[wuufer001]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist

Couldn't you do a system checkpoint reload?

this window came up, seems like something is wrong with my restore program

[Year's_End]

Oh shite man...I dunno what to say really...

[clark192]

So I have two suggestions.

Try this link: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ <-- They have good, free online scans.

Also, if that doesn't come up with anything, check out this link http://www.eggxpert.com. Check the forums under the Operating system section, and I am sure that you will find someone more knowledgable than us.

As for the registry cleaner, I was talking about something like this:
http://www.registry-cleaner.net/vist...ry-cleaner.htm

But I have never used it before and I am not sure of its quality. Try searching google for "windows vista registry cleaner" to get some more products.

One more point, your system restore really doesnt matter that much and eats up memory for no real reason. Don't worry about that for now, my guess is whatever trojan you got is trying to block you from reverting to your previous state when you didn't have it. It seems like a minor problem, and as long as its not maliciously attacking your system (like hogging resources or spamming people, or shutting it down ever 5 seconds) then you should be okay for now to just relax and find a cheap solution. GL! If you have any more questions, just email me, cfisher@gwu.edu

[hks786]

Originally Posted by wuufer001

this window came up, seems like something is wrong with my restore program

I'm not 100% sure about Vista because I had it but got rid of it, but it looks like you didnt have System restore turned on. That means the computer doesnt have an actual restore date to restore back to. Could someone verify this?

[wuufer001]

Originally Posted by clark192

So I have two suggestions.

Try this link: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ <-- They have good, free online scans.

Also, if that doesn't come up with anything, check out this link http://www.eggxpert.com. Check the forums under the Operating system section, and I am sure that you will find someone more knowledgable than us.

As for the registry cleaner, I was talking about something like this:
http://www.registry-cleaner.net/vist...ry-cleaner.htm

But I have never used it before and I am not sure of its quality. Try searching google for "windows vista registry cleaner" to get some more products.

One more point, your system restore really doesnt matter that much and eats up memory for no real reason. Don't worry about that for now, my guess is whatever trojan you got is trying to block you from reverting to your previous state when you didn't have it. It seems like a minor problem, and as long as its not maliciously attacking your system (like hogging resources or spamming people, or shutting it down ever 5 seconds) then you should be okay for now to just relax and find a cheap solution. GL! If you have any more questions, just email me, cfisher@gwu.edu

i tried using the trend micro to scan but before it could scan this popped up, i clicked 'ok' a couple of times but still like this. i'm gonna try the others now. thanks

[clark192]

I am not sure, becuase I use XP, but do you have very restrictive internet settings? Or is your Windows firewall enabled? Try disabling these security measures for a bit to get the scan done, then turn then back on. That might help.

[OC Guy]

Check out the faq at the DSLReports Security forums.
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/seclean
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup

Or if you are lazy, just reformat.

[wuufer001]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

Check out the faq at the DSLReports Security forums.
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/seclean
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup

Or if you are lazy, just reformat.

i went to those sites you posted but dayum, the rules there and everything i have to do prior to my post is alot. will have to take some time to go over those, too much reading there. reformat/re-load windows is another choice but backing up all the files i have is going to be a PITA and maybe even those files are infected.
i'll see what i can do otherwise will have to restore windows.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

Check out the faq at the DSLReports Security forums.
http://www.dslreports.com/faq/seclean
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup

Or if you are lazy, just reformat.

That is what I would do. Then again I have all info backed onto an external drive so it just makes my computer faster everytime I have to reformat

[wuufer001]

i have decided to restore my windows. when i first bought my computer i did backup and burn a copy of the vista on to 2 dvds as they suggested but i am not sure if they are complete. but now i am not sure if they will work completely and don't know if it will f@#k up while restoring it.
2 questions:
if incase anything happens will i be able to ask the store (sony) to help me, or is there anywhere else i can go to?

from my original post, i think i have a virus that i can't get rid off. i have scanned all my files for viruese but they are all clean and now i am backing/coping them to an external HD but will the virus be copied to the HD too and cause trouble again after i have copied all my files back to my restored system?

thanks

btw what are the differences between reformatting the hard drive and restroring windows? which is preferred and why?

[OC Guy]

Formatting deletes basically everything and makes you restart from new.

Restoring windows allows you to keep a lot of your old data. Hopefully the virus hasn't infected your restore file though.

Have you tried different online scans?
housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeuse...ns/activescan/
www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

A lot of them use different virus databases so it might help.

Boot to safe mode w/networking (hold down f8 right before the windows startup screen comes up) and run some of the scans.

[wuufer001]

won't restoring windows completely wipe out everything on my computer and start over new?

if i just format my C: are there any other things i have to do prior to that besides backing up my own files? are there like system tools or anything that i should take care of like drivers and application programs?

[UncleWede]

You could still PROBABLY get My Documents and copy it to a DVD or other drive (jump) and then do the format/reload. This virus has probably hooked you internet explorer with an extra command line entry so that every time you open a window or browser, the pop-up occurs. These are often a major PITA, and usually My Docs backup/reload windows from scratch is faster.

Sony SHOULD have provided you with a set of installation disks that will take your system back to the day it was born. After doing that, make sure you get some form a protection. . .

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by wuufer001

won't restoring windows completely wipe out everything on my computer and start over new?

if i just format my C: are there any other things i have to do prior to that besides backing up my own files? are there like system tools or anything that i should take care of like drivers and application programs?

Yes, restoring Windows will knock out all of your information. It might not get the virus though as it could be hidden in a system file at this point in time.

Backup what you can as the virus most likely will not be in your music/pictures. Make sure you have all instillation CDs for the programs you want to keep, or the files to install them if you have those Then just start new. Delete all partitions, reformat NTSF and reinstall Windows.

[wuufer001]

SONY gave me 2 blank DVD's to ask me to create backup/restore discs myself but now sure if i have done it right though. if restoring windows doesn't go as planned can i take my notebook to where i bought it (SONY STORE) and ask them to do it for me?

[wuufer001]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Yes, restoring Windows will knock out all of your information. It might not get the virus though as it could be hidden in a system file at this point in time.

so are you saying that even if i restore/reinstall windows the virus might still be there? if yes then what should i do to guarantee that the virus will get wiped out?

[UncleWede]

Find somebody else with the same Sony machine and no virus and have them create the CDs for you?

You can ASK at the Sony store, they MIGHT make you a clean set. Most places these days vary on how much help they will give you for a virus.

[wuufer001]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

Find somebody else with the same Sony machine and no virus and have them create the CDs for you?

You can ASK at the Sony store, they MIGHT make you a clean set. Most places these days vary on how much help they will give you for a virus.

i have created the cd's when i first bought the notebook so i guess those are clean. i'm gonna try and do it myself, if something happens i think i'm just gonna take it to sony

[wuufer001]

hey guys, i've restored to a previous date and the pop up ad thing is done and not coming up anymore.
i tried to completely restore windows but it displayed that it can not find my file to completely restore, it can only do a system restore.
is there any way to make vista more faster especially when i start/restart my computer. it takes long to log-on and have to wait for a while before i can do things smoothly.
i know some of will say drop vista and use another OS but i guess i am not able to do that.

is it because of the norton AV that came with computer?
are there any other programs from the internet that i can use to prevent things like what happened to me earlier on (POP UP)?
thanks for all the inputs up to now

[UncleWede]

I don't know how you do it in Vista, but now you need to turn off system restore, so you eliminate the chance of that thing getting restored automatically. once the restore points are cleared, maybe turn them back on again.