URGENT! I need hard drive help.

[T-Bird]

OK it seems I now have 2 viruses I can't locate for the life of me.
Now my question is... Is it possible to format just the C drive so that I don't lose all my files and what not (I'm hoping they are on the C drive somewhere)

One keeps giving me this annoying Camera clicking sound and the other is an Error window that keeps popping up and going Dong Dong everytime I use the mouse.

Many thanks in advance. I'm sure someone here can help me with this.

[DeMoN]

how the hell cant you get rid of 2 viruses?

Do you have an antivirus?

What I would suggest would be going to:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ and do an online virus scan. With that, you will know where the virus are. Not only that, but once you have the actual name of the virus, just type NameOfVirus removal or NameOfVirus remove at google and you will probably either get a .exe to remove it, or steps needed to be done to remove it. You dont need to reformat, but yes you can reformat one drive and not the other if you have 2 drives or one hard drive split into two parts. Only thing, since you want to format C, you cant do it from windows using the Right Click - Format because Windows is on that drive. I am sure you can get rid of the virus without formating. If you format drive C, you need to do it with a windows CD (booteable one). or if you have partition magic or some other software like that.

[T-Bird]

how the hell cant you get rid of 2 viruses?

Do you have an antivirus?

What I would suggest would be going to:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ and do an online virus scan. With that, you will know where the virus are. Not only that, but once you have the actual name of the virus, just type NameOfVirus removal or NameOfVirus remove at google and you will probably either get a .exe to remove it, or steps needed to be done to remove it. You dont need to reformat, but yes you can reformat one drive and not the other if you have 2 drives or one hard drive split into two parts. Only thing, since you want to format C, you cant do it from windows using the Right Click - Format because Windows is on that drive. I am sure you can get rid of the virus without formating. If you format drive C, you need to do it with a windows CD (booteable one). or if you have partition magic or some other software like that.

I've run McAfee and that trend micro one and cannot find these damn things

The really weird thing is that they don't start as soon as I turn on the computer but only after I'm on for a little while.

[DeMoN]

If those cant find them then they are not viruses or trojans. That means they might be spyware or just some programs designed to piece you off. Once they are running, press ctrl alt del and look for them... try doing START - Run - msconfig

Look at the starting processes and try to find it there.

I suppose you have Spybot Search and destroy? If not, get it and search for spyware.

[T-Bird]

spybot and adaware. I look through the running processes under ctrl alt del but it's too fuckin confusing even when I go to Black Vipers site.

[MBW124]

I suggest download hijackthis and run that. I'll let you know what's running in your registry and you can also delete suspicious looking file names.

If you need Ad-Aware Professsional 1.05 let me know. As well as Hijackthis, but you can find that yourself by searching 'hijackthis' lol

Also, I had a similar problem, it could be one of the system32 files.

[irrational_i]

Hmmm. I have run across viruses that Mcafee doesn't pick up. I use Antivir. A free virus program that is very good and has picked up things that Mcafee misses.

Now for your problems -
1: For the Camera sound - Have you tried setting the windows sounds to default in Control Panel?
2: The error window - What does it say? It could be an actual problem, fixable by re-installing mouse drivers.

As always if you get problems like that you should check over your Processes in the task manager. If you see any process that looks suspicious, just google for it and see if it is malicious. There are several sites that tell you what the processes are.

You can re-install windows without wiping your other files. You can do a repair installation. If you re-install windows you are likely to pick up registry problems though, so not recommended without a format.
Is your windows on a separate drive or partition? It is easy enough to format the specific partition.

Hope you manage something. Re-install is a last resort.

[DeMoN]

T-Bird

#1) Explain the problem you are facing as best as possible dont skip any details.

#2) Search google for a program called Hijackthis (1.99.1 latest version) and download it. When you run it (its small program, you dont even need to install it), click on Do a system Scan and save a Log.

#3) open up the Log with notepad and post the whole list here. We'll go from there.