G'day sport. This is my unscientific understanding of it. Either way is acceptable, using the chest method the program itself removes those items after XX days. By deleting you remove the problem now, but some folks get very nervous about deleting things in case the good stuff vanishes too. It gives the nervous people confidence if the program does it for them.

I use Avast and get false positives almost every time I scan. One time I found 15 "Trojans" which were not Trojans, they belonged to a software I use. I have recently researched two files Avast found it was a controversial file. I finally found out that one was put on by HP and was not a threat at all. So I do not delete anything until I research it and if in doubt I put them in the chest from now on to be sure.

Ah! Now that makes sense...guess I should open the Chest and Google the results to see if they're programs I really need.
Still makes me feel like I'll be releasing bad stuff I've already caught...something out of Ghostbusters!

Regards,
Shax

"The Chest can be thought of as a folder on your disk having special properties that make it a safe, isolated place suitable for storing certain files. You can work with the files in the Chest, even though with some security restrictions.

The main properties of the Virus Chest are complete isolation from the rest of the operating system (no outside process, i.e. no virus either, may access the files inside) and the fact that the files inside the Chest may not be run (i.e. there is no danger in storing viruses there)."

Thanks for the reassurance, Zep.

I'm very twitchy with my online security since a few of months ago, a trojan key-logger transferred a couple of thousand dollars from my on-line banking account (got it back eventually).

Now have Superantispyware, Avast, Malwarebytes, PC Tools Antivirus, as well as AdAware, Spybot and a couple of others...did uninstall Norton, though, as it was a hog and never found the key-logger in the 1st place!

Regards,
Shax

a trojan key-logger transferred a couple of thousand dollars from my on-line banking account.

What was the solution here? Were you advised to reinstall the operating system I'm curious.

Not sure what course of action you took after the bank problem in a lot of cases like this it is advised to reinstall the operating system, no computer can be deemed clean after some backdoor Trojans get installed no matter what ANY scans show--and now avast is seeing other stuff maybe harmless but with the history here I strongly think a reinstall of the operating system would be a good idea.

Well....bank suggested I get an "expert" to check and clean my computer, but since I live in an isolated cabin high in the mountains, solar electricity, solar hot water, only water collected from my roof, satellite broadband and a long visit to a small town with no computer "experts", upon the good advice of the people on this forum, I installed all of the above-mentioned programs. SuperAS did immediately find a Trojan which I nuked, but have not used internet banking since. And won't again!
Can't reinstall OS, as W2k disks lost in mists of time, and can't afford to re-purchase.

I do run ALL my scans every coupla days, but yes, won't trust them with my banking details again...

Regards,
Shax

Well you can only do what you can do so no banking is the option and that works. I think an expert would have reinstalled.

One 1 other note only run 1 Anti Virus at a time because I see you mentioned Avast and PC Tools Antivirus don't run both at the same time----You could have 2 Antivirus installed if you wanted but only 1 active and scanning, so if there both running disable one of them.

Funny you should mention that...I went to Avast site to download, and somehow (must have hit wrong button!), ended up with the PC Tools one...do you reckon I should uninstall it? (Went back and got the correct Avast later...)

Funny you should mention that...I went to Avast site to download, and somehow (must have hit wrong button!), ended up with the PC Tools one...do you reckon I should uninstall it? (Went back and got the correct Avast later...)

Yes I think that would be best.

Let us know if you have any problem removing it. You should disable it first if it's running -look for an icon in the task bar by the clock right click it see what options are there no Icon click start look in your programs list for pc Tools Anti virus put your mouse over it see if a window opens with uninstall options.

What I would do is boot to safe mode and remove it from safemode via the add/remove programs list, that may be easy way.

I clicked the Uninstall in my control panel, got message saying something like "PC Tools is running in background...do you wish to stop it and continue with uninstall?" I clicked "Yes" and a couple of seconds later it told me to go ahead, which I did, and it was successful!

Many thanks for your expert advice, help, and above all, patience with a goose like me! Greatly appreciated (as is all the generous advice I've gleaned from others in this forum..) you're my heroes!

Anyone wants a holiday in Oz, there's a spare room here for you!

Will go back to blundering my way through the ethernet, but I'm sure you'll be hearing from me in the future!

Regards,
Shax

It's odd about the money transfer, I have been assured by my bank that my name has to be on both accounts before any money can be transferred, "from my savings to my checking" for example. If my grand daughter's name is on it she can transfer it to her account if my name is on her account.

"I live in an isolated cabin high in the mountains, solar electricity, solar hot water, only water collected from my roof"

Hey, there is a heaven on earth.......I'm packing my bags. LOL

if you ever have a question about where to download any of the programs from you can always come ask here, my advice is always to try to get it directly from the manufacturers site or the mirror site they suggest.
For AVAST here are some guides on how it should be set up for best results.
avast! 4 Home Edition
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Document
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Document
How to Install, Configure, and Use Avast Antivirus

you can follow the directions in the pdf user manual to set up your AVAST to scan your pc anytime the screensaver is active which is very handy.

zep is correct on the support forums normally we would suggest a full wipe clean and re-install if your pc has been breached in such a manner, but not using it for banking or online purchases is a good idea if you can not do that.
I really would like for you to come over to another forum and let us help you run some additional programs to dig deeper in to your pc and get out any left over bits that could be lingering there. If you could please go here and register then post in this area, ask Corrine for help tell her I sent you, tell exactly what you have encountered in the past and what you have run, the team will then lead you step by step to make sure all is thoroughly clean. This is the next best thing to a re-install.
HijackThis Logs

Ravencajun,
thanks so much for your generous offer of further help...I will grab it gratefully with both hands! May be a few days before I can go to that site, though, as recent overcast and stormy weather has greatly depleted my (solar) electricity supply. Now sunny and hopefully should be well-powered up by the weekend.

Stargazzer, I pay most of my bills with my online banking, such as home 'phone, cell-phone, council rates, various insurances etc. One evening my bank rang me to ask if I'd transferred $2050 to a woman whose name I'd never heard...don't know how they picked it up, but sure am happy they did!
And yes, I do live in a little piece of heaven!
If those bags are packed, come on over!

Regards,
Shax

Excellent news that you will go to the forum for help I have them on notice and they are expecting you!

Just to make sure you have gone and changed every password on every thing right? And it would be best to do that from someone elses pc rather than that one since it is still compromised.

Hope you have lots of sunshine. Would love to see some pics of your piece of heaven! I have a good friend that lives in Cairns and I dream of going there to visit some day.

I do have a Photobucket album (bit of a mess!)..don't know if you can access it from this link...
http://s57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/shaxhome/
...if not, email me and I'll "invite" you!

shaxhome@hotmail.com

Regards,
Shax