| Author |
Message |
    
Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 69
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 6:50 am: | 
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G'day everyone,
Once again I'm stuffed. My computer has been attacked by something which has slowed it down to a standstill. This happened a couple of months ago too and I was able to get some help from an IT person.
He gave me these commands to follow and after doing what he said everything came back to normal. It meant that I lost the last week or so of downloads but that didn't really matter.
This is a new computer so if anyone knows how to tell me how to do that again I'll be a happy chappy.
Thanks
Jules |
Leanne Perry
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Leanne
Post Number: 1839
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 7:08 am: |
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G'day Jules,
Take all your programmes off and re-install them!
LEANNE |
Brad McGinnis
Inspector
Username: Brad
Post Number: 268
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 7:19 am: |
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Jules, what version of windows are you running? Chances are you probably have a "Go Back" feature where you can reconfigure your computer to where it was before and jettison what ever is slowing you down. Hope that helps mate, Brad.
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Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 70
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 9:13 am: |
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G'day Brad, Yeah mate that's what I've got I just don't know where. to find it (story of my life). I'll see if it's down by the 'start' and 'run' things. I know that's where I went last time.
G'day Lea, I don't want to lose everything!
Did you get the calendar?
Jules |
Leanne Perry
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Leanne
Post Number: 1840
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 9:32 am: |
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G'day Jules,
Yes I got the calendar. I'll print it out and have a look tomorrow.
About taking everything off your computer and reinstalling it: I've had to do this before. You should have saved everything that's important to you on floppy disks. Buy an anti-virus thing. This will scan everything and help you located the infected files. I hope you overcome the problem!
LEANNE |
David O'Flaherty
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 1005
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 10:51 am: |
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Jules,
Do NOT uninstall all the programs on your computer. That's an extreme measure and probably not necessary. If you had a cold, you wouldn't cut your head off, would you?
First, I suggest you update your antivirus program. Run a scan on your computer and follow the directions. That might take care of your problems straight away.
I will probably be going offline soon due to bad weather, but if I can help in the meantime, feel free to drop me a line at oflaherty@casebook.org. Let me know what operating system is and something more about your symptoms. You should be able to identify your operating system by rebooting your system and then watching it start back up--some sort of logo should appear.
Hope that helps,
Dave |
c.d.
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 11:59 am: |
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Jules,
I have windows XP and in XP you go to:
Start;All Programs;Accessories;System Tools;System Restore;Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time. Pick a date (in bold) on the calendar when you know your computer was running ok an follow the instructions.
It sounds like you have spyware on your computer. Keep in mind that while you need an anti-virus program, anti-virus does not catch a lot of spyware. EVERYBODY should have at least one anti-spyware program and run it on a regular basis. Ad Aware SE and Microsoft Antispyware are good and free. Go to Google and enter them as search terms to get a site where you can download them. I think the best antispyware program is Spysweeper. You have to pay for it but it removes even things other programs can't. In addition, it has shields which block the spyware in the first place before it can get on your computer. Another program that I like and highly recommend (and it is free) is Spyware Blaster. It doesn't remove spyware but blocks about 4000 (yes, 4000) cites that are known to have spyware. If you try to go to one of those cites, everything is Xd out. Again do a Google search to get a free download. You don't have to do anything once it is installed. It simply runs in the background. Remember to check once a week for updates.
Hope this helps.
c.d.
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Paul Cleaton
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 9:27 am: |
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Just a suggestion. Most GoBack type programs automatically appear when you first turn on your system. Mine appears just after the system check messages right at the start, and tells me to hit the space bar if I want to revert my hard drive. I'm then given a selection of dates/times to revert to. Just pick a time prior to when you first started having problems. Hope this helps. |
George Hutchinson
Chief Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 676
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, August 29, 2005 - 7:44 pm: |
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This is bringing back bad memories for me! In the past everyone has offered help and everyone has said something different and made me more confused and unsure than I was in the first place!
I currently have nasty problems. After my hacker in May I installed a Firewall and now my PC freezes for up to a minute, downloads pages really slowly, constantly shuts off my browser when surfing (particularly eBay) and the only way to restore is to entirely reboot, and my Outlook Express keeps refusing to send e-mails (again I have to reboot). It also won't open some windows and for some reason only gives me access to half the ordering opportunities on Amazon unless I use their text only site!
It's awful and I have been stuck in a quagmire of using a very below par PC for months now. I have anti-spyware & AV, no virus or anything of the sort. I run scans and update all the time. I think something got corrupted in the Firewall when I installed it. It crashed first time and I had to uninstall it and do it again.
Everyone has told me to upgrade to XP Pro (I am on 98SE now) but I am worried that it may corrupt some software I am running, or conversely not correct the problems that are occuring. I'm no computer whizzkid and am scared of trying to do it by myself!
Jules - ye are not alone!
PHILIP
Computers can
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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John Dow
Police Constable
Username: Johnmdow
Post Number: 5
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 6:26 am: |
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It sounds like you lot need to think about buying Macs  |
Sir Robert Anderson
Chief Inspector
Username: Sirrobert
Post Number: 524
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 9:21 am: |
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I'd also recommend Spybot Search and Destroy; it's freeware. Trojan Remover is terrific but you get a free 30 day trial.
Sir Robert
'Tempus Omnia Revelat'
SirRobertAnderson@gmail.com
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Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 72
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 9:59 am: |
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Thanks everyone, but I've got it solved. I've just thwacked the kids around the head who were stuffing around with it a couple of days ago.
No guys I wouldn't do anything like that. I've sold one into slavery and I've fixed it so the other two are going out on dates with guys they were chatting up. There's no problem there as I'm sending their mother (my sister) along with them.
Cheers
Jules |
c.d.
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 9:56 am: |
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Philip,
Sorry to hear about your computer problems. I have been able to solve a number of problems by going to google.com and using search terms describing the problem. Sometimes you have to play around with the search terms but I have found that there are a great number of computer forums where people discuss these things. Possibly somebody will describe the same problem that you are having and someone else will provide a solution.
c.d. |
George Hutchinson
Chief Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 678
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 1:17 pm: |
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Thanks CD.
I have tried all that in the past. The people on these forums are - like here - extremely helpful and VERY knowledgable... yet one person conflicts with the other and anyway everything that was suggested to me made no difference to the issue whatsoever when I did it.
It's not my PC, which is less than 2 years old and something like 35GB on the 3 hard drives.
Erm... Jack The Ripper never had a computer.
There. Back to the subject. Ish.
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Jennifer Pegg
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Jdpegg
Post Number: 2897
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 2:31 pm: |
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Philip,
how do you know he didn't?
Jenni
"You know I'm not gonna diss you on the Internet
Cause my momma taught me better than that."
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Howard Brown
Chief Inspector
Username: Howard
Post Number: 890
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 30, 2005 - 6:09 pm: |
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Jules...
In addition to the kind assistance the other people have provided,may I suggest you do what I do?
After doing what Dave O' suggests...
1. Unless you are absolutely certain of whom an e-mail with an attachment comes from..don't open it. Never.
2. Run a "disc cleanup" daily...daily.
3. Defragment the hard drive every two days. It will take less time after the first two or three defrags to run a complete defrag. Your machine will operate better,if not slightly faster,by doing so.
4. You say your computer is "new'. If the problem persists and you have a warranty [ and I'm assuming you purchased it in Oz ] it may be able to be serviced in the U.K. under that warranty from that maker.
Hope you get it fixed,homes... |
Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 75
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:15 am: |
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G'day Howie,
Thanks for that mate. No, I bought the computer here in UK in Feb. I run an anti-virus scan every morning but usually only pick up 20-30 over night.
As for the emails I get that I don't know who's sent them - I just forward them to people I don't like then delete them.
I reckon this resetting the date thing is bewt. It would be even better if we could do it with our lives lol.
How do you 'defrag' the hard drive? That's new to me, but I'll give it a go.
Thanks.
Jules |
Howard Brown
Chief Inspector
Username: Howard
Post Number: 895
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:12 pm: |
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Jules......
For Disc Defragmenting...
1. Hit the "start" button or icon
2. Scroll down to "all programs" and enter that
3. Look for "Accessories"...enter that
4. Look for "system tools"...enter that
5. On this menu,enter "Disk Defragmenter"
When the page comes up, just hit "defragment"..It will take a while,just to let you know.
Then...another page will come up and ask you to "close". Do so.
Do that twice a week,since you only purchased it in February.
For Disc Cleanup:
1. Hit "start"....on the left side of the menu,there should be an icon or wording that says "disc cleanup'...hit that.
2. The box-message comes up and tells you that it is calculating how much can be cleaned up on your machine...when it is finished,another page comes up and asks you to perform disc cleanup...hit "yes".
This does speed up your computer's performance and I would recommend that you do it,as it gets rid of a lot of excess time consuming junk.
Hope it helps.. |
Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 80
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 6:47 pm: |
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Thanks for that Howie. With al this info you guys have been giving me I reckon I'm just about ready to start up my own IT business:-)
Jules |
c.d.
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, September 01, 2005 - 4:45 pm: |
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Jules,
You pick up 20-30 what overnight? Do you have a firewall? If so, check that it is turned on (enabled). If not, I think you need to get one.
c.d. |
Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 84
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 2:16 pm: |
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Virus's c.d. I probably do have a firewall but wouldn't have a bloody clue where to find it. I think I might go back to using a typewriter! there's fewer things to go wrong.
Jules |
George Hutchinson
Chief Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 719
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 8:14 pm: |
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Jules -
If nothing else, you have made me feel good that there is someone else who appears to be even more hated by his PC than me!
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 86
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 11:57 pm: |
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LOL Phil, whenever my computer sees me coming it just laughs at me and says ' hmmm, how can I stuff him up today'. I now have hammer close by in case it tries anything again.
Jules |
c..d
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 07, 2005 - 3:10 pm: |
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Jules,
Hi. At the risk of stating the obvious, you shouldn't be getting ANY viruses let alone 20-30. You didn't say what operating system you have, but if it is a new computer, I am assuming that you have Windows XP. Therefore, go to start, settings, control panel. You will see icons for Windows firewall and another icon for security center. Check them both to make sure that everything is turned on and operating properly.
If you don't want to pursue this any further, I can understand. Just say so. I won't be offended.
c.d. |
Nicholas Smith
Detective Sergeant
Username: Diddles
Post Number: 88
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 8:11 am: |
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No c.d. thanks for all your help. Yeah, I am running windows xp and both the Firewall and Security Centre are fine. With the Security Centre there are 3 parts to it. The 3rd bit I can't turn on (even though I've promised it a night out and a champagne bubble bath). I can only get it to be monitored not running automatically.
Could this be where the virus's are sneeking in?
Jules |
c.d.
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 9:57 am: |
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Jules,
Ok. Let's give it one last shot. Are you running anti-spware scans? Remember that spyware is not a virus per se and your anti-virus scan won't always pick it up. So, if you haven't already, I highly suggest that you download Ad-Aware SE and Microsoft Antispyware. They are both free programs. You can download Ad-Aware SE by going to google.com and typing it in as a search term. You can download Microsoft Antispyware directly by going to microsoft.com
Finally, I would suggest that you go to www.grc.com This is a website run by a well known security expert named Steve Gibson. They have two tests called ShieldsUp and LeakTest. Once you grant them permission, they will attempt to gain entry to your computer. You will then get a print out showing the places on your computer where they were able to gain access and recommendations for fixing the problem. Don't worry, it is all very safe. I have done it numerous times and these programs have been run thousands of times by people with problems such as yours.
I am afraid that I am now out of suggestions. If this doesn't work you might want to consider taking your computer to the Vatican to see what they can do. Good luck!
c.d. |
