What is wrong with my PC?

[steelyman]

You are correct, as long as the person testing it, realizes the slow speed is the cd/dvd drive.
I just recently moved 2 elderly folks off XP to Ubuntu, and I used the new drive method (preserving their old drive) so they could give it try for weeks without my being there to help.

Both of them, have stayed with Ubuntu.

You should be commended for helping people like that.

I think all it takes is an afternoon to get the hang of a Linux distribution. If you like it, you can go more permanent.

 

[Disappointed]

Noton AV is unable to fix the problem.

I keep getting "outbound traffic detected"
"We have detected a large amount of suspicious outbound traffic on your system. Your computer may be infected with something that Norton Power Eraser can detect and remove." I ran NPE and it hung at trying to find the latest version? NPE also corrupted my excel files and a bunch of photos on my computer. I am going to take my computer to a tech this Friday. Now I am left with an ipad and an old laptop.




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[easysurfer]

Any word yet as to what the compute tech folks found?

Hopefully, they don't say "It's the motherboard" as that's a canned phrase.

 

[Disappointed]

Hi Easysurfer, I ran a program called Combofix which is one of the best AV programs, it found the most nasty virus called poweliks which supposedly has no cure. Combofix removed the virus however that did not fix the problem. Apparently poweliks is really nasty.

I delivered my PC to the tech yesterday (he was not available till yesterday), he will reformat the disk and restore from my backup from January of this year. I should have done more frequent backup but I don't really have a lot on my computer, mostly photos from my trips, a handful of documents, music, and some spreadsheets. I will need to reconstruct stuff from Feb to Nov.

I still do not know how my computer got infected, I have always been careful, never visited those websites that are known to be troubles. I think my computer was used as botnet? I don't know if that is the right term? I do not know if my documents were ever stolen or if my personal info on my computer was stolen or not.

I won't get my computer back till at least Monday. I think it takes quite a while to reformat a 1T hard drive.


Mp



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[Totoro]

I think my computer was used as botnet? I don't know if that is the right term?

That's the right term. Your PC was being used, together with thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of other PCs to execute programs launched by a controlling PC. Nasty stuff. They use these swarms of PCs for example to blackmail websites (flood them with phony traffic) or to help crack passwords.

I do not know if my documents were ever stolen or if my personal info on my computer was stolen or not.

Unlikely but possible. Pay close attention to identity fraud and your credit card statements in the coming months. Get a fresh install or new PC and change as many passwords as you can think of.

Just as a precaution, no need to panic.

 

[steelyman]

I have taken to turning my PC off when it's not being used (which is most of the time). Pickpockets can't get you if you're not in town.

 

[target2019]

Hi Easysurfer, I ran a program called Combofix which is one of the best AV programs, it found the most nasty virus called poweliks which supposedly has no cure. Combofix removed the virus however that did not fix the problem. Apparently poweliks is really nasty.

I delivered my PC to the tech yesterday (he was not available till yesterday), he will reformat the disk and restore from my backup from January of this year. I should have done more frequent backup but I don't really have a lot on my computer, mostly photos from my trips, a handful of documents, music, and some spreadsheets. I will need to reconstruct stuff from Feb to Nov.

I still do not know how my computer got infected, I have always been careful, never visited those websites that are known to be troubles. I think my computer was used as botnet? I don't know if that is the right term? I do not know if my documents were ever stolen or if my personal info on my computer was stolen or not.

I won't get my computer back till at least Monday. I think it takes quite a while to reformat a 1T hard drive.

I'd boot the computer with Linux, and copy the data files to an external drive. Then I would secure erase the drive and start over.

 

[easysurfer]

Sometimes getting the HD reformatted and restored from a known good backup without knowing the cause of the problem is the best way to go.

I had put my PC on hibernate before going out. When I came back and started the PC, the PC automatically did a chkdsk. Afterwards, some programs didn't run properly, including my password keeper. That's a lonely feeling

Luckily, I do have a rollback program that I have set do regularly do snapshots of my HD so went back to a few days earlier to recover.

 

[Chuckanut]

If you think a bot has infected your computer, i recommend freezing you're credit files at all three credit agencies. Getting your ID hijacked will make computer problems look like a walk in the park.

 

[rbmrtn]

I still do not know how my computer got infected, I have always been careful, never visited those websites that are known to be troubles.


Mp

Running your computer with administrator would likely be the main problem. Poweliks infects the registry and the registry is protected from standard user accounts. Poweliks is typically spread by infected email documents.

 

[Disappointed]

Brmrtn: I recalled seeing several messages flashed on the screen something like registry number such and such not accessible etc., but I did not know what that was. I should have taken a screenshot but didn't. I hope that reformatting and reinstall from a clean backup should solve my problem or I will get a new PC. It is not worth running an infected PC.

Thanks everyone for responding, I will be watching my credit card accounts daily. How do I freeze my accounts at the three credit rating companies?

Mp




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[tryan]

Our ISP provides FREE Norton .... check with yours. It's in their interest ... less support headaches.

Last virus I had forced me to reload the OS and start over ... what a pita.

 

[Sunset]

I hope that reformatting and reinstall from a clean backup should solve my problem or I will get a new PC. It is not worth running an infected PC. ....

The only issue would be if your backup is infected, so first thing to do is run your virus scanning programs on it to see that it is clean.

Before getting a new computer, please try Ubuntu its easy to use like windows but not affected by windows viruses. You can download it and then burn it to a dvd/cd and try it out from the burned dvd/cd to see what it is like. You can get it at: Ubuntu PC operating system | Ubuntu

Whatever OS you run, run as a regular user, not admin. Only use admin when you need to do something special, then go back to regular user.

 

[Disappointed]

Thanks Sunset, I should get my PC back in a day or two.




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