Tech Stuff

UPDATE 12/18/2010 System Tool 2011 = badass
Download CCleaner and Malwarebytes NOW as is RIGHT NOW or you might be sorry later!!!! (see below for links)

This is what will happen with this variation: there will be a "security looking" but fake popup from your task bar asking you to click to blah blah blah. It WILL NOT look like Windows Security Center popup nor like your antivirus program normal popup. You will see a slightly different popup very shortly afterwards with more BS in it. Then you might notice that you cannot run any application or do anything.
DO NOT CLICK ON ANYTHING!!!!!

1. Go directly to your power button and hold it until the system powers down.
2. Turn power on and put your finger on the F8 key. When the manufacturer logo blanks out hit F8 and select SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING.
3. Run CCleaner, go to TOOLS then STARTUP. Look for a long filename with a bunch of random numbers and letters. The folder it is in will be the same name. i.e. C:\s84jndf894kd7\s84jndf894kd7.exe
Hilight that file and click delete.
4. Close CCleaner and reboot into Windows normally.
5. Run Malwarebytes, select update tab and update, then do a FULL scan and have it smoke the remnants of ST2011 and anything else there.
6. You're done.

This particular scum sucker will drive right by just about ANY antivirus you use PERIOD. Thankfully the fix is pretty quick and easy with the above directions.

END UPDATE..... Ed

I hope the following helps some of you TSGC members.... Ed

JMHO - Just My Honest Opinion

Everybody is getting hammered today by malware/virii/trojans/etc. Even if you think you haven't, you probably have.

If you have no or out-of-date protection, you're probably nailed already.

If you have current/up-to-date/high-dollar/fancy-as-hell protection, you're probably nailed already.

There Is No Magic Bullet That Will Stop Everything!!!

Below are my recommendations...

Some Don'ts:
Don't install toolbars
Don't install the smiley face crap
Don't install any shopping coupon crap
Don't install any rebate finder crap
Don't install any websearch crap
Don't install Limewire, or anything that ends with "torrent" You WILL get nailed if you haven't already!

If you get a pop-up on a web site saying stuff like "Your computer is infected" and lists several infections and it ain't your antivirus program, DO NOT CLICK ON ANYTHING IN THAT POP-UP!!!!!
Right-click on the task bar at bottom of screen and select Task Manager AND KILL THE BROWSER FROM TASK MANAGER! Just because a button says "Cancel" doesn't mean it really means "Cancel"... All the buttons DO THE SAME THING!

Never click on "Click here for a free scan" on any websites...

The following alone can speed up your browsing:
Open Internet Explore, goto Tools/Internet Options, Gen Tab, Browsing History Settings - change the meg size to 15megs, up top select the top "when I visit" then OK, then click the Delete button in same area as Settings button and smoke the temp internet files...

Antivirus:

Dislikes:

1. anything that says Norton/Symantec

2. Anything the same color yellow just in case it might be Norton/Symantec

Likes:

1. Microsoft Security Essentials - as much as I hate to admit it (pttuuuey), MSE is good and it's FREE!! I am NOT a Mickey$oft fan but MSE is a great product....and it's free...
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

2. Avast Antivirus Free- I run this on my netbook and really like it...
http://www.avast.com/index

3. AVG Free - Also good
http://free.avg.com/us-en/homepage

uninstall any antivirus BEFORE you install another ! NEVER run multiple antivirus apps!

MUST HAVES : get them and rotate-run regularly to find mals/trojans UPDATE each time on the scanners to make sure definitions are current.

Scanners:
Malwarebytes - http://www.malwarebytes.org
SuperAntiSpyware - http://www.superantispyware.com
SpyBot Search & Destroy - http://www.safer-networking.org - deselect TeaTimer/IE Helper during install

Utilities:
CCleaner - http://www.ccleaner.com - clean the tons of old temp files windows won't clean up, also fix registry errors
Super Defrag - http://www.iobit.com/download.html#freesoftware My favorite defrag utility
Advanced System Care Free - http://www.iobit.com/download.html#freesoftware - does a bunch of neat stuff to make your machine run better

Maybe some of the above will help you... Ed