I didn't want to post this on the bigger forum (club member thoughts) because i didn't want to come across as stupid.

I'm computer literate enough to navigate websites but i'm not knowledgable in everything on here. Well, i do remember that annoying 'fake' antivirus scan popping up on here while visiting the site, so i'm obviously infected with this virus. My antivirus software picked up 3 viruses yesterday. So am i safe in assuming that it took take of this virus originated from this site?? I tried to print off instructions on here on how to remove it. I'm too chicken to start my computer in safe mode, i don't want to screw anything up. I downloaded the free malware stuff to remove the virus, i just don't know where it went!!! If i had our old computer (windows xp) i could find it by now, i really hate this windows vista !!!

 My computer isn't running any slower or doing any funny stuff like changing my homepage,etc. so do you think my own antivirus program caught and destroyed the offending bug on here?

I don't use vista, but I've run into that kooky thing where you download something & can't find it to install & run it.  What I would do is just install it again, and when it prompts you to select a destination folder, just save it to your desktop where you can find it.  If, for whatever reason, it won't let you do that, copy the file name when you select the download from malawarebytes' website: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php - it should look something like: mbam-setup.exe, and then open a file search (click on your start tab& it should be somewhere at the bottom of that list) paste that into the search box & that should locate the file for you.  Once you find it, right click & select "open", and you should be able to start the installation process from there.  Then you just basically run it and have it quarantine & remove any threats.  You should also download the free version of Zone Alarm when you finish - if you don't already have it.  It caught the download for me & kept my computer from getting infected.

Oh... and here's a link for that too: http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-firewall.htm

Thanks Kim, i downloaded the malwarebytes that you provided a link for. I was able to find this one and actually run it on here. It found 13 objects right away. Thanks!!!

Tanya - If you have instructions for verifying that the beast has been removed from your PC and they tell you to start in SAFE MODE...

1. Do a system backup first. I'd walk you through it, but I'm now running Win7 and I think that is one area that differs from Vista. I went from XP to Vista to 7 in about a month's time (new pc) so I can't even rely on memory... But if you right click on the "My Computer" icon and select Properties, you should be able to find System Restore > Create. If all else fails, go to the desktop and press F1 for help, then search for restore point. You just want to go through this step for your own piece of mind so you'll know you can undo anything you do next...

2. Do the Safe Mode startup! All this does is boot your system without whistles and bells running. Your screen will be ugly with basic, low-res graphics, you won't have lotsa fonts, and you won't want to try to check your e-mail. Think of it as starting your car without the radio on or the air conditioner running. It's the best way to listen for that funny noise...

I dealt with this nasty virus about 6 months ago on my daughter's PC. She had been to some neopets fan sites (where she knew she wasn't supposed to go) and when the pop-up told her a virus had been detected, she figured she better run the scan... thus infecting her 'puter! UGH!

Colleen

Tanya, you may want to do regular scans on your computer for malware. I try to do one at least monthly on mine. You'd be suprised how much spyware you'll pick up surfing the net. Most of it isn't dangerous, just an annoyance. Some are, though, so you'll want to keep up with the scans.

You also should be careful with your password choices for your accounts online. Many people use the same login and password for the majority of their accounts, but this is not a good idea. So, for example, if a hacker hacks some online site you are on and gets your account info and password (though this was NOT what happened here at PBS, so don't worry) and it's the same as your email password, and paypal password, and online banking password, and windows login password...well, you can see how that would be bad! Just some basic internet safety advice :)

Tanya I had problems with the virus. It disabled some of my security stuff. I'm not very computer savy but managed to figure out how to start  my computer back up in safe mode with networking so I could get back online to run the scans. This was after panicking a little bit about how much it was going to cost me to get someone to fix my computer.

Tanya, I had major problems because of the virus. I could never get past the porn sites that kept popping up to get to the scans. I saw this week enough T & A to last a lifetime.  Gave in and called the geek squad to the tune of $129 just so he could say the final cost could possibly be around $600 to clean up my computer.  He said I should think about buying a new one.  After he left, my nephew and 3 of  his college friends came over and got my computer back up and running. Wish I had called  these guys first. All they wanted as payment was dinner.

The virus almost took out our computer.  We had the AVG on, but it got thru.  Hubby ended up having to take everything off the computer and start over. Took forever, but its working now.

The virus is actually several kinds of infections at once.  It has really pissed me off.  I have been without my work computer for the week and it is costing me a fortune.  I had 2 kinds of protection but it got in anyway.  I had to have the bank take my online banking out of service.  That has been a royal pain in the a$$.   I am supposed to get my computer back tomorrow and then I will have to take this one in and have it debugged also. 

Thanks Kim, i downloaded the malwarebytes that you provided a link for. I was able to find this one and actually run it on here. It found 13 objects right away. Thanks!!!

You're welcome, sweetie:)  If you guys are having trouble with removing this thing & need some technical advice, you can inbox questions to me & I'll pass them on to my in-house geek (DH:P) and see if he can help you.

I ended up getting it on my work computer...ugh.  Had PBS open in the background while I was working when that wacky Antivirus Soft window popped up and looked like it was running a scan of my computer.  I called our IT department and tell them what happened, asking if this is our normal software, at which point he groans and quickly comes up and takes my hard drive away.  He had it for about 3 hours, then he brought it back and clean and virus free.  If it had to happen, I'm glad it was at work, I would have had no idea how to clean that up on my home computer. 

I got hit at work too. I knew what was happening the second I saw it cause I've had a virus before.  I called my shift supervisor over and asked her what I was supposed to do, while she just sat there and clicked buttons (probably made it worse).  Called IT who worked on it remotely for like 5 hours before giving up and replacing the computer the next day.  I refused to get on PBS on my home computer till I saw that it was ok, though I did use my phone and had no problems on my phone.  I installed Malwarebytes on my home computer anyway, just in case, but have had no problems on it.

Wow, 3 hours and 5 hours??? Yikes, i hope i got mine completely off? Nothing shows up on the malware scan anymore and nothing shows up on my regular antivirus scans each morning either.

If it helps Tanya, the computers at my job are NEVER updated and quite frankly I'm not even sure they had any virus protection in there at all (stupid, stupid move, if you ask me).  If you were all up to date with your browser and anti-virus program, you are probably ok.

Personally, we have found AVG to be pretty inadequate against some of the more recent viruses.  We've switched to Norton and use malwarebytes to do frequent scans.  I didn't get the one PBS had, but picked one up a bit ago watching TV on the net.  It got past AVG, but malwarebytes took it out