Shit. My computer may have just been infected with a virus.

[tekisui]

What do I do now?

I downloaded an attachment from someone claiming to be fedex. The scan found no virus, but the attachment had nothing I could view on it. I deleted it and empty my bin, but things started acting all crazy.

I ran a full scan and the one threat was quarantined. Now what?

[PeaceNikki]

1. What's the threat is shows found on the quarantined file?

[tekisui]

3. It lists the item I downloaded and says action taken deleted.

[PeaceNikki]

6. Does it give you any detail on what the virus/trojen/infection might be?

[tekisui]

7. I don't know. I was warned through my toolbar that I had been infected

with spyware. The infection that was labeled was non-descriptive, at least to me.

[tekisui]

17. After the full scan, I restarted my PC

and it came up that Trojan had been detected, and I clicked remove.

Is that it?

[PBS Poll-435]

2. Eradicate what is quarantined

Then run another full scan.

Then update your definitions.

Then run another full scan.

[tekisui]

5. OK. The item quarantined was deleted. I will run the full scan.

What does updating my definitions mean. Thanks.

[PBS Poll-435]

15. Your virus scanner only knows what viruses are out there based on the date of the defs...

You should be able to update the virus definitions so that you can catch the most recently-created viruses.

[tekisui]

16. Ok, thanks.

I updated and it found the one from today, so I think I got it. The second full scan is running now.

[NJmaverick]

4. If you are using windows XP use the system restore feature

to restore your computer to a time before you clicked on the attachment. That's usually the easiest thing to do (unless it's one of those real nasty viruses/malware things that disables that as well.

[tekisui]

8. How do I get to that?

[NJmaverick]

10. Usually

it's Start>Help and Support>Pick a Task- System restore

[tekisui]

13. thanks. I am running a Full Scan right now, to see if it's gone.

[PeaceNikki]

9. I fought one for weeks that did that.

Filled up my hard drive, screwed up my Winlogin...

My dad was like "just format your machine"... and I was all like "it's become personal now". B-)

[NJmaverick]

11. I had to deal with one like that

nasty little bugger. It succumbed to the free version of this software though


http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html

[Zuiderelle]

19. Not always a good idea. System restore can be very unpredictable.

It really should only be used in the most dire of circumstances. If the OP's virus software has already found the virus, there's no reason to run the risk of a system restore obliterating something it shouldn't.

Although... it might be a good idea to disable System Restore, and THEN run the antivirus software so that it gets completely removed (if it isn't already).

Found this link which is helpful in understanding why you might want to disable System Restore to clean your system.

http://antivirus.about.com/od/windowsbasics/a/systemrestore.htm

[NJmaverick]

20. As an IT professional with a good number of Microsoft Certifications

I can tell you this post is not correct.

[Zuiderelle]

21. Okee dokee then.

But as an IT professional, I stand by saying that he should disable system restore and then remove the virus.

Edited to add... I may have exaggerated the "dire" thing, but system restore really should be used only after other options are exhausted. I suppose the newest version of system restore may be less buggy than it's been in the past, but it's still not the first thing he should do. If his virus software removed the virus and he doesn't have any symptoms, I think disabling system restore, then running the anti-virus software again, then re-enabling system restore is the best option.

[NJmaverick]

22. I have used system restore on dozens of computers and advised others

to use is dozens as times as well. Never had a single problem. See the problem with malware is that it is designed to be difficult to remove completely. That is if the particular antivirus or anti-spyware software even recognizes it. If you know exactly when you were infected the system restore tool often does the best and most sure job of removing it. Still as I said the designers of malware software have caught on to this trick. I am finding some of the newer nasties actually disable the system restore.

[Zuiderelle]

23. It's good to know that system restore works better than it used to.

I still don't think it's necessary to run it if his virus was already removed. From what he said, it did recognize it. I'll agree though that if he knows exactly when he was infected, and doesn't have anything else that would be removed from his registry that he's installed since the restore point (or doesn't care), he could go ahead and run it if the virus isn't actually removed.

[Hawkeye-X]

12. Run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

http://www.malwarebytes.com

then run a complete scan (takes up to 3 hours if you have shitloads of files)

Hawkeye-X

[tekisui]

14. Thanks, will do.

[whistler162]

18. That's good also

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

[Xipe Totec]

24. We've know each other a long time, haven't we?

Until this whole thing blows over, just stay away from me.

:yoiks:

[tekisui]

25. I won't even post a response, just to be safe.

oops!

[jobycom]

26. Sometimes DU reminds me of a SNL skit

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/ask-president-carter/2367/

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. When your computer functions right again, you gotta watch this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-GaRKDsz-Y :rofl:

[tekisui]

28. THANK YOU ALL!

I think I got it. Thank you all very much!