The best virus scanner is no match for human stupidity!

HamelinHamelin
edited January 2008 in Tech
I fragged my computer, again. I, like a moron, installed a nasty trojan on my computer last night and it broke EVERYTHING. Disabled my virus scanner, won't let Spybot open, broke my wireless connection.

Nasty business, I tried to get rid of it for an hour last night, with no success, so I said screw it, went to bed, and today when I get home I'm going to wipe Windows clean and reinstall.

My files are safe, I've long since learned to keep EVERYTHING separate from the partition I have Windows installed on, so this is more of an inconvenience than anything else.

Point is, since I'm starting from scratch again, and lately I've been dissatisfied with the virus scanner (Antivir) and firewall (Filesclab) I've been using for the last few months. So I'd like some suggestions on what else I can try, I prefer programs that don't have much of a memory footprint and don't do stupid stuff to my computer that I'm unaware of.

I also want to look into one of those explorer replacement things, that let you do away with the start menu and make windows look all snazzy and clean, anyone know anything about those, again, the less imprint it has on memory, the better.

Also, don't tell me to install Linux (you know who you are) I already have it installed and honestly, while it might be a preferable solution, I don't really care and I really can't be arsed to go and learn how to run a different OS, I don't care enough.
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Comments

  • SerephelSerephel
    edited January 2008
    I use AVG. It scans daily, and I never really notice it. Although, I do have 2 gigs running on XP, so I have more than I ever need, but even when it's running, it doesn't use that much memory.

    I actually might buy the full product later when I have the money.

    http://free.grisoft.com/

    I don't know too much about computers, but AVG comes highly recommended from several friends who are quite talented, so I trust them.
  • brucebruce
    edited January 2008
    I agree with the cactus fella, AVG is my first choice of virus scanner when using windows!

    For firewall? Meh, just bung zonealarm on there.

    And as for shells, I'm not sure. Why not try CyGNOME?

    This might also help
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    AVG is what I use when I feel the need for an anti-virus. I just run without one most of the time. I don't have problems with viruses and such.

    As for the alternate shell, the most I've done is change the logo and text on the start button (it wasn't a start button once I was through with it). I know someone who's used different shells before. I'll ask him about it next time I talk to him but that may not be for a couple weeks.
  • deku12345deku12345
    edited January 2008
    I prefer Avast! for my antivirus needs. AVG is okay, but I've had trouble with it on computers with less than 2 gigs of ram.
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    If that's the case then you are either running Vista or you run like a million things in the background and waste RAM like they were giving it away for free.

    EDIT: My machine at work here runs AVG. It's currently taking under 3 MB of memory.
  • geokogeoko
    edited January 2008
    3d_Apple_Logo_102.jpg
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    Hamelin wrote: »
    I really can't be arsed to go and learn how to run a different OS, I don't care enough.
  • deku12345deku12345
    edited January 2008
    XoLore wrote: »
    If that's the case then you are either running Vista or you run like a million things in the background and waste RAM like they were giving it away for free.

    All I know is my dad uses AVG and it seemed to slow his computer down significantly. Once I replaced it with Avast he had much less problems.

    His computer IS pretty bad though, so that might not have necessarily been the culprit.
  • geokogeoko
    edited January 2008
    You took that out of context X'o'lore.
    Hamelin wrote: »
    Also, don't tell me to install Linux (you know who you are) I already have it installed and honestly, while it might be a preferable solution, I don't really care and I really can't be arsed to go and learn how to run a different OS, I don't care enough.

    I say again:

    green_apple_logo.jpg
  • Drooling IguanaDrooling Iguana
    edited January 2008
    If you're dual-booting between Windows and Linux (which your original post seems to indicate you are) you should install ClamAV or a similar program so that if you ever get infected to the point where even your virus scanners won't run you can boot to Linux and run a scan from there.

    Alternatively, you can find a LiveCD with a virus scanner installed and keep it around for emergencies. Not sure how you'd keep your virus data files up to date in that situation, though.
  • brucebruce
    edited January 2008
    Just make a bootable linux flash drive and update from within the linux partition when necessary. Damn Windows and lack of ext3 support.
  • SerephelSerephel
    edited January 2008
    Buy two computers. Use one for Orange Belt ONLY, so that computer will never get fucked up. Use the other computer for everything else.
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    FAIL.

    No dual booting for me, windows won't install (goddamn I hate you windows, so much), so I'm plunging into ubuntu head first out of necessity.

    Id I had money I'd buy a mac, really, but I am broke.

    So, yeah. This sucks. At least I have all my files.
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    That's a real bummer. I'm not sure what would cause a windows installation to fail, but then it's windows. It does like to fail. Unless it's my windows. My computer likes very much to function smoothly. My friends hate me for it sometimes. Specifically when their computers get all bjorked up.
    I wish you the best of luck in Linux-land. Chances are now that I said that my computer will crash and die just to spite me, so I better do a back up.
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    Ok, I think I have a boot sector virus, so, yeah. Shit.
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    ...ouch. BIOS update time?
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    I'm not sure, it might be, I had the same problem on both my sata drives when I tried installing Windows.
  • X'o'LoreX'o'Lore
    edited January 2008
    There's stuff to be found on google about boot sector viruses. Of course there was also some funny thing about windows and sata drives too, but I forgot what that was.
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    Well, the sata drivers are on the installation CD, the problem arises after the initial step where the CD copies a bunch of files to windows. When the computer attempts to boot off the hard drive using those files, I get the blue screen.
  • brucebruce
    edited January 2008
    I do believe that to fix this you need to boot your windows CD, then push R on the first menu to get to the recovery console. When there, use FIXMBR (I'm not 100% on if that's it, but the HELP command will be of use here). Hopefully it helps.
  • mariomario
    edited January 2008
    Do you have access to any other Windows install disks? Might be something wrong with your media, or possibly the optical drive, preventing proper file copying.
  • deku12345deku12345
    edited January 2008
    Also try clearing your CMOS. That's probably not it since the computer does boot up, but its worth a shot anyway.
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    No, I know it's not the CD because I'm currently installing windows on a virtual drive with QEMU.

    How do you clear the CMOS?
  • deku12345deku12345
    edited January 2008
    Varies on the motherboard, but usually theres a jumper thats set to either 1-2 or 2-3. and you simple unplug your computer, move the jumper to the other setting, wait a minute, and move it back to the other setting. If there's no jumper for that, then you just take out the battery, (making sure the computer is unplugged, of course.) wait a bit, and put it back in.

    That'll reset your bios to the way it was when you first got the computer.
  • SerephelSerephel
    edited January 2008
    All you have to do is patch your CCD through to the LON to get access to the PKS. After that you install your NDC and DDSSA to the VCS. Then you plug in your EKG to the OBGYN so you can easily run your SDDS on the ONCXZ. Finally, your computer should be able to run on your SKDMFOIWKDKFODFED.
  • illithid235illithid235
    edited January 2008
    Brilliant!

    At first, I actually thought you knew what you were talking about.. but it seemed out of character. Now I understand the truth.
  • Drooling IguanaDrooling Iguana
    edited January 2008
    Serephel wrote: »
    All you have to do is patch your CCD through to the LON to get access to the PKS. After that you install your NDC and DDSSA to the VCS. Then you plug in your EKG to the OBGYN so you can easily run your SDDS on the ONCXZ. Finally, your computer should be able to run on your SKDMFOIWKDKFODFED.
    Just make sure you invert the polarity of the tetryon flow before you reroute it into the main deflector dish or else you might release a lethal blast of omicron radiation.
  • HamelinHamelin
    edited January 2008
    Well, I've given up. This computer has defeated me and I am going to commit to ubuntu.

    Bloody hell.

    Also, I need a new wireless card because ndiswrapper absolutely refuses to work with my current card. At least I was planning on buying a new, faster one soon anyhow.
  • SerephelSerephel
    edited January 2008
    Drooling Iguana wrote: »
    Just make sure you invert the polarity of the tetryon flow before you reroute it into the main deflector dish or else you might release a lethal blast of omicron radiation.

    Well duh, I didn't mention that, because I thought that was a given. Way to go Captain Obvious.
  • godgod
    edited January 2008
    Serephel wrote: »
    All you have to do is patch your CCD through to the LON to get access to the PKS. After that you install your NDC and DDSSA to the VCS. Then you plug in your EKG to the OBGYN so you can easily run your SDDS on the ONCXZ. Finally, your computer should be able to run on your SKDMFOIWKDKFODFED.
    Be sure to use an EPT after you're done.

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