Free Anti-virus Software and Safe Surfing

[GoingDown]

Another update.

Simply uninstalling MSE and then downloading the latest version of MSE from Microsoft, and then installing it again, works. MSE is now downloading the updates automatically again and is up to date.

So, simply click on [start] and then click on [control panel] and then look for [uninstall programs] and then look for the MSE program and uninstall it.

Then go to the Microsoft website and download the latest version.

An easy and effective fix for it.

[GoingDown]

Okay, I have an update for this thread. Recently, my sister's computer got a virus that various free anti-virus software programs (MSE, AVG, Malwarebytes, TdssKiller, MSRT, etc.) could find, but because the virus loaded before anything else, they couldn't remove it.

It just kept coming back, no matter what we did. We were about to do a full system recovery and wipe the computer clean of everything, including all of her pictures and other files she wanted to keep, but we did a little bit more searching and found this...

Windows Defender Offline

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline

It's free, it has a few DETAILED instructions on the Microsoft website you need to follow EXACTLY for it to work, but I can say this, when all else failed to get rid of the virus, it worked.

It makes a boot CD or boot flash drive and then you have to restart your computer booting from the CD or flash drive, and then it starts up before the virus, and is able to get rid of the virus or rootkit.

One other piece of advice I have is this. Get two computers. One that you only use for important online transactions with websites you know and fully trust, and then immediately disconnect from the internet, and another computer that you use for everything else online.

The one you use for important transactions should be brand new and should have never been infected by a virus. That way you know it is completely clean and free of viruses.

[gregemm]

Another tool I use all the time, Kasperski rescue disc. Bootable CD that can get the rootkits and other ones that come up before windows boots. Saved me more than a couple times when it was so badly virused that people couldn't log in. I clean up probably 20-30 machines a month, some great suggestions in here, things I use daily

[GoingDown]

Another tool I use all the time, Kasperski rescue disc. Bootable CD that can get the rootkits and other ones that come up before windows boots. Saved me more than a couple times when it was so badly virused that people couldn't log in. I clean up probably 20-30 machines a month, some great suggestions in here, things I use daily

Yes, I've heard good things about the rescue disc, too.

Thanks, I hope it helps everyone reading this thread.

[gregemm]

Oh another thing I just thought of - even if you are the only person using your computer, make a second account. A few times (most recently with he "fbi virus" that asks for a moneygram to not report you) I have saved a TON of time as a different user allowing me to run a cleanup. Most aren't that easy to get around, but happens...

[GoingDown]

So you can just log on with the other user account and the virus can't stop you from using that account to clean the computer? That's very interesting. Thanks for the info!