Do not click on Bus_driver's link until you check it out.

The link is to cosumershealthreports.com and WOT shows it as doubtful. There seems to be some click through payments attached to this. Nothing to do with Bus_driver, he/she is simply caught up with it.

I would run Malwarebytes, Superantispyware or similar plus a virus scan. Failing that try your Add/Remove Programs to see if anything is listed.

That typically results from a virus infection. This happened to me once, and I needed to use the free programs Malwarebytes and SuperAntispyware, and a scan with my regular antivirus to get rid of it as it was actually several infections and none of the programs caught all of it. I also suggest you restart your computer in Safe Mode to run these scans as this type of virus can be very good at replicating itself once you think you removed it. You might also want to temporarily turn off System Restore, because some viruses can come back through this mechanism after you think you've removed them.

NEVER turn off system restore before you have totally completed your clean up process!! if you turn it off you lose all previous points some of which could be useful. You may need those points even if they are infected it is better to have them there during cleanup if you need them.

restore points cycle out in time so even infected ones will cycle out, but once you have done a clean up and KNOW you are clean and done then if you choose to you can clear out your restore points, not before.

Definitely you need to run malwarebytes full scan and one of the online virus scans
ESET Online Scanner

When dealing with an obviously infected machine, I will generally follow the system restore advice in the link for the reasons stated. They specifically advise "Disabling...before disinfection". Obviously if critical data is involved, well that's why I qualified with "generally"...

Here is a link that might be useful: System Restore Info

Instructing a user to clear restore points before disinfection is in my opinion reckless, and poor advice.

F-Secure instructions look wrong to me. Clear the restore when you know the computer is stable and free of infection.

The backup should be there in case anything happens during disinfection, even if it's an infected back-up restore point better to have a bad one then none.

yep, that is standard operating procedure in all of the support forums I am on. The clean up at the end will take care of any infected restore points.

This is an EXAMPLE ONLY, if you look at this post over on LzD you can scroll down and see where Corrine is giving directions for use of Malwarebytes and specifically instructs NOT to remove the system restore infected files. At the end of clean up on these infection situations these restore points will be addressed as a last step and the pc will then be deemed cleared.
virus attack w/ phony antivirus program

again this is an example only never follow the directions given for someone else's infection.

I did qualify my statement. I can come up with an equal number of recommendations as I did with the F-Secure site (not exactly an insignificant player in the a/v game). Another for the record below. Some of the very sophisticated exploits use the system restore locations as a repository - it's fascinating to watch the process occur, very well coded (a backhanded compliment in a way I suppose). Nonetheless, the final call is up to the end user - my first question would be "do you do online banking with that?" You know where it goes from there.

Here is a link that might be useful: one more

The volume of responses shows that this is not uncommon and that many people care. Thank you. I do have free AVG and Superantispyware. AVG found nothing, Super found one tracking cookie. I did not see a program in my list that I recognized as being specious. Email goes to a "webmail" site of my ISP and I can review it there before downloading and I do that for most of my mail. I can block and/or delete at the Webmail. So I do not know how I got a virus- but it certainly seems that I do. I use the computer for email, certain trusted hobby and political forums, and for searches for information and shopping. I use Open Office often. Beyond that, I am computer ignorant. Looks as if the computer is going to the shop. Thanks again.

This looks like a great discussion to save (a link to).

What about Spybot, is that no longer one of the "must have" antispyware free programs? I've had that one on my machines for at least 10 years, I estimate.

Online scans, are they really worth it? I recall Panda was in the past one of the recommended free (pay for clean-up) online programs.

It seems to my AntiVir scans often offer a list of problems found that require the paid version to get removal... but allows the user to manually remove any they know are bad actors.

I'm not arguing, just looking for more recommendations.

I work with a great cross section of techs who will all perform a/v tasks somewhat differently, using variations of software and ultimately arrive at the same place. For the really troublesome or critical application issues, we always re-image the machine, it ends up being the most secure. Spybot for me personally has become too long in the tooth. REPUTABLE online scans can and do work. Regardless, the key is to use multiple tools to cover as many bases as possible. Antivirus "A" will detect most things but not all, so Antispyware "B" and "C" will be required to find their respective specialty exploits. Each person will, as I mentioned, arrive at their own personal favorites. A little research, including word-of-mouth pays dividends. Beware of "reviews" that are nothing more than ads, or worse, rogue so-called anti-malware downloads that are actually exploits in themselves.

I'll go along with r_c_ and zep on this one.

Here is a link that might be useful: disabling system restore

A good link Witz. Thanks for that, a rather long but interesting article well worth the time to read.

Hey Witz, thanks for that.

Yes that is a very good link and her blog is an excellent blog, she is always hard at work helping to find the malvertizements that are causing infection. She does great work.

Finally I am back. Took my computer to the shop where it was built in November 2005. They scanned, found no virus, but one bit of spyware that was opening the sham sites. They say the mother board has two bulging capacitors and is failing. They say they can repair, but the hard drive will be cleared and only my personal files and software for which I have original discs will be restored. Big problem for me as some of the freeware I downloaded is among the things I use most and the sources no longer exist. And some of the software was purchased and downloaded online. Cost to repair my old one is about $500.00 which I would do if it could be completely restored. I may start new thread on this subject. I bought a new computer with Windows 7 which I am using at this moment. At this moment, I do not at all like this version of Windows. Thank you for your advice and please help me with future questions.

Bus driver some of your comments do not make sense. Your computer was built locally in Nov 2005 so the motherboard is perhaps 5 years old or better. No doubt your recent trip in has cost you money too. Adding another $500 to that computer does not make too much sense in my opinion.

You can install Speccy and it will tell you the make and model of the components of your computer. However, if the computer is not working you can remove the left side and read the make and model of the motherboard. You may still have the bill listing the components. Then Google for motherboards compatible with the processor to see what are for sale. As an example TigerDirect have socket 775 motherboards from $50 to $120 - this is just to give an example of a processor that is at least that old.

To repair the capacitors on this board for $500 is poor use of funds. Also why will you lose all the data on the hard drive? Assuming they repair the motherboard there would be no need to wipe your drive and start fresh. Installing a different make of motherboard would need a fresh install of course.

You can retrieve all the data from the other computer by slaving the hard drive to the computer you are now using. This is not rocket sciece, you can do that task easily enough.

I definitely would not spend that money on an old pc of that age. I know those bulging capacitors can go at any moment. I would take the hard drive out of it and put it in a new pc and still have all you are used to having right there on it but in the new pc. In fact you said you have a new windows 7 pc, if that pc has an open slot for another hard drive you could put it in that one. then you have to choose at boot up which hard drive you want to use.
I have one of my computers set up that exact way, one hard drive has my windows xp pro and the other has my linux Mepis on it.

Or you can buy an external hard drive enclosure and slap your old hard drive in it and use it as an external drive accessed with usb connection

Thank you for the two most recent posts. What I was told did not pass the smell test (BS) for me either. The shop said that the motherboard is MSI, I will check. Proposed installing a different board and the charges were to total about $500.00.
So I just got my computer back unchanged, paid $65.00 for virus scanning the computer plus scanning an external hard drive 1TB, smiled and thanked them. Bought a new computer from another dealer. Can I attempt to move selected programs from the old computer drive to the external drive and then connect the external to the new computer to install on the new one? At this moment, I really do not believe all that the technician told me. But my knowledge about computers is not enough to enable me to separate the fact from fiction. My computer knowledge is limited to intensive use of a few functions, some of which depend on the old software. My new computer has some rudimentary version of Roxio which I have not previously used. My old computer had Nero OEM suite 3 which included Nero Express 6 and other things. It was useful at times. I have the original Nero disc. Can I add it to the new computer? My old one has Windows XP Pro.

you would need to check with the programs home website to see if the versions you have would be windows 7 compatible, some things are some not, also is the new windows 7 a 64 bit system?

If the things you want to move are 7 compatible yes you should be able to move them to your external drive and from there to the new pc or you can use a little flash drive the same way. If compatible you should also be able to use the discs if you have them. Main thing is the windows 7 compatibility

$500 to replace two caps and the drive is wiped in the process? Wow. The price of a couple of caps is negligible and the cost is really in the labor, but not that much. If quoted that, it calls everything else into question. I change out caps for people regularly, once completed the boards work again. Note: The link below is NOT my site. It is however, accurate and fair, in my opinion.

Here is a link that might be useful: fyi

This gets more interesting with each post. I was fairly knowledgeable about electronics in the days of vacuum tubes. I had envisioned a case where, if necessary, capacitors could be replaced by removing the old one and extending leads to remote mount a new one if the new one did not match the physical size of the original. The tech was going to install a new, different motherboard which in turn, he said, would require a new processor. I do know that failed capacitors that are bulged are typically shorted and if failed with no visual indication, they are open. These are said to be bulging. I do not know how to identify the motherboard, but did find a large board MSI NX6200TC-TD64ES which an online search identifies as video graphics card- new ones of that number are available. I am feeling better about reviving my old machine. And if so, it probably will be used offline almost all of the time. Please give me all the additional information you think is significant.

Let's start from the beginning. Does this older computer work now?

If so use Speccy as I suggested earlier and it will list all the main components in the computer, very nice little program actually.

If it is not working look at the link below. Here you will see an MSI board. Notice in this example they have the model number stamped between the slots. Your board might have the number in a different spot. Yours will have a fan and cooler where that white square shows, this is where the processor sits.

Now you need to decide whether to use the link exgm provided or buy a new board. That link will cost close to $100 to fix the blown capacitors so check around as you may well find a very good, compatible board for that or less. You need a board that will accept all your current components so that additional expense is nil to minimal.

Here is a link that might be useful: MSI motherboard example

There could well be local techs who would change out two caps for less money than that stated on the link in my previous post.

I've followed Bus elsewhere on GW forums and hope I can do him a favor to return a little for all the good advice he's given people, including me:

Usable computers of the vintage you talk about are being given away all the time, or show up in the paper for $50.00 or so. One of those might let you continue to use your favorite programs if they are not compatible with newer MS operating systems. Could you get one of those and cable the HD to it to transfer data?

Just a thought. The better minds here will correct me if I'm wrong.

Good luck, Bus,

M

Nero OEM Suite 3 has compatibility problems with Windows 7. Today I tried to find a competent person to remove the motherboard so that I can send it for capacitor replacement, My idea was to get the capacitors replaced, reinstall the motherboard and use the computer as before. Man says it is not so simple. Says the CMOS might not work properly and the computer might not boot at all. Is my simple plan unworkable?

What was the reason given for the potential CMOS issue?
If the caps are near the CMOS chip and it's not socketed (removable), that might be an issue if proper technique isn't followed (as in possible damage from excess heat). Otherwise I don't see a problem.

Installing a new board doesn't mean you need to reinstall the OS too. A lot of times Windows will just look for the board driver and will ask for the CD or installation files.

Anyways, you can get a complete system for $500 minus the monitor.

exgm suggested contacting Badcaps.net. Looked like a good solution to my problem. I asked Badcaps if it was just a matter of reinstalling the board after their repair and the computer would work as before. Their response was to ask about the system. My response was "The motherboard is MS-7125, Windows XP Pro." My question was never answered.
Should capacitor replacement affect my computer except to restore proper electronic function? Anyone actually used Badcaps service?

I have not used their service.
Is there a local repair shop that does this type of work?
They need to be experienced soldering multilayer pcbs and use 105 degree rated Japanese capacitors for replacements. Depending on how much you value the board, and whether you have ever done any electronics soldering, you may wish to undertake this yourself if you can walk away from the board if it gets ruined.

Here is a link that might be useful: Instructional steps