I hate my computer!!
 

Remember a few months ago, when I had the AntivirXP 08, and then I got the 09. It took the guys from Radial Point (they are the Verizon Internet Security Suite guys), it took them QUITE A FEW TIMES to get rid of that virus.

I was given the Super Professional Anti-spyware program. That is a great one. But the guys have their own tools, and they download the stuff, clean up your computer, and you have a brand new computer running just fine. (but I think the virus just hides somewhere).

WELL, YOU HAVE TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENED TO US YESTERDAY.

We were doing just fine. No problems.

then Alan says "I can't use the keyboard, and watch what happens when I try and go on the internet"

Every single time I would click on any icon on my desktop, a box would come up and give me the properties of that icon.

I couldn't go on the internet. I couldn't go ANYWHERE. And the kicker is that it would not let me do any system restore. So, to me, that smelled of a virus.

I was able to click on Super Professional Anti-spyware and ran a scan. IT FOUND NOTHING.

I then was able to run Verizon Internet Security Suite. IT FOUND NOTHING WAS INFECTED ?????????

My keyboard was dead in the water. I then said "what if I unplug my keyboard from the back of the computer and plug it into another USB port in the FRONT of my computer (I know, this has absolutely nothing to do with clicking on an icon and getting me on the internet but I was getting no where). So I did it. Nothing changed. Keyboard was not responsive.

And I had gone into Control Panel and looked up Keyboard and it was not showing me that I had a keyboard hooked up. Even when I re-plugged the keyboard into the front port, and I get the message (new hardware found), I got all excited and went into Wordpad and BAM, it would not type anything.

Very frustrating. Alan walks over to me and says "so did the virus scan find anything?" I looked at him and said "nothing, but this is a virus unlike anything I've seen". He said "but it says No viruses found". I said "I don't care what it said, there's a virus, a very smart virus. Because I've never heard of this thing, that when you click on any icon, a window pops up and gives you PROPERTIES of that icon.

Every single time.

then I went into Outlook Express (if I clicked on the Icon, the properties of Outlook Express came on). So I went to Start, programs, Outlook Express and THAT'S WHEN OUTLOOK EXPRESS came on. So I could see all my emails, but when I hit reply, I could not type anything.

Then in five minutes, EVERYBODY GOT BACK TO NORMAL AND EVERYTHING WORKED, and Alan's running around saying "my computer is fine". I said 'believe me, this is NOT FINE". There's something going on".

In a while, I'm calling the guys at Verizon and pick their brain.

ANY IDEAS would be most welcome.

Right now it's fine. Very suspicious.

A computer does not go from what it was doing, to FINE, in 5 minutes. Not after 2 hours of driving me crazy and not being responsive.

What the heck do I have inside this computer, a little elf controlling all the applications.???

Has anyone ever have (what happened to me), happen to them?

Thanks much.

Melody

perhaps a keystrike error?
 

hitting the windows key ( flag key ) & the L key, locks the screen & hitting said keys again unlocks the screen again. The same as Ctl/Alt/Del and clicking on the "lock" button, just in fewer steps.

More here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/294317

I did some searching and didn't come up with much..
Probably something like mrsD mentioned or the icons got temporarily scrambled:confused: sometimes that happens- not very often
I usually reboot and see if it fixes the problem.

The important thing is that you could still open programs with the start menu.

here is some info on viruses and stand alone scanners from the top AV sites {you might run those scans to double check- these only run when you start it so they don't conflict with your regular av program}
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post403987-4.html

Jo:

The AV that you are talking about, you say that these only run when you start it so they don't conflict with your regular av program. I was under the impression that you can't have two anti-virus programs running at the same time.

I repeat I HATE MY COMPUTER.

lol

mel

Melody, even though I have Mcafee AV running all the time, I sometimes go to the Trend Housecall and let that do an independent scan on my computer. There has never been a problem conflicting with the one I have installed.

the stand alone scanners don't "stay running" all the time like your Verizon AV program.
you would only run the scan , get the results and then it is done.
If it shows a virus they you would look it up and find the remover for it.

So this Trend Housecall thing. I go to this site, I follow instructions, and then I run the scan. (I gather I shut off my Verizon Anti-virus first???)

Thanks

Nope! You don't have to turn off your regular AV scanner. That runs in the background just the same as usual. They won't interfere with each other. I promise!

Trend is an online only scanner, so go to the site..... click on House call which is their free scanner, and let it do it's thing. You have to stay on line, but other than that you can sit back and just let it scan your computer.

It might take some time depending on how many files are in your PC, but you can minimise the screen and continue doing whatever you want while it's running.

If it finds anything it will ask you if you want them to fix it for you, and in most cases it can and will. Occassionally it can't, but it will tell you if you have any problems, and what they are. If you do find anything, at least you will be armed with info next time you contact Verizon.

Is that as clear as mud?? :confused:

CLEAR AS MUD??? That was as clear as my brand new recipe for Veggie Balls.

wow, whatever would I do without you guys on these boards.

I am MUCHO APPRECIATIVE.

And now I am heading out to my favorite little coffee bistro to get a cup of their steaming coffee. I

It's calling out to meeeeeee!!!

lol

Upon my return I shall do the Trend thing. You should have seen me trying to explain this to Alan. I kept saying "Trend Housecall" and Alan kept saying "the virus people make housecalls??" I never laughed so hard.

I shall tell you later what happens.

My coffee awaits!! lol

Okay, tried it, it didn't work. (what did I do wrong, if anything??)

I went to the site, clicked on the Housecall Option, it said it ran a test, the test was successful, and if I wanted to start the scan, click on that option. I did.

It started the scan, and BAM, I got a window that said:

We are sorry but Firefox crashed. We'll try and restore the tabs upon restarting.

I didn't have to restart anything. A message popped up asking me if I wanted to restore the Firefox session or begin a new one. I chose the new one. And here I am.

So what do I do now??

God, I hate being an old lady on a computer.

lol

Melody

do the scan in Explorer.
 

The new Firefox does not work with everything yet. Many have
been fixed, but this may not allow it yet.

I did a Trend scan last Dec when we had internet problems.
It found one minor Trojan, that was not doing anything we could see. Our problem turned out to be an intermittent router failure. Worked sometimes and not others.

you could try the Stinger - by Mcafee
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/default.aspx

it is one you download and run - so you can use it anytime as a double check for your Verizon AV prog.
It works the same way as the online one but you actually have the program on your machine to use anytime you want.

oh or try this one-
http://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/f...us-scanner.php
[Our free online virus scanner is a great way to find out if you have any viruses or spyware on your machine without having to install new software. You can also see what viruses your current antivirus software let slip through! You just need to be online and using Internet Explorer.

The Online Virus Scanner uses Java technologies to scan your computer for malware. The free virus scanner scans your machine while online, and uses the same technology as other Kaspersky Lab products. Our antivirus software protects against viruses and spyware. ]

I have a quick question. The Trend Housecall thing did not work with my Firefox. I also have an icon for Internet Explorer. I sometimes use IE to go on the internet.

What, (instead of opening up Firefox), I opened the Internet Exporer browser instead. Then I could try the Trend Housecall thing???

Think it might work?

And I still can't understand how you can have more than one anti-virus program at the same time. Every single person I have spoken to has told me "you can't have two anti-virus programs running". Now I understand the online scanning thing. That might not interfere with the Verizon Internet Security Suite. But what about the thing you download and you have it and can check and see what Verizon Internet Security Suite might have missed? How come you can now HAVE TWO ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMS running?

I am completely confused.

melody

mrsD mentioned using IE, instead of using FF - I think she called it Explorer, maybe that is why you missed it.
yes try it with IE and see if it works that way.


As far as the 2 AV progs running at the same time - I think it is the way the single time scanners work vs the ones that are active all the time. Most likely has to do with how the program is written.

If it needed to be turned of the programs would tell you to turn your current AV off.