Posted by Joan Bergstrom on 3/13/12 12:20am
Msg #414693
computer mess
Last night, I clicked on Google news for info about the killing in Afghanistan and while on that page I also clicked on a right click that "said name of solider" and the minute that link hit
I had major virus (trojan, child pron/etc displayed and a website that would fix the problem.
I had gone through this around 5 years ago with a different computer and paid $200+ to get it fixed.
This time I immediately shut the computer down and tried to restore, but it wouldn't let me either restore or start the printer
I eventually got Windows 7 to start and installed "start" from the beginning but couldn't "restore."
I lost all my files: It got so bad today that I had to "grow a brain" when a company sent me
a FedEx bill to send back medical documents and I didn't realize I had to re-install my 2 printers and told them I couln't print the FedEx bill.
NICE!!
My question is: can I pay someone to re-install my old files or can I retrieve the files myself?
I lost all my Quicken files (thought I had signed up on-line and hadn't).
I don't want to go through this again.
What program(s) do you use to back up computer on the Internet?
Any help would be appreciated on any of the subjects above,
| Reply by jba/fl on 3/13/12 1:04am
Msg #414696
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/external/
I use one of these: Seagate free agent go, external hard drive. It copies everything at 3am (my choice - your choice may be different). When I had my most recent attack it was about noon-ish and I unplugged my device immediately before it had the chance to copy any of the resulting mess. Then called Momma Motherboard so that she could take care of the rest and have clean update if needed. Still costs a bit as I don't want to fix my own with my limited knowledge, but no loss of my info. You may be more tech savvy than I and skip the guru. I think I paid about $60 for my device.
| Reply by jojo_MN on 3/13/12 9:10am
Msg #414718
Automatic backup - beware
I always use the Seagate. I no longer do the automatic backups because unfortunately 1 1/2 years ago I got a hi-jacker on my computer. This person deleted a couple files showing their illegal transactions and installed a virus and Trojan on my computer, which in turn went to my back up files on the hard drive. Talk about a mess. It cost me a few $$$ to fix. At the time of the attack, I was running Norton 360 and using Internet Explorer. I switched to AVG and Firefox and disconnected the external hard drive. Have not had any problems since.
I backup my Word and Excel files daily. I do a complete computer scan daily and then routinely run Spy Doctor and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware on all computer drives and my hard drive; then, after these scans I do a physical backup onto the external hard drive. This step takes a few hours, but at least I know my computer is safe.
I hear a lot about the Carbonite.com; however, don't think I would trust any off-site cyberspace back-ups. JMHO
| Reply by Dorothy_MI on 3/13/12 12:09pm
Msg #414740
I use Cabonite and it has saved my behind
two times.
I had been considering purchasing it, but like most of us kept procrastinating. Finally my internal voice yelled loudly enough that I went on line and purchased it. Seven days later my hard drive crashed! I was able to retrieve all of my data (it doesn't back up your programs, they have to be re-installed). The only thing I was unable to retrieve was MY Pictures. I had saved some of my folders in my document file such as my grandkids photos in their own folder. Those were saved, but I was never able to figure out how to recover the My Pictures photos.
The second time happened one year later and again Carbonite to the rescue. The big disadvantage in only having a back up hard drive that I can see is what about a fire? Carbonite (Moosey is another one) that uses cloud computing.
Also with Carbonite, if I'm at my daughters for a visit and I want to work on something that is saved on my computer, I just go to Carbonite, log on and retrieve the document I want to work on. Then I email it back to my email address, get home, download it and the next time Carbonite backs up (which is every time I'm on line) it saves it to the clouds again.
| Reply by Lisa Thornton on 3/13/12 1:48am
Msg #414699
I thought firewalls and anti-virus software stopped trojan horses, worms, virus' and the like - no?
Check out this website: www.Carbonite.com
I keep hearing their advertisement on the radio and I think they have a commercial or two.
| Reply by Scriba/NM on 3/13/12 2:21am
Msg #414700
Well, the mantra here is backup, backup, backup. I got my first computer in 1978 and learned early on that you always have to backup. It's a pain, but you have to do it.
Windows 7 has it's own backup program built-in (I have Win 7 Pro and it is built-in), and the SeaGate suggestion is good, I have one of those too. Of course, you have to BUY the software that does NOT come with the external drive, but I bought that too. Then, (call me paranoid), I have a couple of 32 GB flash drives that I back up to also. These hold my schedules, documents, invoices and all of my notary files and lots of room to spare. and I can take them with me and use in my laptop.
If you don't know how to recover, then you should have a pro do it or you will end up possibly losing more stuff than you need do.
Lastly, you need to get a GOOD virus program. You will get many opinions on this, but personally, I have been through McAfee, and the horrible Norton (what a useless mess) and Kaspersky. Kaspersky will tell you that you have a virus and then you have to go through hell following their site downloading instructions to do this or that. This usually takes another computer that is NOT infected. Then you have to be a computer programmer to utilize the instructions. Most of these other programs will simply not catch ALL of the problems.
So, I have finally settled on the PC Tools suite of software that handles Internet Virus problems with their PC Registry Mechanic, PC Spyware Doctor with Anti-Virus and Internet Security. Yes, you have to pay for them, but they are after all tax deductible and they work quite well. You have to set them up to meet your requirements, but once that is done, they run in the background and work very well.
In sum, get your computer repaired by a pro, get GOOD spyware/anti-virus programs, and back up all the time. My minimum is every other day, and usually every day, due to my volume of signings. Good luck.
| Reply by jba/fl on 3/13/12 6:58am
Msg #414710
My two cents: Amen to Scriba/NM.
| Reply by Allison_MI on 3/13/12 7:37am
Msg #414714
Whenever I have a virus I called Microsoft direct (800#) they take over my computer and fix it. while I watch. They've always done a great job and I trust them. Only virus protection I use is Microsofts Security Essentials.
| Reply by Art_MD on 3/13/12 8:01am
Msg #414716
Its so nice to have a computer "geek" in the family (2 counting my son-in-law).
Using cast off components from my daughter, she set up the following:
4 - 250Gig drives (she went to 4 - 500gig drives)
set up Raid 0+1. Basically data is split between drive 1 and 2 (faster retrival and writing) and all is also written to drive 3.
nightly, drive 3 is backed up to drive 4. Somehow she set it up that drive 4 is not recognized except during backup so a virus can't access drive 4. If a virus hits drives 1,2 and 3 then the computer can be booted off drive 4 (with password) and drives 1 thru 3 can be restored.
More system than I need, but she had fun setting it up and cost to me was nil.
I like Vipre.
Art
| Reply by Art_MD on 3/13/12 8:07am
Msg #414717
correction - not raid 0+1. Is raid 0 plus 2nd write to drive 3
Art
| Reply by Jillian Hinrichs on 3/13/12 10:50am
Msg #414722
Carbonite backup is excellent
I have used it for years, the cost is a low annual fee of $59 per year (it finally went up from $49/yr). I have had 2 laptops croak on me and using this was able to get all but my Outlook emails right back with everything the same way as on the old computer except that my "Favorites" links on Explorer (I now use Firefox mainly) were in alphabetical order instead of the way I had them, which works fine, and I never bothered to see if I could get my desktop icons back but I think it stores those somewhere as well. So using Outlook I just have to email whatever is important from the real email sites (gmail.com, etc.), to get them back onto my system.
I also use Malwarebyte's Antimalware combined with Kasperky Anti-Virus (paid versions), and between the two they seem to catch anything bad before it gets thru. So I haven't had any virus or malware issues, I just use Carbonite for when I delete a file completely by mistake or for when I get a new laptop.
| Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 3/13/12 4:05pm
Msg #414805
Thanks to all
My son is coming over tomorrow to work on it and I will definitely be buying a back up program. I can't go through this again.
| Reply by jba/fl on 3/13/12 5:13pm
Msg #414812
Re: Thanks to all
Then you have the day off - relax and get back into fighting mode for the next problem, which hopefully is on the far horizon. A back up method or two will leave you more relaxed as well.
Another thing I gleaned from this thread is the importance of photo storage. Someone said they couldn't find all their photos - I would DIE if that happened to me. I have saved all my memory cards untouched, never deleted except those fuzzy ones or the ones I look at and wonder what that was supposed to be or why did I shot that?. Now I am so glad that I have done this even though others thought I was a bit OCD. So thanks to the person who brought that up....I am vindicated.
We all have something that affects us in this type manner. Happy computing everyone - safely too.
| Reply by BrendaTx on 3/13/12 9:21pm
Msg #414839
Joan, I don't like to fool computers much any more
but what I used to do when I messed up like that was to put in a new hard drive, format it, install windows and boot from it. Then, I'd keep the old hard drive in the computer and it would be accessible like a CD or a memory stick.
You can run the antivirus over the old drive, clean it up, and then pull off the files that you need. If you are using a lap top you can rig up an apparatus or purchase one to make your old hard drive function as an external hard drive. The concept is something like this:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-9857313-58/turn-an-old-notebook-hard-drive-into-a-usb-drive-for-$10.99/
I'll bet your son can get you back in business for the price of a new hard drive.
| Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 3/14/12 12:34am
Msg #414844
Re: Joan, I don't like to fool computers much any more
Thanks Brenda.
I was struck by what Glenn S said about clicking on these yahoo/google news and having a virus hit my computer within probably 2 seconds; I wouldn't have believed it if it hadn't happen to me.
Lisa T gave me a local name to email and believe me that I have taken the faith and this will not happen again (at least I won't have the guts to ever post this problem again LOL).
Thanks to all again!
.
| Reply by JanetK_CA on 3/14/12 2:13am
Msg #414846
Re: computer mess - I think I dodged a bullet
I've been using ESET NOD32 for several years now - thank goodness. About two weeks ago, I accidentally clicked on a banner ad and the ESET warned me that I had picked up a virus that it was unable to remove. (It was one of those that goes for the C drive, I believe.) I shut it down right away and the next day took it to a local shop I've used before. They eliminated the virus, cleaned up my pc so it will run faster (it's around 5 years old), and they loaded AVG.
When I got it back (about $100 later), it was still operational, but running slower than before. I'd heard (maybe even here?) that AVG is a memory hog, so I uninstalled it and, lo and behold, it's running faster than before the virus now. Yaaayyy! That was a key reason I decided to go with ESET, because it was rated as much more efficient than other anti-virus programs. I've been very happy with it and will probably continue to use it.
I have Carbonite, too, BTW, but I don't think it's backing up my Outlook files. I store tons of information there, so I'm going to look into seeing if that can be backed up, too. I can't imagine that they would exclude something as important as that!!
In the meantime, I've just ordered myself a new laptop and will use the old one as a back-up. It'll be great to be working with updated software again! 
| Reply by Glenn Strickler on 3/13/12 10:58am
Msg #414724
My opinion is offsite backup is essential ..
if you want to be protected against most possibilities except the end of the world.
I have used Carbonite for several years now. While I do also backup to a external hardrive, I wanted protection just in case something happened to the house. With an online backup, my house and equipment can be completely destroyed, wiped off the map, and all I have to do is get a new computer (provided I wasn't in the house of course) and I can get all my files back. I can also view and download a file I need remotely on my smartphone just in case I need a document I left at home.
I know people that swear by Mozy also.
Sorry about your mess. Sounds like your anti virus really let you down. It should detect and warn you about stuff like that. When you get straightened out, go into your antivirus settings and make sure realtime scanning is enabled. And if it was on, sounds like you need a different anti-virus program.
That being said, when I am on my businiess computer, I am careful how much surfing I do with it. If I am going to read the world's newspapers and such, I use my laptop that has Linux as the operating system, or sometimes I even fire up my old G4.
| Reply by BarbaraL_CA on 3/13/12 8:03pm
Msg #414832
CARBONITE - well worth it. n/m
| Reply by BrendaTx on 3/13/12 8:31pm
Msg #414833
Joan, search on the 'net for a recovery service.
And, yes, CARBONITE, is the bomb.
I have hundreds of articles that I have written and thousands of hours of research on my computer that have accumulated through the life of four computers. Fortunately, I am protected by Carbonite.
A few weeks ago I was sloppy on a Saturday morning and knocked a cup of coffee onto my laptop keyboard. I unplugged it, pulled out the battery, removed as much of the case as I could, and emptied out as much coffee as possible. I then set it under a couple of tower fans to dry out. As soon as I had done that, I pulled a fresh Dell laptop out of the box, set it up where the old one had been, bought a Carbonite membership for it, and within minutes I was back in business. I cherry picked the files I needed to begin working again and while I worked, Carbonite downloaded all of my files onto my new computer.
Of course, I had already loaded MS Office and Adobe Acrobat X onto the new one in anticipation of the day my old one would collapse. (I've been through this before.)
I sleep well knowing that Carbonite has my back. The only thing that I would caution Carbonite users about is that Carbonite does not pick up your pictures or video unless you pay for a higher grade of service.
| Reply by jba/fl on 3/13/12 8:51pm
Msg #414834
Re: Joan, search on the 'net for a recovery service.
Are you saying that the Carbonite membership does not transfer to a new computer?
| Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 3/13/12 8:57pm
Msg #414836
Re: Joan, search on the 'net for a recovery service.
Carbonite it is! If my son can't fix it tomorrow does anyone have a recommendation of someone to hire to do a recovery. Inland empire or Orange county. Thanks.
| Reply by BrendaTx on 3/13/12 9:14pm
Msg #414837
You can transfer it to a new computer, but I wanted to
keep one on my soaked computer, as well. Now, I have two memberships at the same time. My new computer is now by the bed to watch "tv" and movies on and my old computer is back in its spot. I just like its keyboard better.
| Reply by jba/fl on 3/13/12 9:18pm
Msg #414838
Thanks. n/m
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