What is the best killing virus software?

The only truly effective method to destroy it is to reformat your disk and reinstall the OS. Then you reinstall your anti-virus software before you reconnect to the network.

Be aware that all anti-virus software are one or more steps behind the virus-makers. What this means is that the anti-virus programmers need to see a new virus before they can come up with an update.

The only way to prevent infection is to be super careful. Unfortunately, even if you are super-careful, it doesn't guarantee absolute safety. Best thing to do is to keep saving your files into CDs so that you can minimize the damage.

REFORMAT THE HARD DRIVE

When in doubt...... low level the drive and install your OS....... Avast is one of the better anti virus aps that I have found

good luck

I lost my mind too... when I reformatted the hard drive...

Bill

"..., it continuously open ad, ad and ad... but it doesnt kill any files in the computer, ..."

Have you tried using anti-spyware? There is free SUPERAntispyware available. You might be lucky and ...can save you a day!

I know the problem. I started using dedicated computer for internet with basic software and antivirus. All other work is on a separate computer. Formatting HD is the sure method.

"Formatting HD is the sure method."

I totally agree!, but, why not try some easier methods of solving the problem. Something un-ordinary might work... if not, then go ahead and spend the day....

Try downloading Spybot Search & Destroy. THis software is byfar the very best free spyware software out on the market. I think it is better than some of the software you have to pay for. One useful feature is "Immunize" where the software will block all known harmful ads and spyware. I think this feature will keep that ad from continuiously popping up as well as protecting you from future attacks.

I hope this helps.

DO NOT FORMAT THE HARD DISK AT THIS POINT!!!

All you need is a good anti-virus software on CD, boot from the CD (you may need to change a BIOS entry to allow that to happen) and then clear out the virus. Your Windows is not active at that point and neither is the virus!!!

If that does not work, then format the harddisk.

It would appear that your antivirus software is either out of date or not upto the job, furthermore you should have a soft- and a hard- ware firewall installed.

You should have software like adaware and spybot (both!) installed and run them at least once a week.

Assuming that you use WinXP, this should be kept ALWAYS at the latest level. Anything older needs to be thrown away immediately. I cannot recommend Vista at this time, it needs a couple of years to develope still....

You should not be going onto dubious websites and downloading anything, its usually the search for free software that causes such problems.....

You should not leave the PC connected to the web when the web is not needed.....

I would recommend Kaspersky anti-virus, in the full version, it runs faster than Symantec/Norton stuff and usually comes first in tests here in Germany....I gave up on Symantec/Norton a few years ago, it is simply not good enough nowadays.

I had a virus that was a problem and it shut down the anti-virus software Norton. One thing I notice is that it would lead me to a web site guess for what. Anti-virus software. The big names in the field of antivirus software are under attack by the little guys. Easy way to get notice is create a virus thats attacks the anti-virus software of a big company shut it down and leave a calling card(ad for their software). Even after I found a means to get rid of the immediate symptoms the system did not run right. Recommend like the others to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your OS. Was told by a good friend that in practice should reformat your hard drive once a year. Gets rid of all kinds of junk build up in the system.

Hi, from Roberto in sunny Miami
After 1 year of completely free from virus and adware in 6 of my PC computers ( MAC doesn't get viruses) I have to admit the the biggest problem was to use Internet Explorer as web browser and Outlook as a mail program. All viruses makers seems to be very upset with Microsoft ! ( Please do not kill me to say that)

Since I'm using only FIREFOX -Mozilla as web browser I had never been attached by viruses or pop ups. I have tried before all programs mentioned above like adware, spyboot etc but all are temporarely relief because the viruses and the popup regenerate when computer is rebooted and you get so disperate in cleaning up the register, the installed programs, the so-called web search assistants that your only solution seems to be to reformat the drive....

Try to download the free version of Mozilla FIREFOX ( www.mozillla.com) and use only it to browse the internet and you will see that it will works fantastic. excellent super safe powerful web browser!.

I am not in the computer business and I am not doing free advertising. I am a professional with 10 computers ( 6 PC and 4 MACS ) in my office that I use pratically 12/14 hours a day ....most in the internet. I Guarantee that as soon as you will not use EXPLORER but FIREFOX-MOZILLA your nightmare of popups and viruses trough internet will disappear.
IMPORTANT. Clean first your computer on line with a free on line scan very secure
made by TrendMicro ( one of the best antivirus maker in the world) .Go to wwww.antivirus.com look for "housecall" and follow directions to clean from the internet your PC. Select all drives to clean but the most important is the drive C.
This program is very efficient and updated because if you have a virus inside you cannot install any updated antivirus program. It will take sometime to do the complete check depending of the informations you have but it clean really a lot or it give you instructions (free) of how to clean manually a specific virus or ADWARE that you cannot clean automatically. ITS is SUPER SAFE ( German product I believe and it is TREND MICRO official web site) .NB it will ask to download a plug-in from Trend-Micro . Let it do it it, it is safe!

RULE # 1 : DO NOT OPEN ATTACHMENTS OF YOUR E-MAIL COMING FROM SOMEBODY YOU DO NOT KNOW. IF YOU CANNOT WIN THE TEMPTATION, SAVE THE FILE IN A SPECIAL FOLDER NAMED "SUSPECTFILES" or any other name AND SCAN THE FOLDER WITH AN UPDATED ANTIVIRUS FOR VIRUSES BEFORE OPEN IT OR , WRITE DOWN THE NAME OF THE ATTACHMENT AND GO TO GOOGLE AND PASTE THE NAME IN THE SEARCH LINE... IF IS A VIRUS YOU WILL SEE ARTICLES, LETTERS OR MENTION TO IT... BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

GOOD LUCK!

Bye
Roberto

Roberto

Tell me what about cookies and active X?. I keep blocked all cookies and active X must ask me for permission to get active. However some company web pages ask me to lower the barrier against cookies. I hate those pages. In general I have discovered that European web pages, in special those from southern Europe, and in special those web pages from companies in Spain, are complex, dangerous, and plenty of extraneous and stupid objects.

In contrast, pages from companies the USA are much simpler and easy going.

Thank you for any idea

Jaime

It may not be possible to simply format the boot drive due to data on it so here is a little different suggestion.

There is what is called as Bart's PE boot CD. There are customized versions of this floating around. There is one especially made for virus and spyware removal.

The way it works is it boots Windows XP-SP2 with latest critical updates from the CD so what ever affliction your c: drive may have does not bother this CD.

When you start any anti spyware or antivirus software on the offered menu it expands in a temporary folder in a ram drive, downloads the latest executable and/or virus signature file & scans & cleans your c: drive.

Booting to dos is not an option if you are running your system on NTFS.

In future what you must keep in mind is to configure your systems such that the data files are ALWAYS created and stored on an extended partition like d: or e: drive. You can simply move the My Documents folder on your desktop to point to a logical partition / folder. In this case you can pretty much simply format & reinstall at the first signs of trouble.

You must also make an image of your full fledged CLEAN installation before connecting to even a LOCAL lan. This will ensure quick restore of your system in stead of going through a few hours of OS & application installs.

You should also use a free software called SpyWareBlaster. It is a database of all the nasty sites on the internet & will prevent your browser (IE especially) from visiting them even by error. Stick with Firefox + IETab addon. This should fulfill 99% of your browsing requirements.

Also visit the following site & get the latest versions to prevent future problems of inadvertently visiting one of those nasty sites.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Format is a last solution:

But you should try this thing:

1. Disconnect from internet / network (if there is)

2. un install any or all spyware/ anti - virus softwares

3. use PORTABLE ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARES to remove the existing virus/spywares.

4. I prefer PANDA ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE / PANDA INTERNET SECURITY

5. Void multiple anti virus softwares

www.spywareinfo.com/downloads/bhod/

www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

These three have been around for a while and are free for home/personal use.

You may become interested to purchase for business where aplicable.

f Secure is my choice for anti virus and malware protection. A recent addition to f Secure and Microsoft Vista is rootkit detection and protection. rootkits are reported to give the symptoms of malware that you have described.

y

try http://www.grisoft.com/doc/downloads-trials/us/crp/0?prd=isw&simple=1, it's a trial version of a chekoslovakian company. I am using their anti-virus software since about 4 years and have been able to avoid infection so far; if the installation on your computer is successful, I am quite sure it will help you erradicate the virus you currently have on your machine. Once done you can then update de anti-virus data files every day, so you are protected against the latest threats. The free version is a bit more manual than their full version, but still I prefer it over Norton and McAffee and it creates less conflicts with other software and programs on my PC.

Another one that's free is Panda, try it online, hopefully this helps http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/ActiveScan.htm

Good luck!

Leo

Anything you try can save problems from having to reformat. My suggestion would be to go to either antivirus.com or trendmicro.com and try their housecall. It is an online virus removal program that may save you from having to reinstall all of your programs and data.

I've used their PC-Cillin for many years, and have not had a problem, in spite of connecting to wireless servers in about 30 different hotels, and several hot spots. And never using more than their medium settings.

No program that I know of creates a useable back-up of the operating system, which is a shame. That means you not only have to go through a complete reinstall of Windoze, but the hours of updates, restarts, and service packs again, along with any other programs you are going to reinstall, if you can find the original disks. Keep MS disks handy for all of their programs because sooo many of their programs require you to insert the original disks. After you've just installed from that disk. What a waste of computers and time to do that. Until they become more consumer-friendly, long live the home pirates.. Not those selling pirated software.

RichH

There are several good programs around that will create an image of your system disk for you and can be used not only to allow a full reformat of the disk, but can "play" the whole installation back onto that disk or another one, allowing your windows will just restart as though nothing has happened!

The one I personally have found best at this, because you can use almost any medium that you wish for the backup - CD, DVD, Tape, hard disk or a USB Hard disk, is Ghost from Symantec, probably the only software from them that I like at all.....but other softwares should offer similar functions if needed.

Ghost functions at the DOS level (booting with either a floppy or CD) - (I believe the very latest version is slightly different in this manner) and makes an image of your hard disk (obviously this must take place BEFORE the virus takes hold), onto your selected backup medium. (A very good reason NOT to have your data on the same physical disk!).

By functioning at the DOS level, Windows is not active and the snapshot will allow itself to be re-installed and run without further problems. Similar programs that run under an active Windows are sometimes not fully trustworthy in this respect due to the constant changes that Windows makes to itself while running....

At regular intervals, incremental backups should be made of any further changes/differences made which are usually relatively quick to make, depending upon the size of the changes that have been made.

If necessary, further full backups should be made on say a monthly basis. This will depend of course on just how many changes have been made in your system since the last one.

Keep at least the last 3 backups (correctly marked), just in case the virus was also saved on one of these copies.....

All these backups need to be returned, in the same order as they were made, to the new system disk, or the re-formatted old disk. It is therefore a far quicker process than re-installing Windows again plus all your software.....HAVING YOUR DATA ON THE SAME DISK WILL SLOW THIS PROCESS DOWN BY INCREASING THE SIZES OF THE BACKUP ITSELF. FURTHERMORE, THE INCREMENTALS WILL NEED TO BE MADE MORE OFTEN.....

Please remember that some programs are difficult to save the data from, for exmple MSOutlook data is difficult to save properly, I do therefore recommend a small free extra MS program that allows Outlook data to be backed up safely, make sure that this is done to another physical disk(s) and not the system disk......

NEVER KEEP DATA ON YOUR SYSTEM DISK, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FULLY PHYSICALLY SEPERATE DISKS, NOT JUST A SECOND PARTITION......IF YOU DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THIS STATEMENT, TALK TO SOMEONE WHO DOES!!!!

Naturally, you also need backups of your data as well, keep them seperate from your system disk backups. Viruses usually only infest the system disk, but after an infestation has been cleaned, all the data disks should be fully scanned to make sure that a copy is not "hiding" itself there......

Prevention is always better than cure......

To answer your question, "What is the best killing virus software?", I think we need some data. The technical reviews and awards for "in the wild" virus detection tell us quite a bit. http://www.nod32usa.com/nod32-antivirus-products/nod32_products_awards.shtml

I've been using NOD32 for years, on the advice of my friend Tim, the most knowledgeable friend I have on all things computer related. I verified what he told me about NOD32 being faster, more accurate, and less of a "resource hog", as he put it, than all it's competitors. It is not a "big name" brand, but I just want the best, not the best marketer.

I invite you to research it yourself. By the way, I do not own their stock, and I am not an employee, just a very satisfied customer. Good luck, all the best.

After so many advises you have got about the anti virus software and disk formating the only what left to advise is to change the OS.

It seams that (we can see it in few replays) that only Microsoft software is under attack of virus makers.

I have experienced the similar problems with virus and used all above named anti virus soft, but it was useless. Every 4-5 weeks there was necessary to format disk.

The solution I found was to say good buy to Microsoft Windows OS.

Since last 6 month I am using the Ubuntu a free, Debian derived Linux-based operating system (http://www.ubuntu.com) and my PC is fast, powerful and calm.

Try it, that is my advise, good luck!

I am in no way a computer expert, but my own experience with the so called best antivirus software is that at best it identifies it but does not repair the damage.

I use the antivirus software provided with my verizon dsl, it not only cleared the virus but also repaired the damaged system files, maybe it would not work on your system, I do not know.

Good software usually does that, it removes the virus from infected files of many sorts....

But always the best way is not to let a virus get onto your PC in the first place......

Many forget that......!

An ounce of prevention is better than 10 pounds of cure!!!!

Paul. Durban South Africa, after months of searching I found AVG actually works. The free trial version does nor force you to purchase the software, and it cleans. We use / paid for Trend, but after running avg trial it picked up a virus that trend did not find on our server called win32/gaelicum which can be read about at www.grisoft.com. I am impressed .. try it. They also have free trial spyware that also works ! I think these people have the right idea in inviting you to buy, by cleaning your system first. I have run AVG on the companys Multi store Server and my home p/c with good results

Totally agree, I use it on my laptop......never had a problem!

I saw that someone else suggested using a program to create a restore point on your computer. This will not solve your current problem but it will let you go back in time if you ever screw the system up like this again. I go to shady sites periodically and purposefully download the active-x garbage and install the virus add-ons to get what I need from the site. Then I save the clean files to another disc and restore the infected drive. If you are running Windows XP you can certainly use it's built in system restore (I think) but I like RestoreIt! software. I have it set to make a restore point every 5 days automatically so I never lose any data when emergencys come up. Good luck!

What you are doing is excellent, but only if you get a virus, if you lose your hard disk completely, the restore points will not have much to recover.....! That is if the disk even comes up again!

By all means do that just in case you get a virus or similar, but the only truly safe(r) way is to backup your system and your data (seperately) to a different medium.....either one of several hard disks, or tapes.

If you actually have very little data and a slim system, then good quality DVD-RWs might be an option, but do not forget to have at least 3 sets. Do not let them ever get scratched (particularly on the top), never let the Sun or any form of light get onto them when stored. Do not trust them for longer than a year....

Industry standard, 1/2 inch Tape (naturally on a cartridge or cassette) is still the best backup media there is in all respects.....if your data is valuable to you.....not cheap, but really good and really fast, upto 125 MB/second nowadays......the disks are usually much slower, except as RAID......

A virus is a written program. If you already have that "wrong" program your HD it's damage with no cure. The only way to track the virus is to know the name of it (all programs have a name) and then send me that info.

Once the written program has been redirected into DOS and Osystem there is nothing else to do than replace HD. Sorry.

Simply not true 100% of the time, at worst case possibly 10% of the time.....not many viruses actually do physical damage to the hard disk in my experience.....

Sometimes though the damage is so difficult to cure, and with limited knowledge and understanding, many give up early.......!

Take the harddrive out, install it on a working PC with AV as slave drive. Make sure its not the boot drive. Scan and clean then put it back. Most likely you'll need to reinstall Windows.

Since the drive is in another PC, you can copy all important data first then format the drive before you install Windows again.

Pineapple

Well said and a good method that I completely forgot to mention, sorry....

We've been doing that with desktop computers.

Thanks Pineapple.

Learned my lesson. Several times it happened to my notebook. My first notebook had gone bad after less than 3 years of use. I sent it to my sister-in-law to have it fix in the U. S. (she actually bought the notebook for me) but the technician advised that it would be costly to replace the system board that had been damaged (cause not sure of...). So I ask her to tell the technician that all I wanted was the hard drive since I have all my important project files on it. The technician had my hard drive mounted into an external 2.5" hard drive adapter/casing with a USB cable. Now I use it occasionally for project files back-up. I also use it as my adapter to mount my notebook hard drive at times when problems (i.e., virus infection, etc...) happened to be able to simply plug it into a USB port in another computer (of course with updated AV) for cleanup and conditioning. After that, I simply put it back to my notebook and back to normal again.

Of course there are still some other procedures, but this is my experience so far.

Have a nice day and a SAFE COMPUTING!!!

thank you all at the first!

I cannt entry the thread for the virus these days until now I chang a computer.

Format is the last way to do and I try to find the way to erease the virus. It seems very difficult.

The virus ( backdoor or trojan horse for more exactly) is very strange and interest. It cancel CD to prevent start from it to kill it, so I lost my CD. I cannt start from it.

2] it residue memory and detect the words of " virus, anti, kill virus, backdoor, troj...

as soon as I open these relative pages, it suddenly close all the pages at once.

3] all anti virus software cannt run any more as well as antispy etc.

I will not format at present, I do these ways to kill it.

a] I open register, and look ofr dubious fils name and delete. but some cannt be delete. I enrtry processes and try to close these processes, but, they cannt be closed.

b]I analysis and entry from DOs, pure dos, and delete these files from directory of windows and subsystem of system32.

c] some of them have to delete by command of deltree.

d]then I use dos version kill virus to clean again.

by the steps, I hopt t clean them all.

then start anti virsus and spy software to clean again.

It expense me lots of time.

You wrote:-

The virus ( backdoor or Trojan horse for more exactly) is very strange and interest. It cancel CD to prevent start from it to kill it, so I lost my CD. I cannot start from it.

This tells me that you are still booting from Windows, WRONG. Boot only using an Antivirus Boot CD or CD and a DOS Boot Floppy for that CD if your PC is so old that it cannot boot from CD.

Then use the antivirus software to clean the hard disk.......many antivirus softwares have such a boot-able CD.......you have been told many names from many people, some software is free, why are you still playing around with Windows active????????

I have anti spy and virus software and firewall is openning all the time.
I dont know how they get through the firewall so far.

rootkits get through firewalls. If you Google rootkit you will find rootkit revealer and removers.