Pop up message claiming computer is infected

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gord Dibben
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Gord Dibben

Neighbour has picked up one of those virus/worms or malwares than informs
him that his computer is infected with all sorts of viruses and for a fee he
can download a program to remove these infections.

For protection he has been running nothing but the default WindowsXP
security and firewall.

To top it off, his "good friend" who set up the computer used a pirated copy
of WindowsXP so cannot get updates etc.

My opinion is...........wipe computer and install a legal copy of the OS.

He would like to just get remove the worm or whatever is giving the pop up
"infection" message.

Any chance of that?


Gord
 
Neighbour has picked up one of those virus/worms or malwares than informs
him that his computer is infected with all sorts of viruses and for a fee he
can download a program to remove these infections.

For protection he has been running nothing but the default WindowsXP
security and firewall.

To top it off, his "good friend" who set up the computer used a pirated copy
of WindowsXP so cannot get updates etc.

My opinion is...........wipe computer and install a legal copy of the OS.

He would like to just get remove the worm or whatever is giving the pop up
"infection" message.

Any chance of that?


Gord
Click to expand...

Gord, have your *friend* download and run MalwareBytes. That will
almost surely solve *his* problem.

http://www.malwarebytes.org

HTH,

-- Larry
 
Gord

Possible but not recommended on a Pirated version of XP.Best to reformat and install
a legal copy of any OS. Your solution is what will work. Using the option of
removing this malware from a infected pirated version of XP will mean nothing. It
will continuously come back with many other issues.

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect
 
If the infected computer will boot to the SAFE MODE, you have a fighting chance.

On another computer, download Malwarebytes (www.malwarebytes.org) to a flash drive.
Start the infected computer in the safe mode and install Malwarebytes and run it in the "quick scan"
mode.
It should clean out enough of the Rogue Antivirus program to then start in the normal mode.
In the normal mode re-run Malwarebytes (use the update feature to get the latest data file) in the
complete scan mode.

If your neighbor is not willing to buy and install a valid copy of Windows, he/she will just get hit
again and again with these malwares.
Time to get the neighbor's attention with a big two by four.
 
Will give MWbytes a try.

Your advice about legalizing has already been given.

Not sure if he will follow it but that's up to him.

Thanks, Gord
 
Peter said:
Gord

Possible but not recommended on a Pirated version of XP.Best to reformat
and install a legal copy of any OS. Your solution is what will work.
Using the option of removing this malware from a infected pirated
version of XP will mean nothing. It will continuously come back with
many other issues.
Click to expand...

Most pirated versions of XP are Volume Licenses and don't come with
malware, your FUD notwithstanding. I know people who have pirated copies
installed and haven't had a problem for YEARS. To get updates, all one
needs to do is use Automatic Updates and decline any "genuine" updates.
Your suggestion to buy a legal copy of XP is disingenuous at best when
you consider they aren't selling XP anymore.
 
In
Alias said:
Most pirated versions of XP are Volume Licenses and don't
come with malware, your FUD notwithstanding. I know people
who have pirated copies installed and haven't had a problem
for YEARS. To get updates, all one needs to do is use
Automatic Updates and decline any "genuine" updates. Your
suggestion to buy a legal copy of XP is disingenuous at
best when you consider they aren't selling XP anymore.
Click to expand...

Bull; they certainly are.
 
In
Alias said:
Most pirated versions of XP are Volume Licenses and don't
come with malware,
Click to expand...

and therefore, some do.

your FUD notwithstanding.

pot - black

I know people
who have pirated copies installed and haven't had a problem
for YEARS.
Click to expand...

And I know people who have had pirated copies installed and they've had
nothing but problems. Neither situation makes pirating legal and does make
such people thieves and criminals. Apparently that's you.

To get updates, all one needs to do is use
Automatic Updates and decline any "genuine" updates.
Click to expand...

Yup, and some of those are pretty darned important updates. And what happens
when you want an update but it depends on having a previous update that was
refused in order to work.

Your
suggestion to buy a legal copy of XP is disingenuous at
best when you consider they aren't selling XP anymore.
Click to expand...

Of course XP is still for sale, bot new and used, all with legitimate COA et
al. I just checked and the first three retailers I checked would still
suppy XP. A lot of places even stocked up on it if you kept up with the
times at all. Some places are even still pre-installing XP Pro and Home.
But I won't tell you where because you're a pirate anyway and don't need it.
Did you know even win98 is stil available? Others, too, but you've
probably already pirated them, long ago.

Since pirating is a federal crime, I'd keep an eye on your front door.
 
Gord

Possible but not recommended on a Pirated version of XP.Best to reformat
and install a legal copy of any OS. Your solution is what will work.
Using the option of removing this malware from a infected pirated
version of XP will mean nothing. It will continuously come back with
many other issues.
Click to expand...

Many other issues?
 
Many other issues?
Click to expand...

Back to the real issue - If Malwarebytes does not work get both
versions of McAfees Stinger - they produce a normal version and one
that targets viruses that thrive on flash drives

Piracy is an ethics problem, not a windows problem - I don't like it
but with some vendors can certainly see why it is done.

Mi Tasol
 
In
Mi Tasol said:
Back to the real issue - If Malwarebytes does not work get both
versions of McAfees Stinger - they produce a normal version and one
that targets viruses that thrive on flash drives
Click to expand...

There are also A/V tools that boot and run independently of your compromised
Windows system. Avira has one:

http://dlpro.antivir.com/package/rescue_system/common/en/rescue_system-common-en.iso

Burn the ISO to a CD and boot it.

http://www.avira.com/en/support/support_downloads.html
 
Back to the real issue - If Malwarebytes does not work get both
versions of McAfees Stinger - they produce a normal version and one
that targets viruses that thrive on flash drives
Click to expand...

Why would I want to, I'm using a linux distro, those apps won't run.

Perhaps you meant to reply to the OP instead of me.

<snip>
 
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