Does this sound like spyware?

[Mike S.]

A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
all programs that were associated with spyware.

The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
the hard disk and memory tested ok.

The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.


How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?

If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
then blame spyware.

I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.

[Peter van der Goes]

"Mike S." <littleboyblu87@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
>
> How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> then blame spyware.
>
> I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
It's a matter of simple economics.
When you worked on the computer, how many hours did you spend diagnosing,
testing, etc.?
For a business, it's not feasible to spend that kind of time on a problem,
then attempt to charge the customer for the time spent.
If a business did that ("We diagnosed the problem and repaired it. That will
be $400 for 10 hours labor."), the typical customer would be outraged and
tell everybody who would listen what a rip-off the XYZ Computer Repair is.
If XYZ gave the customer an up front estimate of $400, how many computers
would be left for repair? Alternatively, formatting the hard drive, then
reinstalling the OS takes an hour? "Your computer is infested with malware.
It will cost you $75 to have your drive cleaned and your OS reinstalled."
It's not that he couldn't figure it out, it's that it's not economically
feasible for the shop to spend the time. The reformat approach also
minimizes the probability that something gets left unfixed, causing the
unhappy customer to reappear demanding the job be redone gratis.

[Gerald309]

On May 21, 9:39 am, "Peter van der Goes" <p_vanderg...@toadstool.u>
wrote:
> "Mike S." <littleboybl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> > it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> > virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> > mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> > showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> > all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> > The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> > spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> > at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> > the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> > The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> > was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
> > How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> > scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> > claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> > If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> > to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> > looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> > couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> > then blame spyware.
>
> > I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
> It's a matter of simple economics.
> When you worked on the computer, how many hours did you spend diagnosing,
> testing, etc.?
> For a business, it's not feasible to spend that kind of time on a problem,
> then attempt to charge the customer for the time spent.
> If a business did that ("We diagnosed the problem and repaired it. That will
> be $400 for 10 hours labor."), the typical customer would be outraged and
> tell everybody who would listen what a rip-off the XYZ Computer Repair is.
> If XYZ gave the customer an up front estimate of $400, how many computers
> would be left for repair? Alternatively, formatting the hard drive, then
> reinstalling the OS takes an hour? "Your computer is infested with malware.
> It will cost you $75 to have your drive cleaned and your OS reinstalled."
> It's not that he couldn't figure it out, it's that it's not economically
> feasible for the shop to spend the time. The reformat approach also
> minimizes the probability that something gets left unfixed, causing the
> unhappy customer to reappear demanding the job be redone gratis.
==============================/

And so like two points here.... I am asking because this is the first
time I have seen someone as your self so intelligently spell this
out.

Let me preface this with my idea that I would call any shop a rip off
for doing such a thing when Webroot Spysweeper costs 30 dollars and
the customer does not even have to leave the house and it would take
care of the problem with a lot of other in-hand forensics options.

Here's my rub - and I do not know how well versed you are in spyware
removal. I am near an expert and will mention I have 'discovery' in
the security industry of softwares in RASautodial discoveries that no
anti-dialer or anti-modem product has ever detected or blocked. And
said that to say this - that -but - but I am just an average consumer,
and so now the best I can be called is Advanced User (no degree or
professionalism as far as employment in the field).

The "reformat".... I'm thinking a couple things with the last sting
operation Microsoft ran netting over 60 million piracy copies of
Windows and whereby they have beefed up Genuine Advantage and
discluded bootlegs. This is along the lines of how many times do you
think the customer's license will allow re-install before the false
positive pops up for Genuine Advantage ? 2, 3 ? Now what ? License
includes one back up copy... endless re-installs ? No. They are for
"disaster recovery only" - which means once and maybe twice in the
lifetime of the product (licensed copy of Windows OS).

Secondly - there is the 99 percent prospect that their Windows OS is
infected. You can wipe that disc all you want - but you are still
putting the infected Windows OS back on the machine. Same thing that
industry software can't remove certain severe threat malware that is
lodged in System Restore (internal Windows back up system snapshot
copy). These severe types just keep rebooting into the system at start
up because they are copied in the System Restore copy of Files and
Registry if there was a Restore Point set when infected. In fact,
Webroot Spysweeper allows scanning in System Restore to remove these
and avoids the extra time of rebooting into Safe Mode after turning
off System Restore that when doing so, erases/deletes all back up
system snapshot files and keys.in the computer memory.

I should have done my homework first as I never bothered to look up
the distinctions between the words "wipe the disc" and "reformat the
disc", but I do know about and am performing partitioning the disc to
install Linux OS - and again because I know better that the whole gig
is a rip off of the consumer - so I never bothered.

But since you spell this out that well in the causes - my question is
when and where do the infections get removed in "reformatiing a
disc" ? Do you know ?

Thanks for a reply.... pay no attention to the other garbage on the
string. Thank you.

(PS... first time I asked this question in over 4 years, your's would
be the first reply I ever got in defending or describing this
technique for spyware removal).

[Gerald309]

On May 21, 9:39 am, "Peter van der Goes" <p_vanderg...@toadstool.u>
wrote:
> "Mike S." <littleboybl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> > it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> > virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> > mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> > showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> > all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> > The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> > spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> > at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> > the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> > The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> > was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
> > How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> > scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> > claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> > If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> > to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> > looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> > couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> > then blame spyware.
>
> > I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
> It's a matter of simple economics.
> When you worked on the computer, how many hours did you spend diagnosing,
> testing, etc.?
> For a business, it's not feasible to spend that kind of time on a problem,
> then attempt to charge the customer for the time spent.
> If a business did that ("We diagnosed the problem and repaired it. That will
> be $400 for 10 hours labor."), the typical customer would be outraged and
> tell everybody who would listen what a rip-off the XYZ Computer Repair is.
> If XYZ gave the customer an up front estimate of $400, how many computers
> would be left for repair? Alternatively, formatting the hard drive, then
> reinstalling the OS takes an hour? "Your computer is infested with malware.
> It will cost you $75 to have your drive cleaned and your OS reinstalled."
> It's not that he couldn't figure it out, it's that it's not economically
> feasible for the shop to spend the time. The reformat approach also
> minimizes the probability that something gets left unfixed, causing the
> unhappy customer to reappear demanding the job be redone gratis.
=============================/
""QUOTE""

and I deliberately top-posted because (as Laura would say) I
> CAN.....grin.

""UNQUOTE""

On May 21, 9:39 am, "Peter van der Goes" <p_vanderg...@toadstool.u>
wrote:
> "Mike S." <littleboybl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>
> >A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> > it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> > virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> > mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> > showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> > all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> > The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> > spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> > at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> > the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> > The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> > was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
> > How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> > scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> > claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> > If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> > to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> > looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> > couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> > then blame spyware.
>
> > I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
> It's a matter of simple economics.
> When you worked on the computer, how many hours did you spend diagnosing,
> testing, etc.?
> For a business, it's not feasible to spend that kind of time on a problem,
> then attempt to charge the customer for the time spent.
> If a business did that ("We diagnosed the problem and repaired it. That will
> be $400 for 10 hours labor."), the typical customer would be outraged and
> tell everybody who would listen what a rip-off the XYZ Computer Repair is.
> If XYZ gave the customer an up front estimate of $400, how many computers
> would be left for repair? Alternatively, formatting the hard drive, then
> reinstalling the OS takes an hour? "Your computer is infested with malware.
> It will cost you $75 to have your drive cleaned and your OS reinstalled."
> It's not that he couldn't figure it out, it's that it's not economically
> feasible for the shop to spend the time. The reformat approach also
> minimizes the probability that something gets left unfixed, causing the
> unhappy customer to reappear demanding the job be redone gratis.
==============================/

And so like two points here.... I am asking because this is the first
time I have seen someone as your self so intelligently spell this
out.

Let me preface this with my idea that I would call any shop a rip off
for doing such a thing when Webroot Spysweeper costs 30 dollars and
the customer does not even have to leave the house and it would take
care of the problem with a lot of other in-hand forensics options.

Here's my rub - and I do not know how well versed you are in spyware
removal. I am near an expert and will mention I have 'discovery' in
the security industry of softwares in RASautodial discoveries that no
anti-dialer or anti-modem product has ever detected or blocked. And
said that to say this - that -but - but I am just an average consumer,
and so now the best I can be called is Advanced User (no degree or
professionalism as far as employment in the field).

The "reformat".... I'm thinking a couple things with the last sting
operation Microsoft ran netting over 60 million piracy copies of
Windows and whereby they have beefed up Genuine Advantage and
discluded bootlegs. This is along the lines of how many times do you
think the customer's license will allow re-install before the false
positive pops up for Genuine Advantage ? 2, 3 ? Now what ? License
includes one back up copy... endless re-installs ? No. They are for
"disaster recovery only" - which means once and maybe twice in the
lifetime of the product (licensed copy of Windows OS).

Secondly - there is the 99 percent prospect that their Windows OS is
infected. You can wipe that disc all you want - but you are still
putting the infected Windows OS back on the machine. Same thing that
industry software can't remove certain severe threat malware that is
lodged in System Restore (internal Windows back up system snapshot
copy). These severe types just keep rebooting into the system at start
up because they are copied in the System Restore copy of Files and
Registry if there was a Restore Point set when infected. In fact,
Webroot Spysweeper allows scanning in System Restore to remove these
and avoids the extra time of rebooting into Safe Mode after turning
off System Restore that when doing so, erases/deletes all back up
system snapshot files and keys.in the computer memory.

I should have done my homework first as I never bothered to look up
the distinctions between the words "wipe the disc" and "reformat the
disc", but I do know about and am performing partitioning the disc to
install Linux OS - and again because I know better that the whole gig
is a rip off of the consumer - so I never bothered.

But since you spell this out that well in the causes - my question is
when and where do the infections get removed in "reformatiing a
disc" ? Do you know ?

Thanks for a reply.... pay no attention to the other garbage on the
string. Thank you.

(PS... first time I asked this question in over 4 years, your's would
be the first reply I ever got in defending or describing this
technique for spyware removal).

PSSS.. So is reformatting deleting everything from a copy that is not
windows ? Then of course that would entail reinstalling all Windows
Updates and then next - what about all the software that is not
Windows ? What happens if it is infected and re-infects Windows when
re-installed to the new reformatted machine ? To be quite honest - I
see the whole process as chasing the tail and an endless line of lies
to the consumer and charges for doing what I said in the beginning -
plop the 30 bucks on the bar and get antispyware. For me, reformatting
is like - "What was your point?". And these same people are generally
all over the internet at forums and groups calling products like
Webroot and all other pay versions on the market "snake oil" (a
product that is worthless). Seems to be the other way around, but your
comments invite reply/questions. Thank you for your moment to defend
your siding with "reformatting" as advice for spyware removal for the
fellow that asked for help.

[Gerald309]

Sorry about the double post.... Usenet doesn't like my Firefox
perhaps...

[Gerald309]

On May 25, 3:06 am, Gerald309 <gerald...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Sorry about the double post.... Usenet doesn't like my Firefox
> perhaps...

And so you see the points if we look here:

What is format? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computer
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/format.html
(1) To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and
writing. When you format a disk, the operating system erases all
bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure all
sectors are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are
scratched), and creates internal address tables that it later uses to
locate information. You must format a disk before you can use it. Note
that reformatting a disk does not erase the data on the disk, only the
address tables. Do not panic, therefore, if you accidentally reformat
a disk that has useful data. A computer specialist should be able to
recover most, if not all, of the information on the disk. You can also
buy programs that enable you to recover a disk yourself.

Are you people who advocate this actually know what you are doing ?
This is a very elaborate operation to remove windows and all other
software and files - and all of which may be infected or generally
just parts - to painstakingly reinstall them - and somewhat an ease
once you know how. Or is it that they are talking about uninstalling
Windows altogether and install a new licensed copy ? And then all the
software registered in the other is useless and you have to buy all
new software and what about personal files if infected - reinstall
them too ???

Sounds like snake oil to me (gotcha)

[Gerald309]

On May 25, 3:27 am, Gerald309 <gerald...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On May 25, 3:06 am, Gerald309 <gerald...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Sorry about the double post.... Usenet doesn't like my Firefox
> > perhaps...
>
> And so you see the points if we look here:
>
> What is format? - A Word Definition From the Webopedia Computerhttp://www.webopedia.com/TERM/F/format.html
> (1) To prepare a storage medium, usually a disk, for reading and
> writing. When you format a disk, the operating system erases all
> bookkeeping information on the disk, tests the disk to make sure all
> sectors are reliable, marks bad sectors (that is, those that are
> scratched), and creates internal address tables that it later uses to
> locate information. You must format a disk before you can use it. Note
> that reformatting a disk does not erase the data on the disk, only the
> address tables. Do not panic, therefore, if you accidentally reformat
> a disk that has useful data. A computer specialist should be able to
> recover most, if not all, of the information on the disk. You can also
> buy programs that enable you to recover a disk yourself.
>
> Are you people who advocate this actually know what you are doing ?
> This is a very elaborate operation to remove windows and all other
> software and files - and all of which may be infected or generally
> just parts - to painstakingly reinstall them - and somewhat an ease
> once you know how. Or is it that they are talking about uninstalling
> Windows altogether and install a new licensed copy ? And then all the
> software registered in the other is useless and you have to buy all
> new software and what about personal files if infected - reinstall
> them too ???
>
> Sounds like snake oil to me (gotcha)

I am looking for the answer as to when and where the wheat and chaff
are seperated in this "reformat the disc" attitude response to
consumers as the spyware removal "cure". ... meaning when and where
does the actual adware, spyware, malware get removed in this
process ??

Since much of adware and spyware and all the malware forms of it are
not illegal and much of it is (laws rapidly changing), the security
industry thyemselves must walks a legally compliant line of liability
in lible suits for defamation if they declare a product as spyware.

The average piece of adware or spyware infection carries about 2 to 15
files and 2 to 5 or 10 registry entries. The large ones can be up to
30 or more files and up to 20 to 30 registry entries (See Computer
Associates CA Spyware Center). They are not like viruses or worms that
can corrupt and delete files - directories after directories. Their
purpose is to be an ongoing resident in the computer to spy on personl
information to any severity of degree and illicit gain and transmit
the informations back (crimeware) to the cyber criminals. The last
thing spyware wants to do is destroy the Windows Operating System -
they need it up and running to make illicit gain from their victim.

So the point there is that since there are EULA (End User License
Agreement) deceits or unfair practices (see StopBadware.Org) employed
by adware and spyware packages bundled in legitimate known software -
where does "reformatting" draw the line or detection of what this
person deems "infection" ? There is adware and spyware we as consumers
have agreed to unknowingly by just simply clicking "Install" and
trusting the products but have actually legally given permission for
these threats to be running on our machines (not me - not since
2002). The only dismisal of that is to uninstall the software
immediately. You can of course remove those threats immediately with
antispyware software - and the program in over 50 percent of the time
will still operate normally without infection - me, I dump it and
never go back to someone who does that. I don't want anything to do
with them or products they use to attempt to dupe me.

So what, when, and where do these "reformatters" employ as their
knowledge of what is bad on the computer and what is not ? Are they
all programming experts that can tell malware from legitimate
software ? The best antispyware in the world has a "Quarantine Folder"
in case, I repeat in case, they make a mistake (false positive) and
you can restore the removed items - and they ARE EXPERTS of what is
and what is not malware. In other words the point here is that I would
not want a paramedic doing brain surgery on me.

I guess you are catching on to my whole response to this Gentlemen's
string he began for answers.

The Beatles (rock group):
"I would like to say thank you on behalf of the group and me-self ,
and I hope we passed thee audition".

[Gerald309]

On May 21, 9:39 am, "Peter van der Goes" <p_vanderg...@toadstool.u>
wrote:
> "Mike S." <littleboybl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com...
>
>
>
> >A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> > it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> > virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> > mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> > showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> > all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> > The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> > spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> > at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> > the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> > The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> > was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
> > How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> > scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> > claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> > If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> > to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> > looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> > couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> > then blame spyware.
>
> > I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
> It's a matter of simple economics.
> When you worked on the computer, how many hours did you spend diagnosing,
> testing, etc.?
> For a business, it's not feasible to spend that kind of time on a problem,
> then attempt to charge the customer for the time spent.
> If a business did that ("We diagnosed the problem and repaired it. That will
> be $400 for 10 hours labor."), the typical customer would be outraged and
> tell everybody who would listen what a rip-off the XYZ Computer Repair is.
> If XYZ gave the customer an up front estimate of $400, how many computers
> would be left for repair? Alternatively, formatting the hard drive, then
> reinstalling the OS takes an hour? "Your computer is infested with malware.
> It will cost you $75 to have your drive cleaned and your OS reinstalled."
> It's not that he couldn't figure it out, it's that it's not economically
> feasible for the shop to spend the time. The reformat approach also
> minimizes the probability that something gets left unfixed, causing the
> unhappy customer to reappear demanding the job be redone gratis.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

And now you ---- this was my real reply to your response to the
bgentlemen asking for direct technical answers not the b*llsh*t you
posted ---- HE IS ASKING IF HE WAS RIPPED OFF

so answer the question.... How does "reformatting a disc" remove
infestation???

you can run your mouth well against an innocent consumer asking for
help pretending to know the answer - well I am calling you out. What
is the answer big mouth ???

Don't sit there calling th kettle black that anyone with an
alterrnative answer is a nut.... you never answered the Gentlemen's
question - Was He ripped off ??? And we want DIRECT technical reproof
answers not b*llsh*t replies.... answer the questions posed
exactly ...

[Lil' Abner]

"Mike S." <littleboyblu87@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.googlegr oups.com:

> A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
>
> How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> then blame spyware.
>
> I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.

I've had computers come in that are slow as mollasses. Some of them are
infested with spyware, some are not. The ones that are, I'll attempt to
clean up. I've found that even after spending hours getting rid of
everything, the computer still runs slow. So anymore, I'll just call the
customer, tell them the fastest and surest way to get it back to normal
is to reformat and reinstall. In such cases, I always clone their hard
drive, so any data they had is retrievable. Like Peter said, it just
isn't economical to spend hours trying to clean it up, and then still
have a half crippled system.
But unlike the tech you mentioned, I won't tell them it's full of spyware
if it's not. I just tell them that *something* is crippling it and the
surest and fastest way to fix it is to wipe it out and start over. Most
customers go along with it unless they don't have the installation CD or
there's not a restore partition.

One thing I've had happen three times now is that a customer will bring
one in that the antivirus subscription has expired on plus it is "slow".
I've uninstalled the antivirus and it miracuously regained its speed. In
all three cases there was little or no spyware. And on all three I turned
around and installed the free edition of Avast. And Avast slowed it down
very little.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell where people go and what they
do on their computer to mess it up. And you have to fortify it
accordingly. I have one customer that bought a new Dell in 2003 and he
has brought it back to me three times to wipe out and reinstall. It
always leaves here with one user and comes back with 5 :-)

--
--- A dyslexic man walks into a bra ---

[Gerald309]

On May 21, 3:49 pm, "Lil' Abner" <blv...@dogpatch.com> wrote:
> "Mike S." <littleboybl...@yahoo.com> wrote innews:1179727948.471935.270060@z24g2000prd.google groups.com:
>
>
>
>
>
> > A few weeks ago a relative was having a problem with their computer -
> > it was extremely slow. I ran several different spyware, rootkit and
> > virus scans using different programs. I ran them in normal and safe
> > mode and all results showed that the computer was clean. HijackThis
> > showed that a file that was a trojan, so I removed it. I also removed
> > all programs that were associated with spyware.
>
> > The slowness problem still persisted so I thought maybe it wasn't a
> > spyware problem. The CPU usage was at 4% and System Idle Process was
> > at 99. Everything looked normal, there were no odd processes running,
> > the hard disk and memory tested ok.
>
> > The relative took the computer in to be repaired and the tech said it
> > was full of spyware and viruses and reformatted it.
>
> > How is it possible that I ran several different spyware and virus
> > scans (using reputable programs) and nothing showed up? And the tech
> > claims he found spyware? Does it sound like he was lying?
>
> > If he was lying then I'd like to find out. I'd hate for my relatives
> > to take their computer someplace where the employees are dishonest. It
> > looks like the computer was reformatted but I'm thinking that maybe he
> > couldn't figure out the problem and decided to just reformat it and
> > then blame spyware.
>
> > I'd really like to hear opinions on this matter.
>
> I've had computers come in that are slow as mollasses. Some of them are
> infested with spyware, some are not. The ones that are, I'll attempt to
> clean up. I've found that even after spending hours getting rid of
> everything, the computer still runs slow. So anymore, I'll just call the
> customer, tell them the fastest and surest way to get it back to normal
> is to reformat and reinstall. In such cases, I always clone their hard
> drive, so any data they had is retrievable. Like Peter said, it just
> isn't economical to spend hours trying to clean it up, and then still
> have a half crippled system.
> But unlike the tech you mentioned, I won't tell them it's full of spyware
> if it's not. I just tell them that *something* is crippling it and the
> surest and fastest way to fix it is to wipe it out and start over. Most
> customers go along with it unless they don't have the installation CD or
> there's not a restore partition.
>
> One thing I've had happen three times now is that a customer will bring
> one in that the antivirus subscription has expired on plus it is "slow".
> I've uninstalled the antivirus and it miracuously regained its speed. In
> all three cases there was little or no spyware. And on all three I turned
> around and installed the free edition of Avast. And Avast slowed it down
> very little.
>
> It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell where people go and what they
> do on their computer to mess it up. And you have to fortify it
> accordingly. I have one customer that bought a new Dell in 2003 and he
> has brought it back to me three times to wipe out and reinstall. It
> always leaves here with one user and comes back with 5 :-)
>
> --
> --- A dyslexic man walks into a bra ---- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

=======================/
so answer the question.... How does "reformatting a disc" remove
infestation???

you can run your mouth well against an innocent consumer asking for
help pretending to know the answer - well I am calling you out. What
is the answer big mouth ???

Don't sit there calling th kettle black that anyone with an
alterrnative answer is a nut.... you never answered the Gentlemen's
question - Was He ripped off ??? And we want DIRECT technical reproof
answers not b*llsh*t replies.... answer the questions posed
exactly ...