Critical Failure: Hard drive not found

[SongDragon]

Yeah... That's a serious issue... Stupid virus. I suppose this is more of a rant than information, but any of you who have had this virus would know that it sounds funnier than it is. It's being a pain to remove. Stupid HDD Defragmenter virus thingy! I am seriously about ready to stick a wooden stake through this laptop screen, but I'm pretty sure wooden stakes are for vampires only. So, what's for computers gone rogue? A croquet mallet? How about a sword forged from all those free AOL CDs sent in the mail? Or should I go old-school fantasy and just sacrifice myself to a volcano now?

[paularoid]

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Unless otherwise preferred, you can't go wrong with the free version. It's updated hourly so you can always get the latest, up-to-date, version. It's become the newest "last-stand buttsaver" against things of this nature and I've been using it for about a year now with no complaints. It's saved my butt from carelessness and ignorance a time or two now.

[aforeyego]

Paularoid,,
I got 'Spybot S&D' 1.6.2,, think it had been taken over by other company, since not developed to later version.

Got XP pro / IE7. Spybot won't run together with IE8. (No hostfiles [Spybot!] accepted in IE8!)

Can you tell me, if malwarebytes-antiMalware does the 'same' protection as Spybot does ?
Meaning: should I uninstall Spybot & install the above instead ?

Also: I still don't know how to install IE 8, without having to do all settings again (!!!!).
Settings will not be taken over, right ?
(I am glad that I have set IE 7 to my custom settings! Which took me a while, till it worked to my satisfaction.)

Just bookmarks, which I have saved anyway,, so that doesn't matter to me.

I would be ever so thankful if you could give me an 'overall' instruction how to install IE 8 without getting these probs! (= settings for all zones & such!). Is there any way ALL settings will be taken over by IE 8 from IE 7 ?????

note: I had been reading lots & lots,,, the above always kept me from installing IE 8 (which I would get from "MS-updates").
... and, do I really need IE 8 :confused: ... they say it's safer than IE 7,, somehow I don't trust that thanggggg :rolleyes:

Eve ^..^

[Dee]

Your solution is . . .

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)

I strongly second Paul's recommendation, Song. I find it excellent!

[paularoid]

Paularoid,,
I got 'Spybot S&D' 1.6.2,, think it had been taken over by other company, since not developed to later version.

Got XP pro / IE7. Spybot won't run together with IE8. (No hostfiles [Spybot!] accepted in IE8!)

Can you tell me, if malwarebytes-antiMalware does the 'same' protection as Spybot does ?
Meaning: should I uninstall Spybot & install the above instead ?
I would (uninstall Spybot). I used to use Spybot all the time and there for the longest time Spybot was -the- one to use but they're not up-to-snuff anymore in my opinion and the opinion of many others. It -won't- protect in memory resident or "always on" mode the way Spybot can be set up because it's an "on demand" program. You have to manually start it up and manually scan things... but it's far faster than Spybot -ever- was.

As for IE<whatever version>... I can't help you there. I don't use IE unless I -have- to and I have no idea whatsoever what to tell you about the operation of it. The only way I touch IE is after I've left ten-foot pole marks all over it because that's about the only way I'll ever touch it. (No offense intended to those that like it.)

[Amy in Vermont]

Anything that bad deserves Format C:

[DaveM]

Firefox is a fairly decent way of avoiding SOME viruses, though not all. I believe the current version of "Avast!" might be of help. It's a free download, includes a memory-resident "real time" virus zapper, and is at least supposed to catch adware/spyware. It's also updated daily--sometimes more often, so the database is always current.

I, too, used Spybot S&D for years but gave up on it a while ago after it ceased to find anything while other programs turned up all sorts of interesting "crapware".

The merits of sacrificing oneself to a volcano in an attempt to appease the gods of Windows are greatly exaggerated. I did attempt it once, only to be rejected because I wasn't a virgin. Who knew that would ever become a problem in this day and age?

[Sara]

I strongly second Paul's recommendation, Song. I find it excellent!
I third that emotion. When I first started my current job more than 2 years ago, I used Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (http://www.malwarebytes.org/) to take care of the problems on the computer I "inherited" there. The free version has worked very well for me ever since, both at work and at home.

[paularoid]

Firefox is a fairly decent way of avoiding SOME viruses, though not all. I believe the current version of "Avast!" might be of help. It's a free download, includes a memory-resident "real time" virus zapper, and is at least supposed to catch adware/spyware. It's also updated daily--sometimes more often, so the database is always current.
Firefox is best if you additionally use the add-ons/extensions of "Adblock Plus" and "NoScript". As for Avast!... I have nothing bad to say about it... if it works on your system. When they upgraded to version 5.x I had problems with it and rather than downgrade to the still-available and definition updated 4.x I switched over to Avira Antivir and haven't had problem one since in the virus department. When the year-long version needs to be renewed I might try out a trial version of ESET NOD which in my opinion is better than all else. Unfortunately for tight-wads like me they don't have a free version... only the month long trial version.

Avast! protects -really well- against drive-by infections. I know this from experience. Avira does too but it doesn't proclaim things quite as in-your-face as Avast! does. :rolleyes:

[SongDragon]

Paul, I have malwarebytes. I've run its scan several times (different intensities). It tells me nothing is wrong. Last time that happened it was a program notorious for faking logs, so I also had to use rkill, to immobilize the virus and then run malwarebytes. I don't typically use Avast. I usually use AVG... And I know what has been mentioned against AVG in this forum, but it did what I wanted it to, since I had malwarebytes for removal.

I do use firefox, unfortunately I did not have addblock active.

So yeah... Right now malwarebytes isn't doing anything. I may have to go dig up the link for rkill and hope that duo works wonders again.

[paularoid]

Paul, I have malwarebytes. I've run its scan several times (different intensities). It tells me nothing is wrong. Last time that happened it was a program notorious for faking logs, so I also had to use rkill, to immobilize the virus and then run malwarebytes. I don't typically use Avast. I usually use AVG... And I know what has been mentioned against AVG in this forum, but it did what I wanted it to, since I had malwarebytes for removal.

I do use firefox, unfortunately I did not have addblock active.

So yeah... Right now malwarebytes isn't doing anything. I may have to go dig up the link for rkill and hope that duo works wonders again.

RKill right HERE (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/anti-virus/rkill):

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/anti-virus/rkill

[SongDragon]

Thanks. I think I've got it now. It took me a while (slooow mind, particularly in the morning). I realized my father had mentioned that he was downloading the newer version of Malwarebytes (oh yeah, doesn't update automatically), since our internet is networked with a big brick (storage, it's family lingo for storage) for sharing everything wirelessly across it and the virus (a trojan) could prove a threat. So he was running the same stuff remotely (from the pacific time zone) on his computer. Yeah, downloaded the newer version of Malwarebytes and it saw stuff. I think I'm forbidding myself from computer usage after 4 a.m. or before 11 a.m. All seems peaceful now, except I'm running one more scan to be sure. No pop-ups and stuff, though, now. Knock on wood.

[paularoid]

since our internet is networked with a big brick (storage, it's family lingo for storage)
The term "brick" is more than "family lingo" by the way. I've heard, seen, and used it in many a computer venue. As a matter of fact there is (or was) even a linux based (I think) PC called "The Brick". Just a black box about the size of two real bricks. That's been a number of years ago.

Just looked it up (sort of). It was called the "Ergo Brick PC".

[aforeyego]

did a search for reviews of 'Malewarebytes' Anti-Malware' > all *thumbs down*!

Instead I found 'Emisoft AntiMalware' > excellent reviews !

http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/antimalware/

What do you think ?

P.S. hold it > Emisoft is antivirus software! I have ESET NOD32 on my PC already!
Now what to do with Spybot - live with the old version ?

[SongDragon]

Haha, yeah, I knew it was more than family lingo, but I say that because when I'm speaking to family that has nothing to do with computers, they want to know why it's a brick, or what a brick is. At least that means they start calling it a brick, too, so we're speaking a more similar language. I know, I know, I'm on the geek board, everyone knows what a brick is. We have about four bricks, of all different sizes. I keep mine to myself (cursing my father when I notice he's moving "Daddy Specials" onto it across the network), because it was a gift because my friends noticed I had filled up the space on both my computers. That's why mine has a specific name. As I mentioned, it's an Iomega, but for I somehow got into the habit of calling it "Imogena". Not too far off, right?

Aforeyego... I've got no idea. Not touching any more antimalware (or antispyware, etc) besides what I have on my computer for a while, I think :P Paul's the expert!

Okay, I have one other question. Why am I seeing the forum as completely text-based? I can still navigate, but there's no pretty tables, etc. It's all the links laid out.

[Mary6906]

.....
Okay, I have one other question. Why am I seeing the forum as completely text-based? I can still navigate, but there's no pretty tables, etc. It's all the links laid out.

I had that same problem last night while trying to get on .... I had attributed to a weak neighbors' WiFi signal I was 'borrowing' :rolleyes: at the time (not my usual DSL hookup) ... all I did was log out and log back in again and it was back to normal ... not sure what caused that though, but it was gone pretty quickly.

[janisian]

We started using Firefox (with AdBlock) after I went to a "reputable" site and got infected with an unbeliavable strong virus in a nano-second. It took our IT person and me a full four hoursto get rid of the darned thing, and that only with a generous helping of SuperAntiSpyware. (Which I now carry on a flash drive just in case.) We use Avast as well, though with the newest versions you have to go through and make sure to set it up right.
And Desiree (the IT person) set me up with Vice Versa Pro a few months back. Took a while to get it right, but I now have seven (yes, count them, seven) small hard drives in a neat pile next to the computer. Each morning I swap out yesterday's for today's. That way, I'm never more than 24 hours out of date.
All that might seem like overkill to anyone whose business life isn't in their laptop, but for me, mine holds every contract, manufacturing-quality audio and artwork file, piece of press, photo, story, song, license... well, shoot. Just about everything I need to run my business is in there except the people! If I even lose a week, it costs me days and days.

All that being said (off on a tangent here, folks), I'm finding it healthy to avoid even looking at email first thing in the morning. I wasn't getting anything done! Now I'm trying really hard to play some music, finish up some obligations, before I crack Outlook. It's incredible what a time-waster it can be.

[DaveM]

My brother recommended Malwarebytes not long ago, so when this came up on the board, I decided I would give it a try. My computer has been bogged down horribly for some months, despite regular "housecleaning" and the use of Avast and two spyware removal programs. A "quick scan" using Malwarebytes found 23 "infections" and once those were removed, the machine runs as if it is brand new! A great relief....I honestly thought old HAL's spring was winding down.

[SongDragon]

Hey Mary, logging in didn't work, but after updates and a few other things (scans, mostly, because my CPU usage still seems wonky even with nothing open, and updates for windows, darn Vista and its constant-seeming updates). So then, restarted the computer, and now it's working fine. Of course this site was not the only one not working for me. Pages weren't opening in the frames of the websites. They would open as a new tab. Which was particularly annoying if the web designer hadn't given them a background color that made the text easily readable since they always thought they'd be opening over this one image... Enough rambling, though.

Wow, Janis. That sounds like quite a virus. When it gets that bad I admittedly turn it over to my father. He wasn't even here and I was still IMing me. And to think I used to be the person that took care of my boyfriend's and roommate's computers. For my laptop that would be overkill. I have gone through multiple laptops. They all had names: Greenleaf, Nephilim, Red Robin, and Noname (I was starting to think names were cursed). After the HP (Nephilim) put out an update that killed itself just after the warranty expired (yes, it was an update put out by the company that my laptop automatically updated itself with) I actually learned the importance of back-ups, since all my html and css stylesheets were on that. Sure, I could recreate them, but I really didn't want to. And HP makes it really difficult to extract the hard drive. Grrr. So now my Iomega (Imogena) gets to do all the heavy-lifting of stuff I would be most annoyed to lose (I don't have anything too vital since my laptop is mostly for fun now that I'm not in school).

I'm actually bad about checking e-mail, facebook, and any number of other sites. Yet I agree that getting on the computer in the morning is generally a bad idea if I'm aiming to get stuff done. Lately (such as the morning I got the virus) I have been computing some in the morning, though, because in the afternoon I'm doing some work for some friends of the family (they're having trouble doing as much as usual and their open house/cookie party is coming up soon). On another note I should either be starting a volunteer job or a job job (oh jeez, I knew I never wanted to grow up), and that should cut out my time in the morning on my computer. Which should save it from viruses downloaded (and panic ensuing) when I first wake up. On the other hand if a job gives me a computer to work with in the morning... Eeek. That could go well.

DaveM... Twenty-three? I think my voice just squeaked, at least in my head, from the strain of comprehension there... Even with the past two viruses I have caught a total of four (and AVG found some trojans) with Malwarebytes. I love it, but I get so impatient. I'm so used to things having the status bar so I can take my (uneducated as it is) guess at when it will finish. No status bar with Malwarebytes.

[DaveM]

Best thing to do with Malwarebytes is to start it when you're going to be off somewhere doing something else, then it can take its own sweet time and not bother anyone.

I can't recall exactly what was found on my computer. A couple of the entries were false alarms, and I added them to "exceptions". But the others had never been caught by any other program, and some were in places I'm not sure that other software checks. Anyway, my computer is currently idling away with 88% of the CPU free whereas until yesterday it was common for less than 70% to be available. About 100 MB of memory were freed up as well. I'd love to know exactly what was responsible, but am above all else just very happy to have it gone.

[janisian]

Here's what "our" IT person said in response to my question about whether I should download anything else like Malwarebytes:

Yes, but only if there is a problem and you need a second scan to fix. You never want to have 2 programs running and scanning your files at the same time unless you want to sleep between internet pages and opening and closing files and system startup while multiple scans are running at the same time. There is no 1 perfect AV/Spyware solution but there are many good ones. When I am cleaning a virus that has bypassed a good program, I will use Avast and/or AVG and/or Malwarebytes and/or Superantispyware and/or Combofix and any combination of them all to get rid of all of the virus pieces. Each one will usually find something the other didn’t but I cannot run them all at the same time and I never leave them installed and running after the cleanup. I.E., The virus your business manager just got was not completely cleaned/fixed with Symantec or Malwarebytes; but was finally fixed with Combofix. It took all three to finally get it all.

[SongDragon]

I try not to run them together... Especially since I've been told AVG will attack Malwarebytes. I do usually put at least two on the computer, though. It's sort of a "two heads are better than one as long as they're not both talking at the same time" thing. I think I need a new metaphor. I just broke that one. A simile would work, too.

I also did learn my lesson about two at once (this past time, I was getting overly desperate). The whole computer got very spastic about it, really. Firefox encountered a problem every other page, because too much was already going on.

DaveM, remembering virus names never seems to help me anyway... There's always a new one out there trying to get me the next day.

>.>

Anyway, cheers to websites working correctly now, and also to learning just a little bit more than I had last time. And cheers for adblocker. Now maybe I'll be able to surf the webs in peace.

[Eva]

Song, I know nothing about these things. But I do know that whatever you do, forget about the volcano. That's what "they" want you to do, you know :eek:

Eva