Virus Destroyed my Laptop

[hot_love_bot]

Well i was randomly playing EQ about a week and my computer just shut off completely. Well i rebooted and it was running super slow, and as soon as i logged in to windows some random adds started playing sounded like a radio and there wasnt just one add going at a time, there were like 3 yet no windows or apps were up and running. Norton 360 didnt pick it up, drwebbs cureit finally found something and removed the problem. Now im left with a pretty new computer that is running super slow and my norton main window will not open up, nor does my wifi adapter to host wifi off my laptop appear to be working? Can anyone recommend what I should do to get this Asus running right again because I am lost

 

[hawthorne]

Backup your files and wipe the drive. Reinstall using your recovery disc/partition or put a new version of Windows(or whatever OS you use) on it. Reinstall all your programs, you did save all your data to the cloud or some sort of backup, right? Then carry on as before. Except now be a little more careful of what you open.

 

[Xeniaz]

In addition to what Hawthorne said, the most important thing to remember when you get windows reinstalled again... is do not install Norton or McAfee. That's the worst thing you can do to any computer. With either installed, you may as well go back to using an abacus.

 

[SiegeTank]

In addition to what Hawthorne said, the most important thing to remember when you get windows reinstalled again... is do not install Norton or McAfee. That's the worst thing you can do to any computer. With either installed, you may as well go back to using an abacus.

So which a-v do you recommend? He can't run without any...

 

[jamie75]

www.forticlient.com

works very well.

 

[JimJohnson]

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Is all I ever use anymore after a clean install.

 

[burdsjm]

In addition to what Hawthorne said, the most important thing to remember when you get windows reinstalled again... is do not install Norton or McAfee. That's the worst thing you can do to any computer. With either installed, you may as well go back to using an abacus.

McAfee is the worst.

I use Spy-bot Search and Destroy and Symantec Endpoint protection.

Turn the active scans down to minimal and do a full deep scan after your normal playing time so CPU and Memory usage won't be noticed.

 

[hawthorne]

Microsoft Security Essentials for free.
Vipre for paid.
Kaspersky for honorable mention paid.
Trend Micro for corporate.

 

[SiegeTank]

I use Norton 360, SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes. TrendMicro's HouseCall when I want some extra peace of mind.

I see some prejudice toward FREE products here. LOL You get what you pay for in life, at least sometimes. Norton 360 can be had pretty cheap if you buy 3-packs or 5-packs on sale or with Staples or OfficeMax coupons, as little as $12 per install.

Yeah, Norton has its detractors, like any large company would. I've been burned enough times by Microsoft products that I just can't accept subjecting my online protection exclusively to anything made by Microsoft. Altho I will concede MSE has some solid reviews and recommendations on the web.

I do agree McAfee is for the birds. I know people who get it free from their DSL provider and when I hear them bitching about it endlessly I tell them spend the $12 and get Norton, for cryin' out loud, or at least use another better free product.

 

[fauxshizle]

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Is all I ever use anymore after a clean install.

DITTO.......as long as u dont visit pornpornporn.com, and click on links at a furious pace....you should be fine with MSE. Be discriminatory about where you let your interwebwonder take you...look at the URL of links BEFORE you click them.

 

[JimJohnson]

I see some prejudice toward FREE products here. LOL You get what you pay for in life, at least sometimes. Norton 360 can be had pretty cheap if you buy 3-packs or 5-packs on sale or with Staples or OfficeMax coupons, as little as $12 per install.

.

You see a price tag, not the actual end result. I easily would drop 200$ on a protection software if I really thought it would do any good. With moderate to high internet use age and a few porn sites(I am a dude after all). With MSE I have yet have an issue.

Had plenty when I tried Norton and McAfee

 

[Darkon]

what I use is Norton and malwarebytes free protection.

also be aware that there are new threats coming out every day and some new threats are unstoppable until there is a definition out for it.

lots of threats these days are browse by injected from hacked web pages. Java holes holes in Adobe.

stay away from free porn sites they are the worst for allowing driveby insertions.

 

[Xeniaz]

what I use is Norton and malwarebytes free protection.

also be aware that there are new threats coming out every day and some new threats are unstoppable until there is a definition out for it.

Sure, lots of new threats every day. Won't argue that. What I will argue is that Norton / McAfee is a more dangerous infection. I say this for several reasons. First, it lulls people into a false sense of security which causes them to relax there better judgement on what to click on or run on their machine. Second, it's an extremely invasive software with a piss poor track record. It may as well be a virus itself.

lots of threats these days are browse by injected from hacked web pages. Java holes holes in Adobe.

stay away from free porn sites they are the worst for allowing driveby insertions.

It's easy to tell people to stay away from porn sites... but let's face it.. They are going to browse them. Better to show them a safer way to browse. For firefox users, you want to take advantage of the private browsing to not leave potentially dangerous scripts on the computer, and also use an extension such as noscript to prevent "drive by infections" from executing.

Short version: familiarize yourself with available tools to PREVENT the issue rather than install software to clean up when you do something stupid.

P.S. I'm with JimJohnson on using MSE.

 

[ThunderStruck]

everyone's always down on norton's but I've had their 360 version installed for well over a year and never had any slow downs or any of the other problems people always complain about them. Of course I also take 10 mins to go through and actually set it up properly. They give a million options so that you can reduce how much it's taking up of your cpu/memory while using particular software (read: it auto goes into quiet mode when you start up your game)

I've also used Kaspersky and that one isn't bad as well, it's a little less intense on the setup side but works just as well for me as Norton's and didn't cost me as much.

Of course if your using FireFox and you don't have NoScript installed then you are doing it wrong. That one thing will prolly help you more than any AV software will.

 

[SiegeTank]

I agree that Norton is the anti-virus giant that a lot of people LOVE to hate, like most any giant company. But to label Norton worse than a virus infection... um..., that's a gross inaccuracy.

Sure, if people install ANY a-v program and then feel confident enough to browse the Web to any site they're stupid and that applies to any program they place such great reliance upon.

If you want to go to risky sites use the sandbox feature of a browser like Chrome. Personally I don't visit risky sites so I wouldn't even use a sandbox to do it.

The biggest problem for consumers is that websites make use of technology which has inherent security risks, such as scripting languages like JavaScript. And then if you block scripting on your browser you end up unable to visit some even legit sites like banks. How about making the default condition shutting OFF anything that has any potential for a security problem and letting the user decide whether to turn it ON?

As a result of this thread I was just reviewing the strengths and weaknesses of the competing browsers. PC World rates Mozilla Firefox as the most secure browser. But their latest "Bugs & Fixes" column mentions a new release of Firefox fixes "11 security issues, of which 3 are rated critical." The BEST browser out there has 3 critical security flaws!? LOL. What is an ordinary user to do?

While I try not to see conspiracies behind everything I do have my suspicions that browser developers, major Internet sites, anti-virus companies and virus-makers are all working together in some "global conspiracy" scheme to milk money out of consumers for using something that "should" be free to them: the Internet.

This reminds me of a time a few years ago when there was talk that telephone communications was getting so cheap that phone calls would be free in the near future. Now most people spend MORE money on their smart phones, apps and other add-ons than they ever paid back when everyone used copper-wired land lines.

Corporations will always find a way to make money out of us. Malware and malware prevention is just another "profit center", I think.

 

[Copperhead]

is do not install Norton or McAfee. That's the worst thing you can do to any computer. With either installed, you may as well go back to using an abacus.

I have Symantec Antivirus (always updated corporation edition) installed on my current computer and ive never once had a virus of any kind whatsoever and I swear by it. Granted, its not really the "Norton" that we all know, but it is kind of like Norton. Since Norton gets their stuff from them.

Its the best virus software ive ever used and its not all bloatwared up either.

And to be honest, the latest 2013 version of the hated Norton Antivirus isnt as intrusive and resource hoggish as it once was. Its come a long way. So anyone that talks down on Norton products of today, are really just talking about old experiences that no longer exist with the product.

So I would personally recommend Norton to someone today. In the past? I wouldnt have. But things have changed for the better with the product.

And yeah, I agree with what someone else said. FireFox NoScript is pretty much all anyone needs to browse. That will protect you better than most Virus software out there will.

 

[StaticX27]

If you don't mind your computer being a little ginea piggish for a couple days, you can learn quite a bit about Windows, and also how to do virus removal with software like HijackThis. It's an extremely powerful tool, which is mostly what I use for virus removal. Especially if I get infected with something more serious than pop-ups, I'd use HijackThis to disable to virus files, then reboot the machiine and clean off all the ancellary junk with automated tools like Malwarebytes and spybot.

Another recommendation (and it is kind of overkill). Best Buy had some really effective tools. So go online, and download MRI (latest version you can find of SoldierX). comes with a stand alone OS and automated virus removal software. It runs 5-8 virus removal tools (updates to latest definitions as well), and requires no human interaction (unless you tell it to). It was specifically designed to be simple enough for a monkey to use (Best Buy's Geeksquad guys don't relly have to be that bright) and be completely automated (for overnight repairs, and repairing several machines at once). It's more inefficient than removing viruses by hand (obviously), but if you just wanna pop in a disc and leave it on over night, it can't be beat. I've only run across a few viruses that can survive that much of an attack, and I've done thousands of virus removals in my time (I used to work for BBY, and was the main virus guy).

That MRI disc is really freaking awesome and handy. It's designed to be an "I can fix anything" disc, and its constantly updated and maintained by some really smart guys. I'm not one to praise Best Buy, especially with how shittily that company treats their lower end employees, but they really did make an awesome set of tools for their employees. It is piratable, and Soldier-X is the cracked version of those tools.

 

[Yoda007]

Have been running Avira's free version for near 3 years now, always worked a treat and picked up on things before they got too serious

 

[necroman]

Just to let you know Microsoft Security Essentials lost its certification as an AV program. It doesnt find enough of the virus. We cant use it in any corporate environment anymore with any of our customers because of it. With that being said i use it on my home pc and i havent had a single virus problem.

We use vipre av for all our clients now.

Kaspersky i will never use again. It multiple environments and on servers the avp.exe tends to hang a ton and bring machines and servers to a crawl.

 

[Rooster]

The big names seem to go through phases of being good or bad in different ways (system performance/virus detection/clean up etc)

Much like any business, times change and some adapt differently or quicker which may mean one year they suck but the next year they are top of the chain.

At the end of the day, a lot of 'virus protection' comes from the end user using a little common sense about what they do and how they do it. Which is more then any anti virus program can do... without being so annoying that no one would use it ever.