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Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 10:58 AM
Well, I am not an expert but that is what he says...lol...

any advice?

KWSS1976
04-21-2009, 11:03 AM
AVG Antivirus or you might have to go with something like Norton or Mcaffe

KWSS1976
04-21-2009, 11:04 AM
How does he know? I have my wireless router at home set up so no one can get in plus my windows firewall on top of that

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 11:12 AM
Well, I am not an expert but that is what he says...lol...

any advice?
Do you have anti virus protection and is it up to date? If you buy anti virus protection it only lasts a year or so. Same with spyware.

I recommend going the free route though. If you do have a virus scanner running but it is not updated, download the following, uninstall the current virus scanner then install these

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button

Download that, install it, do an update, disconnect from the internet and run it. Let it go all the way, use the fast scan, not full scan. when it finishes allow it to remove the malware it finds

http://free.avg.com/download?prd=afe

Download this, click download now, not the premiums one you have to pay for. Install it. Update it.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Download this, install it, run through the wizard which will save your registry, update itself. Make sure the browser is closed too. It will ask to immunize. When you do that it will count how many are protected and how many are not. Then at the top click "immunize" and it will immunize your browser.

Once it is done updating and immunizing, do a scan. You do this by clicking "Search and Destroy" and then "Check for problems" at the top. It will scan for spyware and hopefully remove them all. If you run into something it can't remove it will ask if you want to run it on reboot, say yes.

when you first run it, the options to the far left is the normal menu, but in the right hand side you will see "check for problems", "Recovery" and "Update"...on any normal day when you run this first run update. You want to update it a couple times a week. You have to do this manually.

The AVG will or should update itself if you allow it to on install.

Oh yes, with spybot S&D on the install part do NOT let it install TeaTimer.

You can then run AVG after this if you want.

If after all this your system is clean, then just make sure you keep AVG and Spybot updated.

Also if you ever receive an email from a bank or some other business you use and they ask you to click this link and fill out forms, don't do it! Call them first yourself and ask if they were really wanting this information. People send emails like that to fraudulent websites and you fill out teh form and just send that person your personal information and next thing you know your back account is wiped out.

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 11:13 AM
How does he know? I have my wireless router at home set up so no one can get in plus my windows firewall on top of that
If you are concerned about security you should change the wireless router key codes every now and then. They can be cracked. If you download malware it can circumvent your firewall or disable it.

tbpew
04-21-2009, 11:31 AM
If you are concerned about security you should change the wireless router key codes every now and then. They can be cracked. If you download malware it can circumvent your firewall or disable it.

Please wireless router users....please heed these Prax's words.

Wireless convenience should only be enjoyed when accompanied by a diligent system administrator is in the mix.....not the case at most of our homes where the airwaves connect our desktops and laptops (with four years of Turbo Tax filings just waiting for an exploit)to the evils that roam the WAN, seeking whom they may destroy.

KWSS1976
04-21-2009, 11:33 AM
Wpa-psk

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 11:36 AM
Prax...when are you coming to Brazil to help us get set up right???? We need your help...
Hope you are feeling better.

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 11:38 AM
Well, I do not know...however my documents open up...appear on the screen...computer logs off by itself...and other strange things...I have no eartly idea...that is what my son said...

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 11:41 AM
somebody needs to make a missionary visit to Brazil to help this old lady that is computer dumb!

tbpew
04-21-2009, 11:54 AM
Wpa-psk
good call....but really is the stuff of an engaged SA

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 01:20 PM
Wpa-psk
WPA is more secure than WEP but still by no means invulnerable expecially to an aspiring kiddie hacker next door.

If I was still a kid and I can see your wireless router I would attempt to hack it. The means is on the internet.

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 01:21 PM
Prax...when are you coming to Brazil to help us get set up right???? We need your help...
Hope you are feeling better.
I can walk you through it. The main thing is to download the malware "Malbytes" program, install it, Update it, then run quick scan.

It's easy and if you get stuck just PM me

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 01:24 PM
Well, I do not know...however my documents open up...appear on the screen...computer logs off by itself...and other strange things...I have no eartly idea...that is what my son said...
Please, click the link I just posted for Malbytes. Download it. Update it. Disconnect from the internet, then click quick scan.

Also download spybot from the other link I gave and install it after wards, update it, immunize it, run it.

If you do anything that involves passwords, credit card numbers, SS numbers then you need to do this NOW. Your private information could be taken by someone else.

It's also possible someone has placed malicious spyware on your PC, like Keystroke loggers and some sort of remote connections.

You also need to make sure your firewall is on. Please don't wait and think you need someone better at computers to do this. It's not that hard. Just start at the beginning with that one program I mentioned

tbpew
04-21-2009, 01:26 PM
Please, click the link I just posted for Malbytes. Download it. Update it. Disconnect from the internet, then click quick scan.

Also download spybot from the other link I gave and install it after wards, update it, immunize it, run it.

If you do anything that involves passwords, credit card numbers, SS numbers then you need to do this NOW. Your private information could be taken by someone else.

It's also possible someone has placed malicious spyware on your PC, like Keystroke loggers and some sort of remote connections.

You also need to make sure your firewall is on. Please don't wait and think you need someone better at computers to do this. It's not that hard. Just start at the beginning with that one program I mentioned

FOLKS...
print this out.
tape it to your mirror.
put a copy on your dashboard.

This is the world we live in.... AND ON.

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 01:52 PM
WILL DO IT. Just as soon as one of the church sisters gets off our other computer ...will let you know if I can do it...lol..thanks

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 01:54 PM
WILL DO IT. Just as soon as one of the church sisters gets off our other computer ...will let you know if I can do it...lol..thanks
Do you guys have a network where several PCs can connect to the internet at the same time? If so you need to do this for all PCs on that network

Praxeas
04-21-2009, 02:00 PM
The other danger of these malicious stuff is they can slow down your PCs performance and in experience even PCs that are clean still have problems. The registry needs to be cleaned up too. It's better to NOT get infected to begin with.

That is why it is important to have a virus scanner (just one, more than one causes conflicts), spyware scanners (you can have more than one and sometimes that is a good thing. Spybot and Adaware are both free), a firewall (windows will do, but if you want better protection and control go with a third party, but they can be less intuitive...hard to use for some).

When you go to a website and something pops up saying you are infected, click here? DO NOT CLICK THERE. Just close the pop up by clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner. If you get emails with attachments, make sure you know the sender, but even then the senders PC can be infected. That is why you need an active virus scanner.

Also very important, Micro Soft comes out with weekly security fixes. If your PC is not getting regular updates your PC is vulnerable.

To find out if you are getting updates with XP click on Start/control panel/System/automatic updates. If you don't want the hassle just set it to automatic. I prefer to download the updates and let me chose to install.

nahkoe
04-21-2009, 02:21 PM
Oh yes, with spybot S&D on the install part do NOT let it install TeaTimer.



So let's pretend you did....

How do you get rid of the stupid thing? It's such a pain...

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 03:02 PM
Do you guys have a network where several PCs can connect to the internet at the same time? If so you need to do this for all PCs on that network


my computer has to be on for the others to have internet.

RandyWayne
04-21-2009, 03:25 PM
WPA is more secure than WEP but still by no means invulnerable expecially to an aspiring kiddie hacker next door.

If I was still a kid and I can see your wireless router I would attempt to hack it. The means is on the internet.

WPA2 (AES encryption with a strong password) is currently impervious to any known hacking or cracking attempt. A dictionary brute force attack will always work if the password is weak, but otherwise it should be completely safe.

Timmy
04-21-2009, 03:27 PM
WPA2 (with a strong password) is currently impervious to any known hacking or cracking attempt. A dictionary brute force attack will always work if the password is weak, but otherwise it should be completely safe.

'Tigershark' is pretty strong.

RandyWayne
04-21-2009, 03:34 PM
'Tigershark' is pretty strong.


I am familiar with many of them and have used a few myself (although I don't remember one called Tigershark). NO brute force method works if the password is sufficiently long and random. A 16 character passphrase using 26 letters and 10 digits for a total of 36 possible characters per space is 36 to the 16th power long, or a number with 24 digits in it.

If you need some great passwords, look here.
https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

KWSS1976
04-21-2009, 03:39 PM
I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there probley is no such thing is'TIGERSHARK' but I could be wrong..LOL

Sister Alvear
04-21-2009, 03:45 PM
'Tigershark' is pretty strong.



Jaws is coming after you...

OnTheFritz
04-21-2009, 04:04 PM
All good advice. I personally swtched to Avira anti-virus a while back - also free, but AVG is great as well.

Once this particular issue is resolved via Prax's instructions, you might also consider working with someone that you trust as a PC admin to setup a remote access configuration so they can troubleshoot remotely. I use logmein.com (free edition) to maintain several computers for family members. XP also has a remote desktop feature (if you have XP Pro). They can be a little tricky to setup on the front end, but are well worth it.

TJJJ
04-21-2009, 04:57 PM
Well, I do not know...however my documents open up...appear on the screen...computer logs off by itself...and other strange things...I have no eartly idea...that is what my son said...

Sister, those are not hackers, those be debils!!!! Ask your husband to anoint it with oil and pray the debils out of it!

I think they are IBM debils!
:thumbsup



Debils I say! With horns on them! Very common in Brazil!!!

Praxeas
04-22-2009, 01:14 AM
So let's pretend you did....

How do you get rid of the stupid thing? It's such a pain...


Go into Spybot » Mode » Advanced Mode » Tools » Resident.
Under the heading "Resident protection status", uncheck the following:

Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.

Praxeas
04-22-2009, 01:16 AM
Avast is also nice and unlike other free virus scanners, is a full suite

Praxeas
04-22-2009, 12:28 PM
bump

RandyWayne
04-22-2009, 12:50 PM
Speaking of viruses and worms, I am doing something that I always wanted too.... setting up a completely unpatched XP system on its own network just to see how infected it becomes.

Praxeas
04-22-2009, 12:52 PM
Speaking of viruses and worms, I am doing something that I always wanted too.... setting up a completely unpatched XP system on its own network just to see how infected it becomes.
lol. Do you know how to set up a sandbox?

RandyWayne
04-22-2009, 02:17 PM
lol. Do you know how to set up a sandbox?

Yes, several different ways. But I am putting it on it's own (lightweight) PC behind its very own router, completely separate from the rest of the network.

RandyWayne
04-22-2009, 02:23 PM
This is my favorite "sandbox" program -since I really do not like using VMware.

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Sandboxie/1139521062/1

Sister Alvear
04-22-2009, 08:28 PM
my computer went crazy...and nothing will work...I am on my portable modem...I will let you all know what they say about it tomorrow...

Praxeas
04-22-2009, 10:39 PM
my computer went crazy...and nothing will work...I am on my portable modem...I will let you all know what they say about it tomorrow...
Did you get a chance to do what I said? Also, try booting in safe mode. Before Windows begins to load hit F8 or hold it until the safe mode screen loads. Select "Safe Mode", the first one. IF you get an option to log on as Admin, choose that. It might be a good idea to use a different PC to download those programs then burn them to a USB key or CD and use that to install on the infected PC

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 06:04 AM
Yes, I loaded the AVG . I tried safe mode and the others modes too! the screen just keeps repeating ...but will not open...

TJJJ
04-23-2009, 09:02 AM
Yes, I loaded the AVG . I tried safe mode and the others modes too! the screen just keeps repeating ...but will not open...

Devils I say!

Sister, try laying your hair over the computer and praying for it!:ursofunny


Just kidding.

Some of the different things these guys are saying on this thread are wild. I have never heard of this stuff. I had a laptop doing the same thing, I thought it was the hard drive and bought a new laptop.

Next time I will just send it to one of the guys on this forum.:thumbsup

Lord Bless Sis A on her computer!!!!!




PS Sis A,.... Just try the hair and let us know how it works!

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 09:41 AM
hair did not work...I should write a book why hair does not work...ha...lol...Can you imagine this old lady trying to work on a computer...

TJJJ
04-23-2009, 11:24 AM
hair did not work...I should write a book why hair does not work...ha...lol...Can you imagine this old lady trying to work on a computer...

:nahGotta post the pics of you laying your hair on the computer!


Bwahahaha! Blackmail! :gotcha

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 11:29 AM
yeah, I like to post pictures!


I have tryed a little of everything but nothing has worked yet...

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 12:13 PM
we tryed restoring system c but it says the files are blocked...

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 02:51 PM
I have a guy here that is my friend he thinks my documents cannot be recovered...

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 03:17 PM
Yes, I loaded the AVG . I tried safe mode and the others modes too! the screen just keeps repeating ...but will not open...
The first program should have been Malware Malbytes.

In safe mode, see if you can log in as Admin instead of your normal user name. When you say repeating do you mean the windows start up screen with the little line that goes across the screen keeps going and going?

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 03:22 PM
we tryed restoring system c but it says the files are blocked...
if I had your laptop here I could recover the files unless the hard drive crashed. I would just remove it, stick it in an enclosure then connect it to my other PC, clean it then copy files. Enclosures are like $10-20. My Pastors nephew dropped is LP while it was on, so the HD is fried. But to be safe I removed it and tried to access it but I can't. A Professional with the right equipment might be able to recover some files though, but unless you have F-22 data files on there it's probably not worth the cost.

So now I am waiting for a new HD to come by mail. It's 200 gigs and actually spins faster than a normal HD for about $50...free shipping. Now I have to order the restore CDs from Sony and they are cheap too.

Do you have restore CDs? Or are they on the HD? What brand and model number is it?

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 03:25 PM
I have a guy here that is my friend he thinks my documents cannot be recovered...
Is this a LT or a Desktop?

what we can do is get all that software protection installed on another PC, then take the HD out of the other PC and put it in an encloser. Connect it by USB to the other PC, scan it, clean it, then try to get some files, but don't copy them to the hard drive. Copy them to a USB storage device or directly burn to a CD.

We just did that too. A brother at church has his older brothers old laptop. It was not working and I suspected viruses. He got an enclosure and put the HD in it and connected it to our PC at church. Our AVG detected viruses instantly. He was able to clean most and recover his data files without damage to our PC

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 03:58 PM
It is my desktop...it is some off brand...pieced and patched together! lol...

My husband went out and bought me a new desktop today but I still am sad over my files but the man here said he will try to do what you said to help me. What is an enclosure? He is taking the hard drive home with him to see what can be done.


I hate my husband made a debt...18 months to pay....lol...but have got a brand new machine!

RandyWayne
04-23-2009, 04:12 PM
I wish I had an afternoon to look at that drive. I have some pretty good tools for recovering data (assuming the drive is still operational).

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 04:14 PM
It is my desktop...it is some off brand...pieced and patched together! lol...

My husband went out and bought me a new desktop today but I still am sad over my files but the man here said he will try to do what you said to help me. What is an enclosure? He is taking the hard drive home with him to see what can be done.


I hate my husband made a debt...18 months to pay....lol...but have got a brand new machine!
An enclosure is an external case you put the hard drive into. Then you can plug it into your other computer and read it like a second hard drive.

You can also just plug it in as a second hard drive in your other PC. If I did that I would make sure the BIOS does not try to boot from it

OnTheFritz
04-23-2009, 04:37 PM
An enclosure is an external case you put the hard drive into. Then you can plug it into your other computer and read it like a second hard drive.

You can also just plug it in as a second hard drive in your other PC. If I did that I would make sure the BIOS does not try to boot from it

I picked up a really cool cable that doesn't require you to put the drive in an enclosure. Just has multiple plugs for IDE, SATA, etc on one end, then USB on the other. Very handy.

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 04:39 PM
I wish I had an afternoon to look at that drive. I have some pretty good tools for recovering data (assuming the drive is still operational).
I'd bet she can just access it as a second HD through windows. I doubt the file system is that corrupted.

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 04:40 PM
I picked up a really cool cable that doesn't require you to put the drive in an enclosure. Just has multiple plugs for IDE, SATA, etc on one end, then USB on the other. Very handy.
We tried one and it did not work. How does it get power?

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 04:45 PM
boys, you are over my head! I appreciate everyone that is trying to help me. Hollywood might just want this grandma to do a film...on modern tec. ha...lol....It is hilarious me with my dictionary trying to look up what all these things are you guys are talking about..

anyway...I am having fun...

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 04:52 PM
It's really simple. Pull the HD out. Look to see if it is IDE or SATA...it should say on the HD but if not an IDE has the long and straight plug with a lot of pins...SATA is shorter and is shaped like an L.

You buy an enclosure for that kind of drive, insert the HD into it then plug the USB into another PC and access it....first running a virus scan on it.

BTW with the New PC I hope you have a virus scanner installed and also spyware protection?

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 04:54 PM
I put AVG on it. Do I need to download anything else?

Sister Alvear
04-23-2009, 04:57 PM
My friend took my harddrive home with him...I told him NOT to format it if he cannot do anything with it I wanted to try what Prax said to do. He said he would just look so sometime next week he will come back over. Nice boy. He is Mormon. Good manners....however like most here he charges way to much to work on computers...but I trust him in my office and that means a lot.

OnTheFritz
04-23-2009, 05:02 PM
We tried one and it did not work. How does it get power?

Power comes through second USB cable or included AC depending on the type of drive you have connected. When I get home, I'll let you know what brand it is (got it at Frys).

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 05:55 PM
I put AVG on it. Do I need to download anything else?
make sure it did not come with an anti virus program already. If so uninstall the one that came with it...although it's free with the PC it will run out in a couple months anyways.

Download and install Spybot S&D..I gave the link in my first post. Install it but do NOT allow it to install TeaTimer.

Follow the onscreen directions once it installs, a wizard will run asking to back up the registry. Say yes to all.

When it asks to immunize say yes.

Everytime you update Spybot you need to click on Immunize...when you do that it will tally how many are not protected yet...then at the top you click "Immunize" and it will add the protection. This is protection for the browser

With spybot you have to manually update it...do this maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Everytime you update you need to immunize. When you run spybot in the left hand corner you see choices and one is immunize. That takes you to the immunize page and it will tally the total, When it finishes then there is a button at the top in green that says Immunize. You click that and it will immunize the browser

Praxeas
04-23-2009, 05:56 PM
Power comes through second USB cable or included AC depending on the type of drive you have connected. When I get home, I'll let you know what brand it is (got it at Frys).
We got one at frys to but it was a real cheapie and only for IDE....It looked flimsy.