My Computer's Gone Berserk!

Bird · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

dieselsmoke1, thanks for looking it up. I read that a few times, and still don't know what it said. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I don't know what an "unchecked buffer" is, and I don't know whether I should download that patch or not. I think it said I should download that patch only if there's a problem and that it hasn't been completely tested, so may work or not, and if there's no serious problem to wait for the next update (service pack). /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I have my computer set up to automatically download "critical updates" from Microsoft and got one of those yesterday morning.

dieselsmoke1 · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

( I don't know what an "unchecked buffer" is, and I don't know whether I should download that patch or not. )

Basically buffer is memory, or ram. Hard drives store and retreive data relatively slow, so work in progress is stored in the ram for faster access by the cpu. That's why you lose everything that has not been saved if the power blinks.

Unchecked buffer vulnerability means someone has developed code to exploit weaknesses in the way ram processes data, allowing them to manipulate your PC while the ram is "confused".

Think of it as a perp sets the house on fire and while the owner was totally occupied with that problem, the perp steals the tractor out the garage because he knows he can get away with it.

Gotta get tractors in here somewhere /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

dieselsmoke1 · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

Durbob,

Give me a little more info. What exactly is the message, what AV programs, etc.

dieselsmoke1 · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

( I have my computer set up to automatically download "critical updates" from Microsoft )

Consider disabling this function and updating manually.

Been burned a few times. Don't want ANYONE including Bill to download to my PCs unless I review and approve.

I certainly wouldn't put it past MS to disable desired features if it was the easiest fix for a problem. They've done it before.

MadReferee · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

Well I have been sitting back long enough. In real life I am a software consultant, mainly dealing with Visual Basic and SQL databases. The company I am at now has 15-20 computers and servers on a local intranet with a firewall appliance connection to the internet. One of the servers acts (among other things) as the virus server running Norton Anti-Virus Corporate Edition. Every night it automatically uses Norton's LiveUpdate feature to check for new virus files, downloads as necessary to all systems, and runs a full virus check on each system. Each system also has virus checking running in the background to deal with email. We have not had a virus problem in the last 18 months.

Most of the desktop systems here are Windows 98SE with only 2-3 being Win 2000. Internet Explorer V6 with the latest updates is the only browser allowed. The servers are NT or Server 2000. ALL systems are up to date with the latest Microsoft updates. For the most part the systems have been running trouble free. Windows 98SE, when properly installed and updated, is rock solid.

Now where trouble happens is when people start to load what I call junk software. Things like additional browser icons and buttons, anything from AOL especially Instant Messenger, addins to IE6, etc. Most of these programs tend to modify portions of the system via drivers, DLL's, etc. and no real compatibility/system testing has been done by the authors. When problems occur the best solution is to delete the offending junk and purge the system by cleaning the registry of spybots and broken references.

Finally, if you are dialing into your internet ISP, purchase a firewall and protect yourself from malicious attacks. Our firewall gets hit dozens of times a day by intruders attempting to get access to certain commonly available ports. If you don't have a firewall of some type you run the risk of having your computer attacked.

My recommendations are as follows:

1. Run some type of virus detection software and keep the virus files current.
2. Regularly purge your system registry of crap.
3. Do not install junk software no matter how appealing it may look.
4. Use a popup ad blocker.
5. Do not open any email attachment from any sender whom you do not know or are suspicious of.
6. backup your important stuff to a CD or Zip disk in case you have to rebuild your system.
7. buy a firewall device and use it.

Bird · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

( 1. Run some type of virus detection software and keep the virus files current )

I do.

( 2. Regularly purge your system registry of crap )

OK, sounds like a good idea. Of course, I haven't the foggiest notion of how you do that or how us computer dummies would distinguish between the "crap" and the good stuff.

( 3. Do not install junk software no matter how appealing it may look )

Got to have "software" of some kind. How do you distinguish between the "junk" and the good stuff?

( 4. Use a popup ad blocker )

OK, so I've downloaded and installed the free Panic Ware; wouldn't even mind paying for a good one if I knew how to distinguish between good ones and bad ones.

( 5. Do not open any email attachment from any sender whom you do not know or are suspicious of )

I agree and I don't.

( 6. backup your important stuff to a CD or Zip disk in case you have to rebuild your system )

I do, almost every day on Zip disks.

( 7. buy a firewall device and use it )

I bought a firewall CD when I got the Norton SystemWorks, but since XP has a built in firewall . . . well, I'm using that because I don't know whether one is better than the other or not.

In other words, I agree with everything you said; now if I just knew how . . . /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dozernut · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

Bird

I run both the XP and the Norton firewalls, I have no conflict problems! This works well for me and gives added protection.
I have had good luck with the Spybot program. It picked up invasive programs that Adaware missed.
To clean your disk go to start-- accessories--system tools--disk cleanup. This will clean temporary files from your disk that will clutter up and slow down system performance.

dieselsmoke1 · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

( Got to have "software" of some kind. How do you distinguish between the "junk" and the good stuff? )

There's gobs of good free software out there, however most times you have to go look for it. These folks work for donations and the occasional sponsor contributor. They will not bombard you with "take me! take me!"

If you receive an email, see a popup or advertisement to download "free" software, remember someone is paying for that. Not much doubt there's a hidden agenda at work.

If you want to load a piece of free software and there's any doubt, first do a web search to see what others are saying about it. If it's crapware, folks will be complaining.

I'll agree with the post above. Short of hitting it with an axe, about the worst thing you can do to a PC is load junkware, file sharing software, and anything that is remotely associated with AOL. Bad News...

Bird · Oct 17, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

Is anyone familar with http://www.sandboxer.com? That seems to be the worst offender as far as pop-ups. Even with Panic Ware, a new window pops up from them every once in awhile, but then the pop-up blocker stops it from displaying anything in the window. I've never bought anything from them, never been to their web site until today, and that was just to see what keeps sending these pop-ups.

BillG_in_TX · Oct 23, 2003

Re: My Computer\'s Gone Berserk!

Here's an excerpt from an article on today's MyWay.com news page concerning Popup Spam and what AOL is doing to combat it:

"Pop-up spam differs from pop-up ads in that no Web browser or Web site visit is required. Instead, these ads take advantage of a messaging function built into many Windows operating systems.

The function, generally enabled automatically when computers are shipped, was designed for computer network technicians to, for instance, warn people on their systems of a planned shutdown. Some applications also notify users of such actions as a network printer finishing a task.

About a year ago, spammers figured out that they, too, could exploit it, making ads automatically appear on users' screens at any time. "

There is also a link to a test program to see if your computer is vulnerable to this Popup Spam.

And here are the instruction for turning off the Messenger service:

( Here are the procedures for disabling the Messenger service on Windows 2000 and XP systems:

Windows 2000:
Click: Start/Settings/Control Panel
Open: Administrative Tools
Open: Services
Open: 'Messenger' Service
Click: Stop button
Change 'Startup Type' to DISABLE
Click OK to close everything

Windows XP:
Right-click: 'My Computer' icon and select 'Manager'
Open: Services and Applications
Open: Services
Open: 'Messenger' Service
Click: Stop button
Change 'Startup Type' to DISABLE
Click OK to close everything )