How do you know if your computer is dead for good?

[Booner72]

its dell so they might kick down....I'll get ahold of them tomorrow.

Can you pm me or write here the steps to wipe it out?

Thanks~

[guiness56]

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@Booner72 wrote:

Hi, All.  We have a Dell desktop that is from 2008.  About 2 years ago my brother got a virus and we took it into the shop and paid over 200 but never got fully rid of the virus.  It's this 'FAKE' virus thing - when it's bad, as it was before we took it to the shop and since the DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS! it blocks your ability to get online.  It seems to have spread into documents, can't open music, pics, anything.  After it came back from the shop, it worked "okay" but you could still see the little logo for the virus and sometimes it would pop up, but I'd get AVG to stop it.  The AVG lady I talked to the other day came onto my computer and said "no worries, no worries, i get rid of these five times a day."  Well, 20 minutes later, "It will be 169 to get rid of it and that comes with a one year guarantee".......

Hate sending my money to India when it could go to a local shop.

Anyway, I'm sitting her typing on an hp laptop that I got at walmart for 397.   First laptop and it seems so tiny.   We needed 2nd computer anyway as we have two boys..

but my question is :  Is it worth it to try to have someone really get rid of that virus or is it time to hang it up? 

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I just got the same virus.  Other than really pi**ing me off, it is not a virus that will ruin anything on your computer.  It is very annoying but can be fixed.  And fairly quickly.

First boot up in safe mode with networking.  Go to bleepingcomputer.com and download rkill.  It is a program that stops all of the processes this virus has running.  It does not fix or remove the virus, just stops the processes.  Then go to malwarebytes.org and download their free version of malwarebytes antivirus.  Run the antivirus and it should find 7 or so trojans. Then have the program delete them.  Make sure you do ALL of this BEFORE you reboot the computer.

Once you have done this, reboot the computer and run the virus scan again just to be safe.

It took me about 30 minutes to get my system back.

[quest208]

andy probably gave you some good tips.

but, what you want to do, when you run malware bytes, take note of the folder directory where the "culprit" resides.  usually you can delete those folders, but not sure exactly where the virus files would be located so its hard to say exactly if system files are contained there as well.

additionallly, while in safemode, i would run combofix.

personally, i run spybot search and destroy, malware bytes and combofix.  if that doesnt work i burn a linux live cd and scan for the virus from the cd.

if that doesnt work i format. 

moving forwrad it may be a good idea to eventually install a linux distribution as dual boot

[quest208]

oh yeah.  rkill is good.  i just read that post.  ^^^^^^^^ rkill is handy tool

[guiness56]

Yes, Rkill is a very good tool.  And used with malwarebytes it will clean the computer of the virus. 

Its at least free and worth the try before investing in another computer.

[Booner72]

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The problem is that I can't run anything in SAFEMODE!  The virus has gotten there, too.

[quest208]

you need to either boot from the cdrom, and scan from there using something like Hiren's Boot CD

or you need a live linux distribution.  you burn it to cd and it becomes like an operating system on the cdrom (best way i can explain it)

i haven't done either of those in some time so i cant be more specific, sorry, but i think those are your two best options.  if you have a second computer and a cd burner with some blank cd you can get it done.

im hoping someone can tell you exactly how to execute it...its been some time for me

[guiness56]

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@Booner72 wrote:

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The problem is that I can't run anything in SAFEMODE!  The virus has gotten there, too.

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I couldn't with just safe mode either.  You have to use safe mode with networking.

If that still doesn't work, do you have a clean computer you can load rkill onto a cd or a flash drive from?  The virus won't stop you from using your cd or flash drive.

[Booner72]

Hi guiness and everyone.  Yep I have a brand new computer and I have a zip drive.  Will that work?

Then I download WHAT onto the zip?  The malware bites thing?

I'm so sorry for so many questions, but you guys are surely the best to take the time to help me out.

[Booner72]

OK VOID THAT.  I'm going to download Rkill to the zip drive, then go try to figure it out from there.  Right?

Any other advice greatly appreciated!