Lost all my contacts by virus....

[Pete L]

I found out this morning that my PC sent out about 50 e-mails from my
contacts list with a spam message. My virus checker hasn't found
anything (AVG). I did a system restore and went back a few days.
Problem now is that my wireless connection doesn't work now and I'm
doing this mail using a cable connection to the router. I can find
most of my contacts again but should I be worried that my PC has been
'taken over'? Could this virus? have taken all my IP address info? I
have tried all the usual things to restore my wireless connection -
like 'repair' but to no avail. Any ideas how I can get it back please?

 

[C]

I found out this morning that my PC sent out about 50 e-mails from my
contacts list with a spam message. My virus checker hasn't found
anything (AVG). I did a system restore and went back a few days.
Problem now is that my wireless connection doesn't work now and I'm
doing this mail using a cable connection to the router. I can find
most of my contacts again but should I be worried that my PC has been
'taken over'? Could this virus? have taken all my IP address info? I
have tried all the usual things to restore my wireless connection -
like 'repair' but to no avail. Any ideas how I can get it back please?

Back up and reinstall XP OR spend days tracking down something unknown.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) when posting in a forum or
newsgroup. Please do so in your next reply.

Are you referring to your Hotmail contacts, your Outlook contacts, your
Outlook Express contacts, or...?

Are you running AVG (Free) v9.x? What anti-spyware applications (other than
Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?

 

[Pete L]

Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) when posting in a forum or
newsgroup. Please do so in your next reply.

Are you referring to your Hotmail contacts, your Outlook contacts, your
Outlook Express contacts, or...?

Are you running AVG (Free) v9.x?  What anti-spyware applications (otherthan
Defender)?  What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?

Ok, running WinXP SP3. It's my Hotmail contacts that have been wiped -
I can manually put them back, however. I use AVG v9 (Free). Nothing
has come up on that. I don 't have any other anti-spyware progs
running. Still running internet using a cable from router - wireless
not working on my PC but no problem on another laptop.

 

[Richard in AZ]

Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2;
Vista SP1; Vista 64-bit SP2; Win7; Win7 64-bit) when posting in a forum or
newsgroup. Please do so in your next reply.

Are you referring to your Hotmail contacts, your Outlook contacts, your
Outlook Express contacts, or...?

Are you running AVG (Free) v9.x? What anti-spyware applications (other than
Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?

Ok, running WinXP SP3. It's my Hotmail contacts that have been wiped -
I can manually put them back, however. I use AVG v9 (Free). Nothing
has come up on that. I don 't have any other anti-spyware progs
running. Still running internet using a cable from router - wireless
not working on my PC but no problem on another laptop.

Are your hotmail contacts on the Hotmail server or on your computer?
If on the server, it was not a virus on your computer that deleted them.

Have you just updated to SP3 or have you had it working for a while? SP3 does conflict with some
wireless adapter drivers.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Ok, running WinXP SP3. It's my Hotmail contacts that have been wiped -
I can manually put them back, however. I use AVG v9 (Free). Nothing
has come up on that. I don 't have any other anti-spyware progs
running. Still running internet using a cable from router - wireless
not working on my PC but no problem on another laptop.

OK, we'll bottom-post then...

AVG does not scan your Hotmail messages or contacts nor are they located on
your HDD.

What to do if you think your account has been stolen or hijacked
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=6ea0c7b3-1473-4176-b03f-145b951dcb41

Windows Live Online Solutions Center
http://windowslivehelp.com/Default.aspx
FAQ:
http://windowslivehelp.com/solution.aspx?solutionid=e2b2292c-2f10-4c7e-8785-e1d898ece45d

Solutions for Common Hotmail Problems
http://windowslivehelp.com/solutions.aspx?productid=1

Hotmail Community Forums <=post all Hotmail-specific questions here!
http://windowslivehelp.com/forums.aspx?productid=1

 

[LD55ZRA]

I found out this morning that my PC sent out about 50 e-mails from my
contacts list with a spam message. My virus checker hasn't found
anything (AVG). I did a system restore and went back a few days.
Problem now is that my wireless connection doesn't work now and I'm
doing this mail using a cable connection to the router. I can find
most of my contacts again but should I be worried that my PC has been
'taken over'? Could this virus? have taken all my IP address info? I
have tried all the usual things to restore my wireless connection -
like 'repair' but to no avail. Any ideas how I can get it back please?

I have never liked AVG since version 8 was released. I am currently
using MSE and Avast and both are doing very well on my system. Did you
keep backups of your system? Perhaps you should from now onwards
bearing in mind M$ will stop support of XP soon and so your own
discipline will come to your rescue.

hth

 

[Pete L]

I have never liked AVG since version 8 was released.  I am currently
using MSE and Avast and both are doing very well on my system.  Did you
keep backups of your system?  Perhaps you should from now onwards
bearing in mind M$ will stop support of XP soon and so your own
discipline will come to your rescue.

hth

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. However, things have not
improved and I have just spent 30 mins on the phone to my internet
provider to solve the wireless problem. My laptop works fine using a
cable from the router but it will not connect wirelessly. We tried all
kinds of settings and tweaks but without success. The lady I spoke to
has given up and says take the laptop to a computer shop! Before I do,
does anybody know any tests I can do to check that this is or is not a
hardware problem with the wireless adaptor that is built in my laptop?

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I have never liked AVG since version 8 was released. I am currently
using MSE and Avast and both are doing very well on my system. Did you
keep backups of your system? Perhaps you should from now onwards
bearing in mind M$ will stop support of XP soon and so your own
discipline will come to your rescue.

hth

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. However, things have not
improved and I have just spent 30 mins on the phone to my internet
provider to solve the wireless problem. My laptop works fine using a
cable from the router but it will not connect wirelessly. We tried all
kinds of settings and tweaks but without success. The lady I spoke to
has given up and says take the laptop to a computer shop! Before I do,
does anybody know any tests I can do to check that this is or is not a
hardware problem with the wireless adaptor that is built in my laptop?

==========

Start with turning all encyption off on the wireless connection, at the
router, and at the laptop. Then, increase the security levels till you
find a point where they can't connect. You'll be switching between wired
and wireless connections.

If you're concerned about security, simply unplug the router from its feed.
For your test destination, just go to the router address; if you get the
admin login dialog, the wireless is working. You don't have to log in.

If you can't connect to the router with no security, then it's likely that
there is a problem with the hardware.

That said, I *have* seen a router that wouldn't allow anything to connect
*if* all four of the keys were filled in (you'll see this kind of thing on
the wireless setup pages). I had to set it to have only one of the four
possible keys filled in for it to work at all.

HTH
-pk

 

[Pete L]

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. However, things have not
improved and I have just spent 30 mins on the phone to my internet
provider to solve the wireless problem. My laptop works fine using a
cable from the router but it will not connect wirelessly. We tried all
kinds of settings and tweaks but without success. The lady I spoke to
has given up and says take the laptop to a computer shop! Before I do,
does anybody know any tests I can do to check that this is or is not a
hardware problem with the wireless adaptor that is built in my laptop?

==========

Start with turning all encyption off on the wireless connection, at the
router, and at the laptop.   Then, increase the security levels till you
find a point where they can't connect.    You'll be switching betweenwired
and wireless connections.

If you're concerned about security, simply unplug the router from its feed.
For your test destination, just go to the router address;   if you get the
admin login dialog, the wireless is working.   You don't have to log in..

If you can't connect to the router with no security, then it's likely that
there is a problem with the hardware.

That said, I *have* seen a router that wouldn't allow anything to connect
*if* all four of the keys were filled in (you'll see this kind of thing on
the wireless setup pages).   I had to set it to have only one of the four
possible keys filled in for it to work at all.

HTH
-pk

Yes, we went through all the turning off security but it still didn't
connect. I have had occasions whereby the wireless internet dropped
out for a few seconds and came back in. At the same time the little
blue wireless light at the front of the laptop flicked on and off. I'm
begining to think it is a problem with the wireless adaptor. Just
seems an odd coincidence that this occurred following a virus incident?