And Now For Some Computer Trouble **Updated**

Just when I thought I wasn't busy enough or things were not awesome enough, my PC decided to get sick. :P I've been anti-virusing this thing since about 10am. Please be patient while I try to knock some sense into this bastard of a PC. ;) I am hoping I will have it running at...as good as it runs (which is about 93% perfect,) by this evening. Until then, I have my 'puter in safe mode and have limited ability to work certain programs or use the internet.

I'm not really clear how this happened. Someone had commented on my facebook page, and I clicked the link to respond to it, and then suddenly if I didn't have my PC in safe mode, I couldn't get it to stop freezing. The actual PC illness did not seem to come from that email, and I'm thinking a rather suspect looking email that flew into my junkbox may have released a bot. I didn't click any links in that suspect junkbox email, but I still believe it to be the culprit.

I NEVER email people until I've anti-virused and anti-spied and triple checked my PC's health just in case I can pass the virus through an email, so until I know for certain that this computer is clean and virus free, I'm afraid I will not be replying to emails.

Sorry that anti-spy-anti-virus programs are so effing slow. Stupid trend micro eight million year long scan time (grumble, expletive, expletive, grumble.)

How did Monday migrate to Tuesday? :P

~Cat

PS- The pic is courtesy the GNU project.

**UPDATE**
Well, a few things - I am pretty good with computers, and the CAUSE of the problem (as in what caused it and what continues to cause some trouble) is still eluding me. It's not, from what I can find, a trojan or a virus. I think, had that been the case, I would have had this fixed long ago...but you never know, viruses keep getting smarter. I do know part of the problem was a corrupted file in the start up menu. When I disabled a particular program (one I don't use much anyhow,) the computer worked fine, albeit missing a few plug-ins. ;) Since the program I'd had to disable was already showing signs of having some issues in the past, seemingly from having another program uninstalled, so I had assumed perhaps some minor issue had just finally "killed" that program and started a major all-day event yesterday. :P And then, at 1am, I fixed the computer.

As of this morning I could get onto my computer out of Safe Mode. I then downloaded an update (from Microsoft,) and lo and behold it went back to the freezing when not in safe mode. Yes Microsoft, you're right, your unneeded update did help my computer's performace (sarcasm.) Back in safe mode again. ;) So, I am actually thinking it's most likely something no longer contaigious (I have quadruple checked,) which has now been exacerbated by the necessary shutting off and on of the PC, and is located within the start menu.

I am just going to work on it outside of business hours. While the lengthy computer cleanings and fix attempts are great because I get to do my spells during business hours instead of in the wee hours of the day (and my laundry, and I baked a loaf of bread...oh and the dishes, did them too yesterday,) instead of typing replies (pretty hard to type when all your programs are shut down and your PC is trying to get fixed,) I need to get work done. So...while my PC has limited ability, it does do email, internet, and run the needed programs just fine. Whatever is disagreeing with the computer is totally incapable of effecting it when in safe mode. I can probably have this badboy running at it's old level of perfection in 2-3 days (hopefully less) if I work on it outside of office hours. I ask everyone be patient, and to understand that if it's past 7pm on a weekday that I am probably already screaming profanities at this thing while I go through every file on my start up menu by hand and run a scan disk and chkdsk and all that fun stuff. I'm pretty sure that if my computer became "self-aware," it already would have killed me in self defense for all of the profanity-laced threats I have made at it. ;)

That means, I'm in the office and available all day. :)

For anyone who suggests I buy a new computer...um, hahahahahahhahahahahahahaha, yeah okay. ;) I don't have $500-$1000 to spend on a new computer. As for the computer fixit guy? I may have enough money to pay him if and when it comes to that. I am pretty sure I can fix it. If I can't, I might just save myself some money and do my own erasing of my entire hard drive and then rebooting this fresh and new with factory settings. BUT, I am not going to do that on a Wednesday. Right now I'm working in safe mode on this PC, and also a family member will be lending me a laptop tonight. :D

So, my PC isn't better yet, but almost!

Comments

[Ajah]

O wow some how a virus got in. That happened to my friend it was a trojan horse and she had to wipe everything and then reinstall everything. It sucked. I hope you don't have to do that.

[Joanna]

I have had 2 viruses to clean up in the last year. My computer is still slow as balls. What programs do you use to fix and help performance? I was using Norton 360, but I'm wondering if you have other recommendations? I have a PC also, a laptop, and I think part of the problem is I need an extra hard drive, but I think I have a lot of spy-ware and other crap that keeps bugging things up around here.

[Cat]

I recommend SpySweeper highly - it's anti virus and anti spy. I also use TrendMicro (it came with the PC,) which is very slow, but actually pretty thorough. The people at Best Buy told me they haven't recommended Norton products in at least 4 years...and I think I got this computer for my 2008 b-day gift as memory serves...so, I would say if that was 2 years ago that the Best Buy "geek squad" was telling me this, then probably Norton isn't your best bet.

I have (mostly) fixed the PC, but amusingly enough, I think it wasn't a virus. It seems connected to a Reiki incedent. Namely, a good friend of mine had recently gotten her Reiki Master attunement, and she had been having a bad time of things right after the fact, so I called her to check up on her... Well, um, it was her Facebook "email" (a note she wrote on my wall,) that started the falling apart of my PC. ;) Oh, AND, right after I'd gotten off of the phone with her, my electricity went bonkers. So... As weird as it sounds there was NO VIRUS in here and everything wrong with my PC seems to all go back to my interactions with her early this week. A reiki master unintentionally blew up my PC. ;) Yeah, if I have to bring this thing in for repair, I'm going to just tell them I clicked a bad link. ;)