Computer Virus revisited

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Back in Time

Back in Time

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Couldn't figure out why all the sudden my Computer slowed to a crawl and at times wouldn't connect to some sites(FABO ) being one. I've had this Laptop for over 3 years now and have just relied on Windows Defender to keep me running. After it slowed down I ran 3 virus scans with nothing found. Used free version of AVG to find 1 piece of Malware which was removed. It was still slow so I started poking around in My Control Panel and found a recent download I didn't recognize and Googled it. Sure enough it was a known Virus and as soon as I got it uninstalled and rebooted My Laptop it's running like a top again. The name was ober version 1.6444. I no longer trust Windows to protect me but every free Virus I ever used slowed my computer down. Any suggestions ? No, I won't ditch Windows :)
 
Back in Time said:
Couldn't figure out why all the sudden my Computer slowed to a crawl and at times wouldn't connect to some sites(FABO ) being one. I've had this Laptop for over 3 years now and have just relied on Windows Defender to keep me running. After it slowed down I ran 3 virus scans with nothing found. Used free version of AVG to find 1 piece of Malware which was removed. It was still slow so I started poking around in My Control Panel and found a recent download I didn't recognize and Googled it. Sure enough it was a known Virus and as soon as I got it uninstalled and rebooted My Laptop it's running like a top again. The name was ober version 1.6444. I no longer trust Windows to protect me but every free Virus I ever used slowed my computer down. Any suggestions ? No, I won't ditch Windows :)
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Switch to one of the many free Linux OSs. Peppermint?
 
AND NOW a story from the "medium old" days

"Back when" I got started messin with computers, hell might as well start at the beginning, which was almost the end..........

When the Commodor 64's came out a friend?? of mine bought one and talked me into buying his Vic20. "Poke and Peek." audio cassette for a "hard drive" An old TV set for a display. Damn near cured me of EVER wanting to anything with computers

Then at a "hamfest" (amateur radio get together and flea market) I got what was for the time a fair buy on a "Bleeding Edge" ??8086?? I think. Had two 360K floppies, an added hard drive, an an amber ?? 10" monitor. BIG stuff!!! DOS 3. something. Xtree Gold

Then I started buying used junk out of the local "Nickel's Worth" a free "for sale" rag. And I got some boards, some junk, some REAL junk, and so on. Eventually a 286, then a 386, then a FOUR eighty SIX he says, reverently!!!!

At some point I ended up with Windblows 3.x And my neighbor GAVE me a CD with a 95 upgrade. Unfortunately, this was before I was on the brand new internet, and did not know that you can "hack" W95 upgrade into a fresh install, VERY easily

So ANYWAY (jumping ahead) it turns out that I found out much later, that I'd obtained the "Magellean" virus, most likely from a "friend" who had sent me some floppies of "Great Free Stuff."

And the trouble began. I did not KNOW I had a virus, and the damn thing would "kinda" work. But you could NOT read a locked floppy (like an MS W3x floppy) because the virus kept telling you that "it could not read the floppy because it was locked." For a time I did not KNOW any better, so I UNLOCKED them.

This went on..........and later got some new stuff, Pentium II, W98, etc etc, until one day at a thrift store I came across a NOS Norton "suite" had anti virus, a desktop, and a bunch of trouble shooting utilities.

So I installed it, even though it was out of date. And KA-BLAMBOH!!!! it pops up with Magellean!!!!

So I guess it must have taken me 3-4 years before I finally got that "mess" cleaned up!!!
 
I guess I need to rephrase "Any suggestions" to "any suggestions on how to protect Windows better " Al the other is just blather to me.
 
Back in Time said:
I guess I need to rephrase "Any suggestions" to "any suggestions on how to protect Windows better " Al the other is just blather to me.
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Use Firefox for your web browser, has security settings you can go in and tweek. It will also let you know to update so you stay current and safe with the latest version.

Firefox version 80 is out now.

Clean out the temp folders on your windows computer often. > Windows Key > Press R > then type %temp% to get to the temp folder so you can clean it out.
 
George Jets said:
Use Firefox for your web browser, has security settings you can go in and tweek. It will also let you know to update so you stay current and safe with the latest version.

Firefox version 80 is out now.

Clean out the temp folders on your windows computer often. > Windows Key > Press R > then type %temp% to get to the temp folder so you can clean it out.
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Thanks, I clean my temps, cookies and all that once a week just to be safe I had Fire Fox years ago and didn't like it. Is it better now ?
 
Back in Time said:
Thanks, I clean my temps, cookies and all that once a week just to be safe I had Fire Fox years ago and didn't like it. Is it better now ?
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Yes better now, take a little time to learn the different settings it has to offer. I set mine on "Strict" and don't remember the history. I go in and uncheck all the un necessary boxes, like search suggestions etc. Auto fill, don't remember passwords. I lock it down.

Then you can go in and clear Data, and Clear History file too once a week for the browser.
 
Viri were so prevalent where I used to work, that soon after i started (circa 1995) I started collecting them.

If there was a suspected infection, I'd put in a floppy and copy executable files to in on purpose.

After I'd cleaned the PC (usually with F-Prot AV), I'd label the disk with the Virus that was found.
(and a custom "mecha-Hazard" logo I made based on the bio-hazard logo but with hexagons instead of circles)

Then I'd make copies of those infected diskettes and use them to test anti-virus programs we were considering using.

It also allowed me to see what the behavior was when a PC was infected with a particular virus, which aided in determining what future infected computers actually had.

That was a fun time in technology.
 
.....and the best protection from infection is "safe computing".

If it looks fishy, it probably is.

I have never run an installed AV program on any of the computers I've ever owned (except the free defender/MSE since whenever that came out and was included in a new install), and I've only ever had 2 viri since 1992, and one of those was given to me by the guy that was tasked with "training" me for that aforementioned job (what a joke).
 
YY1 said:
.....and the best protection from infection is "safe computing".

If it looks fishy, it probably is.

I have never run an installed AV program on any of the computers I've ever owned (except the free defender/MSE since whenever that came out and was included in a new install), and I've only ever had 2 viri since 1992, and one of those was given to me by the guy that was tasked with "training" me for that aforementioned job (what a joke).
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I really make an effort to never click on any link and go directly to the site but at times I think I'm doing one thing and instead do something stupid(probably the case here) :) :)



Apparently this was attached with something else, A video player update of some sort. For the life of me I can't remember which one.
 
YY1 said:
.....and the best protection from infection is "safe computing".

If it looks fishy, it probably is.

I have never run an installed AV program on any of the computers I've ever owned (except the free defender/MSE since whenever that came out and was included in a new install), and I've only ever had 2 viri since 1992, and one of those was given to me by the guy that was tasked with "training" me for that aforementioned job (what a joke).
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I'll tell ya a little secret about that "safe computing." I don't remember whether it was "Xtra Putrid" or Whinhozed sleven, but "back then" you could start a fresh install of Windblows, and it would start to update during the install, AND PICK UP A BUG right then and there. There was traffic and discussion about this very thing, a few years ago. I'm not talking about some hacked/ burned copy. I'm talking about a factory Microshaft CD
 
I don't think my pc has a virus. It works good enough at Facebook, email, anything I do... except this forum. I get slow load, pop saying page not responding, same on MS Edge or Chrome browser. I pretty much know its all the fackin adds. I've heard that I can pay a fee to remove some of those.
 
MalwareBytes is actually pretty good.

Be aware that it's anti-malware, and NOT anti-virus.

It does find and remove most malware for free.

...but only for a limited time, and only on a manual basis.

If you want it to run automatic and be pro-active, that's what you pay for.
 
Back in Time said:
Nope, Already said I'm not switching :)
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YY1 is correct and I was hoping someone would mention Malwarebytes.
For the average user that and Ccleaner works pretty well together.
Scan with Malwarebytes and remove anything it finds, and then run the Ccleaner every time you finish with the computer.
That should do pretty good for you without having to learn a bunch of new crap about virus/malware differences and how to handle each.
Most of what people and antivirus programs call a virus is malware anyway.
 
TrailBeast said:
YY1 is correct and I was hoping someone would mention Malwarebytes.
For the average user that and Ccleaner works pretty well together.
Scan with Malwarebytes and remove anything it finds, and then run the Ccleaner every time you finish with the computer.
That should do pretty good for you without having to learn a bunch of new crap about virus/malware differences and how to handle each.
Most of what people and antivirus programs call a virus is malware anyway.
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Thanks I did follow his suggestion on Malware Bytes. It found thousands of problems. Helped a bunch. Computer sped up a bunch but now to tackle all the programs running in the back round that don't need to be will help more.
 
Go through "add and remove programs"....

If you don't know what something is- google it.
 
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