Going insane

[pentium]

Hi. I just wanted my 2G USB memory stick to work or to be as good as new.
Here's what happened:
One day, I plugged my USB memory stick to my PC and when I opened Internet
Explorer, it went automatically to an adult site and some files of the PC and
on my USB memory stick were missing. I can't even change my homepage. And
then I found out that it was a Huelar Virus. So, I took my memory stick out
and did a clean install on the PC and everything is OK. I plugged my memory
stick again and the same exact thing happened and once again, I did a clean
install. Now, everything is fine on the PC. I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs. Is there a way for me to fully recover the
files on my USB memory stick? Please help! TIA!

 

[Pauli Taglia]

Hi. I just wanted my 2G USB memory stick to work or to be as good as new.
Here's what happened:
One day, I plugged my USB memory stick to my PC and when I opened Internet
Explorer, it went automatically to an adult site and some files of the PC and
on my USB memory stick were missing. I can't even change my homepage. And
then I found out that it was a Huelar Virus. So, I took my memory stick out
and did a clean install on the PC and everything is OK. I plugged my memory
stick again and the same exact thing happened and once again, I did a clean
install. Now, everything is fine on the PC. I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs. Is there a way for me to fully recover the
files on my USB memory stick? Please help! TIA!

Why don't you try it on three or four more computers just to be sure!

Wow.

 

[pentium]

So, you're saying that there's nothing wrong with the USB memory stick at
all? I feel stupid. OK, I'll try your suggestion and post back later. Thanks.

 

[P]

Hi. I just wanted my 2G USB memory stick to work or to be as good as new.
Here's what happened:
One day, I plugged my USB memory stick to my PC and when I opened Internet
Explorer, it went automatically to an adult site and some files of the PC and
on my USB memory stick were missing. I can't even change my homepage. And
then I found out that it was a Huelar Virus. So, I took my memory stick out
and did a clean install on the PC and everything is OK. I plugged my memory
stick again and the same exact thing happened and once again, I did a clean
install. Now, everything is fine on the PC. I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs. Is there a way for me to fully recover the
files on my USB memory stick? Please help! TIA!

Download a Linux CD .ISO like Ubuntu (www.ubuntu.com) and burn it to a
CD. Then set your computer to boot from CD first, insert the Ubuntu CD
and it will boot to the Ubuntu CD which you can use without installing
anything. You can then insert your memory stick and delete the offending
files from the stick so you can use it with Windows again. Viruses for
Windows don't work in Linux and much less on a Linux CD.

P

 

[P]

So, you're saying that there's nothing wrong with the USB memory stick at
all? I feel stupid. OK, I'll try your suggestion and post back later. Thanks.

Pauli was being facetious. Do NOT try it on another Windows machine!

P

 

[Roger]

So, you're saying that there's nothing wrong with the USB memory stick at
all? I feel stupid. OK, I'll try your suggestion and post back later. Thanks.

Yes you are!

 

[pentium]

Hey, thanks a lot. I'll try it later. I am stupid for believing Pauli.
Sheesh. Will post back.

 

[VanguardLH]

Hi. I just wanted my 2G USB memory stick to work or to be as good as new.
Here's what happened:
One day, I plugged my USB memory stick to my PC and when I opened Internet
Explorer, it went automatically to an adult site and some files of the PC and
on my USB memory stick were missing. I can't even change my homepage. And
then I found out that it was a Huelar Virus. So, I took my memory stick out
and did a clean install on the PC and everything is OK. I plugged my memory
stick again and the same exact thing happened and once again, I did a clean
install. Now, everything is fine on the PC. I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs. Is there a way for me to fully recover the
files on my USB memory stick? Please help! TIA!

That's the problem when leaving auto-play enabled in Windows (any
version of Windows). When removable media is inserted and detected, the
auto-play function checks for an autorun.inf file which specifies what
program to run from that media. So when you plug in that infested USB
drive, the malware runs and infects you all over again.

Disable auto-play. Copy the *data* files only from the USB drive - and
scan them. Save them to a floppy or CD/DVD. You can even submit them
to virustotal.com to have several anti-virus scanners check the files.
Do another fresh install of the OS (and again disable auto-play) or
spend time hoping to disinfect your existing OS using Windows Defender
or other 3rd party anti-malware programs (a-squared, SuperAntispyware,
Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, etc.). Erase the USB drive. Put your data files
back on the USB drive. I'd suggest leaving auto-play disabled as you've
already been nailed by crap you or someone else put on that USB drive.

Then go to EVERY host in which you ever inserted that USB drive and tell
its owner that they may be infected because of your sloppiness in
guarding the contents of that USB drive. You have been a pariah to
every host (which also had auto-play enabled) on which you inserted that
infected USB drive. Like Typhoid Mary, you've gone around spreading
your disease.

To disable auto-play, get Microsoft's TweakUI utility (which only works
for 32-bit versions of Windows; there is some patched version available
somewhere for 64-bit versions of Windows but it isn't Microsoft
approved). Under My Computer -> AutoPlay -> Types, disable auto-play
for CD/DVD and also for removable media. That is a standard security
caution that I do on all my hosts. If you insert media where you cannot
figure out which program to run to, say, start an install, just
right-click on the autorun.inf file and select Play, or look inside it
and see what program is specified for execution.

You can also use the policy editor (gpedit.msc) already included in
Windows XP to disable auto-play. Read:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/disable-autoplay-of-audio-cds-and-usb-drives/

 

[Dave F.]

Hey, thanks a lot. I'll try it later. I am stupid for believing Pauli.
Sheesh. Will post back.

It seems like you are!

Do _not_ plug it into anyone else's PC except your own.

As you know there are files missing I assume you can read your stick.
And you only mention the IE is buggered.

So, can't you run a virus check on the stick?
Please tell us you _are_ using anti virus software!!

Dave F.

 

[VanguardLH]

Pauli was being facetious. Do NOT try it on another Windows machine!

So was pentium. He gave what he got. Pauli got what he deserved for a
reply. He didn't even bother to add a smiley or use a <TIC> (tongue-in-
cheek acronym) to connote his snide and misleading blurt.

Under that moniker (Pauli Taglia), he has made all of 13 posts starting
last January 17 of which just one was informative.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=author:pauli+author:taglia&scoring=d

He is a Usenet noob and overall a nuisancesome poster. He doesn't post
to help and he does not return to address his one-off jabs. A child
named Pauli has discovered Usenet. Learn to reduce the noise: killfile
him or just ignore his obvious wannabe-troll posts.

 

[Dave F.]

VanguardLH wrote:
Copy the *data* files only from the USB drive - and

scan them.

I would scan *before* copying them.

 

[philo]

Hi. I just wanted my 2G USB memory stick to work or to be as good as new.
Here's what happened:
One day, I plugged my USB memory stick to my PC and when I opened
Internet
Explorer, it went automatically to an adult site and some files of the PC
and
on my USB memory stick were missing. I can't even change my homepage. And
then I found out that it was a Huelar Virus. So, I took my memory stick
out
and did a clean install on the PC and everything is OK. I plugged my
memory
stick again and the same exact thing happened and once again, I did a
clean
install. Now, everything is fine on the PC. I then took my memory stick to
an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs. Is there a way for me to fully recover
the
files on my USB memory stick? Please help! TIA!

The drive is infected beyond recovery

go into disk management and delete it, then recreate

 

[AJR]

Regarding "...I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs...." - Great for the Cafe and its other
customers!!!

..

 

[Pauli Taglia]

Under that moniker (Pauli Taglia), he has made all of 13 posts starting
last January 17 of which just one was informative.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=author:pauli+author:taglia&scoring=d

He is a Usenet noob and overall a nuisancesome poster.

Been on the 'net since late '93.

I've been told that I can be a Jeckyl and Hyde... Let me introduce
myself: I'm "Hyde".

 

[Pauli Taglia]

LOL That's a good one.

Some people/bozos take a long time to figure out the obvious.

 

[pentium]

yeah!great for them and ME!

Regarding "...I then took my memory stick to an
internet cafe to try it out, same thing, what happened on my PC and on my
memory stick happened to theirs...." - Great for the Cafe and its other
customers!!!

..