it doesn't remove them. After running Windows Registry Repair Pro, I ran this other program again. This time it came up clean. For this reason, I believe that it works. The only thing that I didn't like is that it said the the program was $9.99 and when I got to check out, it had added another program to the total. I could have gone back and deleted it, but figured what the heck and just completed the purchase.
I do have Ad-aware, SpyBot, Pest Patrol, Spy Sweeper, SpySubtract, and they all seem to work finding different types of Spyware, but no one program seems to find them all. I have another program called Spyware Doctor that has found 31 pieces of spyware, but will not remove them without a licensed copy. Does anyone know anything about this Spyware Doctor as being worth purchasing? It seems that there are more different programs out there than one can count. If anyone wants to purchase the SpySubtract program, here is a link to a half price offer.... web page
I do have Ad-aware, SpyBot, Pest Patrol, Spy Sweeper, SpySubtract, and they all seem to work finding different types of Spyware, but no one program seems to find them all. I have another program called Spyware Doctor that has found 31 pieces of spyware, but will not remove them without a licensed copy. Does anyone know anything about this Spyware Doctor as being worth purchasing? It seems that there are more different programs out there than one can count. If anyone wants to purchase the SpySubtract program, here is a link to a half price offer.... web page
Bird
Rest in Peace
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I couldn't run my computers without Norton Systemworks/Internet Firewall )</font>
Yep, Chris, I've heard both good and bad about Norton, but I'm using SystemWorks and Norton's Personal Firewall (disabled Windows XP firewall), and I think it's a very good thing for someone who knows as little about computers as I do.
Yep, Chris, I've heard both good and bad about Norton, but I'm using SystemWorks and Norton's Personal Firewall (disabled Windows XP firewall), and I think it's a very good thing for someone who knows as little about computers as I do.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Lawdy; with all them programs running checking each other out it would seem a slow down is inevitable! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
1/0
Egon
1/0
Egon
I spend a heck of a lot of time running all the anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, but the slowdowns they cause, and the anger I feel because they are in my computer, are much worse. I have almost as many of the programs as Junkman, with the same results -- they all catch different things, no one program can solve all the problems. I think this is partly because the spyware folks are one step ahead. I currently have some spyware called WinAdTools that shows up in every registry check, is reported as being cleaned, quarantined and removed by AdAware, SpyBot and REgistry Mechanic, but still shows up in every one of their scans, every time -- none of them are actually removing it.
I'll tell you what the feeling is like. Imagine that some folks are sitting in the central hallway of your house, watching and recording every move you make through the house. They aren't causing any real damage to your house, but every time you want to get from one room to another, you have to step over them. Sometimes the hallway gets so crowded it takes forever to get through. Now, imagine that the only effective way to get rid of them is to make copies of all your possessions, then burn down the house and build a new one, then examine all of your copies of possessions carefully before moving them back in.
I'll tell you what the feeling is like. Imagine that some folks are sitting in the central hallway of your house, watching and recording every move you make through the house. They aren't causing any real damage to your house, but every time you want to get from one room to another, you have to step over them. Sometimes the hallway gets so crowded it takes forever to get through. Now, imagine that the only effective way to get rid of them is to make copies of all your possessions, then burn down the house and build a new one, then examine all of your copies of possessions carefully before moving them back in.
sendero
Gold Member
The following is my opinion based on my experiences with about 20 man-years of PC computing. Your mileage may, and probably will, vary.
I have never, not once, found a legitimate computer problem on any of the 6 computers in my house, or any for the last 19 years of computing, to be caused by a virus or worm or trojan.
That is not to say that I haven't found these things (expecially trojans) by doing routine scans, but I've never actually been "infected" with one to be precise.
I do NOT run anti-virus software like McAfee, et al (my wifes box has an expired version her company installed) because the programs are more trouble than they are worth and I just don't like them. It doesn't seem to have hurt me much.
Here is what I DO do.
1) Any computer on DSL or cable must, must MUST have a router/gateway to filter out all unsolicited WAN request packets. This alone will get rid of 90% of your problems.
2) Any computer running on dial-up must, must MUST have Zone Alarm or equivalent filter that does essentially the same thing the router/gateway does on DSL.
3) Never, never, don't even think about opening any email attachment that you did not expect to get and know about. Even if it appears to come from a friend, if it looks the least bit fishy, call and verify before you open it. If possible, don't even open an email with a subject/sender that doesn't look like something legit.
4) Don't go downloading and running programs off the net unless you have some reason to believe they are legit.
5) Do a search on your WINDOWS folder for a file named wscript.exe. Rename the file to something else like wscript_.exe. This will prevent certain email executables or scripts in email from executing. This tip came from the lead tech in my wife's help-desk group - I've done it for years and I've seen no negative consequence.
I do occassionally run an online virus scan (Trend House Call) and it occasionally finds a worm or trojan and deletes it.
I do get a reasonable amount of infection from Spyware, which has become almost impossible to avoid completely. I run Ad-Aware periodically to clean up the mess. There are other good programs that do the same.
There are lots of things that can cause a computer to slow to a crawl. It takes a lot of information to diagnose these sorts of problems - for example, does it boot slowly and run slowly all the time? Others here have suggested a bloated registry and that is a definite possibility. Run Task Manager and see how much virtual ram you are using. If it is higher than the physical ram, there is another likely culprit, if you load more into memory than you have memory, you start swapping to disk and that will slow any machine down.
There are numerous other possibilities, including some kind of infection. Google Trend House Call and run their scanner to rule that out.
IMHO, computers are complicated beasts and the OS running them is still not that bulletproof. When things go funky everyone tends to think "virus" when in reality most viruses have better things to do than to just screw with you by slowing your machine down. My wife is a help desk manager and they do get hit about 1-2 times a year, usually from some dummy (putting it politely) opening an infected attachment. Once the thing gets on their local network they often spread pretty quickly and cause a lot of problems. The only nice thing is there is usually nothing subtle about them, they like to make their presence known, that is the whole payoff the author gets /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I have never, not once, found a legitimate computer problem on any of the 6 computers in my house, or any for the last 19 years of computing, to be caused by a virus or worm or trojan.
That is not to say that I haven't found these things (expecially trojans) by doing routine scans, but I've never actually been "infected" with one to be precise.
I do NOT run anti-virus software like McAfee, et al (my wifes box has an expired version her company installed) because the programs are more trouble than they are worth and I just don't like them. It doesn't seem to have hurt me much.
Here is what I DO do.
1) Any computer on DSL or cable must, must MUST have a router/gateway to filter out all unsolicited WAN request packets. This alone will get rid of 90% of your problems.
2) Any computer running on dial-up must, must MUST have Zone Alarm or equivalent filter that does essentially the same thing the router/gateway does on DSL.
3) Never, never, don't even think about opening any email attachment that you did not expect to get and know about. Even if it appears to come from a friend, if it looks the least bit fishy, call and verify before you open it. If possible, don't even open an email with a subject/sender that doesn't look like something legit.
4) Don't go downloading and running programs off the net unless you have some reason to believe they are legit.
5) Do a search on your WINDOWS folder for a file named wscript.exe. Rename the file to something else like wscript_.exe. This will prevent certain email executables or scripts in email from executing. This tip came from the lead tech in my wife's help-desk group - I've done it for years and I've seen no negative consequence.
I do occassionally run an online virus scan (Trend House Call) and it occasionally finds a worm or trojan and deletes it.
I do get a reasonable amount of infection from Spyware, which has become almost impossible to avoid completely. I run Ad-Aware periodically to clean up the mess. There are other good programs that do the same.
There are lots of things that can cause a computer to slow to a crawl. It takes a lot of information to diagnose these sorts of problems - for example, does it boot slowly and run slowly all the time? Others here have suggested a bloated registry and that is a definite possibility. Run Task Manager and see how much virtual ram you are using. If it is higher than the physical ram, there is another likely culprit, if you load more into memory than you have memory, you start swapping to disk and that will slow any machine down.
There are numerous other possibilities, including some kind of infection. Google Trend House Call and run their scanner to rule that out.
IMHO, computers are complicated beasts and the OS running them is still not that bulletproof. When things go funky everyone tends to think "virus" when in reality most viruses have better things to do than to just screw with you by slowing your machine down. My wife is a help desk manager and they do get hit about 1-2 times a year, usually from some dummy (putting it politely) opening an infected attachment. Once the thing gets on their local network they often spread pretty quickly and cause a lot of problems. The only nice thing is there is usually nothing subtle about them, they like to make their presence known, that is the whole payoff the author gets /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif