Friday, September 17, 2010

Question

Do any of you use a tech-support firm in connection with your private computers (specifically, a company that can fix things directly online, as opposed to coming to your house)? If so, is there a particular firm you'd feel comfortable recommending?

Update: Let me pose an additional question: what kind of security software do you use? I've got some kind of mal-ware that McAfee can't get rid of.

16 comments:

  1. I don't use third party tech support (it's that geek engineer in me), Paco, so I really can't recommend someone. Having someone work on my computers is like loaning my toothbrush.

    Sorry about that -- hopefully you can get a good recommendation.

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  2. What's your prob, Bob? Zombie trouble? Nasty virii? Disk sounds like a 747 on the ramp?

    Can't help with the latter.

    SB: nosess
    Hmmph. We hates em, we does

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  3. I thought you meant physical components, Paco. My bad.

    When you say "McAfee can't get rid of", do you mean the software itself, or did you contact their technical support, and they couldn't help? I've used them before, and they were pretty good.

    Try http://service.mcafee.com/TechSupportHome.aspx?lc=1033&sg=TS

    The malware itself is an issue, and you might have to reformat your hard drive if it's bad enough. Depends on what you have.

    Hope this helps.

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  4. I had a similar issue with McAfee earlier this year. My PC has an infection that the McAfee AV could not detect. Googling for a bit led me to download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware. It detected and removed the virus. After that, I removed McAfee and am currently using MS Security Essentials. So far so good.

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  5. Edit to previous comment. I should have typed "had an infection" (past tense).

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  6. I'm very sorry to hear that your computer is ill. You may want to consult a physician before going to a third party support tech.

    Dr. Mercury has a lot of good advice here: http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/categories/44-Dr-Mercurys-Computer-Corner

    I'm with JeffS. Don't be afraid to tackle this yourself. Remember, "No one's really gonna be free until nerd persecution ends."

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWH1jEgiO0w&feature=related (start at 2:00)

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  7. You could try Microsofts online scanner

    http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

    You could try downloading McAfee's Stinger, boot into safe mode and run Stinger.

    http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

    I prefer Microsofts Security Essentials.

    http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

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  8. Try downloading Norma Malware Cleaner from majorgeeks.com. Also, I'm using the Panda Cloud freeware through them with good results so far and will probably upgrade to the pay version.

    If that doesn't work, you may have to take your computer back to a restore point dated before the infestation. (Um, you have been setting restore points, yes?) WARNING you will lose any data saved after that date if it's not saved off-computer.

    What

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  9. I like Trend Micro. Macafee sucks.

    Free tools:
    http://free.antivirus.com/clean-up-tools/

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  10. Lots of good suggestions. Many thanks.

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  11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ

    Cheers

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  12. I've had pretty good luck using Comodo for my firewall combined with Malwarebytes. Knock on wood.

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  13. I use F Prot.

    I have never had an infection that I know of.

    I highly recommend them.

    http://www.f-prot.com/

    (As I recall, the free trial download is full-featured. But it has been a while. I've been using them for years.)

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  14. And they are in Sweden, I think--I've had occasion to need help (don't remember why)--sent email, got an answer the next time i was daylight in Europe.

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