Computer Questions Not Worth Their Own Thread

[Bllasae]

How the hell do I install service pack 3 for xp? I tried to download it off the microsoft site, but it said to use the automatic updater thing. Well, it's been 3 months since I reformatted last and automatic updates are on, still no service pack 3. WTH. And now I have a damn virus, I should sue Google for putting sites with viruses on them as the first link. And Mcafee for being completely . .. .. .. .ing useless.

Even with Automatic Updates, you should check on Windows Update to make sure that you have everything you need.

 

[Padma]

Moderator Action: Please take all this Excel discussion to the other thread.

Edit: Better yet, I just moved them all there....

 

[Ulyaoth]

Arg, stupid mcafee couldn't find the virus, I went into the registry to try to find it, deleted a few things that didn't look right, still getting popups and things, how can I get rid of this?

 

[Genocidicbunny]

As I said, get a different antivirus. 'Macafee was free' is not a good excuse to install and use it.
I recommend avast.

 

[Gelion]

Moderator Action: Please take all this Excel discussion to the other thread.

Edit: Better yet, I just moved them all there....

Thank you.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Arg, stupid mcafee couldn't find the virus, I went into the registry to try to find it, deleted a few things that didn't look right, still getting popups and things, how can I get rid of this?

If you're getting popups about having viruses, it could be rogueware.

Take a look at this:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/rogueremover.php

P.S. I recommend either AVG or Avast.

 

[Ulyaoth]

Yeah, I'm getting popups with stuff about Britney Spears and stupid iq tests and things, and also some for some Microsoft Antivirus, and also that Avast one you guys are suggesting? It's not some kind of adware or something?

 

[Mulholland]

Yeah, I'm getting popups with stuff about Britney Spears and stupid iq tests and things, and also some for some Microsoft Antivirus, and also that Avast one you guys are suggesting? It's not some kind of adware or something?

Avast Is a legit antivirus and only requires your name and E-mail address to get it. I've been using it coupled with Firefox and Windows Defender for two and a half years on this rig and have no problem with infections. The few viruses that have tried to infect me have been identified quarantined and deleted very quickly. Here's a link if you want to take a look.
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Okay, at yard sales and stuff I've seen floppy disk drives and other things. If I bought one of those, could I somehow turn it into an external one?

I wouldn't see why not, you'd merely have to run all the cables outside the case. Though I personally would just spend the money to get an external hard drive.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

First get rid of the virus. Then search microsoft's site for a network installer for SP3. It will allow you to download the full thing and then install it.

Also, Macafee sucks something, but I thought we all knew that already? Get rid of it and install a decent antivirus such as avast or AVG. NOD32 if you've got money.

McAfee is installed on my parents laptop, and they have yet to have any problems. They also fall into the "stupid user" level of computer knowledge/skill, so it's definitely putting that AV through it's paces. Their real-time protection leaves a bit to be desired, but scanning and removal wise it isn't as bad as everyone says. I'm not saying it's the greatest, but I'm not saying it's terrible either.

I think IT security is only as good as the person using the computer. As the old adage says: the problem lies between the keyboard and chair.

 

[Ulyaoth]

So I downloaded that Avast thing, ran like 5 thorough scans, only found one virus, still getting popups though. This is annoying, if I have to reformat again I'll kill something.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Frankly, a reformat is usually the most surefire option. Plus its not that hampering. Back everything up and you can be up and running in less than 2 hours ( I can do a full format in under an hour if there are no problems )

 

[Ulyaoth]

I just hate having to go and reinstall everything and going to go find everything I need to make it like how I like it. Plus I've already had to reformat twice since september, and this virus now is practically the same thing so either it's still stuck on my hard drive and I need to find a way to completely wipe it, or whatever.

 

[Bllasae]

I just hate having to go and reinstall everything and going to go find everything I need to make it like how I like it. Plus I've already had to reformat twice since september, and this virus now is practically the same thing so either it's still stuck on my hard drive and I need to find a way to completely wipe it, or whatever.

If you reformat the computer's main hard drive, then the virus doesn't stay. If you inserted a flash drive or something, and the virus was transferred in a file on the flashdrive from the computer with the virus, and you insert the same flash drive into the new, reformatted computer, the virus will be transmitted to the reformatted computer.

 

[warpus]

It's probably not a virus - sounds more like spyware or something..

 

[lndm]

I just hate having to go and reinstall everything

Would you have another computer you could use only for the net?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think some viruses write to the boot sector. Those are hard to remove.

 

[Turner]

Malwarebytes' AntiMalware is pretty good at getting rid of infections. It's gotten rid of things for me that Spybot and AdAware couldn't. Might want to those that before reformatting.

 

[lndm]

I think some viruses write to the boot sector. Those are hard to remove.

Nothing a fresh installation won't fix.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Nothing a fresh installation won't fix.

Yeah. But my mom doesn't even bother formatting -- she just pops in the Windows CD whenever something goes wrong. So I've removed a few boot sector viruses. By formatting, of course.

Even worse are those that infect the BIOS. Nearly impossible to repair without replacing the hardware. But they're ultra-rare, and I think you have to be messing around with it.