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I think my mac might have a virus in it... please help!!!

K

kidalex

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 17, 2008
18
0
My mac has been virus free for a long time, but I think my virus-free days are over now...

Basically everything goes wrong, the menu bar doesn't respond, and applications don't open. Everything is right after I restart, but after 10 minutes, it goes wrong again.

Please help me!!!:):):):):)
 
You will need to supply a lot more information

Are you running Leopard?
Are you up to date?
What Mac are you using?

Are those the only symptoms?
Do you have any 3rd party hacks?
Have you installed anything lately?

Have you created a new user account to see if things are OK there?

Etc.

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
Installing Leopard 10.5.5

I'm gonna install 10.5.5...

I've hacked it before, but I've deleted everything...
It all started to happen a day ago, and I haven't downloaded anything...

Thanks, guys...

I'll tell you if 10.5.5 makes a difference
 
Arrghh

Now I'm freaking out!!! After I installed 10.5.5, and I rebooted, (after I installed it) it brings me too the gray screen with the apple and the continuous circle, but after that the screen just turns blue and nothing happens. I tried rebooting again but it happens again!!!

HELP!!!
 
You "hacked" it?

Anyway, just start the computer from the Leopard DVD, open up Disk Utility and repair permissions on your drive. See if it makes a difference.
 
WarMachine said:
You "hacked" it?

Anyway, just start the computer from the Leopard DVD, open up Disk Utility and repair permissions on your drive. See if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...

+1. I recommend you do this and also verify/repair your startup drive while you are at it. Also, is this a notebook or desktop?

First of all, there are no viruses for mac out in the wild.

Second, did the 10.5.5 update fully install?

You may also want to do a PRAM (option,command, p, and r keys held down at restart until chime, restart, and chime again) and SMC reset (Shut down everything and unplug/take out battery if this is a notebook. Leave unplugged/battery out for about 5 minutes then put it all back together.) If that doesn't work and you can't get it to start up boot into safe mode by holding shift at startup.
 
I've noticed that every thread that says " I think my Mac has a virus" is started by a newbie.. That's not a knock on the OP, or newbies in general, just an odd coincidence that for some strange reason I noticed over the years.. It's weird, the things that we notice for no apparent reason..

Doesn't sound like a virus- but I am curious as to what would cause that strange behavior..Keep us posted when you figure out what caused this- and also when you figure out the solution..
 
Just do a clean install and restore your files from your backup.

If you hack the system and download dodgy files then I'm assuming you are savvy enough to have a backup for this sort of scenario.
 
You don't have a virus, you just fubar'd your system. Clean install time. Or just take it back to the store since you don't know how to stop mucking it up.
 
kidalex said:
Now I'm freaking out!!! After I installed 10.5.5, and I rebooted, (after I installed it) it brings me too the gray screen with the apple and the continuous circle, but after that the screen just turns blue and nothing happens. I tried rebooting again but it happens again!!!

HELP!!!
Click to expand...

I have some recommendations, but because you haven't provided some essential information, my recommendations are going to be rather catch-all than specific...

1 - You don't have anything backed up (shame on you!)
a - find your original Leopard disk. Boot from it. Archive and Install. Be sure to include all the "extra" software that came with your machine, ie iWork. It is not reinstalled by default.

2 - You have everything backed up with time machine
a - find your original Leopard disk. Boot from it. Erase and Install. Then restore from your time machine backup.

3 - You have everything backed up by manually copying files to a usb drive, network drive, idisk, etc, etc etc and you don't mind risking that none of your settings or third party apps come back.
a - find your original Leopard disk. Boot from it. Erase and Install. Then restore by copying your files back to your home folder. Reinstall only ESSENTIAL 3rd party apps. No hacks. No tweaks.

4 - any of the above are true, but you live near an Apple store and have current Applecare...
a - take your machine to the Apple store and let them help you for free.

5 - any of the above (except #4) are true, but you live near an Apple store and you have money and don't mind paying for help.
a - take your machine to the Apple store and pay them to help you.

******* ****** ****** ******

b - this is step b for all the steps above...Just use OS X by itself for a while. Create a new backup as soon as your machine becomes stable and usable. Don't let system update run until you have a few trouble-free days.
c - create a new backup before letting system update download and install 10.5.5, etc....
d - be sure to come back here and post and let us know how you made out

hope this helps...
 
Thanks to everyone

I want to clarify that I did have my files backed up.

I did a clean install of leopard and did all the software updates. Leopard runs fine now.

Thank you to you all! (especially for helping a kid newbie:):):))
 
jemeinc said:
I've noticed that every thread that says " I think my Mac has a virus" is started by a newbie.. That's not a knock on the OP, or newbies in general, just an odd coincidence that for some strange reason I noticed over the years.. ..
Click to expand...
kidalex said:
Thank you to you all! (especially for helping a kid newbie:):):))
Click to expand...
That's because most "newbies" come from a Windows experience where 80+% of problems ARE caused by viruses, trojans, malware, etc. They don't yet accept the fact that there are no viruses in the wild that affect Macs, so frequently they suspect a virus when things happen that they don't understand.
 
I do not come from Windows

I do not come from windows! That would be boo-hoo for me, because I've always been with macs, since they first came out!

Thanks everybody for your help! I think I did overreact a little...

What can you expect, I'm a kid :)
 
Been a couple decades.

So did you jump in with the Lisa, the Mac 512, or the Fat Mac, or a converted Apple 2 user.
 
kidalex said:
I do not come from windows! That would be boo-hoo for me, because I've always been with macs, since they first came out!
Thanks everybody for your help! I think I did overreact a little...
What can you expect, I'm a kid :)
Click to expand...
No one said that you came from Windows.
ggjstudios said:
That's because most "newbies" come from a Windows experience....
Click to expand...
And if you have "always been with macs, since they first came out!", then you're NOT a "kid", and you should know that there are no viruses that affect Macs.
Sun Baked said:
Been a couple decades.
So did you jump in with the Lisa, the Mac 512, or the Fat Mac, or a converted Apple 2 user.
Click to expand...
You're quite right, Sun Baked. The Macintosh was introduced in 1984. My first Apple was the Apple II.
 
ggjstudios said:
The Macintosh was introduced in 1984. My first Apple was the Apple II.
Click to expand...


Me too.. I still remembered seeing them at banks for awhile even after the Mac was introduced.. Another one of those goofy things that I'm probably the only knucklehead that actually noticed..

;-)
 
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