Viruses on laptops

albertross_2

If this is an unpatched windows 2000 laptop, I wouldn't plug it into a modem because you'll end up with more trouble than you started with. If you have router, that will give better protection, and should be ok.

Wiping is not an option without the W2000 CD.

If you don't have a router, you need a firewall on there before you go on the net,

http://www.kaspersky.com/internet_security_trial

http://www.eset.com/download/free_trial_download_int.php

(not sure if either work on w2k, but it will tell you at install stage if not)

download a free firewall and antivirus on another PC, write it to a CD (or usb flash drive, but you could end up infecting it depending on the type of virus you have), and install it on the laptop, then run a virus scan, then connect to the internet, update the antivirus signatures, and do another scan, then go to www.windowsupdate.com and patch the laptop, you will have to reboot several times, and keep patching at windowsupdate.com until there are no more patches left to do.

Then when you are hopefully virus free, you can decide which AV software to go with, as these are only 30 day trials, but can be upgraded for a small fee, kaspersky is the cheaper option if you shop around or look for discount codes, or there are free ones, but make sure you have a firewall as well.

(Oops, Just noticed there is some overlap with Donnie's post, but I'll leave it up for reiterations sake).

Donnie

Both Kaspersky and Eset will work with Windows 2000. Of course both Kaspersky Internet Security and Eset Smart Security contain a firewall.
So there is no need to download and install a seperate one.

If the licence code is stuck to the machine and it's for Windows 2000 Professional, I can send you a disc.

Alias_Omega

Hi froggy, really dont know what to offer as they said the word 'modem', unsure if this means that they are limited to a dial-up connection or so.

A complete wipe and reload with something like XP Home with recent updates would be the wise option, but without knowing the spec of the computer were talking about, it could be like trying to crap Win ME onto a old 386.