I recently had the "pleasure" of having to service a client's Compaq Presario CQ-62 laptop. It had files on it to the MAX, and the hard drive only had about 1GB remaining.
The ORIGINAL plan was to just install MS Windows 7 on top of the old Windows installation, and let the old installation go to a "Windows.old" folder, that way I could just drag out his files....That idea would not work, as he filled up his hard drive to the max! (GAH why do people do this?)...So I knew what I had to do, and had two options, reinstall Windows, or remove the virus. Either way, I had to back up his files, so here I go...
Since the PC DOES NOT have FireWire, or Target Disk Mode of any kind, I had to do things the excruciatingly long way.
I had to pull the hard drive out of the Compaq, and plug it into a unit made by DriveWire to my Mac...which was USB only. Then I proceeded to copy his stuff to an external hard drive (which was also USB only) that was provided by the client...a Seagate FreeAgent. This took FOUR HOURS....time that could have been used to you know...ACTUALLY WORK ON THE COMPUTER.
Let's pop the hard drive back in the computer and boot her up. Let's see, no files, but a full hard drive? It turns out the virus decided to "Hide" all of his files in Windows, so no average user would know how to get to them. So I had to go to Folder Options, then for some reason, the View tab....then select show hidden files, then proceeded to unhide all of the files...ANOTHER HOUR.
He had a Trojan that called up a fake anti-virus called "Win 7 Antispyware 2012"...So I went ahead on my Mac and looked up the instructions on Google to remove this. I was told to download a "remover" for which I did, and I followed all of the instructions to the letter.
FOUR HOURS LATER...AGAIN...The scan finished, but ONLY at the very end did it say, the Free version of this software can only DETECT but not remove. So wait a minute? I have already wasted 9 hours on this computer....for $80
.
I found another piece of software, called Super Anti-Spyware, and ran a scan, and then went to sleep, woke up in the morning. It found A LOT of infections, so I had it removed, and good to go. Internet worked again, and it looked like I didn't have to reinstall Windows. I returned the laptop to the client, and collected my money.
Fast forward to New Years Eve at around 5 PM, I receive a text stating:
"Virus Still Here. What should I do?"
I had installed Microsoft Security essentials, which looked eerily like that fake Anti-Virus program, so I could see why he was alarmed. I texted him back saying "What exactly is happening? There is a new Anti-Virus program i put on, Microsoft security essentials...it is not a virus, it is the new anti-virus software"
So he didn't respond, I thought it was all A-OK, until morning of New Years Day (The client has no respect that this was a holiday, and decided to text me this
"It is the same thing as before. No internet with message to purchase 2012 antivirus package. Please repair"....I was steamed, as this was a day that I was supposed to spend time with my friends, family, and girlfriend. I was steamed at the fact that he had no respect that this was a holiday.
I responded "I have made sure that it was gone after three to four hours of work, is there another computer on your network, or an email with a virus?"
He responded a couple hours later "Not that I am aware of. Please fix it."
Then a second text message stated "I went to gmail and it happened shortly after"
I responded "Did you have an email in your gmail account that could have caused this? I know I have had it running for over six hours with no issues at all"
He responded "I don't know. What do you suggest?"
What I don't get is two things...how did the virus come back so fast? And why do clients not seem to think that the people who service them have lives as well? So now it looks like I am supposed to drive over an hour just to fix his crap for free. UGH..
....FML....And this is the EXACT REASON why I use a Mac! And hopefully this gives those Windows fanboys who come here to bash some insight! I don't know what to do, but the good news is that, I did not go out to the client on my holiday.

The ORIGINAL plan was to just install MS Windows 7 on top of the old Windows installation, and let the old installation go to a "Windows.old" folder, that way I could just drag out his files....That idea would not work, as he filled up his hard drive to the max! (GAH why do people do this?)...So I knew what I had to do, and had two options, reinstall Windows, or remove the virus. Either way, I had to back up his files, so here I go...
Since the PC DOES NOT have FireWire, or Target Disk Mode of any kind, I had to do things the excruciatingly long way.
I had to pull the hard drive out of the Compaq, and plug it into a unit made by DriveWire to my Mac...which was USB only. Then I proceeded to copy his stuff to an external hard drive (which was also USB only) that was provided by the client...a Seagate FreeAgent. This took FOUR HOURS....time that could have been used to you know...ACTUALLY WORK ON THE COMPUTER.
Let's pop the hard drive back in the computer and boot her up. Let's see, no files, but a full hard drive? It turns out the virus decided to "Hide" all of his files in Windows, so no average user would know how to get to them. So I had to go to Folder Options, then for some reason, the View tab....then select show hidden files, then proceeded to unhide all of the files...ANOTHER HOUR.
He had a Trojan that called up a fake anti-virus called "Win 7 Antispyware 2012"...So I went ahead on my Mac and looked up the instructions on Google to remove this. I was told to download a "remover" for which I did, and I followed all of the instructions to the letter.
FOUR HOURS LATER...AGAIN...The scan finished, but ONLY at the very end did it say, the Free version of this software can only DETECT but not remove. So wait a minute? I have already wasted 9 hours on this computer....for $80
I found another piece of software, called Super Anti-Spyware, and ran a scan, and then went to sleep, woke up in the morning. It found A LOT of infections, so I had it removed, and good to go. Internet worked again, and it looked like I didn't have to reinstall Windows. I returned the laptop to the client, and collected my money.
Fast forward to New Years Eve at around 5 PM, I receive a text stating:
"Virus Still Here. What should I do?"
I had installed Microsoft Security essentials, which looked eerily like that fake Anti-Virus program, so I could see why he was alarmed. I texted him back saying "What exactly is happening? There is a new Anti-Virus program i put on, Microsoft security essentials...it is not a virus, it is the new anti-virus software"
So he didn't respond, I thought it was all A-OK, until morning of New Years Day (The client has no respect that this was a holiday, and decided to text me this
"It is the same thing as before. No internet with message to purchase 2012 antivirus package. Please repair"....I was steamed, as this was a day that I was supposed to spend time with my friends, family, and girlfriend. I was steamed at the fact that he had no respect that this was a holiday.
I responded "I have made sure that it was gone after three to four hours of work, is there another computer on your network, or an email with a virus?"
He responded a couple hours later "Not that I am aware of. Please fix it."
Then a second text message stated "I went to gmail and it happened shortly after"
I responded "Did you have an email in your gmail account that could have caused this? I know I have had it running for over six hours with no issues at all"
He responded "I don't know. What do you suggest?"
What I don't get is two things...how did the virus come back so fast? And why do clients not seem to think that the people who service them have lives as well? So now it looks like I am supposed to drive over an hour just to fix his crap for free. UGH..
....FML....And this is the EXACT REASON why I use a Mac! And hopefully this gives those Windows fanboys who come here to bash some insight! I don't know what to do, but the good news is that, I did not go out to the client on my holiday.
