New Harddrive

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Wed May 03, 2006 8:23 pm

My computer has a virus, and my anti virus doesnt detect it =( So... i was thinking, since i can't get a new computer, if i change the hard drive of the computer i'm using, will it work like new? Please only respond if you truly know if it would work or not. It really pisses me off to be playing online and then suddl my comp restarts >=(
Anyways, any help would be appreciated.

Post by **Teancum** » Wed May 03, 2006 8:47 pm

Yes, a new hard drive would eliminate the problem. However, if you have Norton, download the 30 day trial of McAfee. If you have McAfee, get the Norton trial. I have Norton, but it was McAfee that finally figured out what the virus was.

And you computer restarts randomly? The sounds a lot like a bad power supply.

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Wed May 03, 2006 9:52 pm

Well, I don't think it's a bad power supply, as it has started doing this only a few weeks ago, after beeing in the same place for months...

Post by **guru** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:41 pm

In 100 cases Ive setup, power supplier or electronic issues on the motherboard were the cause. Anyways reform your harddrive in console/dos and its fine. Dont buy more hardware till you try the reformat. You most likely will save money.

CarbineImpulse · Post by **CarbineImpulse** » Wed May 03, 2006 10:59 pm

If you're sure it's the disk, rather than buy a new one either format (as guru mentions) or use something like Kill Disk for drastic measures.

Active@ KillDisk - Hard Drive Eraser is powerful and compact DOS software that allows you to destroy all data on hard and floppy drives completely, excluding any possibility of future recovery of deleted files and folders. It's a hard drive and partition eraser utility.

If you use FDISK, FORMAT utilities, or DELETE standard operating system command for data removal, there is always a chance to recover deleted data (using undelete file or some data recovery software) and use against the owner's will. We highly recommend you to run this FREE utility for the hard and floppy drives you want to dispose of, recycle, re-use, sell or donate to somebody.

Don't resort to new hard drive just yet. If it just restarts then maybe it's not a power thing but it can't hurt to check all the options, cable connections etc... before any outgoing of money. Good lick and let us know what (if anything) sorts it.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:21 am

Off-topic : Jabba', have you made sure that the interior of your current Computer's Case had been as much cleaned as possible before having posted this thread ?
In case this advice would not help so much, I would equally think that the "Technical Issues" you're actually facing might be caused by either your Power Supply Unit or your Mainboard, but do not forget that these possibilities are basically "secondary"...

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Thu May 04, 2006 4:10 pm

Well, my dad took it to this computer guy today so I guess he'll find the problem. Anyways, the case wasa really dirty and i couldn't do system restore because it would never work :S W/e, hte problem will hopefully be fixed now, and then I'll be able to use my comp again.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Fri May 05, 2006 11:23 am

Off-topic : Also, in case of further "Technical Issues" similar to the one you talked about in this thread and being reported by other GameToast members, could you give us the reason(s) having caused or led to the problem you've faced when you will get back your Computer, Jabba' ?

Thanks in advance !...

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Fri May 05, 2006 4:12 pm

I'll if I learn what the answer is...

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Wed May 10, 2006 6:45 pm

Well, the guy finally contacted me and he told me the following:
It wasn't a virus but it was spyware (not really, but something similar) The only way to get rid of it tho was to re format the disk, so instead what im gonna do is get a new hard drive...

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Thu May 11, 2006 3:08 pm

Off-topic : Jabba', I do not want to sound "harsh", but I seriously think that the "Technician" your Computer has been entrusted to seems not to be ready to figure out efficiently the origin of the problems you faced. Indeed, if they have not been caused by a "Viral Item", then I guess they must have been favoured by one or more "Rootkit(s)", which can be neutralized and removed from your Hard-Drive thanks to a Specialized Utility, such as F-Secure BlackLight®...
Moreover, in none case the complete re-formatting of your Hard-Drive was really required, no matter if it was "invaded" by threats similar to those which may have been found on it...

Post by **guru** » Fri May 12, 2006 8:48 am

lol lev, i thought i was long winded. woooo. Your 1 in a million.

Post by **ShadowHawk** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:07 pm

I personally have to agree with Lev, that is a copout excuse usually meaning either "I'm really not experenced, so this sounds professional" to ,"I'm too lazy to help you unless you pay me a lot of money, so this is my answer because I'm a couch potato." Any virus and any spyware is removable without reformating your HDD (unless the virus already did it for you in essence killing itself). The trouble is, how much time you want to spend eleminating a virus. I had a virus call when I was a tech that was a doosy. Took me a total of three days (working days that is so it was more like 24 hours) to trace it in the registry, find the program on the comp, find the hidden downloader that replaced the program I deleted, find the dll that was restoring the downloader that replaced the program, then recheck to make sure the SOB was eliminated.

Some spyware acts like this (hence why I classify spyware as condoned viruses) so some are hard as S**T to remove. Just takes patience, lot of research on the net, and help from others (which is where we come in). If the tech can tell you what spyware it is (most likely not which falls in my first scenario) we can research it with you or tell you right out how to fix it. If not, use key words to google it like the symptoms your computer is experiencing. Follow the leads (if we haven't already found it for you) and try everything non-damaging first before you result in using such a tragic solution. (and if you remove it, you get to stick it to the tech. Trust me, it embarrasses the s**t out of them even if it doesn't show it. Ego thing. Hence why I always said "I don't know, but I will try my best." that way when the customer finds it before me, it was a learning moment instead of an embarassing one.)

***deep breath***

So to sum it up, hopefully, don't reformat your HDD. There are other methods to solving your problem like what both Lev and Guru (and me and my long windedness) have said and I would suggest considering other methods and be patient.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Fri May 12, 2006 12:59 pm

Off-topic : Now you've summed up what I originally thought regarding the decisions made by the concerned "Technician", I would like to add that such persons are unfortunately too many in the growing "World of Computers", which can be illustrated by the fact the personal of specific Hotlines may advise you to re-format your Hard-Drive in case of troubles encountered with your Internet Connection !
However, by proceeding so, you are almost sure to get the guarantee of seeing the suggested "Steps" working out any Technical Issue, but that's not always effective in all cases...

Post by **ShadowHawk** » Fri May 12, 2006 5:33 pm

Amen to that. That's why my call times were high. But I gave quality TS, not quantity. That's why I reference both you and Guru in the post. I just ended up being more longwinded than you.

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:04 pm

You guys believe what you wanna believe... but I did all kinds of spyware removers and anti iruses and non worked...

PvtParts · Post by **PvtParts** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:42 pm

For the ingame restarts, which once happened to me, up the power supply input a bit. But I suggest you get someone who knows what there doing and can handle working with a BIOS. If you up it too much, you'll fry your parts. Too little, it can restart.

Get Spybot Search & Destroy along with Ad-Aware SE, and run full scans on your computer. Both are free, and also both are top quality anti-spyware/adware/malware etc tools.

A great tool for optimizing, maintaining, cleaning, and anything else you can think of is System Mechanic. It basically allows you to run through your computers overall status, scanning things such as speed, clutter, fitness, safety, and security.

It then allows you to fix any unoptimized, cluttered, or anyother problem it finds either manually, by category (powertools), or all at once(total care).

Its really great, and if you run total care it can have a noticeable improvement on your computer.

Heres the links to everything i've mentioned:

Be sure to update Ad-Aware and Spybot. Once you've run spybot, also immunize it to block all known spyware. You may have to update Spybots components one at a time.

--Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ - look on the upper right for Ad-Aware Personal, then once you read up on it go ahead and download

--Spybot S&D
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html - upper left corner, go to download

--System Mechanic (fully-functional trial, you must buy it to have it forever)
http://www.iolo.com/downloads.cfm - choose either System Mechanic 6 NOT System Mechanic 6 Professional, as that has a firewall/antivirus that can cause problems when installed over your default firewall/anti-virus

JabbaLovesLava · Post by **JabbaLovesLava** » Sat May 13, 2006 8:14 pm

Too late for that... lol. Also, I do use Ad-aware at least once a week and same with Norton Anti-virus

Post by **ShadowHawk** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:14 pm

Won't fully protect you. Look at these resources:

http://www.g4tv.com/screensavers/featur ... yware.html
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-1.htm
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-2.htm
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-3.htm
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-4.htm
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-5.htm
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-results-6.htm

As you can see, one, two, five, or even ten anti-spyware programs won't find all. There are several comparison charts on the net like these that shows the adware/spyware and the programs that did/didn't find it. You can look at the charts on spywarewarrior.com , You'll see some of the popular ones didn't find certain spyware. There was one, if I remember, that none of them found.

As far as Virus scanners, all will find any virus threat, but it depends on how fast a definition update is put out.

Here is a review on the most popular; norton is on the list and is beaten in some areas by cheaper software. In fact, Norton takes the longest to update the definitions, leaving a week window for a new virus to get on the system.

http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

J.J., I'm at least an experienced and certified technician, not sure of the others here (Guru better be

), but there are several sound advices on this thread. It's not about believing, it is about experience. I can guarantee some of the kids on here know more than me in certain areas, because I have not been exposed to it much less frequently (I'll be the first to tell you never ask me a Linux\Unix question. I'll give you a flat I dunno). This is one area a lot of us have been through one time or another. Trust me; just because it is not found,doesn't mean there isn't a possibility. Try Hijackthis. It usually helps find certain things and is a great tool to get and post what is running on your computer. Posting results here is a great way for others like me to see what your computer is doing.

But it is up to you whether or not to take everyones advice for you are not paying us to give it ( I'm a hundred thousand an hour

). Do what you want, it is your comp. Buying a new HDD wouldn't hurt you, but wiping it would (at least from a data stand point) be a no no unless that is abolutely, positutely, macaroni, Boozalutely, no other choice.

Good for future reference.

PvtParts · Post by **PvtParts** » Sun May 14, 2006 10:57 am

Couldnt have put it better myself.

Also, with System Mechanic Professional, Kaspersky Anti-Virus/Firewall is included, which, from that rating, appears to be up near the top.

But from what i've read around forums,

Ad-Aware and Spybot are definatly great tools, and the price is right.

But the biggest thing, is where you go on the internet. I know myself that IE has many security vulnerabilities that are easily exploited, leaving your system with some spyware. If you ever get a message that Windows is installing the most efficient Spyware removal tool, you know something is up. Windows does not automatically install anything, and the aforementioned error is infact a common spyware issue that will install some fake tool on your computer, that when used will point you to a bunch of fake spyware entries, but you can only remove them if you buy it. I was lucky not to fall for this - when your copy arrives in the mail you will find you have just spent $50 on absolutly nothing.

But my point is, don't go exploring around on questionable sites, especially if your not confident your protection can keep up with you.

Good luck anyhow

New Harddrive

New Harddrive

RE: New Harddrive