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Yeah, I have had those virus' before. Sometimes they can be removed by hand if you can go into your programs and find it and delete it. You just need to find the name of the software first.
Then you can do a search either with the computer's search program, or manually go into your hard drive and find it, (though that is painstaking, it is worth it if you find it).
Most real AV's prevent these 'fake AV's' from getting on your computer. I use a cheap but effective AV called Defender Pro. It is only $20 for a years protection. Well worth it in my opinion seeing that I have SO much info there.

Lawrence

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You couldn't format your hardrive and just reinstall your windows or w/e you use? Would have saved you alot of money. Granted, you would loose everything, but aren't the guys 'fixing' your comp doing just that?
Formating a hard drive is very easy. you can do it before windows pops up and your worm software kicks in. When you turn the comp on, just mash F3 or w/e it says to go into your set-up. you can do it there.

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I am glad you have your computer back and you have AV now. I am just sorry I was not able to let you know how to format your hard drive yourself sooner.
Keep safe.

My PC problem doesn't appear to have been caused by a virus, but it was troublesome. Had to re-install MS XP. That meant re-installing all other programs. I also lost my bookmarks. It is a pain getting things back in the order I had them. Lots of time wasted. Asking for help from Microsoft costs money and I don't think Bill Gates needs more. I may decide to get another operating system.

My PC once again boots up and that's my good news. I avoided the temptation to boot my PC out the door.

My next desktop computer will be an Apple. I don't support Microsoft anymore. They've completely lost their edge, IMO. Google and Apple are eating their lunch. Let Bill Gates play in Africa, that's what he and that company are good for now. Their stock is garbage, too.

It's called malware, and there is a procedure for removing it without reformatting or replacing the hard drive. You have to know how to start up the computer in "safe" mode, then run a program called RKill, which you can download. That program temporarily disables the malware. Then you run another program called Malawarebytes' Anti-Malware, and run it periodically to scan for new infections.

Malware typically gets onto your computer when you visit websites that host the malware. Usually it's a website that people visit to find bootleg music, cracked software, porn, hate messages, etc. I guess they figure people who visit those sites are too stupid to see what's happening.

Google RKill to learn more than you ever wanted to know about it.

I tried starting my PC in the safe mode and when that didn't work, the other modes shown. Nothing worked. When the PC doesn't boot up, trying to use the PC to perform any operation is not possible as far as I know.

I Have XP on one comp, and Vista on the other. XP is a good operating system, but it is not good when it comes to malware and Virus'. Vista and windows 7 is much better. When you have the system disk, and you have malware, virus', or other problems in your system, you have an option on the disk that is ready for this.
First, you'd have to go into start-up and set boot from disk and first priority. Then you stick the system disk in and restart the comp. At this point you have a few options that pop up. One of these options you can reinstall vista or windows 7 but KEEP your previous software. What it does is put ALL the previous software in a separate folder and makes them in-active so-to speak. Then it reinstalls, (or installs if you are upgrading to vista or windows 7 from xp). Once this is accomplished, you can drag any programs out of this file that is called 'Old', and put them onto your active desktop, or into a folder you make in the hard drive. After you've pulled out all your old files you want, just delete the 'old' file and all the malware and virus' are deleted with it.
Maybe this can help those of you who are having problems.

Abe F. March wrote:

I tried starting my PC in the safe mode and when that didn't work, the other modes shown. Nothing worked. When the PC doesn't boot up, trying to use the PC to perform any operation is not possible as far as I know.

When it gets to that point, you must boot from another device, recover your files from the main hard disk, and rebuild the system. Or connect your impaired hard drive as a slave device to another system to recover anything you don't have backed up somewhere.

Often, however, a complete failure to boot is the result of a system failure. Such as a disk crash, memory failure, etc. Someone with diagnostic tools and skills is called for. Switching to Apple doesn't address this problem. Eventually everything breaks.

Most malware does not impair your ability to boot. It cannot do its deed, whatever that is, if the computer doesn't start up.