Hotfix

[scoop]

Can someone help a computer illiterate?

Recently, a French company implanted an icon for what I
believe is a porn site (labled "Helene Fougerelles") on
my desktop without my knowledge or consent. I discovered
it on starting my computer and getting a dialogue box
informing me I was to be charged some outrageous amount
of money for a connection to their site. I was also
informed by my Norton Firewall or Virus Alert -- I forget
which -- that the program was attempting to connect to
the French site (194.149.242.252). from my computer.

In an effort to remove the icon and the underlying
program, I went to the "Add or Remove Programs" function
of Control Panel, where I found the Hotfix programs
listed below. There were also about 8 others. Thinking
these must be associated with the icon because there was
no program called "Helene Fougerrelles" (obviously, I had
no real idea what I was doing) I deleted one. Then, after
restarting the computer and encountering no immedtiate
problems, I proceeded to continue deleting these Hotfix
programs. Eventually, though, on restarting, I was
informed by Windows that I needed to update (if I recall)
NV4SYS. So I followed the prompt, which led me to update
Windows XP Service Pack 1.

Now, I no longer have the option to change or remove the
remaining Hotfix programs listed below.

My questions: SHOULD the programs below be removed? If
so, how?
Should I have left the Hotfix programs alone? In that
case, have I damaged my system?
Finally, if deleting these programs was not the right
solution to getting rid of the programs underlying the
icon, what is?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329048
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329390
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329441
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q320834
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q328310
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329170
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q331953
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q810577
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q811493
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q815021

 

[psnc]

Hotfixes, despite their "hot" prefix, have nothing to do with porn and other
related activities. They are simply patches from Microsoft that update your
operating system.

I would assume that your icon is coming from somewhere else - and no real
porn outlet is going to let you get rid of something like that with a simple
Add/Remove command. You could try searching on the Internet for other
reports on the case, which might provide a solution.

 

[scoop]

thanks for answering. frankly, though, i don't know where
to begin other than here. people like me, who have little
understanding of how computers work, don't have the
vocabulary to even frame problems concisely. so searching
for answers is like looking for a ring in the ocean.
plus,its rare that i find a simple answer to computer
issues -- there are all those freaking choices to make
about matters i have no basis from which to choose. even
assuming i find a clear answer, how will i know i've
gotten rid of something that neither i nor my good old
Norton knew was there except for the naughty icon? that's
why i paid for Norton, to protect against this kind of
thing. now i'm wondering what kind of damage i've
inflicted on myself. i'm out of my depth. the French
****er wins.

-----Original Message-----
Hotfixes, despite their "hot" prefix, have nothing to do with porn and other
related activities. They are simply patches from Microsoft that update your
operating system.

I would assume that your icon is coming from somewhere else - and no real
porn outlet is going to let you get rid of something like that with a simple
Add/Remove command. You could try searching on the Internet for other
reports on the case, which might provide a solution.

Can someone help a computer illiterate?

Recently, a French company implanted an icon for what I
believe is a porn site (labled "Helene Fougerelles") on
my desktop without my knowledge or consent. I discovered
it on starting my computer and getting a dialogue box
informing me I was to be charged some outrageous amount
of money for a connection to their site. I was also
informed by my Norton Firewall or Virus Alert -- I forget
which -- that the program was attempting to connect to
the French site (194.149.242.252). from my computer.

In an effort to remove the icon and the underlying
program, I went to the "Add or Remove Programs" function
of Control Panel, where I found the Hotfix programs
listed below. There were also about 8 others. Thinking
these must be associated with the icon because there was
no program called "Helene Fougerrelles" (obviously, I had
no real idea what I was doing) I deleted one. Then, after
restarting the computer and encountering no immedtiate
problems, I proceeded to continue deleting these Hotfix
programs. Eventually, though, on restarting, I was
informed by Windows that I needed to update (if I recall)
NV4SYS. So I followed the prompt, which led me to update
Windows XP Service Pack 1.

Now, I no longer have the option to change or remove the
remaining Hotfix programs listed below.

My questions: SHOULD the programs below be removed? If
so, how?
Should I have left the Hotfix programs alone? In that
case, have I damaged my system?
Finally, if deleting these programs was not the right
solution to getting rid of the programs underlying the
icon, what is?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) [See Q329048 for more information]
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329048
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329390
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329441
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q320834
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q328310
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q329170
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q331953
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q810577
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q811493
Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) Q815021

.