Expert: Lorry - 10/31/2006

Question
When I tried to install the 2006 Norton Antivirus just purchased, my laptop told me that I need to remove the 2003 prior version of Antivirus. Instead of using the Add/Remove program, I followed the instruction given by the PC. When the instruction asked me whether I want to delete the quarantined files, I clicked yes without knowing what it meant. After the completion of the removal, my laptop stopped operating completely. The only thing working is the desktop which still shows all the icons, but most of them do not have any color. When clicking on the icons, none of them works.

Other than reformatting the C drive, is there a way to get my laptop running again?


Answer
Hi Logan,

Once Norton quarantines files, they cannot cause anymore damage to your computer and are safe to delete.

Have you installed Norton Antivirus 2006 yet? Try installing that, get the LiveUpdates and run a virus scan. If you cannot do this, you will probably have to reformat or if this is a Windows XP, try using System Restore. Another thought, if you have a Windows XP CD, use the Repair option.

If you can install Norton and do the above, after that check for spyware. I would suggest downloading Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4, a program that removes spyware, available from:

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp

Once installed, enable Tea Timer. Open the Spybot Search & Destroy, click  the "+" sign next to Tools on the left side of the screen, click System Startup, then on the right side of the page check HK_CU Run Spybot Tea Timer.

The Resident TeaTimer is a new tool of Spybot-S&D which perpetually monitors the processes called/initiated. It immediately detects known malicious processes wanting to start and terminates them giving you some options, how to deal with this process in the future.

Check for updates before running. If you have trouble getting the updates, near the top of the Update Window, click the little arrow next See-Cure  #1(Europe), highlight the next one on the list, See-Cure #2 and try to download the updates. If that doesn't work, try the next one the list. until you get one you can download from. Being a free program, if too many people are using the same site to download the updates, some people will not get them.

Hope this helps!
Lorry