Genealogy Chat

Top tip Colin! Just downloaded the stinger and ran it on my PC and it didn't detect anything. Did the same on my Mum's and it detected 2 viruses. Thanks Jeanette

Georgina Try the following and then go back to the site and try to access it again. Fixing “Website Can’t Be Found” and other Site Error Messages More than likely you have trouble with accessing quite a few sites.....particularly getting the message "website can't be found" among a few other error messages. Try the following and it should solve your problem. 1. Go to START. 2. Click on CONTROL PANEL. 3. Click on INTERNET OPTIONS. 4. Towards the bottom of the box where it says DAYS TO KEEP PAGES IN HISTORY, change the number here to “0” and click APPLY or OK. 5. If the box disappeared after following and completing step 4, follow the directions 1-3 to bring the box up again and do the following: Look at the top of the box to the labeled tabs across the top. Click on ADVANCED. 6. Scroll down to the sub-heading SECURITY. Make sure the following has check marks next to it: USE SSL 2.0, USE SSL 3.0 and USE TLS 1.0. 7. Also make sure you check off EMPTY TEMPORARY INTERNET FILE WHEN BROWSER IS CLOSED. More than likely USE TLS 1.0 is not checked off and it should be. This will give you the error messages, as well as a few others, that will prevent you from viewing web sites and the error you are getting. Make sure you empty your cookies cache as well as temporary internet files once in a while, too, as this slows down your computer.

Colin, I have tried going on to this address but I keep getting that it is not available. If I go into http://vil(.)nai(.)com as advised I cannot find the stinger. What am I doing wrong? Georgina

Ref: My Doom virus in e-mail attachments don't open if you see any of the following: .pif .scr .exe .cmd .bat .zip Subject lines read test-hi-hello-Mail delivery system- Mail transaction failed- server report- status or error. Good update sites are www.messgaelabs.com and www.theregister.co.uk Hope this helps DD

Hi I don't think you can blame any website for receiving these emails, I have several e mail addresses and have only been receiving infected mail in one particular account, I noticed that the emails have been marked "TEST" and "ERROR" and they have been persistant, I must have a suspicious mind as there was something in their appearance that made me wary and I immediately deleted them. (I find that the antivirus I have installed is better than Norton, I deleted Norton and installed panda antivirus.) I think that the virus was aimed at Microsoft for today, I have not been able to access hotmail today

HI I have just had 4 emails like you mentioned , by any chance have you recently signed up with tribal pages.com?? This is the last site i was on before i got theses emails may not be connected of course but was just wondering. I have nortons so iam fine. Theresa.x

Hi Judy My AVG free edition has an e mail scanner. Which is supposed to check incoming & outgoing emails. However if I right click on an e mail even though a box comes up, no mention of " scan with AVG " is on it._______ However I can right click on my outlook express ( situated on my desktop) & then scan with AVG !________ No way am I considering opening a "dodgy" attatchment in the hope that my AVG will respond !-------- It would be my blooming luck to get infected ! LOL :o)) Elaine x

Elaine: Many anti-viruses don't stop virus tainted e-mail unless they have an e-mail scanning function. The test to whether AVG would have actually found and detected the virus would be when you opened the e-mail and downloaded the attachment. AVG would advise, or should, when you attempt to actually open the infected file. Which is why it's important to RIGHT click on any downloaded file and choose SCAN WITH AVG (or whatever your anti virus is) before opening. Judy

My AVG antivirus did not stop the MYDOOM virus email reaching my inbox last week. (as explained in a previous thread) With luck, I realised that it was probably a virus & deleted it immediatly without opening the attatchment. I'm up to date with my antivirus updates, but still check my incoming mail, anything from people I dont know which have an attatchment I havent asked for is deleted. Elaine x

Christine: You bring up a good point. Norton and like programs don't usually miss a virus....it's usually the PC user who somehow either misses or ignores the anti virus warning that flashes on their screen or their anti virus definitions are not kept updated. At any rate,a virus does end up on ones PC. Once some of these viruses are unleashed, the first thing it does is disable your anti-virus....something to keep in mind if your anti-virus seems to have stopped working or won't allow virus definition updates. (Not to be confused with the fact that with some of these programs, like Norton, there is a yearly fee for their services and updates will stop when subscription runs out and it's time to renew.) Judy

Another useful tool is the free AV scanner... http://uk.trendmicro-europe.com/consumer/products/housecall_launch.php this is good in addition to using Norton or McAfee. Someone once told me that some viruses can trick your pc's AV software..and this on line scan can pick up what it may miss.Whatever..its found things for me in the past. It takes a few minutes to download the first time you use it....from then on it just downloads any updates. :-)

I would like to second what Judy says above. Companies like Macaffee and Norton have huge rescources dedicated to detecting and defeating these nasties. Far more than the authors of any free program can. I am a firm believer in the old saying "that you get what you pay for" Bob

AVG is a good anti-virus if the option is to have or not have one. I've often come across where AVG does often miss picking up viruses, or the AVG site is not the quickest at updating their virus definitions for the public....keep in mind it's a free program and you get what you pay for.. You might want to invest in a program like Norton Anti-Virus. Judy

Something to keep in mind....some of these viruses going around cause more damage to your computer each time your computer is started.....they're programed to do that....eventually freeezing computer up, causing you to reboot, causing more problems. Your better off leaving your computer on until you resolve the problem. Judy

Thanks everyone - I will do the stinger thing first thing in the morning - no harm in having belt and braces :0) Sue.

Hi collin, the stinger has just found 6 infected files with mydoom! and removed them. the AVG, which I ran again AFTER I had deleted the viruses, did not find them. my AVG was updated 30 jan so not really out of date! thank so much for your help Eileen

If AVG finds the virus's will it not delete them as well - I've run mine but am so far - fingers crossed - in the clear. Sue

Thankyou for your help Judy and Colin, I have downloaded the stinger and i am running it now! eileen

Back at ya, Collin! Hope all is well.....Judy

Oh my, you have a nasty virus on there that should be removed immediately! For info and removal instructions go to: http://enterprisesecurity.symantec(.)com/article(.)cfm?articleid=2420 Remove the brackets from the address. Judy