Computer help please.

cookie_monster

Strider590 wrote: »

Right..... hmmmm it's one of these malware thing's.... They'll be asking for £££ to fix a problem they caused.

Your files are there somewhere, they're holding them to ransom so to speak.

Try to remember one of the files you had, the file name..... It's probably all been moved to a hidden location.

Im assuming your files where originally stored in "my documents" or on your desktop?

Yeah files was stored in documents.

Who's they?

So they have hidden my files then? Can they also access the files?

cookie_monster

macman wrote: »

If you've done a Sys Restore then it will tell you so (and if it won't, it will also tell you so).
You clearly have an infection, suggest you look at the stickies and follow the advice given there for malware.

Doesn't say anything about system re-store so I'm guessing it didn't work.

Looks like I will be spending a few hours behind computer tonight.

macman

cookie_monster wrote: »

Doesn't say anything about system re-store so I'm guessing it didn't work.

Looks like I will be spending a few hours behind computer tonight.

You don't have to guess! Just run SR and post exactly what happens when you get to the final page. It will either say. 'Sys Restore successful', or it will say 'SR cannot be performed'.
Before you do SR, try to create a new restore point-will it do that?
To give proper assistance we need more detailed info.
What AV are you using?

cookie_monster

There is no message saying whether it worked or not.

Just using the basic AV that you get with BT.

At home now so will try the malware removal guide.

macman

cookie_monster wrote: »

There is no message saying whether it worked or not.

Just using the basic AV that you get with BT.

At home now so will try the malware removal guide.

There isn't any as standard. If you mean the extra cost 'NetProtect', that is just a rebranded Norton Antivirus. You would be wise to dump Norton and go for a reliable AV such as Avira or Kaspersky.

cookie_monster

I've had enough, it seems I have got a virus as explorer does not allow me to download the software for malware and keeps on crashing.

I am going to do a full system recovery.

macman

That's normal behaviour for an infected PC. Best way is to install it from a flash drive having downloaded on another PC.
Reformat or factory restore (not sure which you mean) will lose you all your data.
It's a bit like fitting a new engine in your car because it needs a new spark plug.

cookie_monster

Thanks for your help macman, much appriciated.

Seems like most of my data is already gone, still got my pics on my memory cards so I'm ok.

Fed up with it, so just going through the motion of recovery.

Can't risk the virus still being on my hard drive and for the possibilty of stealing my info / card numbers.

Strider590

If you know of a file name your missing and do a search for it, you may find it lurking in some folder somewhere, you can then find all your data and hopefully restore it

cookie_monster

Thanks strider for the advice.

Abit extreme but doing a full recovery on the computer.