Hi Robin,
I know how you feel. It's seems ridiculous that you get a better system and
immediately have all of these problems.
Cable modems or fast connections are what the hackers look for. But you can get it
up to speed by doing the following:
1. Call Dell and give them the information on your computer and buy the set of disks
that came with your computer. If you can get them from the person you bought it
from, great, but you need those.
2. Temporary fix for those Messenger Popups (you don't have to be on line, but with
cable you're always on unless shutdown or have the cable modem on standby). To do
this:
Start
Settings
Control Panel
Administrative Tools
d/c Services
Scroll down Messenger & d/c
Click Stop & in the drop-down choose Manual (That way you won't need to do it ever
time you start the computer)
OK out of all
That took care of Messenger Popups (temporary fix)
Now to get rid of your Vermits
Go to Google and do a search for "Stinger"
Download the program that will get rid of 35 or more of the most common infections.
Afterward you can run an online Virus Scan to see if there are others
Let's go do an online Virus Scan
Open I.E. and go to this site
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/
In the center (down low) find Online Virus and Security Check; Click it
Choose Virus Scan
A window will prompt you to allow downloading of Virus Definitions
Click okay
Keep going and this will take up to 15 minutes.
When you get to the end print the infections and files it finds.
Go to Google and do a search for the name of the infection, find Symantec's write-up
on it.
Print the sheet.
Do all it says to do in the order it says to do it.
I know this seems tough, but to get the computer safe, you're gonna need to do this
or FORMAT
Then
Get safe
Go to
www.spychecker.com
Hunt for AVG by grisoft antivirus program.
Download the free version
It is pretty straight forward, but you need to set it to do a virus scan once per
day for a while. I download definitions manually and often, because of all the new
Worms coming out everyday.
And set the preferences to always to check your email.
Here is what you need to know about most modern infections
Do Not Ever open attachments, even from your friends (that may have a virus and
you're in their address book). The reason you have infections now is probably
because you got it from a friend or you gave it to a friend. Most new infections
have their own email program, and just use your address book to send it do everyone
of your friends and family.
As soon as you have the antivirus, you need to look for Zone Alarm (or similar)
firewall. Download and install it. Leave it on the default settings to begin with.
If you jack with it, you probably won't remember what you did, and will be screaming
a hacker is in you computer.
After that look for AdAware and SpyBot S&D
Download and install them
These two programs will get rid of most all of your Scumware (Spyware, malware), but
not Toolbar crude that you will probably have to deal with sooner or later.
These programs can delete good files. AdAware wants to delete some files that SpyBot
uses, so read every time when you run these programs.
When you get through, you will begin to understand why you need protections these
days with a Cable Modem.
Another thing, don't leave your computer running, when you're away. Shut it down.
And when you go eat or whatever for an hour or so, press the "standby" button on the
modem. Hackers can not get in. When they knock on your door, "no one is home".
You have over 65,000 back doors on your computer called "ports". And people all over
the world are getting smarter by the day (hour) about doing all they can to make use
of the internet to pilfer, and make money off of most anything you can imagine, and
use your computer doing it.
One other suggestion, you may consider buying a router. Go to
www.pricwatch.com and
click on Networking, networking other and you will find a simple router for less
than $20 bucks. A good one with four ports, like a Linksys BEFRS41 your can get fo
$50. If you might have need for a home network in the near future, that will allow
you to use your New Laptop anywhere in the house, without a wire, you might consider
a wireless router. But for right now it's gonna be more headache for you.
One really great rule you need to start is to NOT open any attachments, even if you
know the person, unless you contact them to make sure them, in fact, did send you
this. Seems tough, but you can begin to use phrases among your family and friend
that a virus write has no way of knowing, like nick names, of things you have in
common, or nick names that no one else can know, because it's no in you address
book.
With these self contained email type infections, you can also do this. In your
address book go through it and place some erroneous addresses like this
1111111111@WORM_ALERT.YES . and use the most common letters of the alphabet for
names. The virus writers know how to be good "Wheel of Fortune" players, I would use
"X" and "Z" also. This is not necessary, but will catch one on your computer,
because the infection will send them out with these addresses and you will get the
email back saying that the address is no longer any good, yada yada.
This looks like a bunch of manic crap, but it is not.
You need those CD's, and you need to learn how to make an ERD that is in your Backup
program(do it a System State; backs up your registry). Takes one Formatted Floppy,
and about 20 seconds to make, but is invaluable.
Please take the time to use W2K properly and you can't love it enough. XP Pro is W2K
with a Tinker Bell GUI. (graphic user interface)
Good Luck, Good Computing,
don
I recently purchased my puter and am using a cable modem and service, now I thought
it was supposed to be much faster than a dial up. Nope, and I am always locking up
when online surfing the net. I constantly see popups even with a Blocker installed.
It goes from lower case to caps all by itself without the caplock. Things are so bad
with this that I can barely use my puter anymore. Windows 2000 Pro was already
installed when I bought this puter, which is a Dell 2400. I dont have a boot disk,
or anything with the program. And most of the programs that come with the
Installation arent available on my system. I have upgraded all the latest from the
update list on Microsoft webpage. I have used PC Doctor with no changes. I have
called my ISP support services, and they say all is ok with my system. I need help
or I am gonna throw this puter out the door. Can anyone spare some time to help me
with this? Advice?
Thanks in advance
Robin
