[danjmilos]

A friend of mine is giving me his old desktop, it has been sitting about 3 years now after 1 year of use. He and his wife quit using it after getting a bug that removed all their icons but not background. There tech support was really bad and 10 days later it was still unusable. It some kind of HP, sounds like it should be upper tier XP with seperate cd and dvd in it. Feedback will help with my decision either way. When I get it I'll post the specifics of it.

Dan

[Blackmirror]

Well plug it in and then tell us what happens

[danjmilos]

I haven't got it yet! When something happens Ill let you, Donna, in particular and everyone in general know.

Dan

[Blackmirror]

Sounds like they had a virus infection
nothing TST cant handle

[danjmilos]

Donna,
What's the limit for a post? I have about 30kbs about my trials with the old computer from this weekend, probably more than 1 huh?

Dan

[Blackmirror]

Well try it you might have to split the posts

[Daveskater]

If you have files to attach then your best bet is to put them in zip folder, as they have about 100kb allowance for each file. As far as I am aware there is no limit on the amount of attachments you can put on one post.

[danjmilos]

This is the facts, only the facts as I know them. It’s an HP Pavilion 477v I think. It came into being sometime in the year 2003, AMD 2100 processor, 60 gig partitioned hard drive
c\ and d\ the recovery set. CD and DVD ROMS and floppy drive, 512 RAM one expansion slot. Windows XP Professional OS and a large package of different software added to this system.
After finding a good monitor and keyboard and half decent mouse, it jumps some I had to figure out a plan of attack. I decided to make this a test of the malware programs also.

Friday night is a short time so I had 2 challengers paired up, Avast Anti-Virus Remover and Microsoft Windows Malicious Removal Tool or whatever. Downloaded both in the office, saved to CD and away I went. First starting the HP; what an overloaded malware ridden piece of electronics if ever there was one. No background, icons that should have been there but really didn’t work but looked good. IE opening itself not once but 50 times before stopping, no completely functional Task Manager so closed them all by clicking. Opened the tray loaded the cd and away I went, autoplay worked when it was done clicked Avast, went through a quick setup and left for a half hour. Came back to see how it was doing, nothing found but a lot of files it couldn’t scan and still scanning, enough of this STOP close. Next MWMSRT, it set right up clicked full scan, START and away I went. Couldn’t get back for almost 2 hours, expected to find it stalled out or something, instead there it was scanning it’s little heart out finding things, a couple of Trojans, some named malwares 30 in all at that point. Checked again, up to 45 and almost closing time at the theatre, closed the accounts for the day all deposit and paperwork in order time to see where the scan stands 51 only a little to go shut down the booth in that area I’ll check it in 10 minutes go back it is off? No power to the outlet, connected to a breaker for a projector 3.5 hours of scanning gone. Figured out which breaker for reference plan for tomorrow. Back to c-net started downloading free programs malware removal. Avast Anti-Virus, Antivirus Defender or ATF, Norman Malware Remover, Revo Uninstaller, CCleaner and 2 others, burnt to disc ready to go.

[danjmilos]

Next day it knew something was up. Booted normal again, IE really complained almost 100 this time could keep up no way to run a computer, turned it off. Rebooted F-8 safe mode with networking. Installed Revo and CCleaner both loaded and set right up. Revo tracks cleaner IE then Firefox no hitch. CCleaner files cleaner click analyze it kept loading and loading and loading finally froze up, closed it down, AFT won’t load. One last thing to try, START, run, cookies, ok. Cookies right there before my eyes, INDEX and 3 files. Opened a file 100’s and 1000’s of cookies closed file, opened another same thing. Right click file, delete, yes empty recycle bin repeat with other files INDEX a different problem need that for IE to work right 1000’s there too. Avast won’t load oh well. AntiV Def won’t Acronious or something won’t load. 1.5 hours nothing, oh well keep going. Dr.Web cureit bingo!!! Do quick scan tell it how the objects as I’m watching 35 minutes later it’s done, 65 nasties deleted, moved or left alone. It finds but cannot do anything with Trojan.Noclose, better than nothing. Start full scan this could take awhile. Watch another 50 minutes, 65 more nasties. Tell myself go do something to hypnotic standing here watching, make rounds , come back go come back go come back go close again looked like half hour that point. Done closing go see what the final count is. Still SCANNING!!! 12:45am I can’t stay, 6 hours and not done. Oh well it will shut off when the other manager closes booth. At this point 219 different objects78 tracking cookies, 1 hacktool, the rest Trojans. But I have my plan for tomorrow.

[danjmilos]

Arrive early to get started cause I have to open. Disc in the room I F-8 boot put in disc to see what sticks, 4 programs nothing, 2 left mbam it takes hot dog, setup a breeze. No quick scan here the full deal or nothing, start scan leave feeling good. 12:10pm everything up an running time to check mbam. Scan is done 39 minutes all kind of objects time to take care of the nasties. Make a desktop folder to copy the logs to I’ll connect a printer later if I want hard copies. Time to try my last program SAS, it won’t install in safe mode, time to try a regular boot. Start, shutdown, restart. Watch the screen see how it goes, HP invent, welcome, there it is a normal looking desktop, nice ‘63 Vette icons all lined up nice. No strange AV tray icons all 4 gone, an hp icon, MS mess., and network icon. All is great. Lets do SAS now. Installed with ease, run quickie more objects, damn. Take care of them now a full scan. Watch for 10 minutes more finds, I can’t watch leave. Return an hour later, it’s done look at that list, Trojans, tracking cookies, other nasties let’s cut them out. Copy the logs to the folder, do a little desktop cleanup to make it look neater. Try ATF still no go, CCleaner works this time still seems to be a lot of temp IE on it’s scan, can’t find where they are hiding. I’m going to see about an internet connection next weekend without networking it to the theatres computers I wouldn’t trust it as far as I can throw it.

I’ll entertain suggestions for what’s next besides on-line scans.

[danjmilos]

I'm making a grid list of how and modes that programs installed will post it in a few days.

Dan

[Rik]

craigdavid, all these threads you are posting in are over 3 years old. Please check the dates!!!