Desktop PCs
What is malware?
Why does malware exist?
Spyware
Adware
Virus
How did PC MAX clean my computer?
Can I repair my own malware problems?
PC MAX performed a wipe & reload. Where are my files?
Malware - Spyware, Malware, Virii
What is malware?
Malware is a broad term which includes spyware, adware, virus programs, and other undesired programs which install or attempt to install without your permission.
These programs are designed to install themselves onto your computer because nobody would willingly allow them. Since your computer's operating system is generally made to require your permission to allow a new program to install, various devices of trickery are employed by the software authors to fool you or cajole you into installing these programs.
Unfortunately, once one of these programs gets in, they will frequently act on your behalf to permit more and more malware programs to install themselves. The result may leave your computer in a miserably slow state as dozens of these applications consume all available memory and CPU cycles.
Why does malware exist?
Spyware generally exists for the purpose of gathering computer usage and user search topic statistics for the benefit of market analysis. For similar reasons that the supermarket wants to know that those who buy cereal also may buy bananas, a company on the internet wants to know that people who search for power tools may also be interested in deck boards. Perhaps the next time a search engine sees you search for the word "12 volt drill" then it will display an advertisement or sponsored link about Trex decking, or CorrectDeck, etc. The possibilities are endless.
These marketing connections have a sale value and they normally require a lot of market research and therefore expense. Somewhere somebody realized that they could gather at least some information virtually for free if they were able to force this type of software onto the computers of hundreds of users.
Adware generally aims to cause you to buy a product, service, or software package. Freqently these software packages also contain a payload of more spyware and adware. If you've seen a computer which has 50 or more popup windows on it, then it was likely a victim of adware. Bear in mind there is a difference between the occasional internet pop-up advertisement and a software program which cause pop-ups one after to other to appear after a certain time interval.
In the past some file sharing applications have been notorious for containing a mix of spyware/adware programs which piggy-backed along with their install but they did not display that fact during setup. If a user elected to uninstall the application, it would not uninstall the malware. If a user managed to remove the malware, the main application would refuse to work or would automatically reinstall the malware upon launch.
Undoubtedly there is a network of advertisers who pay these adware companies for ad placement on your desktop. (These advertisers are frequently adult oriented web sites) The distributors of adware programs may have a host server on the internet from which various ads are served to your computer. Because the internet is required by your computer (acting as a client) to know which ad to blast to your screen, many of these programs are designed to sense whether or not you are connected to the internet. If you are offline, they go dormant, but the instant you connect, as few as one or as many as dozens of these programs my be unleashed. With the advent of DSL and Cable Modem services, these programs might run all of the time rather than only the times during which you are connected to the internet via a telephone line.
A virus traditionally exists to merely replicate itself and if possible, to do so without being detected. As operating systems and software has become increasingly complex, it has become popular among virus authors to find security flaws and exploit them. The result might cause your computer to slow down (a worm virus) or to cause your computer to shut down, reboot, or crash (an exploit). Other virus applications may seek to gain control over your PC (root kit) allowing the author or someone to use your computer to perform tasks on their behalf. Frequently a virus's author wishes to cause trouble, occasionally they are surprised that their program works and they didn't fully expect it to cripple millions of computers.
How did PC MAX clean my computer?
In many circumstances MAX can clean your computer using a variety of specialized removal programs which we refer to as anti-spyware or adware removal programs. There are a handful of good removal tools which are free. However; be aware that many programs disguise themselves as removal programs but in reality are yet another means of infection. These applications may present you with a list of detected infections and offer to remove them for a fee. They neglect to mention that while removing some infections it will install its own set of malware. Not every program seeks to do this, but one must use the highest degree of caution.
MAX is frequently able to clean your computer running a few of the major removal programs. In some cases we have to physically remove your hard drive and clean it using our own computers. Yet in other circumstances an infected system may be so severe that the only feasible recourse is to erase the entire contents of the drive and start over.
Can I repair my own malware problems?
MAX recommends the following programs:
- Ad-Aware by Lavasoft
- Anti-Malware by Malwarebytes
- AVG Free Antivirus by AVG
These programs are free and they are sufficient to remove a variety of malware infections if used properly. Spybot Search & Destroy by SafterNetworking may also be useful.
Keep in mind that not all of these programs are 100% automatic and may require some degree of technical understanding. In addition, some infections simply cannot be removed without a secondary computer.
In addition to the use of software, education and careful browsing are essential to prevent further malware infections.
PC MAX performed a wipe & reload. Where are my files?
Certain types of repair or upgrades require us to erase the contents of your drive and start again from scratch. When this happens, we are generally asked to save your data first. In those circumstances we will copy (dump) the entire contents of your hard disk to one of our servers and the data will reside there while we complete the service on your computer. When your computer is ready and we have reinstalled your operating system (Windows) as well as any other programs that you brought to us (Perhaps Microsoft Office, camera software, accounting software) then we will create a folder on your hard drive and give it a name such as "Old_Data"
Into this folder we will copy (dump) the previously saved data. This folder will contain the entire file structure that your hard drive contained prior to MAX having worked on your PC. The typical path for this folder is C:\Old_Data which means that you can find the folder in the root area of your C drive.
Our advice is to work your way through all of these folders and to ultimately move or delete whatever you find in there. It is important to remember that although you may find the files which belonged to a program, the program itself cannot be copied over from this backup folder and be expected to work on your newly refreshed computer. For this you will need the original installation discs that came with that software so that you can install it.
For certain programs you may find the data file located in this aforementioned program directory which is usually located somewhere inside "Program Files" Applications such as Quickbooks or ACT! may store their database file in the same place as the program's regular files. Many newer programs will more wisely store thier data files somewhere within the "My Documents" section of your computer.
Because it is the most commonly used folder, MAX will generally restore the contents of your "My Documents" directory into your user folder. If we know that you used Outlook or Outlook Express, we may import your original mail messages.
Although we copy your data for you, we are not able to reinstall all of the applications and programs that you used. We will generally ask you about the most common programs but will not install anything else unless you have told us the specific programs that you wish to have installed and can provide the installation discs to us. (Unless they are freely available programs such as Firefox, for example.)
In case something should happen, MAX will usually retain your data files for a period of approximately 14 days. We do not guarantee this duration. We do not promise this storage as a part of our services. This time frame is a guideline not a policy. The actual time is contingent on server space as we deal with several terabytes of data volume per month. Individual stores of 10GB to 100GB are typical. At the time of this article our servers are carrying more than 2.4 million files.
You should strive to eventually delete your Old_Data folder having ultimately moved the parts that you needed or used and decided that the remaining files were now defunct. MAX advises that if you haven't accessed or needed anything in that folder in 6 months, then you can probably remove it. (Leaving it in there may complicate future data dumps)
