Cleaning up and adding anti virus etc to a computer questions

[Slipknot]

My best friend hardly uses their computer, it seems a waste that it doesn't even get used now since it is bogged down with all kinds of who knows what,adware,virus I don't even know, but he still pays comcast

Does anyone have a suggestion who to take it to or who could come to his house in Easton to clean it up or if it is even worth it.
He mentioned to me bringing it to best buy, I think they would rip him off though.

John, do you do this sort of thing? Know anyone who does?

they need to learn to use it more often I think and do updates on virus scans and stay away form porn sites
He doesn't even know his email or how to get it or use email comcast is useless helping him understand it I guess.

I think it is a bit older machine, no money to buy a new one, he'd like to be able to use it again instead of having to go to the library, which is rediculous if you ask me since he is paying for the internet.

thanks



Any help is appreciated

[eastendlu]

If i was closer i would help out Slip.

[JohnR]

Bruce - I just updated this thread on how to do it: http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripert...-computer.html

These are the things I do on computers. One good system for $30 is Prevx.com and this will clean well. I find that it usually takes a couple of sweeps from a couple of products to clean out a computer. Other things may need to get done too.

At this point, I have no side work time available until late March between work and shows.

Best buy might charge a lot but if you download those programs I listed and run them, he may be able to clean it up fine. Is is Windows XP?

[Slipknot]

thanks John
XP? he doesn't even know how many megabytes kilobytes,RAM? nothing

I get the felling it's a lost cause but it would be nice if he could use it for what it's intended, and could be a useful tool.

I'll try to help him best I can.

If he has all the software, maybe I could find out how to format it to clear everything out.

[PRBuzz]

Since it's Easton, I'd be willing to take a look at it. Haven't crashed one yet that I could get going again!

BTW: Comcast is dropping McAfee and switching to Norton antiviral software effective May. The Norton suit has some useful tools for cleaning up computers besides all the antiviral software.

[striperman36]

let me know when you wan to go I could meet

[Saltheart]

It seems like you do best by running about 5 or 6 of the programs. One program is good for one thing , another good for something else , etc. The last time I had a big issue , I ran Spybot , MalwareMegabyte, AVG8.5, adn Dr Web. I always have the Symantech realtime protection and anti virus scans enabled.

Sometimes you got to run the hard drive without the restore function and without it being booted to an operating system. The better AV Programs allow you to download a cd that you boot from and then do the AV scan on the unbooted drive. Once booted , the viruses often have replicators that just replace anything you clean.

I have a USB enclosure for a typical hard drive. I remove the system drive from my desktop and put it in the enclosure. I then boot my laptop. After the laptop is up and running windows , I plug the USB enclosed hard drive in and prevent any auto runs. I then scan the drive with all the software I mentioned above.

Its not just porn sites that will bite you. Two weks ago I posted about getting a Trojan from an Irish blessings sight I went to on St Patricks Day. Yesterday I was searching for NJ Estate Law info and on one site the Fake AV program that is going around tried to get me to bite. I Ctrl/Alt/Deleted and shut it down without it running . You could not just close it , I had to do as described.

Its such a pain now with any site potentially having some kind of virus , malware , etc.

People who build these bad programs should have their Keyboard typing fingers cut off. Lets see how good a virus they can create using their elbows to type!!

[Slipknot]

thanks guys
he ended up taking it to a computer shop
when he gets some $ he will pick it up and we'll see what happens, said it was about 160, still less than a new one

I hope he listens to me and does updates

[Raven]

go to www.whatsrunning.com

i like this program for analysis