[computer] Ia! Ia! A virus is eating my .exe files! Please help!

[Breakstone]

I'm angry at my computer. It's got a virus, and it's being cranky!

Well, actually, I'm just angry at the virus on my computer. I'm pretty sure it was off of something I downloaded, because Norton said it had a virus and I (very, very, very stupidly) ignored the warning. So far, Norton has been telling me that many .exe files are infected and has been quarantining (or whatever the term is) them.

It even quarantined the program that allows me to open up applications.

Meaning I'm having a lot of trouble opening up almost anything on my computer.

Please, please, please, if you know what to do, please help me!

Thank you for your time, folks!

 

[MerakSpielman]

See if Norton can repair the files and destory the virus. This happened to me about 6 months ago, and it's nasty. It also corrupted all the image and sound files on my computer. My suggestion: If Norton doesn't seem to be doing the job, back up anything irreplaceable while you still can, write down all your important settings, and reformat the sucker.

 

[Alzrius]

I'm angry at my computer. It's got a virus, and it's being cranky!

You'd have gotten a lot more help if you had posted this over in the Software & Computers forum. Don't worry though, one of the mods will do it in relatively short order.

 

[Breakstone]

You'd have gotten a lot more help if you had posted this over in the Software & Computers forum. Don't worry though, one of the mods will do it in relatively short order.

Er... the virus must be effecting my memory as well.

 

[Breakdaddy]

Which virus is it? Some virii implement active services and/or registry hacks on your pc which also must be dealt with in addition to repairing the file itself. Natchie is a perfect example.

 

[LightPhoenix]

So you can't open IE or NAV?

We'd definitely need the name of the virus in order to help, but if you can still get to IE, you could check http://securityresponse.symantec.com/ to get information and removal tools for the virus.

 

[Breakstone]

Fortunately, I can still get to Internet Explorer. How can I tell which virus I have?

 

[Breakstone]

Okay. So, I ran a McAfee online virus scan, and it says a lot of .exe files have "W32/Pate.b"

Now that I know the virus, how do I go about removing it?

 

[Greyhawk_DM]

Okay. So, I ran a McAfee online virus scan, and it says a lot of .exe files have "W32/Pate.b"

Now that I know the virus, how do I go about removing it?

Here is a link to how to remove it on the McAfee website.

http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=description&virus_k=99690

Hope this helps!

 

[Craer]

I got a similar virus. I don't think it had the same name, but it deleted a file caleld "loadpe.com", which I am led to believe is a file required to open up any .exe file at all. Ironically enough, it had corrupted my system for months without my knowing, and when I finally got around to installing to more serious antivirus software on a whim, it was Norton's overzealous butchery of my system that really ruined it. A case of the cure being worse than the disease, eh? In any case, I'm still dealing with the fact that I have no internet connection and both my CD-ROM drives aren't being recognized. And with that in mind, it isn't easy archiving 10GB of mp3s before you format your entire hard drive. Good luck, I know I still need it.

-Craer