laurainlimbo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
laurainlimbo) wrote2007-10-20 10:06 pm
laurainlimbo) wrote2007-10-20 10:06 pm
Entry tags:
back on track - hopefully
my computer is back!! for now, at least - but let's all keep our fingers crossed.
Apparently, my computer was hijacked and taken over by viruses and trojans, ones that even the best computer whizzes could not even delete without seriously damaging my windows system forever. in what was probably one of the biggest nightmares of my life, I spent almost 4 hours over the course of 3 days and nights sitting on the phone with Geek Squad agents as they tried (in vain) to get rid of the hundreds of viruses that were on my hard drive. I finally just gave up after the fourth phone call and asked for a supervisor - because nothing was getting fixed, and I was wasting time and money (which I still need to get refunded - well, the money anyway, not the time!). The agents wouldn't ever tell me that my computer was beyond fixing - they just kept moving stuff around and doing scans that were pointless. The supervisor spent quite a while explaining to me that over the last six months, these computer viruses have become these multi-million dollar operations, and that these hackers are actually getting the information from computers and creating what they call "zombie computers" -almost like carbon copies of a computer, which then they use to steal confidential information from other computers and create these spam email accounts, etc. it's really quite scary! and virus scan programs like MacAFee and Norton are no good because they actually leave a backdoor on your computers (a way in) because they need to spy on people for potential threats (terrorism, pedophilia, etc). so the only solution is virus scan programs that are not made in the U.S. and that don't come with all the ads. So be careful!
Anyway, I ended up backing up my files, and completely reinstalling windows. This took the last three nights (and part of today) to get completed, because I had a totally clean slate to work with and had to install all of the programs and utilities and drivers to get the computer back to what it was before. And now it's actually faster and better than before!
so I am a week behind on people's posts, about three weeks behind on emails and comments, and I wasn't even able to watch Thursday's Supernatural until tonight - I just finished it about 30 minutes ago and it was fantastic - and hilarious!
Sadly I won't really be able to catch up on LJ for another week - I have two seriously huge midterms next week (I think I mentioned before) - about 20 chapters of material altogether to study. I'm not very motivated either, so I really had better get off of this computer and go back to some studying before I fall asleep.
If I ever get some time, I want to do some movie reviews, photo posts, and some serious updating... but for now, my life is pretty focused on probate, wills, and other legal stuff (for my classes of course) - plus the never-ending quest for getting the rest of the files and programs back onto my hard drive.
so, here I go to study ... wish me luck (though caffeine is what I really need!)
Apparently, my computer was hijacked and taken over by viruses and trojans, ones that even the best computer whizzes could not even delete without seriously damaging my windows system forever. in what was probably one of the biggest nightmares of my life, I spent almost 4 hours over the course of 3 days and nights sitting on the phone with Geek Squad agents as they tried (in vain) to get rid of the hundreds of viruses that were on my hard drive. I finally just gave up after the fourth phone call and asked for a supervisor - because nothing was getting fixed, and I was wasting time and money (which I still need to get refunded - well, the money anyway, not the time!). The agents wouldn't ever tell me that my computer was beyond fixing - they just kept moving stuff around and doing scans that were pointless. The supervisor spent quite a while explaining to me that over the last six months, these computer viruses have become these multi-million dollar operations, and that these hackers are actually getting the information from computers and creating what they call "zombie computers" -almost like carbon copies of a computer, which then they use to steal confidential information from other computers and create these spam email accounts, etc. it's really quite scary! and virus scan programs like MacAFee and Norton are no good because they actually leave a backdoor on your computers (a way in) because they need to spy on people for potential threats (terrorism, pedophilia, etc). so the only solution is virus scan programs that are not made in the U.S. and that don't come with all the ads. So be careful!
Anyway, I ended up backing up my files, and completely reinstalling windows. This took the last three nights (and part of today) to get completed, because I had a totally clean slate to work with and had to install all of the programs and utilities and drivers to get the computer back to what it was before. And now it's actually faster and better than before!
so I am a week behind on people's posts, about three weeks behind on emails and comments, and I wasn't even able to watch Thursday's Supernatural until tonight - I just finished it about 30 minutes ago and it was fantastic - and hilarious!
Sadly I won't really be able to catch up on LJ for another week - I have two seriously huge midterms next week (I think I mentioned before) - about 20 chapters of material altogether to study. I'm not very motivated either, so I really had better get off of this computer and go back to some studying before I fall asleep.
If I ever get some time, I want to do some movie reviews, photo posts, and some serious updating... but for now, my life is pretty focused on probate, wills, and other legal stuff (for my classes of course) - plus the never-ending quest for getting the rest of the files and programs back onto my hard drive.
so, here I go to study ... wish me luck (though caffeine is what I really need!)
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I miss you too - hopefully at the end of this week I can actually be back for awhile...
*hugs you tight*
btw, did you ever find any more good icons from episode number 3? I loved that show!!
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now I have to find tonight's epi!! how was it?
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*hugs*
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*Hugs*
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awww, you are such a sweetie - I'm running to your site now, before I go back to studying!!
*hugs you*
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*Huggles*
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*huggles*
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*Hugs*
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*hugs*
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how are you?
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take care!! *hugs*
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Well im a bit headachey today as guess what Im back on nights lol!
but you get use to it!
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I've had wonderful experiences with the Geek Squad, so that's weird that they couldn't help. It had to be horribly frustrating for you. But yay! for a faster computer.
I missed Supernatural too. I haven't figured out how to find it online yet.
Good luck on your midterms.
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I can send you a link for the supernatural that you can download - or ask Dawnie as she always has access to that stuff:) just let me know. I am searching for tonight's show too since I had a test!
*hugs*
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and today is your birthday - happy birthday to you!! I'm so sorry I was too busy and preoccupied to get something in the mail to you. but I did remember the day!!
*hugs* !!!! have a great day!
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thanks for the good luck. the midterms are over - yay!! and I can rest this weekend as I think we are going away for a little road trip!
HOw are you?
*hugs*
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