Problems? Fix Them Yourself

This article could save you some money. I’d guess that seven out of every ten jobs I do are related to viruses and spyware. I’ve mentioned in past articles some of the programs I use to keep these buggers out of my system (Spybot S&D, Spy Sweeper, AVG, System Suite, Norton’s Anti-virus) but what do you do if you’re already infected?

Here’s how I go about cleaning a machine. First, I need to find out what the problem is. In order to do this, I start by running Spybot S&D. There’s a new version (1.3) out. Go to http://downloads-zdnet.com.com and search for Spybot 1.3. Download, install, and run this program. Be sure and check regularly for new spyware definitions. Spyware software needs to be updated just like virus software.

If I suspect that there’s a virus on a computer, I go to www.trendmicro.com and run their FREE online virus scan. I use this site because it’s a protected website and I know their virus software has not been corrupted. If I’m lucky, any viruses found will be quarantined, cleaned, or deleted. If I’m not that lucky, I’ll look up what ever viruses were found in their “virus encyclopedia” and follow the “manual” cleaning instructions. These can include editing the Window’s registry so be aware that you could be getting in over your head.

One of the problems with viruses and spyware is. . .you never know what you’re getting into until you actually start running the scans. I worked on a computer once that had over 60,000 infected files and they were all able to be cleaned. I’ve also had to reformat a hard drive because a single virus trashed the FAT (file allocation table) before I could remove it. You just never know.

Here’s one of the reasons that viruses and spyware are so hard to find and delete. Bring up Internet Explorer and click on <tools>, and then <internet options>. In the middle of the menu that comes up you’ll find, “Delete Cookies.” All cookies are not bad. Many companies put a cookie (a small file) on your hard drive that tells them who you are and if you have permission to visit their website. Online banking is a good example of this. These cookies are stored in the “cookie” directory on your hard drive.

The people who infect your computer with spyware don’t use the cookie directory. They hide their cookies hoping you can’t find and delete them. Some of them store cookies in hidden directories. In order to see these directories, you can click on <my computer>, <tools>, <folder options>, <view>, then look for “Hidden files and folders” and finally, “Show hidden files and folders.” This will allow you to see hidden system files, directories, etc.

Even though your virus software might not be able to delete an infected file, it will still show you where it is. If you can’t manually delete it, it might be because it is running in the background. In order to delete it, you’ll need to boot your computer without loading the file. Reboot your system but tap the F8 key as it’s booting. Chose “Safe Mode” in the menu that comes up. This will load Windows without loading everything in the “startup” menu. You should now be able to find and delete the infected file.

If you still can’t solve your problem, it’s time to call for help. Don’t feel bad. I’ve spent five or six hours many times and still didn’t find all of the problems. You just never know. Reach me at randy@randbenjamin.com.