Tools should not be involved with unhooking a computer

[protege]

First - most manufactured PCs come pre-installed with a shed load of unnecessary crap

That they do. Compaq was notorious for that. They had shortcuts all over the place for various 'net shopping items. Needless to say, I soon pulled all that crap off.

Second - The sort of people who think they can get a good computer for £300 are going to be the people who then proceed to add even more crap that runs in the background, up to and including malware and spyware.

Yep, these same people will then turn around and bitch about all the crap they added, and how their new computer is running "too slow."

My current home computer, in fact, *all* of my home computers, were built from spare parts. Only one could be considered "new" when I built it 5 years on though, it's starting to show its age, and I'm thinking about replacing the motherboard, chip, and RAM. It's only a 1.25Ghz, and methinks I need something a bit faster

[Kilamon]

This reminds me of something... Oh yeah, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/09/bofh_episode_6/

[sld72382]

The best tool for removing Vundo is Vundofix from vundofix.atribune.org.

Even by running it, Vundo is still a PITA to remove.

[technical.angel]

Don't worry, Katie, I think we all fell for the purple monkey of doom.

[katie kaboom]

(Back in my time on tech support the biggest problem was Bonzi Buddy)

I'm ashamed to say i had that on my computer years ago. Damn you, you cute purple monkey(ape?)

[technical.angel]

The one on the bottom is the good one. The one on the top... it be broken. Physically broken.

My camera on my phone sucks.

[LostMyMind]

I guess the pic is too blurred, so what exactly is wrong?

[technical.angel]

Well, it's offically backburnered.

Why?

This.



And I don't have a clue in the world of how it happened.

[katie kaboom]

I usually have to use a combination of Spybot, smitfraudfix, and Malwarebytes' program to kill them. God help them if I catch one of those virus writers in a dark alley with no witnesses.

My fiance had a virus on his computer not too long ago and we had to use spybot and smitfraudfix and it was still a major PITA to get rid of it.

I'd love to join you if/when you catch one of these fuckers.

[LostMyMind]

Wouldn't hijackthis make it easier to fix? Just find the dll name and put in the autoexec.bat delete c:\blahblah\viruscrap.dll?

I personally have never gotten one of those types of trojans.

I'm with you Geek, I don't think there is a jury anywhere that would convict you either even if there was witnesses.

[Geek King]

Ug...I see Vundo and various smitfrauds all the time now. Probably because they're such a pain to remove. I usually have to use a combination of Spybot, smitfraudfix, and Malwarebytes' program to kill them. God help them if I catch one of those virus writers in a dark alley with no witnesses.

[technical.angel]

The end still hasn't come. I started a virus scan shortly after 8am. It finished about 1:30. About 130 items found. The vundo virus was on it, and it seems every computer that comes in with problems recently has it. I ran the vundo removal tool, and after that, the entire world blew a gasket, and now, she's offically my lowest priority. I got to move to another PC that came in (actual work computer this time, where the ends on the SATA and SATA Power cables just BROKE. Dell's going to enjoy that call.

[Salesmonkey]

Oh, please save us all from our co-workers' home PCs. The kind of person who gets ONE virus is likely the sort of clicky clicky monkey who will get SEVERAL viruses (virii?).

I had one co-worker who lived in my apt complex and came over to use my PC after she hosed her own! Now she did bring cake, which goes a long way towards forgiveness, but after she worked a while she started clicking on those "won a free ipod etc." banner ads. Not only that but she gladly exclaimed OUT LOUD that she'd won something and how lucky she was! No wonder her home machine got hosed.

At least most of my co-workers were extra thankful when I fixed their boxes. And since they carted them in, it wasn't a real problem for me. I mean, I got paid whether working on theirs or on the work machines.

[Naaman]

Lostmymind,

I'm not saying everyone needs to get a gaming rig. But everyone I know with a crap computer always complains about how slow it is regardless of what they use it for.

I wouldn't agree with that statement.

First - most manufactured PCs come pre-installed with a shed load of unnecessary crap

Second - The sort of people who think they can get a good computer for £300 are going to be the people who then proceed to add even more crap that runs in the background, up to and including malware and spyware. (Back in my time on tech support the biggest problem was Bonzi Buddy)

[technical.angel]

Me too, as the current boss won't let me do any side work. Which, let me tell you, SUCKS.