Re: SOMEONE HELP ME!!!! PLEASE!!

From: Malke (malke_at_nospoonnotreally.com)
Date: 06/03/04 

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 05:23:38 -0700

Sonya wrote:

> Sorry for the lack of information. I am running Windows
> XP Pro. I have run my anti virus, I have run Ad Aware
> and spy bot but I cannot get updates for any of these
> programs because it says I do not have an active
> connection to get those updates but these programs found
> nothing. The security updates that won't install are a
> couple that I have noticed other people having problems
> with!
>
> I have tried EVERYTHING I know possible! I am running
> sygate firewall but it still does not work right!
> Something else is wrong and I dunno what it is DARNIT!
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Sonya wrote:
>>
>>> I am having some serious issues with my computer. I do
>>> not upgrade like I should and my computer is really
>>> messed up. I tried to do all the updates but it will
> not
>>> let me install 3 of them. Plus I cannot connect to to
>>> ANY of my messengers that I use because it says i do
> not
>>> have an active connection. I can use the internet but
>>> not any of my messengers!

Check your hosts files. Here's how:

 1. In XP's Search preferences, set the files and folders handling to
Advanced, and then check the box that will make Search look in hidden
files/folders.
 2. Now enter the search term "hosts" without the quotes.
 3. You will get several hosts and lmhosts files. Double-click each one
to open it. When you do this, you'll get a Windows dialog box saying
that Windows cannot open this file, do you want to use the web or
select from a list to find the proper program. Choose "select from a
list" and highlight Notepad. Make sure the box to always use this
program to open this type of file is not checked.
 4. Now carefully examine the file. Lines that begin with a # are
comments and don't count. Leave them alone. Unless you know you use a
proxy server to get to the Internet or you added entries yourself, the
only uncommented entry that should be there is:
 
 127.0.0.1 localhost
 
If you see any other entries, delete them and Save the file. Make sure
you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the window if there is a
scrollbar. Do this for each file you found. Now you should be able to
get to antivirus and spyware-fighting websites.

Otherwise, the only conclusion I can come to is that your machine is
infected and needs to be cleaned up with outside tools. Try running
Stinger, other removal tools, etc. that have been downloaded from
another machine. Again, if you are unable to clean this up yourself,
take the machine to a professional. In situations like you describe, we
techs are finding the machines to be infected with a variety of viruses
and spyware, and cleanup can be difficult and takes a lot of time and
skill.

Good luck,

Malke 

-- 
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

Relevant Pages

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