The other day I couldn’t send email. I’d click Send/Receive on Outlook and nothing would happen. Error message would say “couldn’t connect to server”. At first I thought, “Stinking server!” but then I realized it was for both mail servers I was getting mail from. Hmm…maybe it will work by lunch time. Lunch came and went and I didn’t have time to check mail from home, but I realized that on my work computer I could still check my home email….hmmmm.
So I try to reinstall Outlook. But my cd-rom drive wouldn’t auto play, nor run the disc when I double clicked it. I started getting concerned. I remember trying to open an attatchment from someone a few days ago. I even scanned it with Norton Anti-virus and it showed clean. BUT…it was an older version that hadn’t been updated since the free 6 month trial ran out. So I started thinking virus. I tried to get Norton Anti Virus to open up so I could pay for an update, but to no avail. It wouldn’t even open. I didn’t just double click it but clicked it about 14 times.
So I downloaded this free Virus Protection software called AVG. I heard about it from SitePointForums. You’re supposed to enter a code to get it workign right, but after the download and clicking SetUp..it never came up for me to enter the code. It was like my comptuer was halfway locked up. I could open soem programs and I could get on the WWW, but I couldn’t get email nor open any antivirus stuff. I wondered if I went to WalMart and paid $40 for a new version of NAV if I could even install it.
So I did what I usually do when I can’t figure out something..I started messing around with stuff. I found a feature on Windows XP called System Restore. I still don’t fully understand it, but I “restored my system” to what it was like about 5 days earlier. Amazingly it went back to my old wallpaper, my old screensaver. And the two versions of the AVG program were no longer on my desktop. BUT I COULD CHECK EMAIL!!!. So I downloaded the AVG again, was able to input the code…and then scanned….and scanned….and scanned, and scanned, and scanned.
It found 836 infected files on my computer. Eight hundred and thirty freaking six! Wow. But I think everything is fine now….I hope.
Hmmm- I don't have any problems with virus anymore since the Switch. 🙂
Luke… come to the Dark Side…
I will say though, that the system restore feature on XP was a huge step and it is for exactly what you used it for.
firewall. only way to fly. and always always always take the microsoft updates. even if they break something, they'll put out a patch to fix that, too. we got slammed at work because folks don't always install newest updates, and the sasser bug got in a few laptops. aarrgghh.
Jay…so Macs don't get viruses?
Rick…I don't have a firewall here…and I'm not sure I really want to try to get one, but maybe I should try to get those Window's Updates. But I'm on dialup…do you know how long it takes those things to download over dialup? Forever!
It is very rare for a virus to affect Macs… very rare.