Antivirus 360 warning

[loribee59]

I was checking out a spam mail in my hotmail box, and I selected it to be 'junk' the next thing I knew, I got this 'warning' that I had 'worms' in my harddrive and I've GOT to install it, and I"ve GOT to protect my computer, and once I had it installed, I have to have a license in order to 'run' it, and when I clicked on the license button, it jumped to a page where I can get this program for one year for $59.95.

To me, that raised a lot of red flags and it's so unethical to hide behind a junk email, and to pop out like that into scaring me to install it, making me think that I have spyware or malware or worms. I just simply click on "junk" and for a moment, my hotmail wasn't responding and suddenly I got this popup to say that I have 19 threats to my computer. that's what's so spooky about it.

Now I can't get rid of it....they don't provide an 'uninstall' feature and it's not in my 'add/remove' list and it's popping up like an annoying pop up ad to tell me I have 19 threats and I've GOT to get my license key to get it to run.


sooooooo, I found this program to take it off my computer:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/remove-antivirus-360

if you find you can't open it in NORMAL mode after installing it, it will open in SAFE mode.
http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

and yes, I got rid of that danged thing....

that was CLOSE! *whew*

 

[icarusforde]

Yeah, that one was a pain for me to kill too. I didnt find that tool, but i ended up taking ownership of the virus in question, killing the locking handles and deleting that thing with military overwriting of the file. No more virus. Happy me.

 

[peanutbutter12]

AVG is the way to go. The free version is fantastic. The only virus protection you need.

http://www.avg.com/filedir/inst/avg_free_stf_en_85_278a1439.exe

 

[cwolf20]

If push comes to shove, and you have a computer savvy friend. Save everything you want to save on an external hard drive, then wipe the whole thing. After which, start over. Funny thing is.... a lot of tech guys recommend wiping the hard drive every 3 years anyway.

 

[peanutbutter12]

I try to do a format every year just to keep the machine clean. You'd be amazed how much trash gets stored up in the registry.

 

[loribee59]

AVG is the way to go. The free version is fantastic. The only virus protection you need.

http://www.avg.com/filedir/inst/avg_free_stf_en_85_278a1439.exe

I used to have AVG several years ago, but switched to Avast. Has AVG changed for the better..?

 

[CCGirl]

I try to do a format every year just to keep the machine clean. You'd be amazed how much trash gets stored up in the registry.

Then you need CCleaner.........free and works great! Also, download adaware.

 

[peanutbutter12]

Then you need CCleaner.........free and works great! Also, download adaware.

Don't need adaware as I know everything that gets installed on my system.

I have a few different tools that I use to keep the system clean as it is, CCleaner being one of them, though I rarely use it.

Even so, formatting with a clean install every year helps keep my drive under control from file buildups and so fourth.

 

[peanutbutter12]

I used to have AVG several years ago, but switched to Avast. Has AVG changed for the better..?

I never thought they were bad to begin with. I've been using AVG for years and have yet to find anything better.

 

[pgp_protector]

If push comes to shove, and you have a computer savvy friend. Save everything you want to save on an external hard drive, then wipe the whole thing. After which, start over. Funny thing is.... a lot of tech guys recommend wiping the hard drive every 3 years anyway.

I'd bet a lot ot "tech guys" actually get a new computer every 3 years

(3 years is OLD for a computer)

 

[peanutbutter12]

I'd bet a lot ot "tech guys" actually get a new computer every 3 years

(3 years is OLD for a computer)

That's true as well. LOL

I'm due for an upgrade but I like my case so much that this time I'm just getting a new mobo/chipset and maybe ram if I go i7.

 

[pgp_protector]

That's true as well. LOL

I'm due for an upgrade but I like my case so much that this time I'm just getting a new mobo/chipset and maybe ram if I go i7.

My last upgrade was a new case also, went from a tower to a Shuttle.
Love it, give me so much more room under the desk

Next upgrade is 1.5 - 2 TB Hard Drive & Upgraded AMD CPU.

 

[loribee59]

My last upgrade was a new case also, went from a tower to a Shuttle.
Love it, give me so much more room under the desk

Next upgrade is 1.5 - 2 TB Hard Drive & Upgraded AMD CPU.

Oh MY....I'm drooling over the TB size

question: what's the difference between Intel and AMD..?

and...back on topic: what free antivirus you use and why you like it?

I've heard about CCleaner, and it was suggested to be careful with this app as it's possible to wipe out some needed apps to keep some programs running.

 

[CCGirl]

AVG works very well, but there is nothing wrong with CCleaner.

 

[pgp_protector]

Oh MY....I'm drooling over the TB size

question: what's the difference between Intel and AMD..?

Me I like AMD, primary for the bang for the buck.

and...back on topic: what free antivirus you use and why you like it?

I've heard about CCleaner, and it was suggested to be careful with this app as it's possible to wipe out some needed apps to keep some programs running.

me I use AVG Free, works for everything I've got, and keeps my system clean without any major issues.

 

[Sketcher]

Reminds me of when my dad fell for the "MS Antispyware" trojan. I couldn't even get rid of that one in Safe Mode. Had to format and reinstall Windows. After that, I did a virus scan with only Norton and the updates to Windows installed, and the darned thing still had 2 processes running. Fortunately, Norton got rid of it all that time.

 

[peanutbutter12]

I'll never use another AMD chip if they don't get their act together and start making something worth buying.

 

[sim-value]

Funny thing is.... a lot of tech guys recommend wiping the hard drive every 3 years anyway.

Then they arent tech guys but wannabe ... a system taken well care of can run after 5 years still almost the same as on the first day ...


Cause you dont get into trouble when you:
1. Use Common Sense
2. Use one good AV (emphasis on one)
3. Use Firefox to protect you while surfing
4. Dont click everywhere where its shiny and dont install programms you are not 100% sure you really want ...

Or just use Linux and you can even have your computer running permanently for years if you want ....

/me

 

[Dark_Lite]

Or just use Linux

This solves all problems Windows creates.

 

[Jmia]

Then they arent tech guys but wannabe ... a system taken well care of can run after 5 years still almost the same as on the first day ...

Running the same as on the first day still doesn't change the fact it's outdated after so long. With time comes advancements and those advancements can only be handled so well on old computers. Take gaming, photo editing, video editing, etc. for example - you used to be fine on a single core system with 512mb of RAM and whatever the newest graphics card was at the time... and even if you kept your comp in as good of shape as possible, it still wouldn't be able to run the latest games/software acceptably.

I'm not sure I'd go for a whole new system every 3 years since I've quit gaming, but I'll still definitely upgrade parts when needed. Even the simplest tasks will grow harder on older systems as they evolve.