system crash, need help

[james636]

Please forgive me if this is not the correct place to post this topic. I've just recovered from a system crash by reinstalling XP Home. While in the process of reinstalling certain software, I'm unable to install Norton internet Security 2004. About a fourth of they way through the installation, it alerts me that Norton Internet Security installation has failed. Can anyone help me with this. Apparrently, my system crashed because of a Trojan virus and completely shut down. Does installing a new OS delete any Trojan or viruses that were present on my pc. Also, is there an application that not only gets rid of viruses and trojans but blocks them before they get to my pc. Before the crash, I had the latest version of Trojan remover and norton internet security. The both deleted trojans and viruses but did not block them; the trojan and viruses would have to make it to the pc before I could do anything about them. Also I noticed that nortan doesn't recognige trojans very well. The reason I say this is that After my weekly norton scan I noticed my system stalling, booting slow, and showing other signs of infection. So I ran a scan with trojan remover and detected a trojan, but I didn't delete it right away; I scanned the same file with norton an it said that the file was OK, Bummer. Any advice about Reformatting and trojan removal is appreciated

[johns0]

Best thing to do is get the newest patches from microsoft for the sasser and msblast virus and search for stinger.exe and use that,if viruses cant be deleted then bring up the taskbar and end the process for the virus.If things are so bad you have to install winxp dont install over your old winxp,just choose to delete the partition and install on a new ntfs partition and unplug your connection while installing if you are on broadband,the sasser and msblast can get on your system while the network gets installed even before you see the desktop.Then apply the msblast and sasser patches you saved and install a better firewall such as sygate and i recommend mcafee over nortons for virus protection.Then plug back in your network connection.

[northcat_8]

Since you obviously have internet access. I suggest you go to www.trendmicro.com and scan your PC. If you are on dialup it will take a little while for everything load.

Trend is head and shoulders above any other virus scanner on the market...and it's free. In my opinion Norton sucks. I have it because I have to have some sort of anti-virus or the network where I work will lock my dock and deny me access.

I don't run anti-virus on my desktop PC, I just scan at trend once a week.

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for your problem, but scan at trend, if you have a virus trend will tell you how to properly remove it, complete with registry edits.

[james636]

Thanks for your reply northcat_8, You're right about norton, it does suck. I should ask for a refund from them since my pc crashed because of it's failure to protect me. I just installed E Trust EZ Armor Anti-virus and firewall software which is free because I'm a roadrunner custumer. After installation, I imediately found my Trojan problem. It was a script Trojan that called windowsupdater JS.js Trojan. It started when windows start. At this very moment, it is Showing me the people that are attempting to gain acess to my computer. It is also giving me there IP address as we speak. Is there anything that I can do to discourage these people from attempting to gain control of my pc?

[james636]

Hey northcat, Trend really works great. It found another trojan called JUNKSURF.A. I'm really considering purchasing there service Thanks Again

[Headbanger's Ball]

At this very moment, it is Showing me the people that are attempting to gain acess to my computer. It is also giving me there IP address as we speak. Is there anything that I can do to discourage these people from attempting to gain control of my pc?

My firewall was letting me know of port scans & other nasties attempting to invade my pc. I notified my isp so they could take care of it (since the ip of the "attack" was from the same server I was using.) After a little investigating, I realized that some poor fool had a virus on their pc & it was trying to gain access to mine.
To discourage attackers....do a check on the offending ip# to see where it is coming from and email their isp with a logfile attached showing the intrusion.

And if you are doing a full re-install because of a virus...do everyone a favor & reformat your hard drive...some viruses like to hide on the drive or disguise themselves as bad sectors.

Good Luck

[northcat_8]

There are lots of great things you can do with a person's IP address...they are unethical and you could get in legal trouble if you cause damage to their system...if you get caught.

If you have their IP address, just load it into your own port scanner and scan their ports...never know, they may have a network printer or shared HD open to the public. If they know what they are doing, their real IP address is masked and/or spoofed and if they are very good, then they scanned you through a phish account and you will just be attacking an innocent person.

Trend is very good. I scan my notebook with them even though I have Norton on the notebook, Trend catches virus that Norton and McAfee miss. Norton also causes other problems with stability I think. My desktop PC only crashes if I do something stupid and I know it may crash. My notebook will crash just on occasion, while using Photoshop or Word or something...but didn't crash before I installed Norton...

Happy to help. Good Luck.

[budz]

Well Norton can bite me! As usual Norton didn't find 3 trojan viruses I had on this pc. Trend found them quickly which could not be cleaned. I had to end up deleting them. Now I'm wondering if anything was taken off my pc from this trojan virus I had. I don't store personal info. like credit card or bank info.

Trend Micro is a good virus program which now I am going to consider purchasing. Only thing I heard was Trend Micro doesn't tell you when you have to start paying for the new antivirus definitions.

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Norton I hate you!

[james636]

Hey Budz, There was a virus that trend scanned and found for me that they were unable to get rid of. It was in "RECYCLER" and "SYSTEM VOLUMES INFORMATION." I can't seem to locate those folders. Can anyone help me please. I'm running XP Home

[james636]

Hey northcat, If I was to get into there pc and they have a virus or trojan on there computer, will I get it

[budz]

It was in "RECYCLER" and "SYSTEM VOLUMES INFORMATION." I can't seem to locate those folders. Can anyone help me please. I'm running XP Home

The virus I had was trojanstar or something like that. It was in the my documents/admin tools. I was so pissed off that I didn't write it down. Sorry I don't know about XP. Is your pc still infected or did you delete the virus with TREND MICRO?

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[james636]

There is one left there are two left within "RECYCLER" and "System Volumes Information" I need to get to those folders, but I can't locate them

[GKar]

A lot of that stuff has the hidden attribute set. I have a program called pdfind.exe that can locate those hidden things. I can email it to you, PM me.

[northcat_8]

Hey Budz, There was a virus that trend scanned and found for me that they were unable to get rid of. It was in "RECYCLER" and "SYSTEM VOLUMES INFORMATION." I can't seem to locate those folders. Can anyone help me please. I'm running XP Home

Your system volumes information is where your backup or system restore points are kept.

To delete those files you need to:

Goto control panel > system > system restore tab and put a check mark in the box beside "Turn off system restore" click "OK" all the way out and restart your PC. As soon as windows starts go back and turn system restore back on, then go to your help menu and create a new restore point.

***now doing this will delete ALL previous restore points

If you wrote down the path or volume name when trend found it, you can boot into safe mode and just remove that individual restore point.

You cannot see the System Volumes Information folder, it is hidden. Go to the Tools Menu, folder option > "VIEW" tab and clear the check mark that says "Hide Protected operating system files" and also enable show hidden files.

Whether you get the trojan or not depends on the type of trojan it is. Typically trojans are not like worms that will travel from computer to computer on their own. Trojans usually travel as some file that the user has to double click or run himself. But times are changing and some trojans do travel on their own (I think).

When you scan at trend the virus' come up in that window and they are links, if you double click the virus name it will take you to a page that tells you how the virus travels, how damaging it could be, and step by step how to remove it.