Virus - Help!!! Have been infected with a virus called w32.delf and it has screwed up loads of my .exe files (ie most programs cant run). My norton antivirus has just conveniently expired and the only virus scanner I found on google that knows what to do scans for free but you have to pay a shitload (more than I can afford at mo) for it to remove. It has stopped internet explorer from working and I had to reinstall firefox to get back on the board... Anyone that can help would be greatly appreciated, cheers
it is a peer to peer virus that came through another .exe file i downloaded, not spyware... firewalls etc will do bugger all as i downloaded it offf kazaa where it has been spreading, I have beeen using firefox and have a few spyware/adware progs... it needs a program that knows how to remove it... cheers tho .... its SMOG btw
ran a virus check and deleted all traces of the virus... unfortunately I have lost a lot of programs, but also have got rid of loads of shit too... still gonna have to unclog me harddrive tho... getting some of me stuff back will be a problem but now I just dont know what to do with all these folders missing .exe files... too many were deleted. any ideas of what I should do next? If I could back up my harddrive I would... would reformatting do anything? Defrag? Also tried restoring the system to a previous date but it wouldnt let me :spangled: ive lost programs like nero, power dvd, office 2000, ie, outlook express, photoshop amongst many other less important ones... incidently, the virus changes affected icons to look like swiss cheese... highly amusing for an outsider but unbelievably annoying. any help would be fantastic... d0d9y, juski, bri etc
smog: 'the .exe for norton 2004 had a cheeze icon but i thought it would be alright' u turnip ponce. :laugh:
What virus scanner did you use? If you haven't done so, use the on-line scan at http://housecall.trendmicro.com as well. Do checks of your system with spybot, adaware and any other spyware/trojan removing tool you can get your hands on, just to be doubly sure. You'll have to re-install all of your programs that have been damaged I'm afraid. But before doing that I would recommend you do a repair of Windows (boot from Windows cd, on menu select the option to carry on installing, it will detect your windows partition and ask if you want to repair it. You do. You'll also have to enter your (or any valid) XP key again...). Do that, delete the folders for the programs that have been fucked, then re-install those programs. Defrag after that for cleanliness. No point in reformatting. If you did succeed in restoring your system to a previous point, you would have the virus back, not a good idea. System restore is best left off if you have a habit of getting viruses. Don't use Kazaa/e-donkey/etc, basically ANY p2p client that does you over with spyware, and also learn to scan downloaded files before you open them.
it was called avast and it deleted all the files infected... I hope! can get hold of most of my programs again... so thats not as much of a disaster as I first thought. I have learned a valuble lesson :blush: cheers for all your help guys
You mean the fucked program files have started working again? Be wary there matey - definitely use housecall. And I would def do a repair of Windows, or you may notice some funny things...
no, i had most of the install files on cd so it was just a case of reinstalling the buggered ones, some others i downloaded... still a couple i need but no hurry cheers mike... i owe yee a pint matey
u can't say everyone who gets a virus - Ohh it's their own fault. thats fucking bullshit. Some people, i.e. the older generation, just buy computers from PC world without any knowledge of the terrible world of the internet and it's 13 year old Neo wannbies ... it's not their fault. Fair enough, people using file sharing apps to rob free software and generally rape their ADSL links - they should know better and have qa greater understanding of the risks. Education is the way of preventing infections and hackers - but with the advancement of technology, more and more people want 'broadband cause i've heard i can download music for free" - the demand for people getting new computers will continue to ruse and they'll continue to end up jumping feet first into the web without any ideas of what they're getting themselves into. Retailers have got a lot to answer for, as do ISP's who should make more of an effort to look after their customers. The man of science has spoken /rant
