Expert: Lorry - 1/12/2006

Question
Hi Lorry

I am using Windows XP and all my programs are on/off reacting like thfe left arrow key is held down. On the internet the cursor bar (I think that is what it is called: the blinking bar thing when you type) scrolls backwards right out of text boxes right over all other text on the page. When I click on open space the bar appears and it never used to. Oh and my comma button does not work unless i tap it really fast for sometime. Also sometimes if I press ESC the problem will stop for a short period(that is how I am getting through this message) but it starts up in less tha 20 seconds. I'd really like it to stop.

I've ranSymantec AntiVirus and it found some javainstaller thing that was infected. It quarantined it and one file still had 1 infected item but i deleted the folder.

can you help?

thank you a million rachelle

Answer
Hi Rachelle,

What was the name of the virus that Symantec found, if you remember? Try going back to:

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

Click the GO button, then under Virus Detection, click Start. You might be told that you need to download and install ActiveX Contols for the scan to work, answer Yes.

Write down exactly anything it finds, then go to: http://sarc.com/  and do a search for what was found. Symantec usually has a removal tool and/or directions for removing manually.

Make sure you follow the instructions, step by step, especially the part about disabling System Restore.

After removing the virus, 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