Spyware, viruses, & security forum: Computer virus

Thanks very much for the input.

Thanks for your input re: my question. However, I am not familiar with the "Messaging Service" that you mentioned. I have AOL and use if for all my e-mail.
I'll appreciate further input from you. Thanks much.

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For some reason, the link above didn't come out right. But, it will take you to the home page that has the link on it for the information. You may want to read that anyway.

So, here are the step-by-step instructions for killing the messenger service on a W95/98/ME computer. Any one with these operating systems should turn this off if you are the owner of the computer. On these computers, the messenger service is called WinPopup.

1. Go to the Control Panel and double click on Add/Remove programs.

2. In the Add/Remove Programs Properties box, click on the Windows Setup tab.

3. In the window, scroll down to System Tools and double click on System Tools. This will open the System Tools box.

4. In the System Tools box window, scroll down to find WinPopup. Uncheck the box beside this by clicking the box once.

5. Click OK and also close all others by clicking on OK ... or Apply if that is available. I don't think you needed to do a restart but it would not hurt to do so.

I hope this helps you!

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Thank you very much for the info. I went to the link you suggested and it was very helpful in helping me understand about the Messaging. Again, many thanks

You probably imported the virus from a program either given to you on a floppy, or one that someone sent to you over the Internet. More than six years ago, A virus I contracted via a Game I had loaned to a friend, and later re-installed on my computer infected the computer by creating two false partitions, one of which became the boot partition, and rendered the program partition unrecognizable at bootup. While troubleshooting the drive with "FDisk" utility, I discovered the bogus partitions, and removed them, as I knew I had not created them. Voila, on reboot, the drive functioned normally, booting to Windows. This may not be your case scenario, but its worth the look with "FDisk" to determine if it has happened. Boot from a floppy that has "Fdisk" on it, to examine your hard drive. Seek help from an IT trained person if you are unsure of what to do.

Guru Bob

I have Windows 98.
I had been working at my computer, then went into the other room for a while, maybe 45 minutes. When I came back and sat down at the computer the dialog box was there with the horrible mesasage. I believe I closed down right then and then restarted and got nothing on the screen except the blinking white symbol in the left hand corner of the screen. The Hard Drive was completed erased.
Thanks for your help re: this.

The O/S was completely gone. I could do nothing on the computer. I am using another one now. A relative is getting/got the computer fixed for me.
Is this much devastation common or uncommon with a computer virus? That is, to have your entire O/S lost?
Thanks again for all your help.

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Kerio firewall has a security problem. Please visit their website if you have not already done so.

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Not many people will be using an old version of Kerio. The post was for information only. Kerio is a very fine firewall. It is easy to find a link to Kerio. But even the best of products have a problem from time-to-time. Nothing is perfect and neither am I ... nor are you.

Please do not attack me for that.

Since you feel you are safe, you might want to read this link:

http://secunia.com/advisories/12468/

And this is for Kerio 2.x directly:

http://secunia.com/product/1493/

I do not post information without some knowledge at hand. I am at fault for not posting the links in the above post. Now, you have them.

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I don't know about a virus destroying your HD, but last year, I used the update facility from a well known antivirus software (McAfee), and afterwards, my system refused point blank to boot to anything.

I tried every single restore method i had, including the rescue discs. Only option was to re-install the OS, and all my software, and since then a new AV software package.

Try this one, too.

I run it from a floppy in Safe Mode.

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

First off,
STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
check your anti-virus right now, is it uptodate? upto date being within the last week. You should update it atlest once a week if not more if you can.
If you don't have one install one now from here.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/antivirus/default.mspx
As for a firewall download.com has a good list of them there.

Anyway if you O/S is wiped by a virus/ or if your hard drive is wiped in general the first rule DO NOT RUN SCANDISK OR ANY TOOL LIKE THAT!!!
The first thing is take that drive and put it into another computer then run a program like "PC Inspector File Recovery" download it from download.com and see if the data is there if you can find it then you should be able to recover it if not then reinstall your O/S.
Need help? email me at guybw (at) hotmail (dot) com

Thank you for the information. I appreciate your taking the time to answer.

Hi Princess,

Here's hoping you get your computer up and running again.

I had a similar problem, but it was "right after" I
did the MSN UPDATES. I watched in horror as my files and .dll were being "stripped" from my computer.
The monitor icons were glowing as they were being stripped. I clicked onto them and saw bytes being "sent" in mass quantity and NOTHING being
received.

Yes, I ran firewalls. Yes, I ran an updated version
of AntiVirus. Yes, I did a virus scan 2 times a day.
No viruses ever found.

The Microsoft Internet Explorer program was version 6.0.... A CD that Microsoft had sent me (via postal carrier)to update from the old 5.0.

Since "that particular computer" is used mainly for my
novel writing and news publishing, I was extremely upset. I used Windows 98SE on it.
Now I have been borrowing another computer which has
WindowsXp. I absolutely hate the XP program for what
I use a computer.
It's going to cost me around $800.00 so I am told by
my tech to get my main computer up and running again,
as I cannot even get the windows program to pop up.
I've tried F1, F5, etc. and still nothing.

Yes, I ran Norton AV and even "pay" annually to have the updates. I even tried to call them to quit taking the money from my charge account. They didn't.
That ticked me off even moreso. Now, I hate SYMANTEC and their Norton AV Program with a passion.

Perhaps someone can tell me where I can get a copy via
floppy or CD of the Window's 98SE program. I have tried online several times and have failed with a resolve. To top that off, my tech says he can't find the copy, which was MY program in the first place.

I have a children's book (not yet completed) frozen
in that computer as well as a Novel (almost complete).
Hundreds and hundreds of hours down the drain!

Thanks for any help I might get.

Sincerely
Dede
Oklahoma