Warning: Windows XP - Page 3

Tom Earp · #1 08-13-2003, 10:34 PM

I guess ya can call me old fashion!

Still got Windows 98!

Yea Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chideltjen · #2 08-13-2003, 11:06 PM

i got the worm. my friend came over and got rid of it last night. what a great way to celebrate a birthday tho.
"congrats... your computer has a virus."

Gina1201 · #3 08-13-2003, 11:08 PM

I also got the virus last night. Luckily, my computer pro boyfriend was able to fix it. So my GC withdrawl was not that bad. Now, I have a firewall, virus scan, the whole nine.

OUlioness01 · #4 08-13-2003, 11:11 PM

grrr....the computer technician told me to disable my firewall while we wer trying to figure out why i couldn't get internet access and i got the d#@$ virus again. at least i still had the stuff to get rid of it so it's gone again now. why didn't that patch work for me?

D.COM · #5 08-14-2003, 10:16 AM

Just for information:

There is a free antivirus program called AVG

Free anti-spyware program:
SpyBot Search & Destroy

I patched up my computer as soon as I read about the worm on Yahoo's Headline News.

AlphaSigOU · #6 08-14-2003, 11:15 AM

If you suspect (or already know) you've been infected by this particular virus, here's a way to disable it while you get the patch to fix it:

If you're using Windows 95 or 98 go to Start -> Run and in the Run box type MSCONFIG. (Seems to have not hit Win 95 or 98 computers, but better safe than sorry! Win ME and XP have something similar, but whether it's still MSCONFIG I'm not sure.)

The System Configuration box will come up. Click on the Startup tab and scroll down the programs that will activate on startup.

The incriminating file is called MSBLAST.EXE. Uncheck that program from the Startup list, click OK or Apply, then close the System Configuration utility.

You will be prompted to reboot your system. Do so.

This should keep the malicious program temporarily at bay until you can download and apply the appropriate security patches.

Munchkin03 · #7 08-14-2003, 11:49 PM

Damn! It feels good to have a Mac (or a computer that's too old for anything but Windows 98).

DSTDiva · #8 08-20-2003, 12:51 AM

I was on the internet yesterday when all of a sudden the screen went completely white. There was a box that said in so many words "System shutting down, save any unsaved work, initiated by NT Authority\System, Windows must restart because remote procedure call service terminated unexpectedly."

There was a 60 second timer so I waited until it ran out of time. Then it swithced to another screen that said that I was infected with the blaster worm and to get rid of it I can download something to get rid of it. But below the download button there was a visa, mastercard, etc sign basically saying that I had to pay for the download. My computer never restarted by itself. I downloaded the patch, enabled a firewall, and have an anti-virus program before all of this happened.

My question is for the people who infected. What exactly happened when you found out you had the virus?

It seems to me that it was a pop up ad, but I just want to be 100% sure. But unlike other ads, there was not x so I could close the box. I had to crl-alt-del and then press end task to close that window and I went back to the page I was on before the white screen popped up.

SparkliiQTMTSU · #9 08-20-2003, 01:48 AM

Ok so you know whats funny I have this damned worm and its hit my other computer HARD! and Im talking really hard like I cant even get to the desktop to mess with it. I cant start it in safe mode I cant even reinstall my XP cd the computer like doesnt reconize its in the drive. SO basically Im totally screwed!! lol hopefully I can find some kind of computer genius to fix it for me but otherwise im going to have to like toss my beloved baby!

Nichole

decadence · #10 08-20-2003, 06:13 AM

DSTDiva it sounds as if you may have it [the virus]. Anti-virus packages need updating every so often so quite possibly yours may not recognise this latest infection. I didn't like the sound of that credit card thing, kinda like "you'll be okay so long as you give us your lunch money".

Nichole, touch melodramatic to toss the computer because it has one rogue program (virus) on it! Kinda like buying a new car after running out of petrol/getting a flat. Incidentally, your description of the problem suggests you definitely have the virus.

I'll suggest a coupla things to get rid of it:

1) Activate the built in Windows XP Firewall FIRST.
How to Enable Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) on Windows XP
On the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click Start, and then click Control Panel.

Click the Network and Internet Connections category.
(If the Network and Internet Connections is not visible, click Switch to Category View under Control Panel on the left side of the Control Panel window.)

Click Network Connections.

Right-click the Dial-up, LAN, or High-Speed Internet connection that you use to connect to the Internet, and then click Properties from the context menu.

On the Advanced tab, under Internet Connection Firewall, select Protect my computer or network, and then click OK.
The Windows XP firewall is now enabled.

2) Next you wanna disable System Restore. This is a nifty (well in Microsoft's opinion) part of Windows XP that backs up selected files automatically to the C:\_Restore folder. In case of a problem which will let you restore them. What it means here though is an infected file could be stored there as a backup file, and the anti-virus program will be unable to delete those files. So....You must disable the System Restore Utility first so any anti-virus program can remove infected files from the C:\_Restore folder along with from everywhere else.

2.5) Disabling System Restore: 1. Right click the My Computer icon on the Desktop and click on Properties. 2. Click on the System Restore tab. 3. Put a check mark next to 'Turn off System Restore on All Drives'. 4. Click the 'OK' button. 5. You will be prompted to restart the computer. Click Yes.
(Note: To re-enable the Restore Utility AFTER you've got rid of the virus), follow steps one to five and on step three remove the check mark next to 'Turn off System Restore on All Drives'.

If it's still trying to reboot you after 60 seconds of gettings into Windows XP after booting, Press CTRL-ALT-DEL, click on the Processes tab and terminate the process msblast.exe

3) Install the Microsoft Patch: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

4) So you're restarted, no system restore activated, patched now to get rid of the unwelcome guest. Well normally you'll have a nice updated anti-virus package, erm instead of that use this:
http://securityresponse.symantec.com...r/FixBlast.exe
That file is essentially an anti-virus package which just works on that virus.

Should it not work, then try http://download.nai.com/products/mca...rt/stinger.exe . It's an emergency tool from Symantec created when they need to respond to new viruses in between full updates of their software. So uhm, download ... install, run. Should fix it?

5) If that's fixed it, go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and download the regular XP updates if you haven't already.

6) Come back to us in the thread if it hasn't fixed it.

DWAlphaGam · #11 08-20-2003, 09:14 AM

My Yahoo e-mail account just got socked with virus e-mails (there were about 50 of them). Did this happen to anyone else with Yahoo? I didn't think I would have this problem, since I don't use Outlook to check my Yahoo e-mail.

wrigley · #12 10-28-2004, 11:28 AM

I think the reason Gateway closed its retail stores is because they sold systems with Windows XP and they knew people would come back bearing pitchfork and torches for inflicting aggravation on consumers. I have a warranty and have tried to get access to help at their website and jumping through hoops I guess is just par for the course. But I still haven't gotten the help I need.

When I went to Best Buy to upgrade my Norton's antivirus had Sam Salesboy #2 told me about the Internet Security Package I could have saved some money instead of paying twice for the Antivirus and again for Internet Security. I didn't know about the option until I went to Norton's website. I should have known I was going to be screwed when I was directed to Salesboy #1 and the first words out of his mouth were "Wassup"

A friend warned me that she had to reload her XP software due to the latest XP update download and she lost all of her files, I'm not tech savvy as I should be, and I thought it would bypass me. When my computer was being slow Norton's said it was adware that was causing it. I thought I was doing the right thing by downloading Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy. At this point when I turn on my computer it gets to the welcome sign then announces it can't get to the library. Basically it just sits at the logo of the Gateway cow patterned box. For some reason I remembered ctrl, alt, delete so I could get online access.

I'm just so frustrated that I can't solve this by myself and miss my Mac.