PC security question

[wimpy]

Please help me, I'm a Mac person who converted to PC a few days ago, it's sick already.

I've run adaware and spybot and norton 2000, all with updated virus definitions.

ZoneAlarm Pro and Norton are running.

I'd run cwshredder but stuffit expander won't work unless I buy it.

I have been checking links on CJ sites, no doubt I picked up the clap.

Windows XP.

Symptoms are that browser basicly doesn't work. Click a link and nothing happens. Internet connection is still there, other apps work. Same behavior both IE and Mozilla. Machine can be extremely slow with any app.

I never set the control panel > performance & maintenance system "goback" function, so that's not an option.

What's the golden software for this sort of thing? I'll gladly pay a few bucks.

I"d also like a good hardware firewall for a small home office with 5 computers.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

[almighty]

boot to dos and type format C:\ [enter] Y [enter]



search google on how to make xp boot to dos disks

[cube³]

I would suggest that you don't switch from the mac. When was the last time you "got the clap" in Panther.

[twistyneck]

http://www.apple.com/switch

[DrtySweeet]

what are the chances u have your own ip blocked in zone alarm.
that would most def make your IE not work..

[almighty]

[wimpy]

have not forsaken the Mac, using one now. But I need the google toolbar for work, so gotta surf with a PC.

if IP was blocked in zonealarm, wouldn't everything be blocked? Can still get email, and some sites do come up if you fiddle with it, like "copy the shortcut, then paste it into the browser" works sometimes. So it's not that.

No awesome clean PC sw available?

[wimpy]

Originally posted by almighty
boot to dos and type format C:\ [enter] Y [enter]

That's gonna initialize my hard drive, right?

[DrtySweeet]

yeah man dont format unless its last ditch effort.

try reloading windows first.

have u tried taking off the zone alarm and trying the IE ?
i hate that program. have had nothing but problems with it.

[almighty]

firewalls are nothing special and do tend to cause problems more then help anything so yeah id recommend disabling all the security shit ay got running as with windows only script kiddies will get ya with back door programs anyways so just dont download junk that ya dont know who is from or what it is for certain

[RFlagg]

WinXp - First and foremost..make sure you are patched/service packed & hotfixed (doo da - doo da)...and you can reset the filters in ZoneAlarm to start from scratch..better than reinstalling.

Oh and I would drop Norton, it can be a huge system hog...unless you are constantly wreaking havoc on your machine, a simple Linksys (or plug in your favorite brand) 4 port router will accomplish what you need. I'm assuming you have a broadband connection.


hth.

[wimpy]

All I'm doing with this machine is inspecting URLs that have requested a link exchange. All kinds of assholes request links, I see all kinds of pop up hells. I'm sure I'm dealing with dialers and other scumware.

All XP patches are in place, last I knew. It's been a few weeks since the last release, right?

[Mr. Porno King]

Originally posted by wimpy
Windows XP.

Symptoms are that browser basicly doesn't work. Click a link and nothing happens. Internet connection is still there, other apps work. Same behavior both IE and Mozilla. Machine can be extremely slow with any app.

This is normal for a PC. There is nothing wrong. Stay in your homes.

[almighty]

oh hey if ya decide to format ya should buy windows 2k pro it is much betetr xp is full of spyware and it is pure bloatware lots of watsful shit and it seems to bog alot of systems down my work has some cps in office one brand new 2.8 giger and has xp but runs slower then my 2.0gig xp = shit IMO good luck fixing your issues at hand

[wimpy]

Originally posted by almighty
oh hey if ya decide to format ya should buy windows 2k pro it is much betetr xp is full of spyware and it is pure bloatware lots of watsful shit and it seems to bog alot of systems down my work has some cps in office one brand new 2.8 giger and has xp but runs slower then my 2.0gig xp = shit IMO good luck fixing your issues at hand

This is why I hate PCs in a nutshell.

[gornyhuy]

Go back to Mac where they don't let you touch any settings so you can't fuck anything up.

[Hansm]

format c:
DO YOU WANT TO FORMAT YOUR HDD.: YES.

naah bad idea lol.

[Ben-MensNiche]

Windows XP? That's a pretty bad virus, but I heard you can get rid of it with the RedHat 7.2 CD. Apparently it's infected most of the computers in the U.S.