Korean Job Discussion Forums

[swoodman]

I started taking advantage of utorrent recently and sadly my laptop isnt working anymore. Must be a virus. I really need to it to work and live in Busan. Is there anywhere I could get it fixed? The laptops in English and I need an English speaker to fix it

[HalfJapanese]

How about explaining in detail what the problem is.

You don't just start using Utorrent and suddenly get a virus, you would have had to had downloaded something and executed the installation or something to get it. Or perhaps you installed a program, and executed a keygenerator/crack to have gotten the virus.

If it is a virus, you can try download and installing "AVG Anti-Virus Free", and "Spybot Search and Destroy" and scan your computer for viruses. If the viruses/spyware/etc keep coming back even after you have removed them, then you'll need to install "OSAM Autorun Manager and go through the step to remove the virus manually.

[caylia]

Also consider doing a "factory restore" on your laptop if your laptop has that option.

I have a Lenovo/IBM laptop with a "rejuvenate option". My laptop crashed two days ago. I hit the ThinkVantage button, it gave me the option to save all the files I needed on a USB key, then it did a restore to the point where the operating system was installed at the factory.

I had to reinstall some programs, but now my laptop is lightning fast again!

[ChilgokBlackHole]

[caylia]

Also, a reg cleaner like cc cleaner and MalwareBytes Anti Malware could help too along with AVG and Spybot.

I don't like AVG for the one reason is that it is a huge resource hog. Otherwise, free free free.

[swoodman]

Thanks Ill look into it. I installed avast anti virus software and Ive tried to run scans but they always stop working when they try to scan a file in the the windows/assembly/windowsbuildutilities. I cant uninstall the program presumably cos its an essential component of the laptop

[lost at sea]

I haven't used virus protection or a firewall since 2005 and I have been virus free. They are nothing but resource hogs, and entirely useless. The only possible use for them is if you are living in a household, sharing a computer with young kids and/or half computer literate people.

I think a majority of the hype around virus protection and internet safety is mostly a big fear campaign so companies can sell more software. As long as you don't do anything stupid you are perfectly safe.

Examples of stupid behavior:

* Downloading a tiny file claiming to be a movie yet it's an exe format and rather small.

* Downloading pirated software that requires a keygen (a good number of keygens are loaded with viruses, not all, but many are). If a pirated software doesn't give you a key up front it's not worth installing in my opinion. A better alternative is a crack that uses an exe swap instead of a keygen.

* Downloading and installing toolbars, or 'downloading' software required to be installed to download from a website.

* Using Internet Explorer is a stupid thing to do. It's much better to use Firefox, or Google Chrome. I suggest Chrome Plus. It's free, safe, very compatible and very simple-- minimalist.

http://www.chromeplus.org/


Examples of good behavior:

* Scanning keygens and other small files (exes and other risky file formats, such as .doc, .pdf or any other file types that can be laced with a virus). Don't bother with a scanner mentioned above. As long as the file is smaller than 10-50mb, it's best to use an online scanner. They are free and 100 times better.

http://www.virustotal.com/

http://virusscan.jotti.org/en

[lost at sea]

I would suggest reinstalling Windows, but if you insist on fixing it, try to do it in safe mode so you have more access to computer files that used to be protected.

I also suggest shutting down ALL start up processes on your computer minus a few that may be essential. Go to the run command and type msconfig, and click on the start up section and list the processes that start with your computer.

Then go to the services and list the services that start up with Windows. A virus will be hiding in the startup processes and/or services.

[AsiaESLbound]

Sounds like a bum hard disk. Did you hear any tiny squeeling or squeeking sounds?

[greatunknown]

[caylia]

I agree. All these "piece by piece" download sites have land mines everywhere, so you have to be careful.

eMule is where all the Chinese people download stuff, and it takes forever. They are doing a much better job of stopping the proliferation of viruses, malware, etc.