Virus

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JsB - any idea how I can use on another laptop which has the hard disk encrypted - True Crypt - I cannot work out how to get it to boot from the usb - I am guessing I would have to unencrypt the hard drive first?

Yes, I haven't found a way to scan a drive that is encrypted with Truecrypt using the off-line scanner. However, I don't see why the hard drive being encrypted should stop the laptop booting from a USB thumb drive since that is achieved by changing the boot drive order in the BIOS.

So you would have to boot Windows normally, letting Truecrypt allow access to the files and then run one or more of the on-line scanners already listed above by Chicog. And possibly a Malware Bytes scan. And if you're really stuck, a Comboxfix scan - but I don't recommend it as it is far too powerful for the average user to use.

Thanks but maybe I did not explain very well. My point was I scanned my other laptop which has Nod 32 on it with defender offline and it supposedly found a couple of viruses so I wanted to do the same with this laptop which only has Avast on it. Online scans I know I can do any time no problem.

Well, now I'm totally confused!

So is your problem that you can't get "this laptop" (with Avast on it) to boot from the USB?

If that's not the problem, please start afresh and state the problem!

Correct as it is True Crypted. So I am limited to using an online scan and will do that. Thanks

Apologies to the OP as he is the one who needs the help.

[Chicog]

Hi Again, back after a sleep and just done a browser check and got the following message:

ERROR:

Error parsing signature data Syntax error -

What the hell does that mean?

If you're talking about the Qualys browser check, it would indicate to me that your browser configuration has been damaged.

Which browser(s) are you using? Have you reset your browser(s) to their default settings?

[Robby nz]

If you're talking about the Qualys browser check, it would indicate to me that your browser configuration has been damaged.

Which browser(s) are you using? Have you reset your browser(s) to their default settings?

Yes that's the one I used

Using Internet explorer 10 and have just reset to default (I think)

The real problem for me is with not being able to access my mail as I will be taking some friends from NZ around the country in a few days and was planning to take this computer with me as an Email contact for their family back home.

I suspect the mail thing is a separate issue as when I have tried to get to hotmail I have had for some time a screen from windows wanting additional info such as PH No and things.

I have been bypassing it but in an effort to get rid of the pest I filled it in with BS a couple of days ago.

What I now suspect is that this has told them that the version I have is pirated and they are chucking in a spanner.

The earlier reply from Transam seems to point to this.

Might have to set up a new account with a different provider but possibly windows would get into that as well.

[Chicog]

If you're talking about the Qualys browser check, it would indicate to me that your browser configuration has been damaged.

Which browser(s) are you using? Have you reset your browser(s) to their default settings?

Yes that's the one I used

Using Internet explorer 10 and have just reset to default (I think)

The real problem for me is with not being able to access my mail as I will be taking some friends from NZ around the country in a few days and was planning to take this computer with me as an Email contact for their family back home.

I suspect the mail thing is a separate issue as when I have tried to get to hotmail I have had for some time a screen from windows wanting additional info such as PH No and things.

I have been bypassing it but in an effort to get rid of the pest I filled it in with BS a couple of days ago.

What I now suspect is that this has told them that the version I have is pirated and they are chucking in a spanner.

The earlier reply from Transam seems to point to this.

Might have to set up a new account with a different provider but possibly windows would get into that as well.

When hotmail is asking you for additional authentication info, it's to allow you to make it more secure and less likely to get hacked.

You banging garbage into it is not going to "tell them" anything.

However, if you are now saying they installed a pirate windows 8 on it, I can't really offer any more help, that's just asking to get shafted.

[Robby nz]

It wasn't Hotmail that asked the questions it was windows.

I suppose it is not an original copy of windows 8 as there was no cd or anything to show it was the real thing.

Hay, thanks for your help, hopefully I have learnt something from all this

[transam]

It wasn't Hotmail that asked the questions it was windows.

I suppose it is not an original copy of windows 8 as there was no cd or anything to show it was the real thing.

Hay, thanks for your help, hopefully I have learnt something from all this

Thought I might be right. If so, take it back to have another Windows installed.

[NanLaew]

And check with your wife exactly what she downloaded from K-bank. There is a K-bank specific alert for some bogus software from third party that is infected with a trojan. There's probably a thread about that.

I just received a email warning from Bangkok Bank about a BB branded bogus program doing the same thing. The inexperienced may end up typing all their personal info into it and then the bad guys can access your account directly. The BB warning says it even circumvents their one-time password systems so that is very dangerous.

If the OP has access to a good internet connection and a healthy credit card balance, BUY a legit download of Win 7 and run with that. As mentioned by others, Win 8, like earlier versions, is going to be ropey until the Service Packs start coming thick and fast.

[NanLaew]

System Restore?

Restore back to before the bank software, if not fixed restore before that and keep going back till it's right?

If virus scanners are not finding anything then unlikely to be a virus - have you tried something like Malwarebytes.org?

System restore is usually only available on a new machine that had the o/s preloaded at the factory. Correct me if I am wrong, most, if not all machines pitched in Thailand are sold o/s free, hence the minefield that the OP may have stumbled into with the Win 8 installation. As transam hinted, most Thai resellers either have a legit copy that has been installed so many times, it fails online verification with MS (that's when you get forced to buy a new product key before you can go further), or they use a cracked version that is rotten with trojans and other &lt;deleted&gt;.

[Dork]

It wasn't Hotmail that asked the questions it was windows.

I suppose it is not an original copy of windows 8 as there was no cd or anything to show it was the real thing.

Hay, thanks for your help, hopefully I have learnt something from all this

OEM versions of Windows 8 don't come with a Windows DVD. Have a look at the underside of your laptop. If it's genuine there will be a Microsoft sticker with the product key on it.

[Dork]

And check with your wife exactly what she downloaded from K-bank. There is a K-bank specific alert for some bogus software from third party that is infected with a trojan. There's probably a thread about that.

I just received a email warning from Bangkok Bank about a BB branded bogus program doing the same thing. The inexperienced may end up typing all their personal info into it and then the bad guys can access your account directly. The BB warning says it even circumvents their one-time password systems so that is very dangerous.

If the OP has access to a good internet connection and a healthy credit card balance, BUY a legit download of Win 7 and run with that. As mentioned by others, Win 8, like earlier versions, is going to be ropey until the Service Packs start coming thick and fast.

At least in my case Windows 8 is not ropey at all. I have had 2 machines running Win 8 since October last year and they are both very stable.

[Chicog]

Win 8 is faster and more stable than Win 7.

And I'm running it on Dell XPS laptop, Dell Optiplex workstation, ASUS laptop, Lenovo AIO and HP laptop - and not one of them are certified for it.

So anyone who tells you otherwise probably hasn't even tried it.

Metro is a pig on a non-touchscreen though - I'd recommend Classic Start Menu every time.

[Robby nz]

OEM versions of Windows 8 don't come with a Windows DVD. Have a look at the underside of your laptop. If it's genuine there will be a Microsoft sticker with the product key on it.

There is a windows 8 sticker but that is all, don't suppose that counts.

Seems if I want to get this thing right I will need to buy a genuine version of either 7 or 8. Any idea what sort of Baht?

Had a look round the help sites last night and see there are many others who are getting the same message as me on Hotmail.

No one seems to be able to get any help or answers and the general opinion is that they will change to Gmail.

The Mr's got a message from K bank about the virus but I think that was after she had done whatever it was she did so it is probably reasonable to assume that is where the virus &lt;deleted&gt; came from.

However whether it is connected to the mail problem or not is another thing.