PCTech Forums

Having been hijacked twice in the last two months, I was wondering how I can create a "build" on a separate internal or external hard drive, or on a series of CDs. In this way, I was thinking, I could restore my system in a rather timely manner. The last hijack took down my fire wall, my ftp, and my web browser. Using the seven-or-so programs you all offered to maintain my machine is good, but at some point a complete re-format and re-load is necessary. When I do this, can I create a build immediately after I confirm InterNet functionality and before another hijack, virus, etc. A friend at work said he believed this was possible with a program called SysPrep.

Thanks for you help, quietguy....

I think if you have a certain drive for your operating system and another that is designated for all of your programs and data, then you should get a copy of Norton Ghost. That way you can create an exact copy of your drive and then restore it later after you do your reformat. If you need help finding Ghost let me know.

You mentioned FTP which most people don't use. Are you on cable running without a router or on wireless system that is sharing the c drive?

Are you running a current virus program?

It sounds like your being hacked into. Or you have some kids playing on your system.

I have seen some people use the program Hijack to remove stuff and things go wrong. Is that what you are refering to losing, in the last hijack?

Thanks, that was what my tech at work suggested too. I shall move that direction.

Thanks, my tech at work also suggested this. I shall move in that direction.

thanks Icecube,

I use a dialup. My part of town is without any high speed connection. As near as I can tell I was hijacked on 5 December, it revealed itself on 1 January, with the help of three people here and seven programs we thought we had it CLEAN as a whistle, on 1 February it went worse than before - same symptoms, same randomly generate DLL files - but this time it took out my FTP, my Fire Wall, my Virus Scanner, my browser, and my Restore Points.

The seven programs continued to say the machine was clean. At that point, because I have this second computer, I decided to use this one for internet connection and my other computer for my work. Others recommended Norton Ghost as a way to create a restore point that is less vulnerable. I will look into this. If it does what I want, I will make both computers Intenet-able, Ghost both of them, and use this stripped down one for most connection while having the other as backup.

No kids messing around. Unlikely to be hacked since I am on so seldom (once or twice a week at inconsistent times). Well hijacked though.

Thanks for your time, respectfully, quiteguy