Major virus on mum's PC

molezak

I'm not sure how to help my mum out as we live 100 miles apart. I had no idea she and my brothers had been running their PC and browsing with NO antivirus :eek: , predictably they have serious probs now. I think the PC has been off since I was there last trying to fix it (a week ago) and basically in the bottom right is a big red VIRUS warning and the start page is a skull and crossbones (if I rem correctly). My bro went out and purchased Norton AV :rolleyes: (not recommended by me) after the prob and it won't even open. I went on it and tried to get on the internet to download AVG free but it won't stay on long enough to sort it. My question is, would I be able to talk my bro through sorting it, over the phone, guided by folk on here OR does it sound either terminal or like it needs an expert seeing to it? The PC is a DELL with Windows XP home.

Katie

fwor

Pointing your brother at the Malware Removal sticky at the top of the Techie forum would be a good place to start.

However, if they have a Windows XP installation CD and not much personal data on the PC to backup onto a USB pendrive, the quickest solution may well be to format the hard disk and re-install XP, and make sure they've got firewall and AV (and XP fully updated) before going back onto the internet.

DatabaseError

maybe a neighbour could download and burn avast rescue cd, or you could download/burn and send them a copy?
for future reference, lookj at using logmein/teamviever or another remote management program to keep on top of things.

molezak

I have a feeling they may not have the original disc but I could lend them mine?? I don't think they're worried about losing personal data and photos etc. just getting the thing up and running again. I had already told them they don't need to buy AV but men never do listen to me!

I'll get them the cd... do you think it sounds survivable?

thanks both..

fwor

Yes, definitely survivable, particularly if they don't care about the data that's on it.

They should be able to use your CD(s), but only if it's the same version of XP as they have, and only if yours are not supplied only for use on a particular brand of PC.

If they look on the back of the PC they will probably find a sticker with their licence key on it, so they will have a fully legit copy on the PC when finished.

Don't forget to download all of the device drivers for their model from Dell before starting, as you'll need them when the new install first boots up.

aliEnRIK

Get them to download MALWAREBYTES
http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html
UPDATE and QUICK SCAN

Then they need to look at a decent firewall and anti virus

Airwolf1

And what you could do is download and install logmein free on your PC and their PC. You could then access their PC from yours and do stuff that way. Logmein bypasses firewalls etc, so there shouldn't be problem with accessing it. I've got it on my family members computers and we use it often.

You can't use your windows CD, as there will be licencing issues (unless they know their key). Whereabouts do they live in the country, as a matter of curiousity? Anywhere near Cambridge by any chance?

elljay20

this sounds like the same problems i was having. a guy on here told me to download malawarebytes from download.com and that fixed the problem.

elljay20

aliEnRIK wrote: »

Get them to download MALWAREBYTES
http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html
UPDATE and QUICK SCAN

Then they need to look at a decent firewall and anti virus

lol, this guy!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: (thankyou, this was brilliant!)

molezak

Right, thanks for all your replies guys. I am going to try and talk bro through formatting the hard drive if he can find the original discs which he thinks he has :rolleyes: . I was going to follow this link - http://www.ehow.com/how_6026_format-hard-drive.html as I want to make sure it's done right!

As soon as it's up and running (or should I say 'if' we get it up and running), he wants to use the Norton AV as he's paid for a year (after that I'll make sure he gets avast or similar). Will Comodo/Adaware/Spybot/Malawarebytes/Ccleaner work okay with Norton? (I've never used Norton)
What order should he install them? Do a malwarebytes install and scan first?

Is it okay if I come on here and pick your brains? I may also ask nicely on the Tech Support forum.

Another question - I have tried to install logmein to keep tabs but my comodo firewall is blocking it like mad - have I checked something I shouldn't have?

Thanks, Kate x

EDIT - He can't find the system restore disc... he just has a disc windows xp home on it which I copied for him ages ago - will this work??? His PC is a dell and mine is a Fujitus Siemens

DatabaseError

molezak wrote: »

...he wants to use the Norton AV as he's paid for a year (after that I'll make sure he gets avast or similar)

Try to convince him that the best advise available is NOT to install norton, his paying for it was a BAD decision, why sully a fresh O/S install by installing underperforming bloatware?
:eek: