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Regarding this question:

https://superuser.com/questions/131176/a-hidden-program-virus-send-hundred-e-mail-can-you-have-any-experience-on-som

I like to see more answers on virus problems because I believe that virus can break up on 5-10 categories with very specific steps that if some one follow its can solve the problem.

One generic answer with our specific steps is not solving the problem.

In the generic answer the solution was to use other programs to solve it (there is also a video that give very good advices for one category of virus, for some other category its only give some head lines)

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  • 1
    Meta questions should go on Meta.
    – Douglas Leeder
    Apr 18, 2010 at 7:59
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    Aristos, if the steps Wil described didn't help saving you pc, it's probably beyond saving... But it doesn't make your question more unique
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 18, 2010 at 10:37
  • "and I see and the full video on it." What do you mean? Also, did you found answers elsewhere, or not?
    – fretje
    Apr 18, 2010 at 11:16
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    I can't believe this has two upvotes.
    – Josh K
    Apr 18, 2010 at 14:43
  • @Josh this is is a proposal to down-vote with out have any good argument to say like many other have. Personally I do not believe why this is not high voted.
    – Aristos
    Apr 19, 2010 at 6:34
  • 3
    Your rhetorical tone is hostile.
    – random
    Apr 19, 2010 at 7:19
  • 5
    I fail to make sense of what you just said...
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 19, 2010 at 11:03
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    @Aristos: that is exactly the problem. I agree with random and think that this whole question does not aid your case in any way. I fear we will have to agree to disagree. Personally I think the question does not add anything and should remain closed.
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 19, 2010 at 13:21
  • @Ivo yes this question have to add something, the way some one can search and locate a program that is sending on background mails.
    – Aristos
    Apr 19, 2010 at 14:23
  • 1
    Someone here fancies themself a philosopher, and not a very good one at that.
    – gnovice
    Apr 19, 2010 at 19:36

6 Answers 6

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You have to know, there are viruses out there which break your system beyond repair. There is just no other solution other than to fully re-install your PC.

Those are mostly rootkit viruses. And from the sound of your question, you might be infected with such a virus.

Really, I think you'll be losing much more time trying to clean a rootkit-ed PC than to totally re-install it from scratch (seriously, how long does that take nowadays? Half an hour to a couple of hours, depending on the speed of the machine and the extra software that you have to install next to Windows itself).

OTOH, your edit suggests that you did find an answer using Google if I understand it right? If that is the case, the right course of action would be that you add an answer to the general question with how you removed this virus from your PC. This way, the general question will give future visitors the possibility to get rid of a couple of extra viruses.

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  • @fretje Sorry but I am totally disagree to reinstall the PC. Years now I am fixing my friends pc removing any virus in few hours with 3-4 utilities from sysinternals. Now this is something new that I need to learn it and find a way to take over the control of it.
    – Aristos
    Apr 19, 2010 at 6:22
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    @Aristos: how do you know for certain that you removed everything? Plus if you teach them how to manage their computer (seperating OS and files and the like) the overall impact of a reinstall is very small.
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 19, 2010 at 7:06
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Hmmm... I think the biggest problem with your question was that you were having trouble with a specific bit of malware, but didn't have enough information to identify it. Without that, it's hard (if not impossible) to give you a specific answer.

And so you were directed to a general-purpose "how to troubleshoot a virus" question.

Yes, it would have been nice if someone had read your vague description and immediately been able to identify the specific bit of software responsible and provide you with a clean process for its removal... But that just wasn't feasible given your own confusion (problem manifested itself following updates, but you didn't know which updates; problem may have been introduced by email, or webpage or something else; files and processes responsible are completely unknown).

SU (like SO and SF) is a Q&A site, not a troubleshooting forum: the expectation is that you'll do the research and present enough information in your question for an answer to be given. If you're unable to do that, then you probably need to ask some other questions first.

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I think I see what problem you're facing. Your question about getting rid of a specific virus that sends out lots of emails automatically was closed as a duplicate, pointing to a general question, whose answers you have described as not helping you resolve your situation.

In this case, I think that, after this question is moved to Meta as it should be, you should pursue your original question being reopened, on the grounds that you alter the question to indicate that you're searching for solutions that people have for this specific problem. A great way to show this is to say that the solutions in the dupe question did not help you at all, as they are general, while your question is targeted. From my 9 months of using the Stack Overflow Trilogy, I think that such a statement would suffice to get your question re-opened and for it to stay open.

Best of luck to you.

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  • @Maxim from the moment that they close it how can I say that the general is not solve anything ? Where to say that ?
    – Aristos
    Apr 18, 2010 at 8:29
  • @Aristos: This question will be moved to meta.stackoverflow.com, which is the website where such questions belong.
    – musicfreak
    Apr 18, 2010 at 8:39
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I can understand the anger about the question getting closed, but on the other hand, if there's going to be a question for every possible virus out there, the site will be crammed with Virus questions within days. I think the policy of eliminating duplicates makes sense.

Imagine you have a Q&A forum where people come for help when they had a break-in. In one case, the thief came through the window. In another, through the door. In another, through a neighbouring house. Is it not fair to redirect those users to one central checklist about how to clean out and secure windows, doors, and the rest of the house, because the basic procedures are always the same?

It's different when you have a question about a specific lock, or how to fit a window with security glass, or whatever. But a general virus "FAQ" question is a good thing to have IMO.

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  • @Pekka, I am not anger :) Everything is not the same, I have here a very difficult new virus that non of the antivirus program can remove, I have locate it and I can not remove it my self - and in general I will search for answers and help.
    – Aristos
    Apr 18, 2010 at 9:45
  • @Aristos I see. I'm not very active on Superuser so I don't know what the customs are around there, but you could try re-opening it and explain that you already worked through the check list.
    – Pekka
    Apr 18, 2010 at 9:56
  • @Pekka exactly!
    – Maxim Z.
    Apr 18, 2010 at 20:14
  • @Pekka - Yes I have think this point, that maybe this site is full of virus question. But there is this case, all the virus are separate to some categories, so maybe this site is not full of virus questions but just get 10 more question for some special virus-cases. For example, what I mean is that: If some program sending emails from my pc, there are very specific ways to locate it first of all, and cut it from a firewall. Then depending of the way of running there are also specific ways to stop it (if you can). This ways there are not existing here.
    – Aristos
    Apr 19, 2010 at 6:28
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Let's make things clear.

The point of the "FAQ" questions, is NOT to close any related question as a duplicate of this one, this is only to provide a reference of steps to follow, to begin with.

Such question is to be given as a comment, as suggestion of the basic and usual "what to do". But from that point, if this doesn't solve the situation, then it should be suggested as well to the OP to edit his question with more details, about what he tried, what remains unsolved.

I agree with Aristos (at least with the main problem emerging from this long monologue) that such site should not be a forest of faqs, it's a site to handle each problem separately, if they are indeed different. Troubleshooting (including virus) is a "one by one" situation, you can't close any like this as a duplicate, just because they seem similar.

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    Now I agree with your view that we shouldn't close every question that's about viruses. However, given that Wil's steps did not help him, I'm more inclined to think his computer is beyond saving. So unless he comes with a compelling example or dramatically improves the overall readability of the question, I won't vote to reopen.
    – Ivo Flipse
    Apr 19, 2010 at 17:30
  • @Ivo - I was making a general point about this topic, not as much about his case, in fact. The good thing to do is to be able to provide more support if needed, but if entering a stage in which it's more an iterative approach, then these sites won't be a good place to help.
    – Gnoupi
    Apr 19, 2010 at 18:10
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We cannot provide information on how to remove every virus.

SU is a community of incredibly knowledgable, intelligent (and handsome!) people, and yet we couldn't even hope to keep up with the constant flow of new viruses, each requiring a slightly different approach. The very best we can do is give general help.

If you disagree, StackExchange 2.0 is just around the corner, have a go at VirusOverflow. If you solve the problem, regardless of method, add some of the steps you took to the general help question.

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