Hey guys
Sorry to post this at PA.com but you guys seem the most reponsive and helpful out of all the forums I have visited. Hope yous can help me with this:
I found a virus on my external hardrive/USB and determined it was one of those botook.exe's. I've had the file deleted a dozen times thru Norton, McAfee, CA and ClamWin but it keeps recreating itself somehow??
Anyway in an attempt to finally remove this I copied my portable apps and documents folders to my home computer, formatted the external harddrive and this morning copied all the stuff back (Took ages with 30+ gigs). Thought I had fixed it all up.
WRONG!! The bootok.exe reappeared when I inserted my drive at work this morning and now I can't use firefox or thunderbird or some of my other apps. Some error message come up about security but I think it has something to do with how all the files now returned to my USB are set as read only and for some reason I can't change it??
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP!!
I use my drive for work, study and and home and have both valuable work files and months worth of study all stored on it. Some one please help.
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use a linux Live CD, like knoppix or suse or ubuntu to get that data off the USB stick and onto a place, where, from linu you can scan the files and kill of viruses,
then do a full format on the USB
that should do it, fill me in on how well it works, always works for me
Lead, Follow, or get out of the way.
Ive never ever actually used or even seen anyone use Linux before. I mean if theres no other way to do it please post more detailed instructions and I'll give it a go. Thans again for you help.
Also how to use Linux live cd?
PortableApps.com Advocate
Just go download Ubuntu. Do you have any experience in burning ISOs? If not, download InfraRecorder and use that to burn the Ubuntu ISO file. Then you'll need to change the BIOS boot settings to boot from CD-ROM first. Keep the CD in your drive, turn the PC on, and Ubuntu should load. You're going to want to use the GParted tool to format your drive. Just go to System--Administration--GParted to load the tool. Pretty straightforward from there.
Not to be bleak, but it seems that your system itself is infected. You'll probably have to backup and reinstall Windows.
"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning." - Rick Cook
http://www.auditmypc.com/process/bootok.asp
(but my friend had 5 PCs in the past year replaced because of viruses or overloading of programs)
says that it's usually mistaken for a virus but is really a worm.
try doing to copy/format process on another PC.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_100793.htm
says it replaces certain EXE's so that means there's hundreds of copies.
http://www.prevx.com/filenames/X2320631683479923974-0/BOOTOK.EXE.html
http://www.programchecker.com/file/68.aspx
this says that bootok.exe has a legit version and that it's probably copying itself from the sys32 folder :(.
I feel bad for you
Insert original signature here with Greasemonkey Script.
Thanks guys.
Unfortunately I dont have any experience with changing the bios or that >PC Ditz
PortableApps.com Advocate
Editing the BIOS is very simple, there is really no need to pay for what you can do yourself. Whats your computer Manufacture and Model name ? Ill see if I can find some specific instructions.
My thanks again for the help but I dont know what the machine type is and its been pulled apart and things taken, added and upgraded so many times I guess only the motherboard and essentials like that would be the original mahine. Thanks guys. Yous have been really helpful and sorry that my lack of IT know-how has made that help so much harder to give.
If you have anything else you can contribute please post as I'm supplying your suggestions to the guy Im thinking of paying to repair the system. If you dont want this to happen please let me know and I will not do so.
Many thanks
PortableApps.com Advocate
Quick update
Virus hasn't been fixed yet but after looking around at prices to get the virus removed I checked in with someone I know who normally specializes in hardware. After forwarding the information you all so generously gave he has decided he will give it a try based on the Linux Live CD instructions. I'll probably be hovering over his shoulder if I can to see how he does it and ask a dozen annoying questions
Also be my first time seeing Linux in action do I'm looking forward to it though I wished my introduction to the hallowed OS was under better circumstances. Oh yeah another quick question if you guys are up for it. Is there like any central authority or organization with Linux?
PortableApps.com Advocate
That would have to be the LMI
The Linux Mark Institute (LMI) is an organization which administers the "Linux" trademark on behalf of Linus Torvalds for computer software which includes the Linux kernel, computer hardware utilizing Linux-based software, and for services associated with the implementation and documentation of Linux-based products.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Mark_Institute
Linus Torvalds still holds the trademark of course.
It depends on the distribution you're using.
So no address to write an angry letter to if things go wrong
"What about Love?" - "Overrated. Biochemically no different than eating large quantities of chocolate." - Al Pacino in The Devils Advocate