[victor]

I just finished reformatting my hard drive and starting my 333 imac over.

Be careful. I think I may have run into a new virus.

I scan all files with Virex at download, and have the 4/1/00 update. It didn't find it.

The problems started occuring after I (accidently) downloaded a file called "Snood" and The SoundJam2.0 Updater rom another Hotline user. I ran it through the virus checker compressed, and then after-decompressing it, ran it through once more.

But, after I quit this sorry ass bubble game, and after trying to install the SoundJam updater, my system starting behaving erraticly. First, IE5 wouldn't load my Hotline sites automatically. When I quit IE5, a window popped up telling me that Virex would no longer be available because it had moved (or something like that). A few more clicks, then the System froze with the Bomb window.

At reboot, Disk Repair stopped almost immediately and said it had found a problem, but couldn't repair it. When the system continued to load with preferences enabled, my desktop was only my harddrive icon, and the time. The screen was completely locked up.

Sometimes on restart I could move the cursor, sometimes an empty pop up window would appear and I would be completely frozen.

I tried running with extensions disabled, and would get a bit further, but whatever was screwing with me had already edited my TCP/PPP preferences, so I couldnt get online. Netscape told me that it could't establish a socket connection with my cable modem. When I tried to start IE5, it acted like it had never started up before and began installing the internet font library again. When I tried to edit the modem preferences, it wouldn't let me because extensions were disbled.

When I tried doing a "repair scan" with Virex, I would get about 3/4 of the way through my HD (sometimes) and then the system would hard freeze; sometimes popping an empty window up, sometimes not.

This went on. I disabled certain extensions, with still no luck. I tried turning off Quicktime AutoPlay, thinking it might be and AutoStart Virus, but couldn't get into the preferences from the Control Panels. It said, "Quick Time cannot be used with this computer ". Wierd.


Finally, I decided to wash my hands of it. The only thing of real importance that I kept on my HD were some papers from school this year, but nothing that I didn't have in hard copy. The time and effort of reinstalling everything though will be considerable. A complete clean slate is now what I'm working with.... Whatever had me wouldn't even let me try to do a "partial restore" and leave my files alone. It wanted everything.

So. Be careful. Especially with Hotline. I thought I was safe with my updated Virex program, apparently not. When I called Virex customer service, I was presented with 2 options: Pay for service by the minute, or pay by the incident ($25). Screw them. Great software folks. Those updates sure are helpful.

[Cipher13]

Hey. This may sound wierd, but if you run into that virus again, or wherever you got it from, could you either direct me to it or send me a copy?
I collect virii and dissassemble them, screw around with them and sometimes if there isn't one already avaiable, make a patch to kill it.
I would greatly appreciate it if you could send me a copy :-)
Thanks in advance.

Cipher13

i've had something like that happen to me using IE 4.5 . most probably you're gonna tell me that ver 5 is better - i just believe it's IE regardless of version number ( been using iCab and Netscape ) - only disk warrior cleared everthing up for me . oh , before i forget - when i tried to go on the net using IE - it just froze and i'd have error messages / bombs , etc .

that's what i experience but i could be wrong .

I have Snood, but an older version--v 2.0 from 1997. I've played it maybe three or four times...but mine wasn't infected with a virus, for what it's worth.

peace,
Linda

I've had very similar experiences.

That is, I don't know what causes it but the effects are obvious. It funks around with my ARA client prefs or something in there. I usually dialup to a corporate server and have to use the PPP Terminal Window option. When ever the Terminal appears - the keyboard stops working ! (Once or twice is gave me caps only)> The only keys that work are cmd-period to cancel out.
It was killing me. I changed keyboards, modems, mice. I was running MacOS9/9.04 and reinstalled system 10 times. Ran the latest Virex6.1b3 updates. Check'd autoplay worms. Check'd HC virii.

The same problem arose. Couldn't type when I needed to.

I was also experiencing other anomolies such as keyboard repeats "likeeeeeeeeeeea aaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and "wandering cursor" movements.

For now I've downgraded to MacOS8.5 then up to MacOS8.6. So far, there's no problem.

But I still don't know what was causing this.

:yyy