Virus of Some Sort???

[MicBat]

My computer is not letting me go to my display properties area... the place that enables you to change your wallpaper/screensaver/resolution/etc. I tried right-clicking on the desktop and going to "properties" and nothing happened. Then, I went to the "appearance and themes" section of the control panel and it still wont take me to this menu. Is this some sort of virus or something?! Thanks for the help!

 

[tigsmom]

Thats odd. Now if you ask ogryn he will testify that I know nothing about computers...now with that said...have you tried restarting your computer?
Do you have a system restore? Turn that off and try restarting. Run your antivirus and any spy detector programs that you have.

Good luck.

 

[MicBat]

I restarted, I ran my virus software, and I kicked the computer... Well, maybe not all.. and not in that order. I noticed it a few weeks ago, but thought it would be remedied when I restarted the computer. But whenever I restarted the computer, I forgot to recheck. *sigh* Who knows?... :brick:

 

[Tramp]

Are you running XP?

Try using the guest account or create a new account and see if you still have the problem.

 

[Goofette]

Could it be a Hijacker? I ran spybot search and destroy when my computer did that a few months ago, or something similar to that. It caught the hijacker and destroyed it, then I was able to go where I wanted again. Good Luck!!

 

[tigsmom]

Could it be a Hijacker? I ran spybot search and destroy when my computer did that a few months ago, or something similar to that. It caught the hijacker and destroyed it, then I was able to go where I wanted again. Good Luck!!

I run both Spybot & Ad-Aware at least once a week. :wave:

Jonnie, you have to turn off the system restore before you restart the computer.

 

[The Mom]

Which virus software are you running? I've had both Norton and Mcafee in the past (not simultaneously) and they BOTH let a virus in! I've been using AVG ever since, but even IT let a virus through last week. It was able to locate the file, but couldn't remove it. I had to run Spybot, went to tools, clicked on security shredder, clicked on add templates, clicked on the file, and shredded it. BE VERY CAREFUL; you don't want to shred the wrong file!

BTW, this was a previously unidentified Downloader Trojan; the protection has been updated to stop it. As my geeky neighbor said, "You're on the cutting edge again, dammit!) It either came through an infected e-mail from NOAA, or my son picked it up on Warcraft.

 

[The Mom]

I run both Spybot & Ad-Aware at least once a week. :wave:

Jonnie, you have to turn off the system restore before you restart the computer.

Since my infection, I run them (and AVG) daily!

 

[Debbie]

I'm having the same problem, only it's affected my Show Desktop. I can't find the 'show desktop icons'. It's like it has disappeared. If there is any virus; it's from the boys trying to download a game.

 

[tigsmom]

I run my anti virus every night, had a problem with a sneaky virus myself not too long ago. The spy ware kicks in once a week, but anytime I notice trouble I run it.

 

[MicBat]

I went to windowsxp.com last night and they said on there that the application might have been accidently deleted. It said to take the windows xp disk, locate the file on there, and redownload. *sigh* Hopefully that will work. Unfortunatly it will have to wait until I go home next week because that's where the disk is at. Thanks for the help, everyone!! :wave:

 

[tigsmom]

I'm having the same problem, only it's affected my Show Desktop. I can't find the 'show desktop icons'. It's like it has disappeared. If there is any virus; it's from the boys trying to download a game.

When you right click on your desktop does the little box appear?
Put your cursor over Arrange Icons BY- the Show Desktop Icons should be checked.

 

[crazygirley]

Who uses a firewall?

I don't because I never got around to it. I had a bad virus last May, and have been running Ad-Aware and Norton religiously every week (and whenever I notice problems) as well as keep up with Updates.

Does anyone know if it is a super important thing to have a firewall?

 

[ogryn]

If you are connected to the internet for long periods of time a firewall is essential.

You can either get a hardware one (Linux, or built-into a router), or a software one (like Zonealarm). Your computer has lots of ports on it (imagine like holes in the back of it). So if an application wants to talk over the internet, it uses a port (http uses port 80, ftp uses port 21, AIM uses 5190, for example). A Firewall will block-up any ports that are unused, which malicious software might try to access in order to get onto your computer.

Software like ZoneAlarm also tells you when applications are trying to access the internet and allows you to give them access (or not). This gives you a chance, when for example, you have a virus on your machine and it trys to talk back to base, or send junk emails, to stop it from having access.

So in short. Yes, get a firewall. http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/free/1012_zl/zlsSetup_55_062_000.exe

 

[TAC]

Who uses a firewall?

I don't because I never got around to it. I had a bad virus last May, and have been running Ad-Aware and Norton religiously every week (and whenever I notice problems) as well as keep up with Updates.

Does anyone know if it is a super important thing to have a firewall?

If you have a high speed (cable modem, DSL) internet connection, you BETTER have a Firewall. I don't know too much about DSL and whether you can stay on the internet 'forever,' but I can do that with a cable modem. If you have dial-up, most hackers won't bother to hack a dial-up system, since it's too slow for them.

A FREE firewall is ZoneAlarm, from Zonelabs. It blocks all those 14 year old pimple faced snot-nosed kids from taking over your computer. It blocks what are called "port attacks." If you have an open port through your IP address, that is the way the hackers get in.

A web site to test your system: www.grc.com (Gibson Research Corporation). You have to download two small programs that the web site uses to check out your system.

NOTE: I have NO financial, ethical or any other interest in www.grc.com, Gibson Research Corporation, etc etc., and I am in NO way responsible for any problems with your computer resulting from you pointing your internet browser to said web site....yada yada yada

 

[barnum42]

I've not used it yet as I have Zone Alarm configured, but Windows XP SP2 includes a firewall.

 

[Not For Sale]

2 (free) products I reccoment/not affiliated with in any way:

HijackThis!, a tool that removes potentially harmful prgrams and applications, works like a charm

And Peerguardian, a firewall that blocks IP addresses of companies, RIAA, etc...You can also add IP addresses to block

 

[tigsmom]

You MUST have a firewall in this day and age. I have one from McAfee, I have the XP firewall and my internet service offers one (we have DSL). I like to test my firewall every once in awhile, I use the McAfee and it tests the ports and issues a report...all are always secure.

 

[crazygirley]

Anyone recommend the Norton Firewall?

 

[ogryn]

anyone really apart from BlackICE or the built-in WindowsXP one (which doesn't go far enough in protecting you)

I only mentioned Zonealarm before because the standard edition is free.