told its a virus

View the following pages for help:

http://tinyurl.com/5m5kg - W32.Korgo.P

http://tinyurl.com/6k5mf - W32.Korgo.V

http://tinyurl.com/fcvw - W32.SPYBOT.WORM

As previously mentioned, it's most likely adware or spyware. In addition to Ad-Aware, install Spybot Search and Destroy. In combination, these 2 will remove nearly all adware/spyware and they are free.

Both are available at download.com.

Negative ! Saw this several times ( 5 years on ME), bad download corrupted driver/DLL/ini file. Turn off virus scanner/auto-updates/firewall dialup and manually update all systems (including Windows. On dial up if 3 programs are trying to update at the same time, IE takes a back-seat to the system required updates.

Make sure you have nothing in your scheduled tasks.

Have you tried repairing your installation of I.E., then doing a clean boot (where nothing is set to run at startup)?

Also, when you say your server 'said it's got to be a virus' what do you mean? Do you have a server you use to scan the ME machine? If so, the AV program running on the server should have told you the name of the virus and attempted to remove it.

Also, as you mention a server, is your gateway setup correctly - is the DNS address correct? Have you changed any settings recently?

Did they tell you its a virus during a phone call or is it some program that when connected informs you? When I worked in a call center that was the "money line" to get off the phone to aviod supporting the customer, trust me they all use that line very frequently. If it was a properly diagnosed virus then you would know which one and a link for removal (directions). First off is this a new issue with this service, meaning have you had successful surfing with this company or is it new? Did you have AOL previously? IF you go into the TCP/IP protocol and there is an /AOL after the protocol then there is your problem. AOL appends this to frustrate you from getting another service. Usually you stay connected but cannot surf a page feeling like you got disconnected. You have to uninstall the protocol then reinstall it but only if you have a true operating system disk because certain prefab boxes dont have that file handy. Your winsock file could be corrupt needing communications uninstalled/re-installed, again only if you have a disk handy.

Have you tried to ping any sites in DOS? are you sure you are disconnected and not browser corruption? My suggestion to you is to call the service provider and demand an alternate dialup number, they have many and always give the most generic, people with problems geta more private number. Also ask for their dns numbers to add into your dialer. Demand a line test from your phone provider for a =ny signal noise. Take your pc to another phone jack and see if it still happens, if so then go to a friends house with the pc and try there, if it happens there then the pc has an issue and you can rule out the other factors. How long is your phone cord? Longer than 15 feet?

I've seen this a thousand times with Windows ME. Every now and then TCP/IP just quits working. You need to remove Dial-Up Networking, then remove TCP/IP from the Network Properties. Then you need to remove the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\RemoteAccess\Authentication\SMM_Files
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\AFVXD
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\DHCP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\Winsock2

Restart and reinstall Dial-Up Networking. Works every time!

Hi again

I know you have tried various adware/spyware removal programs i.e. spybot, but there is one more you should try and that is AdwareAway http://www.adwareaway.com/

AdwareAway is very good - download the trial version and run it.

I had a stubborn piece of adware/spyware on one of my work machines. I tried MS AntiSpyware, Ad-Aware and SpyBot and none of them even touched it. I ran AdwareAway and it identified it, and I was able to use one of it's customised adware removers to remove the nastiness from the system.

Good luck

hi .. to my knowledge, the server never says that its got a virus. probably, the anti virus would have. else, its coz the server is acting beserk.

As pointed out earlier, if its a virus, its got to be detected by atleast known antivirus engines, if they r up to date.

if thats not the case, it could be the effect of spyware / adware .. To my knowledge, i didnt know that spyware caused serious computer damage such as this other than causing it to be slow, pop ups, leaking of private information.

To completely avoid, turn PC off. Truthfully.
If you really want to use it, prevention with running programs are best. Read their docs on how to use them and update them. All these are FREE.
Oh, yes! KEEP WINDOWS UP TO DATE! Use the AUTOMATIC UPDATE feature.

ONLINE VIRUS CHECKS, no software install required other than an Active X component if required (some do removals):
Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/home.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=QQWRORVWHFHMFNZMBBX
BitDefender
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php
Panda ActiveScan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm
Trend Micro Online Virus Scan
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
Trend Micro Housecall
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
Virus Threat Center Blog
http://virusthreatcenter.com/?tag=zd.ft.fs.vtc
McAfee Virus Removal Tools
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=vrt

ONLINE SPYWARE CHECKS
ZoneAlarm Spyware Check
http://download.zonelabs.com/bin/promotions/spywaredetector/index3.html

REFERANCE
http://www.download.com/spyware-center/2001-2023-0.html?tag=note

ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE (again all FREE)
Free avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.asw.cz/eng/avast_4_home.html
AVG FREE
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php
AntiVir? PersonalEdition Classic
http://www.free-av.com/index.htm
BitDefender Free Edition v7
http://www.bitdefender.com/bd/site/products.php?p_id=24

Try booting in safe mode, run your adaware and anti-virus programs and boot normally. if it doesnt work then a system restore awaits (in XP that has to be a repair).

NOTE:

only trying to help, never worked with ME