The Most Frustrating Thing Ever

[Devin]

I assume that my computer is infected by a bug or virus, and yet I can't find the answer to get rid of it. My final choice would be to reinstall Windows XP Home Edition, and leave all my files behind me. I hesitate to do so, but this thing, whatever it is, is "bugging" -me- to that point. Allow me to fill you in, reader.

First off, nothing except my Internet Explorer connects to the internet at any time. The problem began when I was playing MapleStory, and suddenly when I tried to play it again one day, GameGuard (the program that prevents hackers) told me that it couldn't connect to the internet. Whatever this bug/virus is, it seems to want to keep me on Internet Explorer. But something that causes me to ponder over this, is that my flash drive (a U3 SanDisk about 3 GBs large) with Firefox allows itself to connect to the internet over my computer. It may be that, because the Firefox is external that it connects to the internet, so it seems to me as though it's only on my CPU. Yet when I run programs I've installed onto the flash drive otherwise, they don't connect. It's extremely frustrating. It has nothing to do with the processing speed or capabilities or anything else BUT the connections programs have to the internet. I have McAfee Security Center, but the firewall it provides has absolutely nothing to do with the connections. I can't update anything I have currently, such as Shockwave Flash, because the program, again, cannot connect to the internet.

If you CAN help, it would be greatly appreciated, and you'd probably be my hero. This is probably the largest ongoing problem I've had. (No one else uses my computer.)

 

[brieze]

Have you opened task manager and checked for unknown processes running?

I had a virus recently. I used my phone to google how to remove it. I followed directions and haven't had any problems since. So if you can find out the name, that's what I recommend trying before you wipe your hard drive.

Oh, and from experience, Mcafee is virus-like. Malewarebytes is good.

 

[Devin]

I wouldn't know which processes to look for that are unknown. They're so undescriptive.

 

[Butterfly]

Do you have anti-virus software?

 

[AnitaBeer]

Malwarebytes FTW. Since your comp is already infected you'd want to dl it from another comp, put it on disc, then run the disc in the infected comp.

You could do a recovery on your comp.

One major issue is, if you need to reinstall, that MS doesn't support Windows XP anymore so you won't get security updates.

 

[Devin]

Do you have anti-virus software?

McAfee protects against viruses, spyware, and protects web and email.

Malwarebytes FTW. Since your comp is already infected you'd want to dl it from another comp, put it on disc, then run the disc in the infected comp.

You could do a recovery on your comp.

One major issue is, if you need to reinstall, that MS doesn't support Windows XP anymore so you won't get security updates.

You really think Malwarebytes will get rid of it?

MS?

 

[AnitaBeer]

McAfee protects against viruses, spyware, and protects web and email.


You really think Malwarebytes will get rid of it?

MS?

I've used Malwarebytes to remove viruses from a few different computers its a good chance it will work. I can not guarantee anything as I'm not a producer of the program.

MS = Microsoft.

 

[Devin]

I've used Malwarebytes to remove viruses from a few different computers its a good chance it will work. I can not guarantee anything as I'm not a producer of the program.

MS = Microsoft.

It turns out that my computer doesn't even open up the Malwarebytes window. The process doesn't even appear. It's like the program is there, but in the CPU's eyes it doesn't exist.