Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Downloaded a file that contains a Windows virus into my iMac, what should I do now?

S

seasurfer

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 12, 2007
756
184
I was trying to play around with my old Windows Tablet PC, since I no longer use it as my main computer, I downloaded a crack file through my iMac for my Tablet PC. This file appear as usual, I transferred this file to my flash disk, and from there on I transfered it to my Tablet PC and run it. After running the crack file, my Tablet PC is not function well, I couldn't reboot probably anymore, now I am pretty sure it is because the crack file contains virus.

I have no choice but to format my Tablet PC, it is such a painful job. The question now is there anything I should do with my iMac, nothing is happening to my iMac at this time, since the file I download was an .exe file, it can't be run on a Mac anyway, but I wonder will that virus hide somewhere in my Mac and spread to other computer?

The other question is should I format my flash disk as well?
 
You don't need to do anything to your Mac (except delete the file, if you can find it).

You might was well reformat your flash disk (it's simple enough), but use your mac to copy any files you want to keep first (although, you may not want to put them back on your PC).
 
Thanks a lot everyone. The response is fast.

But I have very important files in my flash disk. If I use those file on my MBP under Vista with Boot Camp, will my whole MBP get screwed up? Or at most just the partition get screwed up?

I think the virus corrupt the window login UI...I guess...because my Tablet Pc hang there and it says memory is corrupted something like that.
 
Copy the files off and format the drive.

There's a chance the malicious application could have altered your files on the flash drive.
 
What kind of files are they?

I would use OS X to copy the files from the flash drive to your Mac partition first, and transfer them to Windows only if they seem uncorrupted.
 
EricNau said:
What kind of files are they?

I would use OS X to copy the files from the flash drive to your Mac partition first, and transfer them to Windows only if they seem uncorrupted.
Click to expand...

They are mostly PDF, doc, xls, jpg, mov, 1 big .iso and 1 big .rar file which I downloaded for experiments on my MBP under vista mode, that is all.


Just an off topic question, can a virus affect a mac through bootcamp windows?
 
Eidorian said:
If the virus decides to indiscriminately delete drive partitions or can read HFS+. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Got it, I guess 99.99% of virus couldn't read +HFS...Windows couldn't even detect it.

What if the Vista is running under Parallels/Fusion? Since files can be easily transferred...what about the virus? Will the ruin Mac OS?
 
seasurfer said:
Got it, I guess 99.99% of virus couldn't read +HFS...Windows couldn't even detect it.

What if the Vista is running under Parallels/Fusion? Since files can be easily transferred...what about the virus? Will the ruin Mac OS?
Click to expand...
There's a good chance that your shared folders/files are fair game.
 
I'm not you - and Edorian seems to know a tad more about computers than most (considering his job and what not) so his advice is definitely worth while.

But if it were ME - and you have Parallels installed - I'd copy it (clone the XP install in parallels) it's super easy in parallels. Get yourself a McAfee antivirus trial (or what not) install on the "copy" Parallels and run all the antivirus updates. Then on the "copy" Parallels - restrict (disable) everything down to the file sharing / and even network connections. Boot it up - and drop the entire flash drive contents into it - and run a scan with the antivirus. She if it detects anything and/or XP gets tanked. If so - simply delete that parallels machine, and revert back to your old one as if nothing ever happened.

At the very least - you could scan the files that you hope to be clean to put your mind at ease.

Also worth chewing on - many "hack" or "mod" files will sometimes just brick your computer - and not be a virus at all. (just a bad file or install) AND - some of these hack programs WILL show up as a virus - even if they are not.

But being you're not hugely attached to this program - if it gets flagged, just kill it rather than trying to "disinfect" it.
 
seasurfer said:
You mean under Boot Camp partition, my Vista can read HFS+? I didn't know that boot camp has such a function.
Click to expand...
I pointed out two applications that allow you to do so.
Big-TDI-Guy said:
I'm not you - and Edorian seems to know a tad more about computers than most (considering his job and what not) so his advice is definitely worth while.

But if it were ME - and you have Parallels installed - I'd copy it (clone the XP install in parallels) it's super easy in parallels. Get yourself a McAfee antivirus trial (or what not) install on the "copy" Parallels and run all the antivirus updates. Then on the "copy" Parallels - restrict (disable) everything down to the file sharing / and even network connections. Boot it up - and drop the entire flash drive contents into it - and run a scan with the antivirus. She if it detects anything and/or XP gets tanked. If so - simply delete that parallels machine, and revert back to your old one as if nothing ever happened.

At the very least - you could scan the files that you hope to be clean to put your mind at ease.

Also worth chewing on - many "hack" or "mod" files will sometimes just brick your computer - and not be a virus at all. (just a bad file or install) AND - some of these hack programs WILL show up as a virus - even if they are not.

But being you're not hugely attached to this program - if it gets flagged, just kill it rather than trying to "disinfect" it.
Click to expand...
http://www.clamxav.com/
 
Eidorian said:
I pointed out two applications that allow you to do so.
http://www.clamxav.com/
Click to expand...


Thanks Eidorian and Big TDI Guy,

Does Clamxav screen for Windows virus, I thought they only screen for Mac Virus?


Big TDI Guy, I guess you could be right, the crack file that I downloaded may just want to break my system only. It may not be a virus? Since it seems that only my Windows Login UI was affected, but it was a serious corruption, since not being able to run windows login UI means you can't run windows probably, I guess?

I am painfully reinstalling Windows XP into my Tablet PC now, haha...let's continue on this topic.
 
seasurfer said:
Thanks Eidorian and Big TDI Guy,

Does Clamxav screen for Windows virus, I thought they only screen for Mac Virus?


Big TDI Guy, I guess you could be right, the crack file that I downloaded may just want to break my system only. It may not be a virus? Since it seems that only my Windows Login UI was affected, but it was a serious corruption, since not being able to run windows login UI means you can't run windows probably, I guess?

I am painfully reinstalling Windows XP into my Tablet PC now, haha...let's continue on this topic.
Click to expand...
It's for Windows viruses.

Let's not get into even the existence of a Mac one. ;)
 
Stupid question - but did you try to boot it up in safe mode before reinstalling? Did you have any "recovery points" set up?

Considering you're reinstalling now - probably too late.

If you DID wipe the computer for a reinstall - at least be sure to reformat it in fdisk (the long, slow, painful reformat) just in case it is a virus hiding out in some obscure directory. Before reinstalling Windows.
 
seasurfer said:
Does Clamxav screen for Windows virus, I thought they only screen for Mac Virus?
Click to expand...
The one Mac 'virus' is hardly a virus, it even needs your password to install it...Clamxav and others scan for Windows viruses incase you're going to be sharing files with an unprotected PC you care about :)
 
Big-TDI-Guy said:
Stupid question - but did you try to boot it up in safe mode before reinstalling? Did you have any "recovery points" set up?

Considering you're reinstalling now - probably too late.

If you DID wipe the computer for a reinstall - at least be sure to reformat it in fdisk (the long, slow, painful reformat) just in case it is a virus hiding out in some obscure directory. Before reinstalling Windows.
Click to expand...
Picking the non-Quick format in the Windows installer would do the trick. ;)
 
Yes, basically any virus scanner for OS X is scanning for Windows viruses to keep any/all viruses from spreading to any Windows machine on the network.

They aren't scanning for OS X viruses because there aren't any. ;)

EDIT: Well, I guess I'm to slow for this thread... :p
 
EricNau said:
Yes, basically any virus scanner for OS X is scanning for Windows viruses to keep any/all viruses from spreading to any Windows machine on the network.

They aren't scanning for OS X viruses because there aren't any. ;)

EDIT: Well, I guess I'm to slow for this thread... :p
Click to expand...

No, you're not slow, Eidorian is just the fastest (#*$ing post-ninja I've ever seen.

Ever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back