My home computer picked up some sort of nasty virus on Monday or Tuesday. The hard drive was making a racket and I was getting screen fulls of pop up windows. The two anti virus programs I have couldn't find anything, but when I tried to update them my browser crashed. Then I tried to go to the web sites and download new versions, and the computer kept telling me their websites were not found. When I got home tonight I tried searching the names of the pop up windows and I got blue screened. Ended up having to reformat my hard drive and reload windows on it.

Man what a pain!  I just hate stuff like that.  I don't understand the motives to screw up some innocent persons' computer like that.

What Antivirus software were you using?

Just like you found out, a lot of times spyware and malware will not let you run antivirus programs if you get really infected. I ended up taking mine to a professional. Now just keep your antivirus programs updated and scan often and you'll be fine.

You can take all the preventative measure you want and still get infected. The way to not get infected is to know what is safe to click on what is not. If you start seeing popus close all windows using alt + f4 and restart the computer. Once the computer restarts and start running scans. I get a lot of people at my job with these problems. I have seen sypware/malware disable installs, opening of anti-malware and spyware programs and not allow browsing to sites where you can download or update spyware/malware protection. The only thing to really do is reformat or remove the hard drive and connect it to another computer and scan the drive from that computer.

Two suggestions: Comodo firewall & your favorite flavor of AV (Avast is a very good AV). Also, run Firefox if you are not doing so already. With FF, add on ****. Much (not all) malware, viruses, root kits, etc are executed via scripting. With ****, you can turn scripting on/off depending on the site.

What Antivirus software were you using?

AVG, Malwarebytes, and Black Ice.  

I've had sick computers before but never anything that would take over a firewall.

pay for upgrade, is only way to get the virus. Small price to pay.

Next time, try this: http://siri.geekstogo.com/SmitfraudFix.php.  Seriously.

Man what a pain! I just hate stuff like that. I don't understand the motives to screw up some innocent persons' computer like that.

Glenn that is what kills me. Some of these viruses show sophisticated in-depth knowledge of the OS, and various other applications. These nimrods could be making a mint using their skills at work.

I also find it ironic how they feel they are sticking it to the man and the evil corporations by using a medium that would not exist for them without those very same evil companies. No big companies,  no internet (would be a government and research network only), no cell phones, no Sony WII or xbox, no TV, no nothing. They would actually have to go out and do stuff  outside.

Anyway....enough ranting....I am glad to see you got yourself back up and running. Hopefully the fellow writing the virus will go blind or lose his fingers in an unfortunate wood chipper accident.

I don't understand the motives to screw up some innocent persons' computer like that.

They probably work for McAfee or Norton....

I don't understand the motives to screw up some innocent persons' computer like that.

They probably work for McAfee or Norton....

BAZZZZIIIING!  ;D

I say cut off the hands of these virus programmers when caught.  I had to reformat my computer a couple of times because of viruses and it's very time consuming.