My dad can't remove a virus on his computer. What should he do?

[DaDude]

My dad works in Networking and with his skills, he was able to see that someone is hacked into his home computer. He uses McAfee Total Protection and has been using it for many years, so he doesn't understand how this hacker was able to bypass the software's proection. He's done a whole computer scan and the McAfee will not find anything wrong. He even went as far as downloading some free anti-virus softwares such as AVG, but those didn't find anything either.

I told my dad that he should just reformat the computer, but he said he can't because not only does he not have the CD backups for his OS, softwares and drivers, but the McAfee is a downloaded copy that he renews every year, so he can't reinstall it once it's gone from the reformat. So, he's stuck with this virus.

Is there anything my dad can do? He's on the verge of just throwing his computer out the window in frustration. Can anyone help?

Thanks!

[SierraSonic]

Reformat to remove stubborn stuff...

Or try to figure out which process is running from msconfig...

What exactly is the computer doing? Can it still work as a computer or are you being blocked from features?

[perochan]

can't he find that hacker's IP and block it or something?

[DaDude]

Reformat to remove stubborn stuff...

Or try to figure out which process is running from msconfig...

What exactly is the computer doing? Can it still work as a computer or are you being blocked from features?

I don't think you read the entire post. He can't reformat because he threw out his OS, software and driver CDs. And his McAfee software does not have a CD backup since he downloaded it.

The computer can still work, but whoever is hacked in can probably see everything he's doing, including confidential stuff.

[HawkMan]

My dad works in Networking and with his skills, he was able to see that someone is hacked into his home computer. He uses McAfee Total Protection and has been using it for many years, so he doesn't understand how this hacker was able to bypass the software's proection. He's done a whole computer scan and the McAfee will not find anything wrong. He even went as far as downloading some free anti-virus softwares such as AVG, but those didn't find anything either.

... umm...

in any case, with his skills your father should know that he only needs the key for the McAffee license, maybe not even that if he has an account with them and he can just re-download and reinstall it. WHY he would want to reinstall McAffee after getting rid of it however is a complete mystery to me.

but yeah, we need more info on what is actually happening. also a Virus and a direct hacker attack are two completely different things, an AV protects against one, unless it's a crapy one like say McAffee. a directed hacker attack however can be hard to defend against if he really wants in. though you can make it hard for him. this is generally the domain of the firewall though.

[Snake89]

Just run in safe mode, then run your AV. It's the best way to get rid it.

If that AV doesn't run in Safe mode. He could just use safe mode with networking to run one of the free online AV scans. Or he can just manually remove it from safe mode.

[Detection]

1. Remove McAfee - why, if he's infected it doesn't work right?

2. Boot in safe mode > Disable everything in MSCONFIG, reset IE, Empty all windows and user temp folders, check registry for run entries of malware

2b. Boot in normal mode > Scan with Malwarebytes, Spybot, Hijack This, Avast Free Boot Time Scan

3. Kaspersky Rescue Disk to hunt for Rootkits

4. Other rootkit detection apps

5. Install a decent AV - NOD32, BitDefender, Comodo FW if necessary to prompt for every connection request before allowing them

6. Check how the hacker got past the firewalls in the router/AP/Windows

7. Scan all USB sticks on a different machine, preferably running Linux so not to infect them too

What exactly makes him think he is infected? What can he see to convince him of that ?

[+BudMan MVC]

"My dad works in Networking and with his skills, he was able to see that someone is hacked into his home computer"

And this info is what? If his choice of antivirus is not showing something - how does he know he is infected. If we can determine what he is infected with, then we can show him how to clean it.

So he works in IT? And can not get a copy of the OS, drivers can always be gotten from the NET.. As to reinstalling Mcafee - if he has a license, he can download it again. But since he thinks it didn't protect him from whatever he thinks he is infected with - maybe it is time to reevaluate that choice of software anyway.

[icuhackn]

Try malwarebytes first. I have removed some stubborn things with that before. You can use the free version or buy the pro version.

[DaDude]

... umm...

in any case, with his skills your father should know that he only needs the key for the McAffee license, maybe not even that if he has an account with them and he can just re-download and reinstall it. WHY he would want to reinstall McAffee after getting rid of it however is a complete mystery to me.

but yeah, we need more info on what is actually happening. also a Virus and a direct hacker attack are two completely different things, an AV protects against one, unless it's a crapy one like say McAffee. a directed hacker attack however can be hard to defend against if he really wants in. though you can make it hard for him. this is generally the domain of the firewall though.

Yes, it's McAfee Total Proection, which includes everything including Firewall. So, I don't know how he got hacked. My dad needs to reinstall it because once you reformat, all softwares get lost. He paid for it so he needs to use it until his yearly renewal expires, which is not until November 2013. I don't think he has the key. Like I said, he doesn't save stuff... not even his backup CDs for his software. But I'll ask him when I see him tonight. While I'm at it, I'll ask him for more details on what is actually happening.

And this info is what? If his choice of antivirus is not showing something - how does he know he is infected. If we can determine what he is infected with, then we can show him how to clean it.

He knows of some kind of trick to see that kind of stuff. Not sure how. He didn't want to share it with me.

[mkol]

I had to reformat mine yesterday. I had a Java based virus via cookie and boy it just went through Norton Internet Security. It wasan't going away and at the end I had to reformat.

[Detection]

:laugh: Norton & McAfee both letting malware through and still people use them :laugh:

[vcfan]

if he is such a networking whiz, he would know how to sniff his network traffic and monitor running processes to determine which process is funelling all his data over.

[ShareShiz]

Virus Removal Tools

Kaspersky Rescue Disk

[_dandy_]

My dad works in Networking and with his skills,

[...]

He uses McAfee Total Protection

[...]

AVG

[...]

he not have the CD backups for his OS

I'm with everybody else here...that's a strange combination right there.

[The Evil Overlord]

I'm with everybody else here...that's a strange combination right there.

Yeah, I'm not sure what to make of this one neither...

[DaDude]

:laugh: Norton & McAfee both letting malware through and still people use them :laugh:

You know, I've told my dad lots of things. Don't use McAfee or Norton because I've used them before and they never worked. Use free ones because they work just as well (if not better) and you have nothing to lose since they're free. I've used free anti-virus softwares and they've always worked for me.

And I've also told my dad never to use Internet Explorer since it's the browser that's most prone to viruses.. Use Firefox or Google Chrome, but he just gave me an angry attitude like I don't know what I'm talking about. And last but not least, I've told my dad to keep all his backup CDs because you never know when you need them. But nope, he said he's got too much junk around the house and he needs to get rid of things.

It's getting very hard sometimes talking to my parents as I get older....

[Night Prowler]

I don't think you read the entire post. He can't reformat because he threw out his OS, software and driver CDs. And his McAfee software does not have a CD backup since he downloaded it.

The computer can still work, but whoever is hacked in can probably see everything he's doing, including confidential stuff.

Come on, you really think repairing this problem is going to give your dad peace of mind. If he thinks someone is watching him (whatever that means), they may still be doing this after he thinks he has fixed the problem.

The ONLY real way to know for sure is to watch all the outgoing packets and analyze them for malicious traffic.

If the computer is a major brand (Dell, HP, etc...) contact the manufacture, and they usually have backup CD's available for a price.

[Max Veteran]

Run Combofix on it.

[DaDude]

I'm with everybody else here...that's a strange combination right there.

Believe me. I've been scratching my head on this one for many years. Just when you think women are hard to understand, understanding my dad is a lot harder, lol.

[Detection]

You know, I've told my dad lots of things. Don't use McAfee or Norton because I've used them before and they never worked. Use free ones because they work just as well (if not better) and you have nothing to lose since they're free. I've used free anti-virus softwares and they've always worked for me.

And I've also told my dad never to use Internet Explorer since it's the browser that's most prone to viruses.. Use Firefox or Google Chrome, but he just gave me an angry attitude like I don't know what I'm talking about. And last but not least, I've told my dad to keep all his backup CDs because you never know when you need them. But nope, he said he's got too much junk around the house and he needs to get rid of things.

It's getting very hard sometimes talking to my parents as I get older....

Then if he won't take your advice, why bother trying to help him fix it when it goes wrong? Just tell him you told him so and let him worry about it, maybe next time he`ll listen

[Dot Matrix]

And I've also told my dad never to use Internet Explorer since it's the browser that's most prone to viruses.. Use Firefox or Google Chrome, but he just gave me an angry attitude like I don't know what I'm talking about. And last but not least, I've told my dad to keep all his backup CDs because you never know when you need them. But nope, he said he's got too much junk around the house and he needs to get rid of things.

This might be a valid paragraph, if it was still 2003. IE today is a different beast than it used to be. The security with the browser post-Trustworthy Computing Initiative is incomparable to IE6 - which is the version that ruined the IE name.

Plus, you have to take a look at all the addons one runs in a browser, chances are that's where you'll find your security holes, which can bring down any browser.

[The Evil Overlord]

You know, I've told my dad lots of things. Don't use McAfee or Norton because I've used them before and they never worked. Use free ones because they work just as well (if not better) and you have nothing to lose since they're free. I've used free anti-virus softwares and they've always worked for me.

And I've also told my dad never to use Internet Explorer since it's the browser that's most prone to viruses.. Use Firefox or Google Chrome, but he just gave me an angry attitude like I don't know what I'm talking about. And last but not least, I've told my dad to keep all his backup CDs because you never know when you need them. But nope, he said he's got too much junk around the house and he needs to get rid of things.

It's getting very hard sometimes talking to my parents as I get older....

Honestly? In that case maybe a little tough love might be needed, I assume you have a good relationship with him, but after trying 3 times, I'd just regrettably have to say, 'Sorry, I tried, but you're on your own with that one' or something similar, My original post was going to say get malware bytes, restar in safe mode and do a full scan, but I believe someone had already beaten me to it, I honestly would consider eset or ZA or Kaspersky suites as replacement protection software, but the first step from what I can tell in your case would be to try and convince him that he needs to change the software first. As for IE, I only use IE and have no problems with it, I have firefox and chrome as backups but never needed to open them, maybe you could install it on his machine anyway, tell him they're just in case of emergencies.

Curiosity might just get the better of him and hey, if he prefers them great, if not, nothing lost...

[HawkMan]

You know, I've told my dad lots of things. Don't use McAfee or Norton because I've used them before and they never worked. Use free ones because they work just as well (if not better) and you have nothing to lose since they're free. I've used free anti-virus softwares and they've always worked for me.

That's also not true at all. While McAffee is pretty damn worthless and when it can occasionally detect a virus it wouldn't know ow to remove it if it came with an uninstall, Norton is actually a pretty solid package today. the free AV's though, while they work are free for a reason.

[nytiger73]

I don't think you read the entire post. He can't reformat because he threw out his OS, software and driver CDs. And his McAfee software does not have a CD backup since he downloaded it.

The computer can still work, but whoever is hacked in can probably see everything he's doing, including confidential stuff.

I don't mean to offend, but with his supposed skills, why in the blue HELL would he do something like that? Anyone with any sort of skills knows that you don't ever throw that stuff out. What would happen if he had some catastrophic hardware or software failure that REQUIRED him to re-install his OS. Would he just go out and buy a new computer? Just sayin'.

[SierraSonic]

Sometimes it's better to make someone use geek squad once to realize that they should listen to you instead of taking what you say with a grain of salt.

In this case, use msconfig to figure out which process's seem malicious and remove them manually.. if that wont work and he continues to not listen to you... time for geek squad to steal earn some money.