Mr. Mark,
Good day to you kind sir. Regarding my son's laptop computer (Compaq Evo N800c) with WINXP Pro, I found that FxxK.com listed in add/remove programs and deleted it. This was after I did a search in files and folders for it and came up empty. When I deleted it with add/remove programs, I got a message saying that it was empty and I just deleted the entry. I couldn't convince him to let me install a firewall or Ad Aware or a an anti-trojan program, but I did activate the WINXP firewall and updated all the WIN XP Microsoft critical patches. He is running Norton Antivirus 2003 and has been keeping it updated with LU, but I put on a desktop icon for him for IU so he can check daily for updates. He's a sophomore at UCLA and is more interested in downloading music, playing games and using AOL Instant Messenger than protecting his computer. Kids today are different... or maybe we were the same at his age. He has a 3.98 academic average... so he's no dummy, but my old age tells me that a little advance protection can save tons of wasted time! He thinks I spend too much time on the computer and he's probably right.
Interestingly, after he got the so called "FxxK popup" he started having intermittent dial-up connection problems. I doubt if the program it installed has anything to do with it, but sometimes when he plugs his dialup connection modem cord into the wall jack, it disables both the house lines (separate numbers). Taking the plug out of the jack brings back the dial tones. This happens even if the computer is completely off. Compaq overnighted him a new modem, but still the same problem... and it occurs on different jacks throughout the house. Sometimes it works fine and connects and other times it knocks out the dial tone on both lines just by plugging into the jack. Had the phone company repair service check it out and they replaced the one jack he regularly uses, but the repairman said he doubted if that was the problem as it knocked out both dialtones to the separate lines. Compaq says it might be a bad motherboard and he overnighted it back to them (after I made him backup his data on CDs). Strange problem, especially since it's fine sometimes and knocks out both dialtones totally disabling our house phones at other times. Nobody at the phone company or Compaq ever heard of a problem like this where both lines are knocked out just by plugging the modem cord into the jack... especially since the modem only uses one line. And, yes, we did try another modem cable.
Anyone ever heard of a problem like this?
Thanks in advance.
Marty |
