Before connecting to the Internet

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Here's the situation: days ago someting got into my pc: restarts, slowdown, and internet connection very slow and this program which restart the pc in 60 seconds; so I formated, I have a backup of little programs so once the reinstalled is completed I start to install them; the order it's like this: WinXP service pack 1 from start (which formats the disk) then the video, modem and audio drivers (out of viruses); so, once that, I have to connect if I need an antivirus, a firewall and even Firefox; that was very difficult, after the third format I got Firfox because, is almost instantaneous: connecting internet, openning IE and a virus or something gets in; so I can't download, surf or anything again until I format; once I got Firefox 1.0.2 english version (on a spanish win version)I can surf, but when I try to download/upload something (when it's needed to open a little browser so you can chose where you want the file) everything stops, nothing works no more, so I can't download a firewall or an antivirus so I bought this magazine with a cd full of freeware and in there I got AntiVir Guard, Avast cleaner, Ad-Aware, Spy Sweeper and Spybot, but nothing of this seems to stop this thing from getting in (well, I just have Antivir installed). This thing is something that screws a thing called "win32 generic host". Anyway, I'll ask you people some questions:
1- It is possible that a virus can't be erased when I format using the installation program from winxp and somehow stays hiding somewhere?
2- If so, what shoul I do, and what thing I should use?
3- If no, what I have to install BEFORE connecting to internet to prevent this infection?
4- Note that I can't afford a program like Norton or Panda, my paychek isn't that big and I just started here.
Forgive me if I'm posting something already posted but I'm not even sure if I'm going to post this because everytime I open a browser, I can browse just 2 or 3 times.
Thank you all for any repply.
Best regards

[ April 05, 2005, 19:18: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

 

How come you are so sure that a virus is causing all this? tried using another browser?

What do you mean with "you can't download anything when you have a virus",?
I don't get it. This virus screws up your network connection?

 

Wish I know, here is the situation right now: I have Firefox 1.0.2; I have a picture that someone sent to me by gmail and by hotmail, when I try to download the file, in the very moment when the browser should ask me where I want to download the file, everything stops and if I try to close the browser windows tells me the program doesn't respond so I "end the task", from this moment on, I can't do anything else in internet because browsers (Firefox or even IE after nothing works with the Firefox) don't browse anything. After this I use Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition and finds something called Alexia, I quarentine and delete those files but it keeps getting in; after a while connected, a message saying that the pc is going to shut down pops out and I have 60 seconds until it happens; another thing I've noticed is that I have installed also AntiVir and when windows starts, this program loads and puts an icon in the traybar, when I try to put the cursor over it, it desapears, the same happens if I try the same with the internet connection icon; another thing is that after the first internet connection (even with IE or Firefox) and I think I am infected, I try to run msconfig by clicking Start>run>typing msconfig, so the box appears for a second and desapears, the same happens with some other programs that don't run at all. This really makes me angry, I'm about to install win98 and get back to older versions because I am in the limit already with this.

 

Did you try to do "Start > Windows Update" immediatly after a clean format/install?

 

The first thing to install is a firewall, like ZoneAlarm (it's free). That way you can protect against attacks. Here's a LINK
After that install you Antivir and update Windows. This is what i did myself and it worked fine. Good luck...

 

@Morgoth:
No, after the clean install I just install the drivers that came with the pc (Presario 2500,P4 2.40Ghz, 192Ram, Ati Radeon...) -well, I just was trying to see what kind of graphic card is when this window pops out saying something like this: Generic Host Process for Win32 Services detected a problem and must shut down; and I can't open Control pannel, or anything like that; if I close this window, another pop out window will warn me that the computer will shut down in 60 secs.-

@Lynadin:
I'll try that.

Thank you guys.

Best regards.

 

I'm with Lynadin. Before doing anything that needs me to connect online. I first make sure that I'm not connected to the internet (unplug my ethernet cable) I then install my firewall which I keep a recent copy of on a cd along with other security programs. After that I install my antivirus software (latest version with most recent dat files), then and only then do I do a windows update. I had a friend who got a virus (can't remember which) as soon as he booted into windows after a format and reinstall. Good luck and keep us posted.

I always keep the latest version of security software and anti-virus on a cd-rw in the event of a virus like you may have. That way I can install them without ever worrying about connecting to get them.

 

Well, seems like now everything it's ok, I'm about to try to download something (always the begining of my problems), I've done a clean install and after that I installed ZoneAlarm, so far in this 10 minutes connected the program stopped 9 intruders or something that tries to connect or something like that.
Well, test aproved, systems working fine.
I'll let you know if something comes up.
By the way, it's necessary to do the "upate windows" thing?

Thank you so much for the help, like always, you all were very kind.

Best regards.

 

You are welcome Sydax, see You around...