[SEL] O.T. Need Computer Advice

Tue Jul 6 22:00:02 PDT 2004

Hells bells Bill,

>snip
And I'm a lot cheaper than a couple hundred bucks - I can clean them up in a
> couple of hours, $35/hour.

I mentioned that I would charge a couple hundred to clean and update. Tell
us all how to do a 25 Meg upgrade on dialup in this time frame, and then
tell us the best time to hunt bacon with a shotgun.

Jeff

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Dickerson" <bill at antique-engines.com>
To: "'The SEL email discussion list'" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 8:56 PM
Subject: RE: [SEL] O.T. Need Computer Advice

> It CAN shut down a computer - but only certain operating systems, not all.
> And, it has nothing to do with dial-up connections.
> It's a root service that it affects and the end result is a complete
Windows
> shutdown.
> (which you can PREVENT, by the way, with a simple command)
> However, that is NOT the intent of BLASTER - that is a SIDE EFFECT only,
not
> by design.
> So I still maintain, the virus does not attempt to disconnect from the
> Internet.
> And my statement still stands - NAV will catch the virus - you mention
"out
> of date" - that is the fault of the operator, not the product, so the
> product will indeed catch it, however, it's like a gun - a gun will only
hit
> what the operator aims at, operator error equals missed target. Failure to
> load gun, missed target.
> BLASTER is quite old, so unless they have not updated this year at all,
NAV
> will find the "original" BLASTER. Do watch for VARIANTS, however.
>
> Yes, I'm aware of what "blaster" does, and doesn't do - I've written
> articles on computer viruses, including FAQs used by
Symantec...............
> I've even disassembled them - and ( just turned down a chance to be an
> engineer at Symantec, working on their corporate products. Their engineers
> called me and wanted to fly me out to Santa Monica but we refuse to live
in
> CA)
> And I'm a lot cheaper than a couple hundred bucks - I can clean them up in
a
> couple of hours, $35/hour. I've cleaned up entire corporate
> networks..............
>
> I still stick with my original contention that about 90% of computer woes
> blamed on "viruses" are NOT viruses. Yes, viruses DO infect computers and
> cause problems, but in my experience (over 14 years worth of computer
virus
> fighting) MOST issues are not virus related at all - and everyone seems to
> like to cry "VIRUS!" at the first sign of computer problems - the result
is
> that they learn NOTHING about the REAL cause, and simply go in and blast
> things away and do a resintall!
>
> Bill
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> [mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Jeff Allen
> Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 8:07 PM
> To: The SEL email discussion list
> Subject: Re: [SEL] O.T. Need Computer Advice
>
>
> Bill,
>
> The Blaster Worm will shut down a computer. Not a true virus, but a worm.
An
> anti virus that is out of date won't catch it, and that is Paul's problem.
> The Microsoft patch, and the virus definition have been out for almost a
> year now. I just cleaned a system a couple weeks ago with the worm. I
spent
> about four hours cleaning and updating the computer, and that was on DSL.
> There were over 25 Meg of Microsoft updates, and about the same for the
anti
> virus. There really is no excuse for this. So to you and all on the list:
>
> Install all Microsoft critical updates weekly, and update your anti virus
at
> least once a week. Run a virus scan weekly, and most can be automated, so
> there is no excuse. Install a firewall, or at least use the one that came
> with XP. It's better than nothing. Also use Lavasoft Adaware for spyware.
> It's free.
>
> There is also another option. Pay someone like me or my buddy a couple
> hundred bucks to clean up your mess. The system I did was for my cousin
and
> she was informed the next one won't be free. For more info on the worm
check
> out:
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/blast.mspx
>
> Regards,
>
> Jeff Allen
> Arvada, Colorado USA
>
> http://oldengine.org/members/allen/
> http://frapa.us/
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bill Dickerson" <bill at antique-engines.com>
> To: "'The SEL email discussion list'" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 06, 2004 1:32 PM
> Subject: RE: [SEL] O.T. Need Computer Advice
>
>
> > Paul, without a little time I can't tell you what it IS, but can tell
> > you it's pretty much NOT a virus. It's amazing how many computer woes
> > get blamed on viruses now days. It's usually easier than finding the
> > real cause. Most computer ills are due to file corruption, file
> > conflicts, ill-behaved software, spyware or hardware malfunctions. A
> > real computer virus doesn't typically "disconnect".
> > If NAV says you don't have a virus, you don't have one. They aren't
magic
> > and don't escape detection that easily.
> >
> > Bill
> > (former anti-virus administrator for a very large financial company,
> > and former Symantec support volunteer who just turned down a Symantec
> > position in California)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> > [mailto:sel-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Paul
> > Maples
> > Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 8:58 PM
> > To: Stationary Engine List
> > Subject: [SEL] O.T. Need Computer Advice
> >
> >
> > Folks I am having a problem again that I had about a month ago and it
> > is really frustrating. I connect to my ISP and check my e-mail but the
> > minute
> I
> > try to use Internet Explorer it will disconnect my computer from the
> > ISP
> and
> > I have to dial back up to get on line again. The last time I
> > completely
> done
> > a Complete System Recovery, reformatted my hard drive and it has
> > worked until now and it is starting it all over. I have Norton
> > Internet Security
> > (Professional) and I ran it and there are no virus's indicated. I have
> > dumped every program on the PC except the absolute ones I have to have.
I
> > don't even want to think that I have to do another system recovery and
> start
> > all over again.
> >
> > Any ides from you computer guru's? I am on dial up, not DSL. I am
> wondering
> > if DSL would help solve some of these issues.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Paul
> >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
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>
>
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