computers

[WalshFan88]

Ransomware is bad stuff, but generally is easy to remove (at least for me).

What's horrible is cryptolocker and it's 101 variants that encrypts your files and if you are attached to a network share, mapped drive, or domain, it will lock your coworkers files as well. Also some will encrypt any external drives that are plugged in when the virus hits. Can also infect home networks and file sharing.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I think this last one is what the article was referring to!

[WalshFan88]

It started as annoyanceware, simply locking you out of your system (FBI/police ransomware saying your computer is locked down). The Crypto variants are hard. It's easy to remove all ransomware, including the Crypto stuff, but the damage is done.

Me, I know where this stuff hides. To get into a locked system, I go into Safe Mode with Command Prompt or "Minimal Boot" in Windows 8. At the command prompt, type explorer. It loads the UI without the shell startup items.

Then I go check three folders for the ransomware or fake antivirus:

C:\ProgramData
C:\Users\"your name"\AppData

Inside of AppData I go into Local, look for anything suspicious and remove it. Then I open the Temp folder inside of Local and empty it. Then I go back into the main AppData folder and go into Roaming and again, look for suspicious files.

ProgramData is another place to look for suspicious files and remove them.

In the Registry Editor, there are places to look for startup items. Unlike MSConfig or Windows 8 Task Manager, rather than disable startup items I can delete them. A few places to check but too hard to list. It's easier to use Sysinternals Autoruns "all locations" and search. It does the deep digging for you. It even has the ability to check suspicious files you think may be malware.

For other startup locations, check C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\All Programs\Startup. Then check C:\Users\"your name"\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\All Programs\Startup.

[Glennsallnighter]

You are quite a computer tech Austin! Most of what you are saying here sounds like double dutch to me! I have two situations, either the computer works, or it doesn't, if it doesn't I leave it into a local repair place. Luckily I've had very few issues in over 10 years of laptop computing.

[WalshFan88]

You are quite a computer tech Austin! Most of what you are saying here sounds like double dutch to me! I have two situations, either the computer works, or it doesn't, if it doesn't I leave it into a local repair place. Luckily I've had very few issues in over 10 years of laptop computing.

It's really second nature to me.

It's funny as until recently I've never owned a PC for very long. I recently bought an HP Stream 11 for portability, free Office for a year, and the ability to carry it around for testing networks and such.

I'm a Mac guy, but I know Windows like the back of my hand and use it all the time. My interest lies in cybersecurity, software/operating system, some networking stuff, and in complex malware removal, malware removal being what I do for people the most. I prefer the software side although I do change out RAM and hard drives, pretty easy stuff.

The most of what I do is tuneups though. You wouldn't believe how much satisfaction you can give someone by taking their slow-as-molasses PC and making it run proper again. I did that on vacation in Florida for an older gentleman in the park. He also wanted Windows 8.1 to look like Windows 7.

So I cleaned it (I use a combo of manual cleaning in specific folders, CCleaner with CCEnhancer, BleachBit, Tron script, etc) and put on Classic Shell to get rid of the Metro screen, boot straight to the desktop, and have a Windows 7 style start menu. He was verrrrrry happy. The thing with cleaning though is you HAVE to make sure they know their passwords or can easily reset them. You'll also need to let them know that any preferences on websites such as how they look will need to be reset. That said, the benefit is well worth a minor aggravation of putting everything back in. I also defrag with Auslogics Disk Defrag if needed, but only if it's a spinning hard drive. Defragging a SSD/solid state drive will shorten it's life. I also optimize the startup routine using either MSConfig/Task Manager (disable something) or Sysinternals Autoruns if I need to delete a startup object entirely. And the most controversial thing I do cleaning-wise is that I often clean the registry. It's not often recommended but I'm very careful and manually check every box rather than have it set to auto-nuke everything. And backups of the registry are a must. That said, I find it fixes a lot of errors when reinstalling old software and then I defrag the registry itself and it speeds up the startup process. The tools I use for the registry are two - CCleaner's registry cleaner and Auslogics Registry Cleaner. I use Auslogics Registry Defrag to defrag it.

[Brooke]

You are quite a computer tech Austin! Most of what you are saying here sounds like double dutch to me! I have two situations, either the computer works, or it doesn't, if it doesn't I leave it into a local repair place.

That's me! And Austin has helped me immensely a couple times!

[WalshFan88]

And it gets worse.

This very-new variant will delete your Master Boot Record when techs go to remove it, rendering your computer unbootable. Fixable, but definitely not easy and certainly not for home users.

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/sof...overed-1293134

[Glennsallnighter]

That was a lovely kind gesture to that gentleman in Florida Austin. Any chance you will be on Florida in June and you can take ALL my computers! lol!

[WalshFan88]

I wish I was GA!

I go normally in November and March.

I will be going in November and coming back through Nashville, meeting my dad for a guitar expo there so November will be a shorter visit than March.

If you ever need remote help though, send me a PM!

[Brooke]

Austin, I hope you're around and could answer a couple questions, or anybody else if they know!

I keep getting invites from Windows to get the free copy of windows 10. Should I if everything is going good as is?

And, all of a sudden I've started getting facebook notifications popping up when I'm online anywhere, even here, but I'm not on Fb. What have I done?