What's REALLY on your computer?

[Cami A]

or, What have you downloaded lately?- (apologies to Janet Jackson)

On another board, a poster typed in the words "best bet", and an adware program (http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/internet/10/05/stealth.ads.idg/index.html) automatically linked her text to casino.com.

Out of curiousity, I downloaded the Ad-aware program (http://www.majorgeeks.com/article.php?sid=506) to see what was actually in my computer. As a newbie, I was an enthusiastic downloader of misc. applications, but I figured it shouldn't be too bad, as I had just gone through and done another major clean-up.


WRONG. Guess I need to get a firewall- 64 suspicious files/applications from things I thought I'd seen the last of. Deleted 'em all; so far, so good. If you're curious too, it's a very quick download, and you get a list of all ad programs it finds. You then have the choice of deleting all, some, or none.


Now I'm going to find Jack...I have a few questions about a spyware program called "Virtual Girl".... :rolleyes:

[Sponsored Links]

[JC]

Yup It is amazing how much junk builds up on a PC with the internet.

[flatfloor]

Question to download Adware do I click on all three folders in the download box? I'm really a chicken about downloading stuff, I have always sensed it could cause trouble and consequently I don't have much experience.


After getting that virus twice yesterday and three today, I have to do something.

[Cami A]

More details, please...exactly what step are you at?

Let's see how much I remember...
On mine (xp on a pc), a box pops up and asks if I want to save or open the file that is downloading. (Save it) Then it asks where. (I have a folder for downloads, but put it wherever you'll remember)If the three boxes are here, I have no idea...

Once the transfer was complete, a window poppped up to notify me. I minimized my browser, went to the download folder, and opened the file. I just followed the installation wizard to install, and put a shortcut on my desktop.

If you're past all this, and want to know what I checked off to scan, I did memory, deep scan, and c drive.

After that, it shows you what it's found. You can make a back up of the programs, then delete whatever you'd like. If you deleted something you'd like back(like a game), it lets you reinstall it.

So far, the only spyware that I've needed that I deleted was a download for my Kodak digital camera. I have another program that retrieves pics, so it wasn't a problem.

I don't think it will help with the virus, though... :(

[flatfloor]

When I click on your link to As-aware Major Geeks home page pops up. Towards the bottom of the page on the right there is a box containing Download:
Author
Planet Mirror
Ardent Comm
There is an icon for a folder next to the three selections.

I assumed (there's that word) that if I installed adware I could eliminate unwanted programs that were tracking me and possibly decrease chances of receiving virae.(plural? :))

Just getting tired of seeing this stupid virus, Norton catches it but says it can't repair it whatever that means.

Oh well, sounds like there's no point. Thanks anyway

[Cami A]

Jim, any of those three links will work...I figure it can't hurt to clean everything out, especially as I don't run any antivirus software 'cause I stick with web-based email on the highest security setting.

[flatfloor]

Okey-dokey I guess I'm OK. Norton just finished scanning the entire system and it's clean. The '02 Norton seems to be doing it's job. 7 emails in quarantine.

Thanks again :)

Oh, one more question can a computer get Bubonic plague? Saw a TV ad for software to block it only...$19.95 + S&H guaranteed to work.

[Cami A]

Methinks there's a virus here...
The edit option looked like a ufo, then :D , then something unidentifiable, then the usual book.

Who's messin' with my head?;)

Edit: now where'd the first smilie go?

[John Bridge]

There ain't no "virae" around here. I've got about twenty of them in quarantine. Virae?

[Bud Cline]

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Sorry Joyhn!

[John Bridge]

Buckley said it. I just questioned it?

Sorry Buckley. :)

[Sonnie Layne]

Viruses is proper.

I just visited an email addy of mine that I only open once a month or so (not on my server). Had over 700 notifications of undeliverable mail that I had never sent. Guess the worms got me. I notified admin, closed the account. Just downloaded the MS patch (which won't run) says I've got to have IE6.0 to run, and that's what I'm using. NU's newest tools says I'm clean. Guess he was just passing through.

First worm I've come in contact with. I've only had one viral infection in 22 years and that was 15 years ago. Guess Norton and others have done a good job of keeping me clean. That and practising safe hex :) Sorry, that's a really old nerd joke.

S

[flatfloor]

Whenever I visit the MS site I feel like a rat in a maze and when I finally get to the "cheese" it rarely works.

[Sonnie Layne]

Never been a fan of MS.

I'm sorry that the agreements during the Digital Research era were fornicated. Seems most of the rest of the computer literate have followed a lying cheating demon. some made money some didn't, some just want what's available to be available without the supreme court getting involved.

Billy's a liar and a whore, but he holds the keys since IBM doesn't have the guts to market their stuff. Gotta wonder why that is. As I was told years ago..."follow the money". Do I smell something awkward in the stew that IBM dropped OS2 like a hot diarhhetic monkey? I know they're corporate to the max and therefore clumsy. Maybe I should have posted a bid on that marketing affair after all, but the lines seemed to be busy. Eternally busy. Like half the phones in the world were off hook. Follow the money.

In addition to that bit of my personal history, I'd add my observations. Well, not a big schmeel, but have any of you seen the court trials of Alfonse Capone? Billy's got to go down legally and there must be some alternative to the domain he's stolen and mitigated into a monopoly. I remember there was an internet, or sorts, before MS was even a toy to be played with in the middle of a living room with all the kids standing by watching while you somehow changed the colour of the screen via some elusive mathematical equation.
He was there too, in his college dorm. I don't know when he turned a crook, dumping his friends. Like LBJ (who I have respect for, don't get me wrong), Billy had some tyrannical forebearance on his peers. Partners be damned.

Sorry for venting. It's just that it seems everything has been geared to MS interfaces, including our personal mailings. If he chooses to manipulate the structure of electronic communication, fine, but I hold him personally responsible for the prevention or worms on the binary level, and I further contend he should be responsible for the cleaning of any viruses that are aimed solely at his operating system.

I'll remind you, those that remember CPM. that there then came DOS. DR DOS and then MS DOS through some scullery and coniving. windows still is a DOS program, a shell. so it's still very intimately related to the code that created DOS, which was a collaborative effort. Seems funny that the other 'partners' are practically forgotten. They're probably thankful about now. Fact is without a 16-bit implemented 64K limited "operational concept" Windows would not exist. Makes me puke when I fire up MSW and see it catch it's skirts in the wind from a simple DOS batch file.

OK, I'm through... still sane. I try not to reboot so I don't have to see the DOS screen. Tho' I was a DOS master, it's no longer coherent to it's own strength. follow the money.

Hrumphh,,, in the meantime, I'm getting cable hookup tomorrow, yippee-i-o-kyaeeeee!!!!!

My three cents.