Expert: Lorry - 4/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: I, my Acer laptop (with Windows Vista) has two viruses that are Trojans. My screen was black so I started in in safe mode, and now I can see everything again. Now how do I remove the viruses?

ANSWER: Hi Sierra,

Try System Restore. In Safe Mode, go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore, choose a date when the computer worked correctly.

Once you can start Windows in regular view, using Internet Explorer, go to:

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/WelcomePage.asp

Click on Continue to Symantec Security Check. Under Virus Detection, click Start, accept the End-User Agreement. It will ask you a few times to permission to install Active X Controls, answer yes. Once you see that the program is actually scanning, leave the computer alone until the scan is finished.

Once the scan is done, write down exactly anything it finds, then go to:

http://www.symantec.com/search/  

and do a search for what was found. Symantec usually has a removal tool and/or directions for removing manually. Make sure that you follow the instructions for removal, step by step, especially the part regarding disabling System Restore.

Hope this helps!
Lorry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi again. I started it in Safe Mode and all was working well until I tried System Restore. It says to "contact my administrator", because the group policy isn't able to let me do that, or something. I thought I was the administrator, since it's my computer?

Answer
Hi Sierra,

In Safe Mode, open the Control Panel, double click User Accounts, and make sure that you are using the Administrator's account.

If that doesn't work, download the 30 day free trail ware of Norton AntiVirus from:

https://shop.symantecstore.com/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayPage&Env=BASE&Locale=en_US&SiteID=symnahho&id=QCShoppingCartPage

Put that onto a CD and run it on the computer that you cannot open in regular mode.

Hope this helps!
Lorry