Need some Computer help!

[Ziggy953]

Hey gang!

I'm not as computer savy as I once was and I could use some help.

Have any of you been slammed with Total Secure 2009? My nephew was over on Wednesday and downloaded some guitar demo program and along with it came this total secure 2009. It has completely messed up my computer. It will boot but I have no start menu buttons and I have a "virus alert" next to the clock on the task bar. I've run my anti virus software and it has found nothing. I've tried installing Spy Sweeper, which I updated but every time I try and install the update the computer will not reboot and thus the program will not finish installing.

There are directions on how to remove the program manually but I don't like messing with the registry. I've been out of the computer loop for far too long to start tinkering around in there.

Of course the web instructions suggest downloading and buying their software...Any help would be great. I'm having to use my older machine to get online, and it is updating all kinds of stuff right now. Moving kind of slow. I would rather not whip my computer out if I can avoid it. Anyway, thanks in advance for any help!!!

 

[Tank2379]

What anti Virus are you using?

 

[Ziggy953]

McAfee Security Suite.

 

[Tank2379]

Well from what I am reading from this site it's MALWARE which is bad and it can give you false results... You can try this to get rid of it....

How to remove Total Secure 2009 (Uninstall Instructions)

 

[Tank2379]

You also might want to read up on Malware.

 

[Ziggy953]

I could kill my nephew for this.

This looks like it is going to be a pain in the butt!

 

[Ziggy953]

Thanks for the links. I spend most of my time online on this site and others similar to it as well as checking out fish related stuff on the web. I don't download stuff like I used to. Been out of the loop for a while.

 

[ccCapt]

I recommend a great little program called Combofix.
I have used it multiple times (I repair pc's on the side) and it works great.

 

[Ziggy953]

Thanks...I'll download that one too. Right now my other machine is being scanned by the program that Tank2379 linked me to. I do like the freeware!

 

[Tank2379]

I could kill my nephew for this.

This looks like it is going to be a pain in the butt!

Yes! I hate Malware the most incovient Virus/Worm you could get in your PC I had gotten one so bad one time I literally had to go threw the registry to find it and delete it off my PC... That was the biggest pain in the butt.... Right now I use Kapersky Anti-Virus and Spyware and Malware one of the best blows McAfee Security Suite out the water.... This software would have detected your Malware issue before it would have even downloaded into your PC.... but thats just MO on security software.... It's expensive but it gets the job done....

 

[Ziggy953]

If I hadn't just renewed my subscription to McAfee I would consider it but....I'll look into it though. My other machine is rebooting right now. We'll see how well the malware remover worked.

 

[Tank2379]

Let me know how it goes....

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Yeah Kapersky and NOD32 are by far the best antivirus programs hands down!, I would not pay for any others. Norton is a deff joke!

I like the free ones, AVG and Avast, but I backup my stuff regularly and if I have a big issue I just start over(gotta love a slipstream windows CD). I also have a hardware firewall in my router and I use FF with the "noscript" addon that blocks a ton of crap unless I allow it.

A friend had a similar malware, "AV2009", that kept rebooting his laptop every 5mins literally. I just backed up his important stuff and gave him a fresh windows. He had a bunch of junk on there anyway so I gave him some tips and cleaned it up. I'm not too keen on the registry either and this was my 1st experience with Vista.

Good Luck

 

[Ziggy953]

This is actually an XP machine. I'm not a fan of vista. My wife has it on her laptop but I refuse to upgrade my desktop machines.

Ok...The software removed the programs and the computer rebooted with no issues. The only thing that seems to be messed up still is my monitor flashes off and on every 10-15 seconds. Any ideas as to what that is?

 

[Tank2379]

Check out your Screen Resolution it might of Scrabbled it before saying it's last goodbyes

 

[Ziggy953]

Hmmm...everything there looks ok. I'm not sure. I may run the program that ccCapt suggested. I ran it on this computer but not the other yet.

 

[Tank2379]

Alright is the color Quality on high or medium? Usaully XP runs on a Medium Color Quality but it all depends and what type of Graphics card you are using Right now I am using XP at work and it's running on High Color Quality and my screen resolution is at 1024 by 768 pixels. I believe the medium is on a lower resolution... can't remember but in worst cases you can try to use all the default settings to get it back to normal if you aren't already using it....

 

[Ziggy953]

Mine is set to High and 1024x768. I have an Ati Radeon Xpress 200 video card in that computer. I've never had any issues with it until this dang malware thing.

 

[Tank2379]

If that doesn't work you might have to change your display setting in safe mode then reboot hopefully that should fix it sometimes Malware will leave you with an issue after it is gone that's its way of saying good bye and i'll leave you with this.... Malware doesn't go down without a fight....lol

 

[Ziggy953]

Thanks...I'm doing a complete system scan right now and after that has finished I'll give that a try and see what happens.

I really do appreciate all the help!