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Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 8:02 am
by SEF
wow thank you everyone for your help...

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 10:19 pm
by AYHJA
SEF, I have some slipstreamed copies of XP, Its not a problem to ship you one if you need it...

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 11:00 pm
by gmsnctry
damn missed all the fun...

Hope your system is up and running.

The Tech Forum has some good stuff and advice on getting and keeping that 'puter running smoothly.

Good advice from the peoples here. I do IT and I've already learned a few things just from various discussions and software ideas posted

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:14 am
by SEF
@uber nah it o i have a cd by e machines that the formats the whole disk...
the trhing is that i have formatted the disk before the problem still returns so im wandering if there is a program that can protect me and eliminate this bac kdoor viruses...

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:25 pm
by zaphodz
Here's some suggestions you might find helpful to install, run and maintain a clean Win XP system:

1) Make sure your hard disk is OK. I can thoroughly recommend Hiren's boot CD to check your drive for bad sectors and to also reformat it (and setup partitions if you want a multi boot system).

2) Make sure your XP install disc is clean. You can slipstream updates into the CD if you want but you'd need a clean computer to do so. Don't bother slipstreaming updates on your current system as it sounds totally screwed.

3) Install XP on the freshly formatted disc with the internet disabled, i.e. unplug the ethernet cable. Most systems get hacked within minutes of going online after a clean XP install.

4) Install an antivirus. Most of my systems use AVG free antivirus. You mentioned you were using Panda previously. I'd get rid of that one personally. Others here like Avast and Kaspersky. I'd use one of these three. Norton has been slow and buggy and unreliable for years so avoid it.

5) A REAL software firewall is a must. The XP firewall is NOT A REAL firewall. An easy to use firewall like Zonealarm is good. I use an old version of Zonealarm, version 4.5.594.000. IMHO this is the best firewall ever created for XP and Win2000. I always disable the XP firewall - it is useless.

6) Once your firewall is installed, connect your ethernet cable. Goto www.grc.com and click "Shield's Up". Use this site to test your computer's firewall and fix any deficiencies it identifies.

7) Now update XP. If your XP isn't a genuine purchased version, DON'T UPDATE - post here and I can explain how to update it safely.

8) Finally, scan everything you download, don't click on links in emails or MSN or whatever and don't run email attachments without scanning them first.

Hope this has been helpful.

Seriously, maintaining a clean XP system takes a bit of work. Maybe I'm paranoid but I boot the Ubuntu 7.04 CD on a computer behind a NAT enabled router to do my internet banking. That's how much I don't trust XP.

By the way. Once you have a clean system setup, I'd seriously consider changing your passwords on any personal accounts/email/whatever you have been using on that computer as you have no idea what has been keylogged. It's hard to get your money back from the bank when you have been defrauded.

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:25 pm
by AYHJA
If you have a CD that's automating the install for you, like an OEM install, that's probably what's fucking it up...It probably loads all these other apps on and gets infected from the jump...

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:30 am
by SEF
thanx for the tips zhaphodz

@ber i use a restore DVD from Emachines can that happen o it aswell?

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 3:56 pm
by AYHJA
Yup...Wifey bought an emachine, I formatted it with a retail copy of XP Pro as soon as she opened the box...