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Comments on: Do you have a license to drive that browser?

Al's biggest spyware problem is his stepdaughter. The only way to earn her respect is with a dose of tough love.

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by skitzoidlady January 18, 2008 3:47 AM PST

Grrrrrrrrrrr. I had this problem with both my daughter and hubby. It isn't that we don't have the proper tools to clean up the mess, the problem is visiting sites that are known to cause problems. I told hubby I won't clean his mess again.

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by Leria January 22, 2008 12:23 PM PST: Your husband might not be visiting sites that cause problems. I am assuming that you are assuming that he is going to porn sites or something similar, and he is getting spyware from there.

Don't assume that anymore. Most spyware and viruses today are coming from interstitial ads and other ads on the internet. I know this because I surf a lot of porn sites myself and have not gotten ANY viruses off them or any downloads from them, as long as I wasn't stupid enough to install a browser helper from the site in question, which NO reputable porn site makes you do.; Like this


by Jim Harmon March 4, 2008 11:14 PM PST: It's simple enough to configure a computer to avoid visiting sites that are known to cause trouble. That's one of the primary practical purposes of the HOSTS file. I use the one available at http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm Tell hubby that if he modifies this file, then it's HIS mess to clean up.; Like this

by Any1 January 18, 2008 6:29 AM PST

I seriously doubt the credibility of these people who have supposed "horror stories" considering the bulk of the users on Cnet are illiterate. Also, wouldn't a major in computer science earn you a Bachelor of Science and not a Bachelor of Arts?

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by amysu88 January 18, 2008 7:50 AM PST: It doesn't matter what your major was. A standard four year degree is always called a BA or a Bachelor of Arts.; Like this


by some1port January 18, 2008 9:09 AM PST: If you are in fact a college graduate you should know that a BA is for those people who will put the skills and knowledge they acquire towards professional pursuits. Next time you try to criticize some one get your facts straight.; Like this


by Any1 January 19, 2008 8:45 AM PST: I go to the university of toronto, and we have various types of degrees, a bachelor of science also leads to various professions. If we transfer to a computer science major, our degree type automatically changes. Computer science as we all know is a profession, proof-positive.

I wasn't insulting anyone, I was just commenting on how these "horror stories" appear to be pre-fabricated. I know very few people who can write an article of this quality. As if it were a demand-side shock aimed at promoting a particular product.; Like this


by darkphoenixrising January 21, 2008 7:40 AM PST: I know several people who can write very high quality articles with a high school education. I am one of them. These horror stories do help people. I have learned a few things and tried new software because of them.; Like this


by Leria January 22, 2008 12:26 PM PST: I wonder about the credibility of some of these people as well myself. I have NEVER had any of the 'horror stories' that some of these people state happen to me, and I was surfing on the internet WITHOUT anti-virus software or a firewall for nearly 2 year, and I was surfing porn sites.
I really don't think that most of these 'horror stories' are true or the person in question is automatically assuming that unsafe browsing habits are causing the problems of the person in question.; Like this


by banchodus January 22, 2008 3:48 PM PST: Don't be so quick to judge. I don't have a degree in computer science or any degree for that matter, but I do enjoy reading and enlightening myself, and have an aptitude for installing and maintaining PCs and networks. Unfortunately, I am intimately familiar with the scenario detailed above. The worst possible job anyone could be asked to do is clean a malware addled computer belonging to their parents, only to find a trail of porn in the temp files and internet history. It is truly a thankless job no matter how much money you might charge. While I haven't had to completely change out hard drives or reinstall OS's, I have had problems so stubborn that I had to manually edit the registry to fix them. I've also have had to resort to month long delays in returning their computers to them, as I have other things to do and have essentially been on constant repair rotation. This month Dad's, last month Mom's (cuz Dad is a porn hound, evidently). Thankfully they are not aware of Limewire or other P2P's or I'd really have problems.; Like this


by sonymaster101 January 22, 2008 3:54 PM PST: You obviously don't pay attention to the internet these days if you do not believe these stories. They are true, as I have experienced it myself at one point. And what is this crap about most cnet user being illiterate?; Like this

by alice_b0wie January 21, 2008 4:09 AM PST

i have one lady who keeps shutting off the antivirus because it wants to update. or she'll hit the cancel to reject a pop up. i've tried to get her to buy a security suite but she doesn't want to pay for it and most of the free progs need to be manually updated. so far she's paid me enough to buy several security and optimizer programs. every time i clean it up, i'll make it a restore point only to return and it won't restore. she doesn't want to wipe the hard drive and reinstall windows. but she'll blame me for the computer not working right. it's been two weeks, i'm expecting a call from her soon.

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by Leria January 22, 2008 12:27 PM PST: If this woman is truly blaming you for the problems on her computer, I would simply tell her "No amount of money is worth you blaming me for things that are not my problem or being caused by me, so please do not call me ever again!"

I've seen people who have done that, and the person in question gets the message and changes their behavior after that wake-up call.; Like this


by banchodus January 22, 2008 3:56 PM PST: First off, install the free AVG virus protection (http://free.grisoft.com/) and set it to update and scan in the background while she's sleeping. Then run a virus and spyware sweep on Computer Associate's website (http://ca.com/us/). It won't clean the problems up, but it will tell you where the problem resides in the registry or system files. At that point you have to clean them up manually (refer to Windows XP MVP by Wiley Press), but you won't have to scratch and reinstall XP.; Like this

by Bill Veik January 22, 2008 10:08 AM PST

My sister's computer had problems a couple of years ago. I was recruited on Thanksgiving Day to rescue the machine. I was still in front of that machine 9 hours later. The start of the problem? "My trial antivirus software expired, I saw how much it was to purchase, and just decided I did not want it." The machine sat for months on always-on internet WITH NO PROTECTION WHATSOEVER. The machine was self-installing shorcuts to gambling sites on its own desktop.

I-WANT-TO/DON'T-WANT-TO disease is the worst disease on the planet. It is a million times worse than cancer and AIDS combined. It allowed Hitler to explain his actions, it is the philosophy that Bin Laden follows. And before anyone starts to think that we are just so much better, please remember that the Virginia Tech and Columbine shooters were simply doing what they wanted too. Freedom without responsibility results in the loss of freedom.

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by Leria January 22, 2008 12:21 PM PST: I have to agree that in this day and age it is just plain stupid to not have anti-virus software on your machine at least, and in a dangerous world online, anti-virus, anti-spyware and a firewall at least.

Personally, the first thing I do whenever I get any computer is go to my disks, get out my "installer disk" and install things like Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Norton Internet Security on my new computer.

I tell people who I meet that it is NECESSARY in this world to have anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your machine, as well as a good software firewall if it is a laptop or any computer not behind a router with a hardware firewall.

Part of the problem is also that they are charging much too much for anti-virus packages today. $100 dollars for Norton Internet Security? I don't think so, bubu. That is just too much. Luckily, Norton is going to a system where you buy a 'Norton Internet Security' subscription and it will work for ANY software - 2006, 2007, 2008 or any version of Norton Internet Security in the future, until that yearly thing runs out.; Like this


by dknowle January 22, 2008 3:30 PM PST: Big Deal, This guy acts like he is a computer Guru because he can reformat a hard drive and take a DVD and place it into a optical disk drive and follow the on screen instructions to reinstall an OS

I would of been impressed if he was able to save any of the data on the computer which he didn't.

If this is all the step-daughter and boyfriend wants, the step father should of taught them how to use the reinstall CD that came with their computers and how to make one for future use.

I had one of my hard drives crash on me and it took me weeks, but I was able to recovery about 70% of the data. (I had to use quite a few different software packages to accomplish this).; Like this Reply to this comment

by nirvaeh January 22, 2008 5:47 PM PST

We've all dealt with family members who want everything for free, but the thing I'm concerned with is the part of computer repair that is user training. Someone with a BA (should be BS) in Computer Science probably doesn't have the social skills needed to work with the public. The technician needs to inform the user of what to do next, and how to prevent problems in the future. As far as having to delete hard drives, that's one in 100. That's too easy of a fix. Show them that you know what you are doing by actually repairing the computer, not re-doing it. There are wonderful tools out there called Knoppix and WinPEtools. The family can get the benefits of free service, but if you do "fix" it for free and they don't like the outcome, they don't have to keep coming back to you. You (most of the time) get what you pay for. Next time, tell them you will sit them down and tell them the real do's and don'ts of using a computer.

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by Jim Harmon March 4, 2008 11:24 PM PST: As having been a technician for nearly 20 years, I've learned one fact: People don't listen. You can explain to them what they need to do, or not do, until you're blue in the face. All that will accomplish is that they'll be too embarrassed to bring it back to you the next time they have trouble, because it would be an admission that they ignored you.; Like this

by bargainholic January 23, 2008 6:20 AM PST

I have Windows update automatically, run my CA antivirus daily, run Adware and Spybot (update, then run weekly), and have ZoneAlarm firewall. How can I find out what else I should be doing as a computer owner who does NOT have a step dad to bail me out anymore?

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by JoMilton January 26, 2008 2:12 PM PST: I don't have a step dad either. I have dial up, and it's tedious, but every day before surfing I run those updates. Norton, Zone Alarm, A Squared, Adaware, like it or not. I have McAfee Site Advisor. I worry about opening amusing e mail attachments. I defrag regularly, I run Check disk weekly, I run full Norton scans weekly and use CCleaner every day after surfing. I also go to Windows One Care and get a free registry scan every month or so. 130 faulty items today alone. I DON'T do file sharing. I DON'T go looking for free versions of things I ought to pay for - you can get more than you bargained for. And I still worry a lot. But in three years my laptop hasn't caught anything. Maybe being female and not interested in viewing underdressed ladies doing dubious things has something to do with it. Has anyone compared the rate of problems/infections in pcs used by men to pcs used exclusively by women?; Like this


by nxcmp February 20, 2008 8:33 PM PST: Hell just reformatting the machine's hard disk and reinstalling the OS anyone can do. I'm, 19 (June 2007) I have good computer training although I don't consider myself as a "pro". Have takenclasses from High School, A+, experience, have me CISCO CCNA certification and working for my wireless and CCNP as well. I had a friend who had a major crash that took me 2 days to fix. First I made a bit by bit backup of the hard disk before I began any work. I had to repair the primary NTFS partition (Was being classed as "Unknown"), run a checkdisk for repair +fix, resets the MBR, and reinstall all of Windows Key files, so their personal files and documents would remain intact. After that all that was left was to re-apply all necessary windows patches and a few setting and she hasn't had a problem since. Its that kind of a job that no armature can accomplish on their own.

-As for the whole MA or MS thing, It could have just been a typo, both of the letters are right next to each other.; Like this Reply to this comment


by RobTehUnknown March 13, 2008 10:16 PM PDT: Oh god If i had a nickle for every time my friends have came to me for the same problems, i'd have enough to open up my own shop lol; Like this Reply to this comment