Virus Alert on Computer

[quiet dove]

I am sitting here minding my own business and this alert pops up. Something to do with RealPlayer. and update and a Trojan called SHuer4.NTX

or something like that. I moved it to the vault

??

Is RealPlayer a bad thing to have, what about QuickTime Player. I don't even know how I got these things.

And please, in VERY simple terms, the simpleton explanation for me...

[Brother Mark]

Real player is generally OK. You probably picked up the virus through going to a site to download something. It could be the thing you saw, or linked to, needed realplayer. Or realplayer was used as "bait".

Do you have an antivirus? I recommend running it right now before you do anything else.

[quiet dove]

Real player is generally OK. You probably picked up the virus through going to a site to download something. It could be the thing you saw, or linked to, needed realplayer. Or realplayer was used as "bait".

Do you have an antivirus? I recommend running it right now before you do anything else.

Yea, I have the free version of AVG, which is what caught this.

I will start my scan up. I just updated it also, so will get it running.

[quiet dove]

Well, I got it scanned, it locked my computer up as usual...
And I had to power it off, which of course does not set well with it...

The scan thing told me it found some tracking cookies, from microsoft windows and real .com ...

And that it removed the tracking cookies to the vault.

[Brother Mark]

You might want to spring for some paid virus software. For me, I am on the internet too much to not have software running in the background to protect me from intrusion. My job requires me to be on the net. If I lose my PC, it could cost me a LOT of money. I really like Norton but there are other good ones out there too.

[quiet dove]

You might want to spring for some paid virus software. For me, I am on the internet too much to not have software running in the background to protect me from intrusion. My job requires me to be on the net. If I lose my PC, it could cost me a LOT of money. I really like Norton but there are other good ones out there too.

I had Norton at one time, but at the moment, "paid" for just isn't an option.......

I do have other stuff though besides the AGV, but it is the AVG that caught this.

Sure do appreciate your help, and encouragement....I get really frustrated being so technically challenged

[NHL Fever]

I had Norton at one time, but at the moment, "paid" for just isn't an option.......

I do have other stuff though besides the AGV, but it is the AVG that caught this.

Sure do appreciate your help, and encouragement....I get really frustrated being so technically challenged

I used AVG for awhile and it wasn't bad. But its not top-notch. Because its so popular and free, its going to get targeted. A paid anti-virus can literally be $20 - $30 for a year. I can't imagine this is a major imposition. I did a bunch of research and I use VIPRE because its really light on the system (you basically don't know its there), its one of the top-rated, and its cheap. I bought a lifetime license from ebay for like $45 or something. Right now I see you can get a 1-year licence for about $23 on ebay.

Norton can really bog down a system and be very clunky, especially when you have an old or slower system. Maybe the support is amazing I'm not sure. I tried the trials for Bit Defender and Kaspersky and they both noticeable increased my boot-up time and took more resources to run. Also the interface was not as nice looking, and harder to use. Anyway my 2 cents.

[Brother Mark]

Norton can really bog down a system and be very clunky, especially when you have an old or slower system.

Very true!!!! .............

[ikester7579]

You can also download these from majorgeeks.com which is a non malware site.

Super anti-spyware: http://majorgeeks.com/SUPERAntiSpyware_d5116.html

malware bytes: http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_A...are_d5756.html

Both will cost money if you want real time protection. But are free to use as a scanner to find and remove stuff. Their is no restrictions on finding and removing stuff. Just say no to anything that is more then scanning.

In fact I got a trojan horse mallware today. The malware bytes was blocked by it because it's well known, but because super antispyware is not well known it was not blocked and I was able to remove it,

It's not uncommon with the first scan of super antispyware to get over a 100 things to remove. It removes all spyware and tracking cookies, not ID cookies. If you play a lot of online games it's not uncommon to have over 300 items to remove. I once scanned this one computer that had over 700 items to remove. Kids were using it quite often. They usually go to websites that have these things on them.

[quiet dove]

Thank you, I will go to this site. Will it all work ok with the AVG, or is it a one or the other thing?

[tim_from_pa]

I am sitting here minding my own business and this alert pops up. Something to do with RealPlayer. and update and a Trojan called SHuer4.NTX

or something like that. I moved it to the vault

??

Is RealPlayer a bad thing to have, what about QuickTime Player. I don't even know how I got these things.

And please, in VERY simple terms, the simpleton explanation for me...

Who knows if it is a real virus or not with Micro-freakin'-soft? That's how that OS system works with all kinds of attitudes. Get Linux and your virus problems will be non-existent,and they make it now with a GUI that's just as user friendly as Microsoft and it's FREE! I can't understand why you would want to pay a great price for an OS like Microsoft, and then PAY even MORE for virus protection which is about as dumb as buying a car, but paying more for an engineering defect to fix. That should be THEIR responsibility, not yours. But I'll overlook that if you did not know any better, but with my post here, now you do.

Face it. Some OS, like the one I'm using, don't get viruses because it was designed right from the start --- not something with a bunch of lame excuses. Twenty two years ago, viruses on Microsoft was a joke and funny. Then it became a nuisance, after that I wated to kill the virus writers. But after all this, and promises like politicians from Microsoft, I finally laid the blame on them --- they don't want to really stop viruses (and indeed DESIGNED the OS system that way for them and governmental spying which the virus writers take advantage of, but that's another topic). That's long enogh for me to get the message that Microsoft is a jack-shoot OS that the establishment wants people to use to patronize them. So.... regain your privacy, control and whits and get Linux for all those who are not sheeple.

I promise... if you install Linux you will not have these problems.

[quiet dove]

Who knows if it is a real virus or not with Micro-freakin'-soft? That's how that OS system works with all kinds of attitudes. Get Linux and your virus problems will be non-existent,and they make it now with a GUI that's just as user friendly as Microsoft and it's FREE! I can't understand why you would want to pay a great price for an OS like Microsoft, and then PAY even MORE for virus protection which is about as dumb as buying a car, but paying more for an engineering defect to fix. That should be THEIR responsibility, not yours. But I'll overlook that if you did not know any better, but with my post here, now you do.

Face it. Some OS, like the one I'm using, don't get viruses because it was designed right from the start --- not something with a bunch of lame excuses. Twenty two years ago, viruses on Microsoft was a joke and funny. Then it became a nuisance, after that I wated to kill the virus writers. But after all this, and promises like politicians from Microsoft, I finally laid the blame on them --- they don't want to really stop viruses (and indeed DESIGNED the OS system that way for them and governmental spying which the virus writers take advantage of, but that's another topic). That's long enogh for me to get the message that Microsoft is a jack-shoot OS that the establishment wants people to use to patronize them. So.... regain your privacy, control and whits and get Linux for all those who are not sheeple.

I promise... if you install Linux you will not have these problems.

It isn't that I have any love for Microsoft..but I have no idea what Linux or a "GUI" even is...I mean, I would have no idea how to install Linux and I don't have the funds to buy Linux or pay someone else to do it. So while I would love to have something more private and less trouble, I have no idea how to get that accomplished.

[tim_from_pa]

It isn't that I have any love for Microsoft..but I have no idea what Linux or a "GUI" even is...I mean, I would have no idea how to install Linux and I don't have the funds to buy Linux or pay someone else to do it. So while I would love to have something more private and less trouble, I have no idea how to get that accomplished.

GUI means "Graphical user interface" In other words, graphical icons or pictures (windows) to navigate to programs as opposed to old-fashioned verbal commands. Linux is free, it has office programs equivalent to MS word, excel, and powerpoint for Free. I think the reason why the masses don't download Linux is that they are somehow (i'm not sure how) ignorant to it. Here... let me guide you here....

www.ubuntu.com

[quiet dove]

GUI means "Graphical user interface" In other words, graphical icons or pictures (windows) to navigate to programs as opposed to old-fashioned verbal commands. Linux is free, it has office programs equivalent to MS word, excel, and powerpoint for Free. I think the reason why the masses don't download Linux is that they are somehow (i'm not sure how) ignorant to it. Here... let me guide you here....

www.ubuntu.com

If I download this, do I loose everything on my computer and start over?

Sorry, you are talking to a complete computer illiterate here. Not that I mind starting over to have a more stable computer...will my e-sword and stuff like that run on it? What about OpenOffice.org, have you heard of that(it is a free software that is like Microsoft Office)

Most stuff I would not mind loosing so much but sure don't want to give up e-sword.

Would I have to reinstall all my software?

[tim_from_pa]

If I download this, do I loose everything on my computer and start over?

Sorry, you are talking to a complete computer illiterate here. Not that I mind starting over to have a more stable computer...will my e-sword and stuff like that run on it? What about OpenOffice.org, have you heard of that(it is a free software that is like Microsoft Office)

Most stuff I would not mind loosing so much but sure don't want to give up e-sword.

Would I have to reinstall all my software?

You can burn the Ubuntu to a disk, or memorystick, etc. For your reassurance, you can have someone more computer literate help you but the operating system, when installed basically guides you.

Crudely speaking, the choices offered are this:

1) You can run Ubuntu Linux from a CD to see if you like it. This is called a "live CD" trial but since it bypasses the hard drive will run slower. It gives you a feel for the operating system, but when the computer is turned off, nothing you done in Ubuntu will be remembered. It will revert to Microsoft and won't harm it.
2) You can set it up as a "dual boot" allowing EITHER of the two operating systems to be selected from a little menu that pops up at the start.
3) You can tell the installation to ditch the Microsoft (that's what I did) and then yes, all files will be destroyed unless you save them to disks or sticks (i.e. personal documents, excel files, pictures, videos and the like). Then simply install Ubuntu as the only operating system.

Most people are not brave enough (or in my case have a hatred enough) to completely ditch the Microsoft and opt for #2, and that's OK. In addition Ubuntu does not run Microsoft programs, but they have a repository with thousands and thousands of programs online for a free download that does the same functions. For example, they have "Libre Office" which works identical to Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint for free! And Ubuntu can read a Microsoft document (e.g. a .doc file) if opened in Libre Office. But in all this, what you ulimately do is a choice you'll have to make --- Linux will not harm the Microsoft if you don't want it to.

For a touch of humor, remember those commercials with Mac Vs PC? Here's a spoof of that in this youtube video and they boast of all the things their computers can do until..... the surprise at the end!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_h0r00ZGMU