Expert: Carolyn Meinel - 6/11/2007

Question
whenever i type in cmd in run my computer restarts itself. i can't use the commend prompt otherwise it automatically restarts. most of my documents contain a folder wich contains my shared documents it's kind of a shortcut but it automatically creates itself when i delete it. i have scanned my computer with the latest version of symantec anti virus but it can detect it. i think it is also spreading because the folder also appears in my mp3 player when i copy my music. please help i heard you were the best.

Answer
I agree with you that it appears that your computer is infected by some sort of malware. Rebooting whenever you run cmd is a vicious, but effective defense against your ability to repair your computer by yourself, exactly the sort of thing a writer of malware might put into his or her program.

The easiest solution -- if it works -- is to uninstall Symantec and install another antivirus program and see if it can detect and remove this malware. I recommend F-Secure Internet Security, which offers a free trial version at http://www.f-secure.com/home_user/support_and_downloads/evaluations/

If this works, you can either uninstall F-Secure and reinstall Symantec, or go ahead and buy F-Secure if you like it better. It is the best selling Internet security program worldwide, but the company isn't advertising it much in the U.S. so you might not have heard of it before if you live in the U.S.

If this can't fix your computer, there is a painful solution that always works. Computer repair people call it "nuking". If you want to save money and "nuke" your computer yourself, contact me again and I'll give you complete instructions. But with any luck you'll get rid of the problem with F-Secure,