Weird happenings - crashes and attacks

[Lamb Chop]

Had a weird day or so - first I got the new version of Firefox 3.6 late Monday - booted up Tuesday and blue screen crash - said may be last program installed and of course FF. So uninstalled it. Then had to go out suddenly so closed down.

Booted today and email came in from Face Book saying new password and opened it - silly as this I think triggered a whole lot of weird happenings too. I realized to that it came in on private mail and I dont use that for Facebook but use hotmail.

Also Avast said blocked Win.32 Zboc at same time. Now realize probably the blooming email and I had already clicked !

anyway up came my Security centre saying with a window saying it was XP Security Tool and was scanning without me actioning anything and had found 31 infections and if I wanted to fix them had to buy it. Now I have come across this on -online scans - find heaps of stuff and then say buy me - but nevr a M$ official looking one that actually activated Security Centre!

Anyway to cut short - I shut down and booted in safe mode and did a system restore to 2 days back and it was all fine with exception of Avast which had its mail scanner off and no way could I get it to work - so in the end did the uninstall and then reinstall update and working. Everything else seemed okay and finally did a complete scan with Avast, SAS, MAM and nothing found.

Finally cant get Firefox up - says it is there on control - remove programs - tried removing it - nothing happened. So I guess it was uninstalled when I restored but it had not taken off the programs of somesuch.

why am I tellin you all this.

Well may get the Facebook email - so dont open it.

And may be having problems with new version FF 3.6 too.

typing and IE tab dont work in compatable so as I read heaps of newspapers going back to 3.5 as most need IE tab.

So I am now going to try to install Firefox 3.5 and see what happens.

As I cant get on well with IE8 - lucky though had it lurking - but it is not secure according to my Secunia PSI and not fixable either they say.

Any suggestions other than dont open emails or attachments - I wont in future.

Oh and has anyone else seen this XP tool - I take it it is a scam and not real as I dont have auto downloads on and have not downloaded it to my knowledge. But nasty as it looks authentic.

[Boris]

Oh and has anyone else seen this XP tool - I take it it is a scam and not real as I dont have auto downloads on and have not downloaded it to my knowledge. But nasty as it looks authentic.

These are very common at the moment - I've dealt with half a dozen infections in the last week (because the users clicked on something unknown).

My advice - if you don't know who it is from - ZAP it !

[-pops-]

I received the Facebook password email this morning.I knew it was a scam as I don't use Facebook - never have and never will as I am an essentially private person who doesn't want to flaunt anything in public, especially some of the things I've read about.

Sorry you got caught like that, Lamb Chop. I was about to start a thread on this subject but your experience beat me to it. Do you have a backup to restore from? Always better than a System Restore.

[Irene]

I received the Facebook email, but realised immediately that it must be a scam/hacker/virus. I 'permanently' deleted the email by holding down the shift key and pressing delete.

I then sent an email to my son and daughter, warning them of the possible receipt - advising them also to delete the email without opening it or the attachment.

Hopefully no-one else was caught out by these monsters!

[johnoo]

I received the Facebook email, but realised immediately that it must be a scam/hacker/virus. I 'permanently' deleted the email by holding down the shift key and pressing delete.

I then sent an email to my son and daughter, warning them of the possible receipt - advising them also to delete the email without opening it or the attachment.

Hopefully no-one else was caught out by these monsters!

I also got it, see my Post "How did this happen"?

But I am more interested in the way of Deleting

I deleted by selecting "Delete" on the e mail menu.

What is the advantage of Shift/delete? (I assume by "Shift you mean the upper case key)

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

But I am more interested in the way of Deleting

I deleted by selecting "Delete" on the e mail menu.

What is the advantage of Shift/delete? (I assume by "Shift you mean the upper case key)

That depends on the email client (Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird) you are using. 'Permanently delete' means it is deleted completely, without going through the 'Deleted Items' folder.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

And may be having problems with new version FF 3.6 too.

typing and IE tab dont work in compatable so as I read heaps of newspapers going back to 3.5 as most need IE tab.

Using System Restore will restore Windows files, registry, settings, etc to an earlier date. However, it will not restore user applications such as Firefox. All the registry settings will be restored, but not the actual Program Files data, so you will have a mix of it, which can mean it's unusable.

Try to uninstall Firefox completely, then reinstall it from scratch.

A restore from backup, as -pops- constantly reminds us, is a much cleaner way of going back to a working state.

[Lamb Chop]

And may be having problems with new version FF 3.6 too.

typing and IE tab dont work in compatable so as I read heaps of newspapers going back to 3.5 as most need IE tab.

Using System Restore will restore Windows files, registry, settings, etc to an earlier date. However, it will not restore user applications such as Firefox. All the registry settings will be restored, but not the actual Program Files data, so you will have a mix of it, which can mean it's unusable.

Try to uninstall Firefox completely, then reinstall it from scratch.

A restore from backup, as -pops- constantly reminds us, is a much cleaner way of going back to a working state.

Never rains but it pours - so busy and this - anyway booted up okay today.

But Pat as you say - cant get Firefox up and my Incredimail wont pull up IE as it is not default.

Program file of Firefox is there complete but I cant uninstall it - nothing happens so I have a Revo Uninstaller I have never used - tried Add/Remove and Ccleaner so far no good - will try that.

I guess we being ahead of you all in the UK being +10 hours GMT +1 hour DaylightSaving. Ahead of most I think so are unlucky in this case - wonder how many others got caught.

BTW Pops I dont like Facebok only joined it because we are in election mode (2 State+Feds) and wanted to read up on the various MPs and Senators who have all taken to this and Twitter like ducks to water in hope of getting young first time voters thinking they are not dinasaurs.

I am still complete nincompoop on backing up - always meaning to - cant made my mind up and tried so many programs that havent worked. Went to buy a HD but so many types and not sure and left it. Not alone in this I reckon either - worst thing backing up so many have problems.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

If all fails, use the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility to remove a corrupted installation.

[Lamb Chop]

If all fails, use the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility to remove a corrupted installation.

Revo Uninstaller did the job nicely Pat.

I have had it for a while but hadnt used it - it really is fast and completely removes all the bits and pieces others leave behind.

But I have bookmarked you link in case I need it anytime in the future.