Re: OT A computer virus heads up

"Don White" <whited@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message 
news:oQ6Ef.6991$VV4.131501@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> RCE wrote:
>> "Reggie Smithers" <spamremoverlantaga@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message 
>> news:TaWdnctsrZb-bH3eRVn-oA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>
>>>"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"
>>>
>>>-- 
>>>Reggie
>>
>>
>>
>> Because I am currently bored, I tried that Microsoft SafetyLine link that 
>> someone (JimH?) provided  (thanks).  I did the full scan doober (took a 
>> while) and it reported my computer was fine, no viruses, no screwed up 
>> files, no de-frag required. Everything is just hunky-dorey.
>>
>> What's interesting to me is I have never, in all the years I've had a 
>> computer and been on-line used any kind of anti-virus, anti-spyware, 
>> anti-anything software.  The only thing protecting this computer from the 
>> cold, hard world is whatever firewall Microsoft uses in XP and whatever 
>> my ISP firewall is.   I tell people this and they are horrified - and 
>> they advise me I am going to get hacked, mutilated, screwed and all kinds 
>> of horrible things.
>> To date (knocking on wood)  nothing has ever happened.  In fact, the only 
>> problem I encountered with this computer was after Microsoft did one of 
>> those automatic updates, which I didn't know it was going to do until I 
>> shut the computer off one day and it told me to wait while some updates 
>> where installed.  The next day I could not connect to our house Wireless 
>> router. I did a "recover" back to a date just prior to the update 
>> installation and everything has been fine ever since.  After that 
>> experience, I shut off the automatic update option as well.
>>
>> My wife, the worry wart, has all kinds of anti-bad stuff installed on her 
>> computer and she is constantly having crashes and problems.  Norton seems 
>> to be the biggest culprit.
>>
>> The way I figure it, I just can't allow myself to worry and get paranoid 
>> about a stupid computer.  If I get a virus and it breaks - I'll take it 
>> to a computer repair place and let them clean it up.  If, in the unlikely 
>> event the computer is totally trashed - I'll decide if I really want a 
>> new one.  I am very careful not to store anything of any importance on 
>> the computer.
>>
>> So, has all this hacking and virus stuff been over emphasized to sell 
>> protection software, or have I just been lucky for the last 15 years?
>>
>> RCE
> It is a racket... *but* I ran a year or two without protection and got 
> infected by a friend. Cost me about $ 125.00 to have it cleaned and Norton 
> installed.

Of the $125 bucks, how much of it was for Norton?  This is timely.  Since I 
posted the above, Mrs.E, who just returned from a week trip, called me 
complaining that she could not get on-line.  I checked the wireless setup - 
fine.  My computer using the same router is working fine.  So --- I clicked 
on the Norton thing ...  WOOAAAHHH!  Big red alerts, updates required, 
impeding critical mass - everything but the sky is falling.  I disabled 
Norton.  Clicked to connect on-line.  Bang.  There's her homepage. 
Everything is fine.

Told her to leave Norton sleeping.

RCE 


.

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  • Re: OT A computer virus heads up
    ... The only thing protecting this computer from the cold, hard world is whatever firewall Microsoft uses in XP and whatever my ISP firewall is. ... In fact, the only problem I encountered with this computer was after Microsoft did one of those automatic updates, which I didn't know it was going to do until I shut the computer off one day and it told me to wait while some updates where installed. ... I did a "recover" back to a date just prior to the update installation and everything has been fine ever since. ... Cost me about $ 125.00 to have it cleaned and Norton installed. ...
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  • Re: OT A computer virus heads up
    ... I tried that Microsoft SafetyLine link ... some updates where installed. ... the update installation and everything has been fine ever since. ... Norton seems to be the biggest culprit. ...
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  • Re: OT A computer virus heads up
    ... >>>RCE wrote: ... >>>>one of those automatic updates, which I didn't know it was going to do ... >>>>update installation and everything has been fine ever since. ... >>>Norton installed. ...
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  • Re: OT A computer virus heads up
    ... "RCE" wrote in message ... >>> updates where installed. ... >>> update installation and everything has been fine ever since. ... >> Norton installed. ...
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