Avian Gamers Network

So, I know I have a virus on my system. It started doing some really weird shit the other day after I installed a crack for a program that I was trying to get to work to encode divx files for me, as I've been having difficulty getting it figured out. I'm not a retard, though, and I did scan the file before using it, but it wasn't caught.

I fire up Norton Antivirus, and it tells me I don't have a virus, after a complete system scan. I go to Symantec's website, and run their free scanning program, and go to bed. I wake up about 4 hours later 'cause I've been worrying about it, and not sleeping well. It does find it, but won't tell me what the virus is 'cause it's free, those fucks. I manually download a new virus definition put out yesterday (4/29) and start the rescan, but I'm impatient, and I'm not trusting my antivirus program anymore anyway.

I find the damn program in my own task manager process list. It keeps popping back up in there, though, and I can't find the offending file on my harddrive or in a google search, or any other anti-virus site, so I'm having difficulty getting rid of it. In a spurt of sleep-induced inspiration, I go to TrendMicro's website, 'cause I remember from like 3 years ago I visited there once (how the fuck I remember that, I don't know) and remember that they have a kickass free webscan for viruses.

Sure enough, it finds the damn thing, with instructions on how to get rid of it, fix it, eliminate the registry key that is fucking with me, etc. So I follow through, and I think I'm in the clear.


The whole point, and my question, is this: Does Norton just fucking suck, and should I get PC-cillin for anti-virus stuff, or was it just compromised by the trojan that I had? If it was compromised, how do I fix it, just reinstall?

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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

There are experts around here that know much more than I…. But here is what I think.

I like Norton, I do not like PC –cillin. I still have not found the perfect antivirus solution, but IMHO Norton beats PC-cillin in every aspect.

I think you let a Trojan in, and no software will ever be able to stop users from making those kinds of mistakes. I did the same thing about a year ago, and for the life of me could not get rid of the virus. The solution the antivirus guys had was much more trouble than just formatting my PC. So 9 times out of 10 when I get a virus I can not remove with the standard antivirus package, I rather format than jump through hundreds of hoops.

But then again I have gotten very good at organizing my stuff and installing all my favorite programs, even my old downloads… so formatting is not so bad for me now that I am ready for it. Plus I like how formatting makes my PC run better

Thanks Cyrus. I'm in about the same boat as you are. I don't want to reformat again, though, since I did just a month or two ago. I did follow all the PC-cillin stuff, and things seem to be fixed now. I've not been getting any of the weird errors like emptying the recycle bin and having it trying to delete the C:\Windows directory, lol.

Norton isn't costing me anything right now, so I guess I'll stick with it for a while, at least.

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Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!

No virus scanning program is perfect. Norton will catch some stuff that PC-Cillin won't, and McAffee will catch stuff that neither of them will. It's a crap shoot. You'll have the same problem with any program you use. But it seems to me that Norton is just about the best commercial virus scanning program out there.

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Norton is a piece of shit, and so is Mcafee. I use the free AVG 6.0 or whatever the version is anti-virus software:

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

I've been using this for two years now, and its served me well. It's found every single virus I've ever had. It's simple, easy to use, doesn't take up alot of space or memory, and it doesn't give me bullshit like Norton and Mcafee does.

To each their own I gues....I gues use whatever you like, or whatever works best for you. For me, AVG is the best! I don't do warez, hacking, or crack stuff, so my computer hardly has any problems. I'm what you'd call a, "PC-Gamer". I only play games, therefore I rarley have 'virus' issues.

Ho well nowadays, just being connected to Internet can be enough

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Flyoc,
Farm with attitude.

Norton is fine.

Peter Norton : Software

Lance Armstrong : Cycling

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*Teras Kasi Watcher
*Pistoleer
*Scout
*Medic

I like pandasoftware personally...

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Ryric Krael
Former Vice President AGN
Former Director, Section 6
Former Head of Department of the Treasury
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Ask not what your PA can do for you, but what you can do for your PA
"Gone Section Five"

I have been struggling with a virus myself since yesterday. I just stayed at it. First error message had to do with my Symantec e-mail proxy ( my wife had just checked her e-mail) the system shut down. Not long after I started playing. It restarted and sometime later it shut down again with something about an lsass error. I kept playing with it ran Norton, dumped temp internet files (hell I don't know much...so I did) called my ISP who suggested going back a few days on my last system save...forget the name of what that is. It kept crashing. I called my ISP again and mentioned the error message about Isass and they told me it was a worm. Just got back from work a few minutes ago with a patch (couldn't stay on long enough here to download) downloaded thru symantec and am seeing if I stay up. So far so good have been crashing after a minute or two up till now.

As new viruses come up I believe it is difficult for any virus protection system to stay on top. Sometimes they are right on it and other times fall behind. Anything beats nothing.

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Avian Technology and Trade
Lac Plesis
Botanist
Master Chef
Firm Rebel Supporter

Here's the perfect solution to all your virus woes:

uninstall Windows and run Linux instead!!!!

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X2-PB

Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign:
Gednan Malithanar - Wizard (1)
Dukin Thunderstrike - Ranger (1)

Star Citizen: - https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/
AntanKarmola on their forums

Star Wars: The Old Republic: - Not really playing
Antare Karmola - Jedi Guardian (32)
Antan Karmola - Jedi Shadow (21)
Arianae Karmola - Gunslinger (20)

Why's that?

http://www.centralcommand.com/linux_products.html

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Liro
"The english language is not a wedding gown, it doesn't get better the more lace you add. It is instead a thong. Less is more." From /.
I need to remind myself of this regularly.

Most viruses are designed to attack a windows based system (because, quite honestly, it has sooooo many loopholes!) plus a person who sets up his linux firewall up properly will almost never need to even think about anti-virus software.

On top of all that, Linux is FREE!!! (assuming you don't care about manuals or technical support!)

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X2-PB

Pathfinder Kingmaker Campaign:
Gednan Malithanar - Wizard (1)
Dukin Thunderstrike - Ranger (1)

Star Citizen: - https://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/
AntanKarmola on their forums

Star Wars: The Old Republic: - Not really playing
Antare Karmola - Jedi Guardian (32)
Antan Karmola - Jedi Shadow (21)
Arianae Karmola - Gunslinger (20)

Pure marketing.

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Flyoc,
Farm with attitude.