Expert: Lorry - 9/15/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

I had an emergency this weekend (everything is cool) as I was planning on doing a reformatting of my Hard Drive. And since I wasn’t able to I thought I try one more thing. First I will still contact you to let you know how thing goes and second. I went to your site that you sent me http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/WelcomePage.asp and now for some reason it has found 4 detections ( I went and did this scan again for a feeling that I had and wanted to give it a try and kind of glad I did, and what about the future in this feeling that I had) I put in the search(es) of these detections in the other site that you sent me http://www.symantec.com/search/ and since I do not have Symantec it wanted me to buy and plus the site I found http://www.symantec.com/norton/support/DIY/index.jsp says they can not connect me or find me in their database, something like that.

So I do not know if you have a or know of a free removal of viruses, spyware, malware and etc.? I would certainly appreciate it thank you, Lorry.

Sincerely yours,

Martin C. Meyer

P.S.

Seems as there are free virus, spyware and malware removal sites out there, but you ten on paying for it.
I found a site called Stopzillia, another free site as they said about removal of viruses, spyware and malware, but as the scanning was thru it found 19 detections and I went to remove and then I was taken to a page that they wanted me to buy, so what was free, oh the download and scanning of this program big deal!

I could probably remove Antivirus GT, but they will probably want me to buy too, to remove it. I want to try everything before I reformat my Hard Drive, you understand that don’t you? Thanks Lorry.

Oh, as I wanted to send this to you I just found out that my Internet Provider has Norton Internet Security that I can get so I ordered it. I will have to take back the AVG that I bought at Target, though. But now I figure and hope that the sites that you sent me and the site that I found will now will help me as that it was I guess suppose to, but since they say as I said before, they can not connect me or find me in their database, something like that. That now they can, I hope. I am not playing any games here and I know you know that. nobody could not think other wise.

P.P.S I will still contact you and let you know how I make out or when the time comes, how I made out.
Again, thanks, Lorry.

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

When you went to: http://www.symantec.com/search/   you did a search for the name of the virus, not where it was located, correct? For example, I just went to that site and did a search for "trojan" which gave me a list of different ones at:

http://searchg.symantec.com/search?q=trojan&client=symc_en_US&output=xml_no_dtd&

At the following site you may download a 30 day trial of
Norton™ AntiVirus 2011 Trial Software. Make sure you remove the program before the time is up, otherwise you will end up paying for it.

http://www.symantec.com/norton/downloads/trialsoftware/offer.jsp?pvid=nav2011

Later,
Lorry


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

QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

A follow up. Yes, I did search the name of the virus and not where it was located. And yes it does tell you about the Trojan. And as I said that my Internet Provider has Norton Internet Security which I have ordered, so I figure that if I ever need the removal tool it will not ask me to buy cause I have Symantec Norton Internet Security, you think?

And what I am asking you here, Lorry as I went back to read some of your answers that you gave me, what do you mean by this, If you reinstall Windows, after installing the programs you added by either CD and/or downloading from the net, run a virus scan on the backup(s) before putting those onto the computer.?

And I do not know if you may know this, but from the site that you sent me from Ask Leo (and thank you for sending it to me) on how do I reformat and reinstall windows? I am not to sure what this means Just run Windows Setup, and let it reformat the disk, from his web page under there are two basic approaches. If this would mean that I have two options on the CD that I made where I would insert the CD in the computer pick the option reformat and let it do its thing with the CD still in the CD Rom and that the installation of Winows will follow after the reformatting that was done? but, now my question is will my CD get erased? If I do this and if this is what I am suppose to do if you know, Lorry, thanks and I will contact you if I have any problems. I know that you are an expert on the Antivirus part but reformatting is something else I do not know if you have ever had to reformat your Hard Drive I have done a Recovery on my computer but not a reformat of the Hard Drive. Thanks again, Lorry.

Sincerely yours,

Martin C. Meyer

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

The thing is that you have to remove the threat. Reformatting and reinstalling Windows may sound scary but it really isn't. Since you have the backup CD, use that and no, it will not be erased. For example, if you have a HP,you would follow the directions given at:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07145#

If you don't have a HP, the directions would be similar no matter what brand you have.

As a matter of fact, I reformat and reinstall Windows on generic computers on a regular basis. Having a manufacture's CD makes it easier.

When you go to the Symantec site for removal instructions, you do not have to pay.

If you want, send me a private question with your phone number and when is a good time to call. At that point I can talk you through this.

Later,
Lorry

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

QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

Thanks for getting back to me. Now, as far as sending a private message I could do that, but in this case right now. I will send you a follow up of another follow up and see what you say about this and I will send you a private message with my phone number if that is okay with you for now. I want to see what you say about this, below.

Now, it seems and it is true that I have another idea to prevent me from doing a reformat of the hard Drive,. Now, the Norton Internet Security that I am getting from my ISP, can I install NIS in my computer to see what it can do and if it finds anything  or just start fresh and start all over again with reformatting of the Hard Drive?

And, what about the components Mother Board, hard ware and soft ware and all that in my computer like I wrote and asked you about that you may have over looked when answering my questions (that is okay) but, I am asking again, and how will I know if anything did happen to them?

I hope this will be it and I can get this taken care of. Thanks, Lorry.

Sincerely yours,

Martin C. Meyer

P.S. Again I will contact you as I have said already, to let you know how things go. I know I already have said this, but I want you to know that I never forgot and as you want to know how things go. You are helping me with this and it only make perfectly good sense to let you know, and I will!  

Answer
Hi Martin,

Didn't mean to by step your questions regrading the motherboard, hardware, etc., but the longer a threat of any kind is on computer, the more damage it can cause.

Install the NIS, see what it does - it should remove any threats that are the computer. Make sure you keep it up to date and run a scan once a week.

Quick note regarding reformatting and reinstalling Windows, a lot of people, including me, do that once a year basically to get rid the extra files(junk) not needed. It also makes Windows go faster.

Later,
Lorry