Install XP and try to Windows Update = catch viruses immediately

[H. Debs]

You don't need to click on any exe to catch a virus these days. All
you have to do is connect to the internet with an original unpatched
Windows XP.

A friend whose PC was infested with several problems called me to
help. After seeing the extent of the damage, I decided to reformat and
reinstall. After reinstalling I installed an antivirus and connected
to the internet to update the virus definitions. A virus scan then
showed that I had just caught more than one virus: Welchia.B.Worm,
Blaster and something called Fancette.Worm.
It appears that these viruses get into the PC via known
vulnerabilities in Windows, which can only be corrected by applying
the critical updates from the Windows Update site. BUT... how can I
apply the updates if I catch the viruses as soon as I connect to the
internet????? Of course the XP firewall and the virus scanner were
turned on, but it didn't stop the viruses.

Now that's a really big problem. It means that one cannot install
Windows XP or 2000 and hope to update them from the internet.

What's the solution? I know, I spent 3 hours downloading the update
files and SP1 from my own computer, put them on a CD and applied them
on their PC, but what do the other 10 million normal customers of
WinXP do when they have to reinstall?

 

[Michael Stevens]

You don't need to click on any exe to catch a virus these days. All
you have to do is connect to the internet with an original unpatched
Windows XP.

A friend whose PC was infested with several problems called me to
help. After seeing the extent of the damage, I decided to reformat and
reinstall. After reinstalling I installed an antivirus and connected
to the internet to update the virus definitions. A virus scan then
showed that I had just caught more than one virus: Welchia.B.Worm,
Blaster and something called Fancette.Worm.
It appears that these viruses get into the PC via known
vulnerabilities in Windows, which can only be corrected by applying
the critical updates from the Windows Update site. BUT... how can I
apply the updates if I catch the viruses as soon as I connect to the
internet????? Of course the XP firewall and the virus scanner were
turned on, but it didn't stop the viruses.

Now that's a really big problem. It means that one cannot install
Windows XP or 2000 and hope to update them from the internet.

What's the solution? I know, I spent 3 hours downloading the update
files and SP1 from my own computer, put them on a CD and applied them
on their PC, but what do the other 10 million normal customers of
WinXP do when they have to reinstall?

The answer is to enable the XP firewall BEFORE going online.
If it is already infected, and is constantly attempting to shutdown
or reboot, quickly go to:

Start > Run and type: CMD , and hit enter.
This opens the Command Prompt window.

Then type: shutdown -a , and hit enter.

This should halt the rebooting problem.

Then immediately turn-on Windows XP's built-in Firewall:

How do I turn on the Firewall?
http://www.andyrathbone.com/tips/firewall.html


--

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
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[H. Debs]

The answer is to enable the XP firewall BEFORE going online.
If it is already infected, and is constantly attempting to shutdown
or reboot, quickly go to:

Start > Run and type: CMD , and hit enter.
This opens the Command Prompt window.

Then type: shutdown -a , and hit enter.

This should halt the rebooting problem.

Then immediately turn-on Windows XP's built-in Firewall:

How do I turn on the Firewall?
http://www.andyrathbone.com/tips/firewall.html

Michael,

I admit that the very first seconds (perhaps a minute) I was online,
the firewall was not turned on. But I did turn it on, and still
caught 3 viruses after I had cleaned up the system in Safe Mode. I
have real doubts as to the efficiency of the built-in firewall which
comes with the Gold version of WinXP to stop that particular
Welchia.B.worm. But I appreciate your advice and tip regarding
"shutdown -a". Thanks.

But do you honestly believe this is a true solution to the problem for
all the people out there who don't even know what a firewall is?

Regards,

Habib