Free Computer Help

[Louwai]

OK Pete, Try this one.

I picked up a couple of viruses on the lappy.
It's on of those ones which takes over the web browser.

1st problem
The browser is really slow to start up.
When I do a Google search, it gives a list of results like normal, but when I click on a search result link I get redirected to a different site, usually another search engine or sometimes a direct site.

2nd problem
Every few minutes a new browser will open with a message saying "your computer is infected, click here to remove viruses". It's obviously a virus itself but I can't get rid of it.

My Norton 2009 Internet Security doesn't recognize either of them.


What do you reckon????

[DjPete]

My sisterinlaw had same one 2 weeks ago.
Bad.

Hopefully you have system restore on.
Hers was not switched on!

Just go back a few days and all will be well.
Google how to do system restore if not sure.
It is the easiest solution.

[Louwai]

My sisterinlaw had same one 2 weeks ago.
Bad.

Hopefully you have system restore on.
Hers was not switched on!

Just go back a few days and all will be well.
Google how to do system restore if not sure.
It is the easiest solution.

Things have gone from bad to worse.
Now I can't even log on.
I boot up, type in password.
"Loading your personal settings"
Descktop screen is shown for approx 1 sec & then it logs itself off again.
Can't get into it.

Put in a Windows CD to try to repair.
Turn on - press F12 to choose boot menu.
Boot from CD.
Starts booting & then goes to the original password screen.
Log in & same thing happens. Logs off straight away.

Tried booting in SAFE MODE. No good. Still goes back toe the same screen & after loging in it straight away logs off again.

FAAAAAARK !!!!!!!

Someone suggested removing the HD & attaching it as a slave to another machine to get the data from it.
Would that work?????

[BUSGO]

It may work as long as the virus that is on your hard drive does not jump across to the good one.
Make sure that the good PC has the very best of Internet security and Anti virus protection.
Sounds like a job for reformat of HDD and rebuild though.
However, a boot sector virus could mean a throwaway hdd and start with a new one.
Hard drives are cheap but the lost data is not.

[Louwai]

Yes Busgo. Among other things, this lappy is the one I use to drive my telescopes. I have a lot of Astronomy software on it which I'd rather not lose.

+ all the porn...............

[arthur dunga]

Thanks DJ for your computer help. Program is working spot on.Man's a rocket scientist.

[NEMESIS]

Ok...
My dillemma.
Well 2 of em.

1st up...
My computer will read my lil 4 gig portable hardrive...
But wont read my portable 80 gig one...
It did when i got my comp reformatted,but it wont now...
An its not the portable hardrive because it works fine
on my ps3 or anywhere else..

2nd problem.
Everytime i go to save a pic,when i click save picture as,
comp makes some noises,then the option where to save it loads up.
Never used to do this before.
Got a ton of space still left on the hardrive,
tried defragging,but still no luck...

[DjPete]

dunno.
I can have a shot at the first prob maybe remotely.
See first post re Logmein but sounds like would need to look listen to it.
Drop it off here one day.

[BUSGO]

Hi Nem,
With your 2nd problem, I suspect that at some point recently you may have saved a photo from the web to a USB drive directly from the web rather than to your hard drive.
Since doing that, the PC now has a path in its search loop to find that location whenever you try to "save as".

Windows does some funny things in an attempt to make life easier for you.

Simillar things happen if you use a web photo for your desktop background without saving a copy to your own location first..

I can't help you with how to fix the first situation except for advising to look for your photo editing options in whatever tool you may use.
In the second case, you can simply alter your desktop background photo to a local storage image rather than one you pulled from the internet.

[NEMESIS]

Hi Nem,
With your 2nd problem, I suspect that at some point recently you may have saved a photo from the web to a USB drive directly from the web rather than to your hard drive.
Since doing that, the PC now has a path in its search loop to find that location whenever you try to "save as".

Windows does some funny things in an attempt to make life easier for you.

Simillar things happen if you use a web photo for your desktop background without saving a copy to your own location first..

I can't help you with how to fix the first situation except for advising to look for your photo editing options in whatever tool you may use.
In the second case, you can simply alter your desktop background photo to a local storage image rather than one you pulled from the internet.

Hey busgo,thanks for the try,but nah my usb is never on here
plugged into my comp for me to save pics to it,i always
save to hardrive. I only gave it to the guy who was reformatting my comp etc to try save what was on there b4 he had to.
I tried to load stuff on there when i got it back,it showed up,
i was like sweet. Didnt load everything though,tried a month
odd later an wouldnt work.


An my desktop pic has always been standard windows one since
i got it back.

But thanks for the try busgo.
No thumbs up smiley is currently available haha!

[BUSGO]

OK, it may not have been a USB drive but anywhere other than your default hard drive could be the culprit.
Im sure it is not a big issue for you but just a nuisance.

[NEMESIS]

A very big nuisance.
Its effin bleedin annoying!!!!!!

Takes forever.

[NEMESIS]

Its ok.
Problem solved.

Computer has officially shit itself an wont get past the windows loading screen.
Pretty sure its the hardrive.

Using another comp now lol

[BUSGO]

Sorry I didn't diagnose that earlier Nem.
I should have asked if the PC was doing a CHUNCK CHUNCK CHUNCK type of sound.
That indicates an imminant head crash.

[DjPete]

Here's a prob I cant solve.
Any help appreciated.

My Linksys router decided to stop working and would only let me connect to internet in bridged mode.
I had a brand new DLink 504T router set that up and all went well.

But I cant set up the network again.
I had 3 other pc's running off this one before.

Every time I try to run network setup wizard and set my pc as directly connected to the internet, I get this error message:
Other computers cannot connect to the internet through this computer.
In addition to its internet connection, this computer must have a connection to the network.

I have stopped the firewall on the router and computer but no joy.

It all worked ok with other router and in fact it used to work with a Dlink router too a while back so should work again in theory...

HELP