Worst Computer Virus I've Had!

[Danimal]

Ok, maybe not the most dangerous to the system, but the worst to get rid of! It was some terrible adware called "Scorpion Saver" that was bundled into cnet download for a program I wanted. Not good. Warning to all to read the user agreements your check off as you're installing programs. I didn't.

I couldn't get rid of it myself and for the last week have been getting help from some people online at the Malwarebytes forum. Used literally a dozen different programs and utilities to help me and man have I learned a lot. Still not sure if it's gone though. People who write this junk and infect your computers are a bunch of...well, you know.

Just venting.

 

[Rat Rod]

I've got the answer to your problem...

 

[Danimal]

I used to think that might be the case, but my iPhone is no gem. It locks up, crashes, and annoys me on a regular basis.

But having said all that, I would buy a Mac if it didn't cost 4-5 times what a good PC does. All you fancy people and your fancy computers.

 

[Rat Rod]

Ha Ha.

Well, I can give you a little better perspective.

As a graphic designer, I've worked solely on a Mac for the past 17 years. Never at any point have I ever had to run virus software. Never have had one virus infection during that time either.

We did run a PC at home for several years, but I got so bloody tired of the thing not working correctly, getting infected, locking up, slowing down over time, etc. that I finally bit the bullet and dropped $1200 on an iMac. That was 4 years ago now and it's still running strong. I think I sold a couple of bikes to pay for it. Best investment I've made for our home life.

So if you ask me, yes they are more expensive, but well worth the lack of misery and frustration.

 

[Danimal]

Oh I know they are better systems, and I honestly wish I could justify the cash to get one. Someday.

This 17" HP Laptop has served me pretty well for the last 3 years and it cost around $300-$400 on a Black Friday deal, so I really can't complain. I'm a cautious user but once in a while, I get bit with a virus.

 

[Rat Rod]

I've got another Mac Pro tower with a 24" cinema screen that I use here at home when I work from home. It's about 8 years old and also still runs like a champ.

You might consider looking at Craigslist to see what used Macs are going for.

 

[kngtmat]

I only had three computers since 2002. The first was an Emachines W1500 which lasted two years longer than most of them because their power supplies went out quickly 2002-2006. The second 2007-2010 I only got rid of was because the backlight Dell used lit up was too bright for the space scenes when I watched Star Trek. The third I am using right now for the past three years. All of those years the only viruses I had were easy to get rid of and I only got those because I forgot to update the antivirus software.

Mac is a PC too so if your talking about Windows OS's then just say Windows PC's. Both Operating Systems and are not anymore virus free than the other. Macs still get viruses too but it's just that the only reason they get less because virus creators know the majority have Windows PC's and it allows them to create the most damage.

 

[mikeeebikey]

Ahhhh yes, the "clean your files now," virus. That you installed!
Been there, done the reformat....

 

[driver bob]

restart in safe mode and use "system restore" to go back to a restore point before you d/l the problem software. One of the first things I try on work machines when end users install this crap.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I have had 3 comps in the last 11 yrs. One was an amalgam of parts but with a beefed up hard drive. The second was an emachines that ran faithfully for years until XP pro was so obsolete and you couldn't upgrade the OS on that one without spending serious$$ on hardware upgrades. The one I have now is an emachines, $298 new, not on sale or anything, and has a 1TB hard drive and 3GB memory. Maybe not the fanciest belle at the ball but it gets the job done. And I have used the system restore, not on this one but the last one. Now I have Avast AV and it has kept out the bad stuff. And that was a one-time thing caused by trying to enter Atomiczombie bicycle site. Go figure. But I am super cautious online too. I go here, thecabe, ebay, yahoo, photobucket, craigslist, not much else.

 

[ozzmonaut]

We had an apple in the 80's. I think we had a Commodore before that. I don't remember the apple being that awesome.

 

[CCR]

That scorpion saver is what was keeping me from seeing the message box on the new forum in the first place. It's a self installing extension, also goes by white smoke, better surf and scorpion service too. Had to delete the folders in the program files manually (virus software may not recognize it) and you must delete the extensions and change your search engine and homepage preferences options while deleting the links it had placed in the options fields. I was thinking about getting a chrome book to replace an aging laptop but I'm thinking twice now, though it is googles operating system running on those. If you have more than 1 browser installed you have to check the settings and delete the links and extensions in all of them.

 

[Rat Rod]

We had an apple in the 80's. I think we had a Commodore before that. I don't remember the apple being that awesome.

Ha Ha...completely different product 30 years later.

 

[dracothered]

Ha Ha...completely different product 30 years later.

Even now a Mac ain't a Mac... It is an Intel based machine running a Linux/Unix based OS with Mac's front end (Desktop) running on them.

 

[Rat Rod]

Whatever works...I'm not picky!

 

[Rustinkerer]

I'm working on getting rid of s.saver as well as snap do. Got a program called spy hunter, hopefully it'll do the trick! -Adam

 

[driver bob]

download malwarebytes (free version) and install. reboot in safe mode and run a full scan, clean up everything it finds and then change your browser homepage back to the one you want.

snap do will be gone (and a bunch of other crap)..

 

[Danimal]

I had malwarebytes already as well as norton anti virus and spybot. Didn't help.

I posted on the malwarebytes forum and got some help. Eventually got it sorted out. This one was nasty.

 

[Rockit!]

I got a virus called "Chernobyl" a couple of years ago. Yeah, it's as bad as it sounds.

 

[user 135]

I found it easier to start over. Back up data and reboot a new system image.