Hello. My friend’s parents’ (sorry for the grammar) PC has been running really slow for a long time. Even though it’s aging, it shouldn’t be as slow as it was. I decided to go over when I heard they used AVG free. I convinced them to let me mess around with it since I know more about PCs than they do. I checked their AVG scan results and found they had a trojan not removed after over twenty scans. I knew that could only the beginning and not trusting AVG since my computer was ruined early this year, I installed MBAM. A quick scan revealed 57 infections, mostly adware, but also including a Trojan.FakeAlert, Vundo, some Hijack thing, Rogue.Antivirus. I honestly don’t know how their computer was still working. Strangely, they didn’t have the problems associated with Vundo and fake alerts. I quarantined and installed avast, then ran a boot scan which found 5 more infections. Then I installed SUPERAntiSpyware and it found more stuff. Last I installed ZoneAlarm and went home for the day.
That was about a month ago maybe. Today, they ran a scan with avast that found more infections, several of which I expected since they had Glary Utilities like me, and it had the Induc virus. Also included were an adware and something I forget. Although their computer is running significantly faster, I am sure their computer still has infections not being picked up, and they have some way more infections are getting in. They used LimeWire but I uninstalled that the first day I went there.
I’m not sure what sites his mom and dad go to, but he tells me he only goes to Newgrounds.com, MSN, gamefaqs, yahoo (because it’s the homepage), and MySpace.
Can you help fix their computer for good? I can’t completely remember their system info but it’s an older Dell with a 2.? Ghz processor, 512mb RAM, and XP.
Also, how important are archive files? I was running a boot scan on their PC today and chose to scan archives. About 1% in, it found a corrupted archive file that I think is something on their desktop that’s 100-something kb large.
Get them to run MBAM regularly, I’d say.
Make sure AVG has been properly removed using the appropriate Removal tool.
Maybe persuade them to use Firefox with Noscript (which can often be a pain for those that aren’t prepared to be involved in their security, because some sites’ functionality is affected) or install a hosts file, or SpywareBlaster.
Frankly, it doesn’t matter what sites are or are not visited, these days, but what is clicked on in a social networking site can often lead to malicious things. This, obviously, is a user eduction issue. Which is only possible to invoke if the users actually care. See if you can find a mutual friend who has had a credit card or identity stolen. That might be an incentive.
You can’t fix their computer for good, short of disabling the internet connection. You’ve probably realized that. All you can do is encourage them to maintain it, and minimize exposure to harm. Maybe get them to back up important files regularly. And maybe try and get them to use limited user accounts, and password protect the admin account.
I don’t want to start a new thread for ever little problem so I’ll post this here. I just went to Outpost on my PC to check out its stuff, and I right clicked on something. The menu appeared faded and I couldn’t click anything on it. I closed it and right clicked on my desktop and the same thing happened. My PC was behaving oddly after that. I started avast to scan running processes and run a boot scan. It wouldn’t scan memory before starting, it just said waiting to scan memory or something. I tried to close it but couldn’t. I tried to load avast again and it did he same thing. I opened task manager and couldn’t shut gem down, probably because of its self defense mechanisms which I’m actually grateful for. Eventually, it skipped to he UI and I am running a boot scan. It’s at 20% and all it’s found is a corrupted, not infected, ZIP archive file of NoScript for Firefox. Should I be worried? As to the recommendations about my friend’s parents’ PC, I will follow it.
I’m sorry, there isn’t really enough info in this post to enable an informed reply.
It sounds like a software confliction of some kind that caused one (or more) processes to stall. (In this sort of situation, the best thing to do is wait, see if it resolves, and if it remains locked/unresponsive, restart the computer using the power button.
I’d suggest posting a HjT log (let me know if you need instructions for this), and you could also consider installing UPH Cleanup (a MS program designed to help with slow logoff and unreconciled profile problems.)
If you can remember what you right clicked on in Outpost (firewall?) someone might be able to shed some light on that.
I tend to find firewalls somewhat confusing generally, because of the different types of rules possible, the different connection protocols, which ports are supposed to be open/stealthed/ in use…the permutations are a bit mind boggling to me, so I tend to install one, and leave it at its default settings, and allow each application to connect on a case by case basis.
If you still find Outpost a bit confusing, after reading through any help files, or finding/reading a good user tutorial for same, the firewall I use is as simple as any of them, and probably a bit simpler than most.
I’ve never used Outpost so I don’t know whether it’s simpler or better, or not.
Basically it’s an outbound control mechanism, plus a blocker of unsolicited “stuff”, isn’t it?
At least, that’s all I want in a firewall.
A lot depends on how ‘you’ have set it up (Firewall Policy), Rules Wizard is the one most likely to pop-up questions on a process, etc. but you can set it to Allow Most. Whilst this might seem insecure it really isn’t as the most serious/severe or potentially harmfull would result in a pop-up to ask what to do.
If it is in learning mode, it monitors your use of the computer for a week (I believe) and during that time it shouldn’t have that many pop-ups.
The thing to consider is that switching to a different firewall will have all those questions and more (in many cases as Outpost isn’t that intrusive) as it too gets to know your system and asks questions.
avast 5 unless you buy the Suite version doesn’t have a firewall. I also have no idea what the avast firewall will be like in terms of pop-ups asking questions, but as far as I’m aware they are trying to take many of the decisions away from the user. So only time after release will tell how user friendly that proves to be.
For sure Malwarebytes 1.40 Free,Windows Defender (If not gone lol), Avast! Internet Security Suite with Windows Update of Windows and Microsoft with UAC if you are in Vista (i dont rememeber if XP got UAC if u want u can check) turned on.
In term of security i would get that its enought for me and for my eyes. When you will got in your parent if you want you will can run per 2 weeks or months Malwarebytes.
Then be sure when you will use Avast! Internet Security Suite to turn off Windows Firewall or uninstall the current Firewall you did install to them.
So all should be fine. I hope.
But for now Avast! 5 is still in Beta Stage so we need to wait but for sure if its a Home PC that they got then u can install them for the moment Avast! 4.8 Home and i can say Outpost Free could be nice for the moment instead of Avast! Internet Security Suite. But for sure Avast! Internet Security Suite will be better ;D But like i did say the two thing are good for the moment and they shouldnt worry. XP Firewall is 1 way and its really no recommanded. Outpost is 2 ways and its can be not bad for the moment as Matousec rating. And i can say the interface look easy and familiar to surf.
So there u got. Its should run fine on a 512 mb ram cpu for sure.