Problems with downloads

[David]

My machine, which is a year old, has Windows XP (home
edition, installed.

I have experienced problems with messages going out from
my machine without my authority. I've been given to
understand that this is a virus!

I have checked my machine using NORTONS but no viruses
have been identified. Secondly, I used "System Restore"
which has stopped the unauthorised use of the mailing
system - I think.

I have tried to download updates from Microsoft, but each
time with out success. There are 49 critical updates
identified, but all attemps to download have faild.

Help and advice would be greatly appreciated

Regards

David

 

[Plato]

I have experienced problems with messages going out from
my machine without my authority. I've been given to
understand that this is a virus!

A trojan. The new ones come with their own emailing program. Generally,
to install one of these new trojans, you had to click on an attachment
that came with a 100K or so email.

I have tried to download updates from Microsoft, but each
time with out success. There are 49 critical updates
identified, but all attemps to download have faild.

http://www.bootdisk.com/xptop10.htm#4

 

[Alex Nichol]

My machine, which is a year old, has Windows XP (home
edition, installed.

I have experienced problems with messages going out from
my machine without my authority. I've been given to
understand that this is a virus!

I have checked my machine using NORTONS but no viruses
have been identified. Secondly, I used "System Restore"
which has stopped the unauthorised use of the mailing
system - I think.

Make sure that the evidence of such things going out is valid. It it is
reports from elsewhere that a mail, purportedly from you, contains a
virus, it most probably never came from you at all. Most serious
current viruses and trojans 'spoof' the 'From' address using one taken
at random from the infected machine's address book, so that the one
things that can definitely be said is that it did *not* come from that
address

I have tried to download updates from Microsoft, but each
time with out success. There are 49 critical updates
identified, but all attemps to download have faild.

For the most likely cause of this, Rename the folder
windows\system32\catroot2 and reboot. That will generate a new, clean
folder, and you can then delete the renamed one.

Then get - only - Q817287 and install it, which should now be OK. It
is the cure for the problem: you should then be able to carry on with
other updates, and the problem will not recur