I need help.. Hacked computer/anti-virus program/photos..

[phorsenuf]

If I were you, I would just hop in the car and go down to Best Buy, Staples or even Wally World and for under $20 get a 16G flash drive. Then you can just keep adding to that after you download your pictures. No need to 'ground' yourself.

It really would be so much easier and faster for you. I don't know why you are torturing yourself trying to burn CD's on a wonky burner.

 

[DMRick]

If your photo's are that important, I wouldn't mess around with them. You don't know if your hdd is about to crash and you are ruining the last chance you have to get them off.

I would take some of the money your mom left you (and I can't think of a better use than photo's of your family) and get over to Staples, where they are having a wonderful sale on laptops (I even have a coupon you can have). Pay them to transfer your photo's (they'll make sure no virus comes with them..I mean think about it..if the virus could come with your photo's when you put them on an external hdd, they would do the same when you reload them from your DVD..and of course it won't with either, so why take all the time to put them on a DVD with an iffy burner? It would take no time at all to put them on an external) and whatever else you need from the hdd.

If you can then get the old laptop cleaned off and reloaded, it will make a nice gift to your DGD.

Why would you mess with something you find so endearing? Why take a chance on losing them all.

 

[Magic Mom]

If I were you, I would just hop in the car and go down to Best Buy, Staples or even Wally World and for under $20 get a 16G flash drive. Then you can just keep adding to that after you download your pictures. No need to 'ground' yourself.

It really would be so much easier and faster for you. I don't know why you are torturing yourself trying to burn CD's on a wonky burner.

That just sounds so simple and uncomplicated.

 

[Swan4Me]

Question............all the pics i download to my computer are automatically downloaded to my Picasa web site. So if my computer dies, or whatever-aren't all my pics are still on picasa-right?

 

[njmom47]

I use Spybot and Microsoft Security Essentials and am very happy with them. I had Norton but when it ran out, I didn't renew. I have noticed sometimes when on the DISboards and I click on a thread topic, I am redirected to a random website. I hope that's not a virus. I run the scan quite often because I am so paranoid.

 

[Kitty 34]

C.Ann, why can't I PM you? I had a virus problem with my e-mail account a few months ago and was going to PM you about that situation. That's weird I can't!??!

 

[beaucoup]

Burning to DVD is sooooooooooooooooo old fashioned. So many faster options all mentioned on this thread.

And C.Ann, you are missing the point. IF you have a virus and IF if can be transferred to your DD's families external harddrive, its also going to be transferred to your DVDs you are spending days burning.

And like DMRick said, it might be a matter of time before your computer hard drive is toast, and you are wasting it burning DVDs when you could have all those photos off & onto flash drives or an external hard drive in LESS THAN ONE HOUR. Not days.

Why are you making it complicated? And taking chances? Its very easy really. And yeah, the backup & automatic backup to websites for later are all wonder ideas.

Make it easy & just take the advice you asked for.

Good luck.

 

[ljcrochet]

I would get an EHD. I lost a ton of pictures from my girls first year when the CD/DVDs that i used to burn them did not work. My laptop died when fell off a table not from a virus.

 

[KathyTX]

Definitely go the flash drive route. They're cheap, and you can pick them up at any office supply/Target/drugstore.

 

[SaraJayne]

That just sounds so simple and uncomplicated.

Yes, it is.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks for the additional suggestions..

I have to go out tomorrow anyhow so I'll check into the flash drives.. Do they come in different sizes? Compatible with Windows XP?

This lap top has run sooooooo slow since they installed the Mozilla Firefox.. That definitely has to go.. I know it's not due to the number of photos, because it was nice and fast with the IE - so when the photo issue is resolved, I'll be going back to that again.. Once all the photos are safe somewhere, I'm going to dump all of them off the computer and do my very best to never let them get backed up like that again.. Definitely my bad..

Flash drive first - call Trend to get the mess straightened out that they created on their own - get some new protection - and hopefully all will be well again.. Got it!

I'd really rather not buy another lap top unless I absolutely have to.. I tend to keep things until they die, so once I get things straightened out here I'll use this thing till it kicks the bucket..

Thanks for all the help.. When it comes to computer know-how, I'm lost.. LOL..

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ETA: I don't want any of you to think I've been ignoring you all day.. I left the DIS, but didn't log out - and won't be logging out - until I get the problems with my computer resolved.. I don't want to take the chance of anything additional going wrong and not being able to log back in again, so although it may "look" like I'm here, it doesn't necessarily mean that I am.. I'll be popping in and out as time allows..

Night all!

 

[DMRick]

I'd really rather not buy another lap top unless I absolutely have to.. I tend to keep things until they die, so once I get things straightened out here I'll use this thing till it kicks the bucket..

I thought you had mentioned very recently that you were having problems (besides the keyboard) so you may be at that point anyway...you mentioned you were scared, since you were having issues that it would die any day. You are often lucky with a Laptop, unless you know how to tweak them, and keep the files clean andup to date to last 4-5 years, and you said you got yours in 2006..so at lease 5 years old, maybe closer to 6 depending on the time of year.

Ah, Yes I thought I remembered that right..November 17th:

True - and since I'm having other issues with the lap top - and I'm scared to death that it's just going to "die" any day - maybe I should stick with the cheaper keyboard..

Sounds like it's kicking the bucket and you did keep it until it died..or pretty darn near it if you are having so many problems.

I have had Norton 'take' over my computer, but they have never touched my programs, so I'd be surprised if your place deleted programs. Sounds like you have something else going on, and you mentioned a computer tech told you to not use your DD's external drive, because you could give her stuff a virus, so it sounds more like you think you are dealing with a virus, not a hacker.

 

[sam_gordon]

Our company owner insisted we use AVG on our work computers. We all hate it. I can't access the DisBoards when I log on with Mozilla Firefox.....Have to use IE.

I'm using AVG right now on my home computer and have never had a problem with Dis (except the speed and the mixed up posts, but others have complained about that so I doubt it's me). Now, your IT folks might have things tightened down too much, but that's not a problem with AVG.

This lap top has run sooooooo slow since they installed the Mozilla Firefox.. That definitely has to go.. I know it's not due to the number of photos, because it was nice and fast with the IE - so when the photo issue is resolved, I'll be going back to that again..
Night all!

I've never seen a browser install slow down a computer. I actually have three browsers on my computers... IE, Firefox, and Chrome. Chrome is my "go to", I use Firefox if something doesn't work in Chrome, and IE ONLY when certain websites must use IE. I'm fairly confident they installed something else that's slowing down the PC, FF shouldn't do that (or keep other programs from running correctly).

I also don't pay for virus protection. I use AVG (with scheduled scans every night) and ZoneAlarm Free for firewall protection. I will never pay for the "bloatware" Norton, McAfee, or Trend Micro.

I second getting your pictures copied over to an external drive (either flash or HD), then trying a system restore. If the system restore doesn't work, try booting into Safe Mode (reboot and keep hitting F8 until you get a prompt asking what mode to boot into). Then try System Restore and/or Malwarebytes/AVG/Virus scan. I would even UNINSTALL the TrendMicro in Safe Mode and see if that improves performance.

 

[Swan4Me]

http://www.google.com/search?q=flas...ALa5sTMBg&sqi=2&ved=0CHoQsAQ&biw=1012&bih=457

Flash drives are very small-some quite tiny.
My kids always had a couple haning around once they started High school for this and that. Maybe your Granddaughter even has one?

 

[tiggger1]

Hubby is an IT guy for a huge financial company and he suggests trying Chrome as a browser. He hates IE with a passion..

for an antivirus he also suggests semantec antivirus but I dont think it is free..

 

[phorsenuf]

Thanks for the additional suggestions..

I have to go out tomorrow anyhow so I'll check into the flash drives.. Do they come in different sizes? Compatible with Windows XP?

This lap top has run sooooooo slow since they installed the Mozilla Firefox.. That definitely has to go.. I know it's not due to the number of photos, because it was nice and fast with the IE - so when the photo issue is resolved, I'll be going back to that again.. Once all the photos are safe somewhere, I'm going to dump all of them off the computer and do my very best to never let them get backed up like that again.. Definitely my bad..

Flash drive first - call Trend to get the mess straightened out that they created on their own - get some new protection - and hopefully all will be well again.. Got it!

I'd really rather not buy another lap top unless I absolutely have to.. I tend to keep things until they die, so once I get things straightened out here I'll use this thing till it kicks the bucket..

Thanks for all the help.. When it comes to computer know-how, I'm lost.. LOL..

------------------------------------

ETA: I don't want any of you to think I've been ignoring you all day.. I left the DIS, but didn't log out - and won't be logging out - until I get the problems with my computer resolved.. I don't want to take the chance of anything additional going wrong and not being able to log back in again, so although it may "look" like I'm here, it doesn't necessarily mean that I am.. I'll be popping in and out as time allows..

Night all!

I don't know why you keep blaming Firefox for your issues A web browser will cause not your computer to run slow or interfere with programs. You have other issues going on. I would not bother with Trend (whoever they are). You need to do what everyone has been telling you as that is the best way to fix your problem. Although I do agree that it's probably your laptop crapping out. That was my first thought when I saw it was 2006.

Anyway, get a flashdrive, save what you want to that (pictures and documents), the go back and restore the computer to a date before November 25th. Then install some good AV. If after that, if you are still having issues then you most likely need a new machine. You really are making it much more harder then it needs to be.

 

[msmayor]

I personally am not a big fan of the 'restore' when a system has been hacked or contains a virus.

The average home computer user may not know all the nooks and crannies to search to ensure the virus is eradicated. There may be silent pieces left behind that will activate when the main virus is removed, causing further problems.

The best defense against issues like this are:

1. A strong firewall and antivirus program. Remember that 'free' and 'cheap' are not always the best options. That 'free' antivirus could end up costing a LOT if you lose files and data, especially precious photographs.

2. Regular back-ups are your best friend, and preferably to an external hard drive that is NOT always connected to your computer. If its not connected, its much harder for a virus to infect it.

3. Learn how to re-load your operating system...its actually quite easy and is the single best way to completely eradicate a virus from your system.

I have re-loaded the operating system on my desktop twice and my older (now non-functioning) laptop three times. As long as you've performed regular back-ups its a simple process, and can get you up and running on a clean machine within a couple of hours.

Many people talk here on the boards about getting new laptops and computers at this time of year. Don't get too excited about playing with your new technology out of the box before taking the steps necessary to protect the system. When your system prompts you to create a Recovery Disk Set as the first task, DO IT.

And one final shameless plug for HP systems. Their recovery systems are fabulous. In addition to having a separate set of recovery disks that I created, my HP desktop came with a recovery partition pre-loaded and set up right on the hard drive. Its a section completely separate from where my 'regular' data is, making recovery and re-loading of the operating system nearly foolproof.

 

[C.Ann]

Got a flash drive - and didn't even have to buy one - LOL! DD's DH is out of town on business but he called early this morning before we left the house.. Turns out he had one downstairs in his office that he didn't need so he told me to go ahead and take it..

After doing a little research online, I decided to take a chance and call my nephew hoping that he wouldn't be out of the country right now.. (He travels overseas extensively for his job..) As luck would have it, not only was he home - but he'll be out of work for a few weeks due to a health issue he's having that is temporarily preventing him from leaving the country.. He said he would be more than happy to take a trip out here - to visit with all of us; see the house; etc. - and to work on my lap top to see what the issues are.. He's a "computer geek", so if anyone can figure out if I need a new lap top or not, it will be him.. Me? I'm hopeless - my computer knowledge is next to nil - turning it on, loading photos onto it, doing searches online, DISing, etc. - very, very limited..

I do appreciate all the suggestions though and now that saving of the photos issue has been resolved, I can take a break and work on other things..

Once I get the final word from my nephew, I'll be back to let you know if I need suggestions on a new lap top - or if this one is still fine, just acting quirky..

Thanks again!

 

[phorsenuf]

Got a flash drive - and didn't even have to buy one - LOL! DD's DH is out of town on business but he called early this morning before we left the house.. Turns out he had one downstairs in his office that he didn't need so he told me to go ahead and take it..

After doing a little research online, I decided to take a chance and call my nephew hoping that he wouldn't be out of the country right now.. (He travels overseas extensively for his job..) As luck would have it, not only was he home - but he'll be out of work for a few weeks due to a health issue he's having that is temporarily preventing him from leaving the country.. He said he would be more than happy to take a trip out here - to visit with all of us; see the house; etc. - and to work on my lap top to see what the issues are.. He's a "computer geek", so if anyone can figure out if I need a new lap top or not, it will be him.. Me? I'm hopeless - my computer knowledge is next to nil - turning it on, loading photos onto it, doing searches online, DISing, etc. - very, very limited..

I do appreciate all the suggestions though and now that saving of the photos issue has been resolved, I can take a break and work on other things..

Once I get the final word from my nephew, I'll be back to let you know if I need suggestions on a new lap top - or if this one is still fine, just acting quirky..

Thanks again!

So did you transfer the pictures to your flash drive or are you waiting on the nephew? You don't want to wait because if the laptop is crapping out, it could go at any time and then getting the pictures could be a pain in the butt!
Are you still using Firefox or did you download IE? Which are your using to surf?

 

[Swan4Me]

Got a flash drive - and didn't even have to buy one - LOL! DD's DH is out of town on business but he called early this morning before we left the house.. Turns out he had one downstairs in his office that he didn't need so he told me to go ahead and take it..