strange virus?, maybe?

Category: Geeks r Us

Post 1 by laced-unlaced (Account disabled) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 11:24:17

i downloaded winamp a few days ago, and everything seemed fine... though as time went on my computer got slower and slower.

today i was posting to a forum i usually post on, and all of a sudden i got a blue screen for a while, before my pc turned itself off, and it wouldn't restart. when it finally did, it scanned the system for ages, and then shut off again.

finally i managed to get the pc back on, though somehow it had restored itself to it's previous state, before i'd installed winamp, and all the extra files i had put on since that time were removed.

could i have initiated a virus?

really puzzling

Post 2 by rat (star trek rules!) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 12:35:45

if it were a virus, it'd still be there even now. system restores rarely remove them

Post 3 by laced-unlaced (Account disabled) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 13:40:18

so what do you think happened?

Post 4 by laced-unlaced (Account disabled) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 13:41:01

and maybe it's still there. maybe i have to do a certain thing to initiate it again

Post 5 by GreenTurtle (Music is life. Love. Vitality.) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 15:32:05

First of all, there are a couple of things you shouldn't trust while installing Winamp. Don't install Winamp Remote or the 50 free downloads from EMusic or whatever it is. Both seemed a bit suspicious to me, so when I update Winamp I always make sure to uncheck those check boxes, and have never had a problem. Also, what anti-virus software are you using?

Post 6 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 15:56:48

Yes, I say scan your computer with whatever your anti-virus is as soon as you can, and see what it finds. Have it quarantine/delete anything it finds.

Post 7 by synthesizer101 (I just keep on posting!) on Friday, 15-Oct-2010 16:54:19

Well, the 50 free emusic downloads aren't a problem, because I accidentally didn't check no on the box when I installed. Try doing the virus check.

Post 8 by monkeypusher69 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 10:38:17

waht version of windows are you running btw?

Post 9 by laced-unlaced (Account disabled) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 12:50:46

to rat,

it's still there.

it happened again today and i didon't have to do anything.

to monkeypusher68, vista

Post 10 by Shadow_Cat (I've now got the silver prolific poster award! wahoo!) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 15:04:39

What anti-virus software do you have?

Post 11 by purple penguin (Don't you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 15:14:31

It could be Winamp Remote. Sounds like something that could let people get into all kinds of stuff.

Post 12 by GreenTurtle (Music is life. Love. Vitality.) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 18:20:13

Yeah definitely I know for a fact Winamp Remote caused problems for me before. If the 50 free downloads are legit, that's a good thing, but I personally wouldn't want them ctaking up space if I wouldn't use them. Is the site you download them from even accessible?

Post 13 by rat (star trek rules!) on Saturday, 16-Oct-2010 19:00:56

it doesn't download the 50 things right off, that's just a shortcut to allow you to do so.

Post 14 by forereel (Just posting.) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 1:43:42

Exactly Rat. It installs a link to the site is all and puts the shortcut on your desktop. My questions are 1. Where did you download the Winamp from? Next if you got it from the Winamp site it is clean, but other sources might not be. A good rule when installing programs is to watch what you install. I hate add ons that don't have anything to do with the program I am wanting, but I suppose that is a fact of life. Sister asked a great question as well. If you got Winamp from the site then it's not that, but something else you might have installed at the same time that snuck in on you due to your virus program, or lack of. Smile. For a free fix run Microsofts malicious software tool www.microsoft.com or just get the latest updates it will install. Next Microsoft has a free virous program that is screen reader friendly. Another free fix is www.sunbeltsoftware.com run the PC rescue tool, but you might need sighted help.

Post 15 by monkeypusher69 (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 13:10:17

What version of vista? All valid advice here. To run the microsoft Milicious Software removal tool, Just type MRT into your run box on the start menu (or search box since you are on vista) and it should launch it. you may want to do a deep scan etc.

Post 16 by synthesizer101 (I just keep on posting!) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 15:26:39

Yeah, and they want your credit card etc. I didn't use it, just got it. Kind of like the audible program: give us your credit card and you get one free book! We can also charge you a lot of money! Congratulations.

Post 17 by margorp (I've got the gold prolific poster award, now is there a gold cup for me?) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 18:31:20

That sounds bad.

Post 18 by beeny (Account disabled) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 19:18:28

thats bad!!!!

Post 19 by forereel (Just posting.) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 20:57:13

Who wanted your credit card?

Post 20 by synthesizer101 (I just keep on posting!) on Sunday, 17-Oct-2010 21:50:02

I said that the free emusic download thing wants my credit card, but they're not getting it.