Virus help!!!

[KarlaB]

We have a virus on our computer. What (if anything) can I do to prevent it from crashing??!! :nervous: Somebody please help me asap!!!!!

[AnnW]

Have you run virus scan? Did you delete the virus? Doesn't your virus protector have a help page to tell you how to remove it?

[KarlaB]

I could just croak. Our email is sending out msgs to people in our address book. It just happened to drag out an ad we placed to sell our house that was in the recycle bin. This could be interesting. I have had 3 people so far email us and ask if the deal fell thru, etc. Ugh!

Anyway, we bought this computer from a friend of dh and shortly after it crashed. He helped us reinstall stuff and I guess Virus protection was not one of them! :{ So, we bought McAfee tonight and I cannot figure it out at all. It's showing no viruses, but I know we have one and the guy at Office Max said if it's a brand new virus I may have to go to the site for help, blah, blah, blah. This is all too much for me! :crazyroll I think I need someone to give me step by step instructions. :lol: Any volunteers? :biglaugh:

btw- Is it 'safe' for me to be on here as long as I don't have our email open??

[AnnW]

Even though you bought McAfee, it is still not an up to date version..go to www.mcafee.com to get an update. I pay to be a McAfee clinic member and they automatically update me whenever needed.
Good luck!

[KarlaB]

I am so confused - I bet you can't even tell! :lol: We used to have a Mac computer, so this is all new to dh and I.

So, was it a waste to buy McAfee? Should I have just done it all online? Now do I have to pay again to update online? Ugh. This is too much thinking for me in one night! LOL I'm starting to wonder how I ever even got 118 on that darn IQ test!! :newwink:

:) Thanks so much for your help Ann!! :)

[Mickey]

Karla, I just got an e-mail from you. Should I not open it and just delete it or did you send it intentionally?

[Mickey]

Originally posted by KarlaB
So, was it a waste to buy McAfee? Should I have just done it all online? Now do I have to pay again to update online?

Karla, you needed to buy McAfee regardless. I'm sure it's like Norton Antivirus (the one I have) in that you need to periodically download free updates at their site. Every day new viruses are being created and you need to get updates so your software will detect those new viruses.

You just install the program (it usually walks you through the installation and setup), then you click on an "update now" button (or something similar) and it will go retrieve the update from the McAfee website.

[DavidL]

If you're intested in what virus you have, you were infected by the W32/Magistr@MM virus.

Here is some info on the virus and what it does:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/virusSummary.asp?virus_k=99040


Here is a link to the DAT file update you will need to run:
http://www.mcafee-at-home.com/naicommon/download/updates.asp#001

Tell me what version of McAfee software you have and I will help you get it setup.

(I happened to get an email from you earlier as well. I was wondering what it was!)

[Mickey]

Yes to what David said! Karla, I just scanned the attachment that came from you (without opening it!) and it detected the W32.Magistr.24876@mm worm. Hope David can help you get rid of it!

[KarlaB]

Originally posted by Mickey
Karla, I just got an e-mail from you. Should I not open it and just delete it or did you send it intentionally?

I didn't send anything - it's part of the virus, so don't open anything from me until further notice. Sorry! :(

[DavidL]

The key to using McAfee is having the latest DAT and engine.

For this virus you need the minimum DAT #4128 and the minimum engine #4.1.00.

DAT's are released once a week at McAfee (every Wednesday if you're interested!). Engines only update about once every 4 months or so.

Anyways, the current DAT is 4145 which means the minimum DAT was release about 17 weeks ago. If you're McAfee software was sitting on the shelf for that long, then chances are you don't have the current DAT's to detect it.

Follow that link I made up top and it has the instructions on downloading and installing the DAT file.

Good luck! And don't worry about it, it happens to the best of us!

[KarlaB]

Originally posted by DavidL
If you're intested in what virus you have, you were infected by the W32/Magistr@MM virus.

Here is some info on the virus and what it does:
http://vil.nai.com/vil/virusSummary.asp?virus_k=99040


Here is a link to the DAT file update you will need to run:
http://www.mcafee-at-home.com/naicommon/download/updates.asp#001

Tell me what version of McAfee software you have and I will help you get it setup.

(I happened to get an email from you earlier as well. I was wondering what it was!)

Sorry!! :tearhair: This is such a big mess. I had you and Mickey in my address book. Hope it doesn't get you guys.

Thanks so much for your help and info. We have McAfee Virus Scan Deluxe for Windows 95/98/NT. I downloaded stuff from the McAfee site right before I saw this post and that then identified the virus for me and has had me deleting files. My question is this. How do I know when it's gone completely? It ran thru and had me delete a bunch of files and then now as I type all of a sudden I'll get another message that pops up to delete more. Is it automatically checking my whole computer - email, etc? Sorry I am SO clueless! Up until I downloaded from their site I don't know if what we attempted to install worked because they have a "test" you can do and it didn't work for us. Ugh! Thanks again for your help with this and all of my questions!!! :)

[KarlaB]

Originally posted by DavidL
The key to using McAfee is having the latest DAT and engine.

For this virus you need the minimum DAT #4128 and the minimum engine #4.1.00.

DAT's are released once a week at McAfee (every Wednesday if you're interested!). Engines only update about once every 4 months or so.

Anyways, the current DAT is 4145 which means the minimum DAT was release about 17 weeks ago. If you're McAfee software was sitting on the shelf for that long, then chances are you don't have the current DAT's to detect it.

Follow that link I made up top and it has the instructions on downloading and installing the DAT file.

Good luck! And don't worry about it, it happens to the best of us!

:) Thanks so much!!!! :)

[DavidL]

Originally posted by KarlaB
...they have a "test" you can do and it didn't work for us.

When you say test, are you referring to something called the eicar virus? It's a test virus you can download that is used to verify if virus software is actually running.

Did it say it failed or did it pop up a window and say it detected it?

[KarlaB]

Originally posted by DavidL


When you say test, are you referring to something called the eicar virus? It's a test virus you can download that is used to verify if virus software is actually running.

Did it say it failed or did it pop up a window and say it detected it?

Yep, that's the one. Nothing happened when we ran it. I told you we are clueless! :lol: Once I downloaded from the site we got results.

When it had us delete the affected files it said to restore them from back up...and then make sure they aren't affected. How does one do this?

[DavidL]

Originally posted by KarlaB
When it had us delete the affected files it said to restore them from back up...and then make sure they aren't affected. How does one do this?

Well, that all depends on if you've made backups of the files you deleted!

If the files you deleted are part of Windows, then you'll have to use your install CD or locate the setup files on your computer. If they are other applications, you'll probably just have to reinstall those applications as well.

Do you have a list of the files it had you delete?

[DavidL]

Down on your task bar, you should have a red icon that resembles a shield with a 'V' in it. If the 'V' is red, then you are scanning anytime a file is written to your computer. That means you are safe.

Now, right-click on the shield and select the 'Status' option. You should see 4 tabs on this screen.

One of the tabs is 'Email Scan'. Go to that one and be sure it is enabled. If you see a 'Disable' button then it is enabled. If you see an 'Enable' button, click it!

If you want, you can enable all the tabs although you only really need the Email and the System scan enabled.

If you have the shield in your task bar, then you are most likely protected.

[KarlaB]

:yippee: THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! :yippee:

You have been a HUGE help!!!! Now just let me know when you need anything! :D

[AnnW]

Jumping in late as usual. I got stuck with the Melissa Virus cause I did'n't know about the updates either. I could never remember which DAT it was so I went ahead and signed up for the McAfee Clinic and now my puter does all the updating for me..it is worth every penny to me!
Hope you got it all cleared up..sounds like you were in good hands with Mickey and David.

[KarlaB]

Thanks Ann! You guys were all life savers! I think we got rid of the virus, but I still feel so vulnerable. We were gone all day, so I haven't tried to retieve the files I deleted. My goal is to just get someone over here who has a clue and then reload Windows and whatever else. Dh wants to start fresh with everything, but I don't want to lose all of my bookmarked sites. :)

I'd love to set something up so we don't have to do anything. How much does it cost with McAfee?

btw - I see I just missed you last night - what were you doing up so late? :D I think I finally went to bed at 3:30 - I was wiped out today. I'm ready for :sleep: (edited to add - I saw the post about your dh snoring. You need to try my tricks and plug his nose, etc! :lol: )

:) Thanks again!!!! :)

[AnnW]

Karla...I think I will have to start doing that! (just need to be careful about leaving fingerprints! :newwink: )

It is $29.99 are year, I think..and well worth it to me!!! I was forever screwing up those downloads of DATs off the site.