Having problems since upgrading to win7

[Newt]

Pray tell what are "footprints"?.

Most likely a strange way of speaking of boot sector data or possibly the fact that a normal (high level, so to speak) format leaves much of the data on the drive.

 

I'd think a formatting method that writes zeros to all portions of the drive might be needed if the thing had a boot sector virus but those are vanishingly rare these days.

 

I can't think of any good reason for doing 3 high level formats though.

[Clifftop]

Thanks for all your suggestions and comments, i've taken the PC back to the IT guy.

He says he will back everything up onto a hard drive and reinstall ( funny because i'm sure he said that's what he was going to do the first time he did it )

 

I told him the anti-virus people said there was still nearly a Gig of crap still floating about and he said oh that's usual.

as i said to Chesters i'm not IT literate and so can't argue the point.

 

I'm using the old laptop for the time being but hopefully will be back to normal sometime today

 

Cheers Fred

[peterpikefisher]

do an Fdisk then full product install ,

and then Get a decent AV product or suite not Shi*e like Norton or Macafee

both are poor to say the least

try( Eset smart security suite v 4) you can get a 30 day full product trial.

been using it for about 3 years and no intrusions or problems

Edited May 20, 2011 by peterpikefisher

[corydoras]

do an Fdisk then full product install ,

and then Get a decent AV product or suite not Shi*e like Norton or Macafee

both are poor to say the least

try( Eset smart security suite v 4) you can get a 30 day full product trial.

been using it for about 3 years and no intrusions or problems

Norton is not shite any more.

[Now there's a right un.]

I have used Norton for 5 years and only with 2008 did I experience problems.

 

Footprints.

 

A few years ago, 2008, I picked up a group of viruses, Malware that caused absolute mayhem.

Formatting my HD and re-installing my OS did nothing as the intruder remained and again time after time crippled my system.

Now my IT friend, who has been a computer specialist since the Amiga 500+, giving away my age..lol, told me that the HD should be removed from the machine and fitted into an external drive for wiping.

He reformatted the drive 3 times to remove what he called "Footprints".

After he had done this I re-installed my OS and have had no issues since.

 

I only know that it was this action that resolved my issues.

 

 

@ Clifftop. If your IT guy backs everything up to re-inatsll and doesn't clean the infection you may be back to square one in short order.

 

Personally, I would tell him to install the full package and not just the upgrade.

[corydoras]

I have used Norton for 5 years and only with 2008 did I experience problems.

 

Footprints.

 

A few years ago, 2008, I picked up a group of viruses, Malware that caused absolute mayhem.

Formatting my HD and re-installing my OS did nothing as the intruder remained and again time after time crippled my system.

Now my IT friend, who has been a computer specialist since the Amiga 500+, giving away my age..lol, told me that the HD should be removed from the machine and fitted into an external drive for wiping.

He reformatted the drive 3 times to remove what he called "Footprints".

After he had done this I re-installed my OS and have had no issues since.

 

I only know that it was this action that resolved my issues.

 

 

@ Clifftop. If your IT guy backs everything up to re-inatsll and doesn't clean the infection you may be back to square one in short order.

 

Personally, I would tell him to install the full package and not just the upgrade.

Well I've been a computer boffin for a long time too, way before the Commodore Amiga. Not to give my age away (I'm 51) IBM System/34s, DEC PDP-11s and 8" floppies were de rigeur at the time. Formatting a hard disk once will destroy ALL files on it. End of story. There may be residual bits set here and there on the drive, but you will not be able to read them without an oscilliscope.

 

There are only two ways I can think of that a newly installed system could be infected by any type of virus or malware. One is to install from infected media but this is rare the age of CD/DVD although it was common when operating systems were installed from floppy disks. The other is to connect the system to the internet before you have security software installed. For example systems running versions of Windows prior to Vista were prone to be coming infected with the SASSER worm if they were connected to the internet before being patched, especially if that was a dial up connection or through a modem of some kind rather than via a router supporting NAT.

[Clifftop]

I have used Norton for 5 years and only with 2008 did I experience problems.

 

Footprints.

 

A few years ago, 2008, I picked up a group of viruses, Malware that caused absolute mayhem.

Formatting my HD and re-installing my OS did nothing as the intruder remained and again time after time crippled my system.

Now my IT friend, who has been a computer specialist since the Amiga 500+, giving away my age..lol, told me that the HD should be removed from the machine and fitted into an external drive for wiping.

He reformatted the drive 3 times to remove what he called "Footprints".

After he had done this I re-installed my OS and have had no issues since.

 

I only know that it was this action that resolved my issues.

 

 

@ Clifftop. If your IT guy backs everything up to re-inatsll and doesn't clean the infection you may be back to square one in short order.

 

Personally, I would tell him to install the full package and not just the upgrade.

To say i'm not worried would be telling lies.

I was supposed to pick it up around lunch time Friday, he wasn't answering his phone, at tea time he rang to say

he did the back up but found it was a corrupt back up so it was a good job he did two back ups.

I'm thinking if he did two and one is corrupt surely the other one is as well.

Tomorrow will tell as i'm supposed to be picking it up then.

[corydoras]

I'm thinking if he did two and one is corrupt surely the other one is as well.

That ain't necessarily so.

[Clifftop]

Well i got the PC back, he said he has put the 64 bit on instead of the 32 bit.

It's not working any better, IMO. I had two sections on the PC one for my use with a log in and one for when i had overseas visitors stay with me.

Now when i do get the PC started the log in is the other way round, i rang him and he says thats not possible as he set up the log in on my side. I'm starting to think he is telling me porkies.

 

Lost lots of programmes but all freebies as far as i can see except the NEF codec for opening RAW files

 

I ran both the discs i got with my cameras, still no joy, tried to find one on the net and as yet havent found one thats compatible with win 7.

 

Been suggested by a friend that i put Vista back on and run them both.

Is this possible.

[Now there's a right un.]

Well i got the PC back, he said he has put the 64 bit on instead of the 32 bit.

It's not working any better, IMO. I had two sections on the PC one for my use with a log in and one for when i had overseas visitors stay with me.

Now when i do get the PC started the log in is the other way round, i rang him and he says thats not possible as he set up the log in on my side. I'm starting to think he is telling me porkies.

 

Lost lots of programmes but all freebies as far as i can see except the NEF codec for opening RAW files

 

I ran both the discs i got with my cameras, still no joy, tried to find one on the net and as yet havent found one thats compatible with win 7.

 

Been suggested by a friend that i put Vista back on and run them both.

Is this possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Has the IT guy just upgraded or made a full OS installation?

If he hasn't wiped the original virus then it is pointless continuing. If he has wiped the virus he should at least know what it was.

 

I would advise that you to try someone else. Multiple attempts to resolve the issues you describe have ended without resolution.

 

As to running 2 different OS together, I have never heard of it but cannot say it is not possible.

 

To me it seems the IT guy may be preying on your lack of knowledge.

 

If you use him again, you tell him the following:

 

I want you to fully format my HD and install a genuine Win7, premium or ultimate, from scratch.

Tell him also to create a recovery disk after installation.

Also make sure that he gives you the product key and Disk.

If he has used a genuine product the key and Disk is yours by right.

 

Once that is done buy a mainstream Internet security programme and install it before you connect to the internet.

There are many out there but buy one of the top 5.

 

Look for the WHICH guide to computing, it is very helpful.