Frustrating last 2 days....

Well, my buddy Nick called. He wanted to get the TV set I offered him free. I paid $1000 for it at "Sams Club". I have seen it in "Sears" and other places retailing for $1500. It's a 32 inch Toshiba, with huge speakers on the side. Way bigger and bettter then the "32" inch TV's you are used to seeing. I know it's not worth that much now, but still is a great TV. Value I couldn't say... I bought this 5-8 years ago.

I did some moving around, and it was hard for me to "get it where I wanted".. but for some reason this was my "baby". Hell, besides the kids.. that's about the only thing my first wife left. I've had to store it at times, and at other times I just let friends borrow it.

Well this last time, I left it at my "ex" brother-in-laws. He needed a TV, so I said he could borrow it. But I would want it back someday. He had it like a year. We don't lack TV's here... just no room for another. Yes, that one was the best.. but we had no room for another TV.

I decided to give it to "Nick".. Free.. All I said was, "catch up with me someday.. hey maybe buy me a gun or something when you can". I sold all mine when I was in Florida. He was cool on that.. he came over to get me in his van (this is a huge TV) and get it from my (ex) brother in law.

I have to be honest.. I didn't trust the TV there. Jim (my ex's brother) has been in and out of jail and prison all his life. He would sell the sucker out from under me (I believe) in a second if he felt he needed something. I am surprised he kept it that long. Anyway, my thinking was.. I really don't want my TV staying in my "ex's" family. So.. I got it back. I gave it away "free" to another friend... but this friend knows the value of "true" friendship... and everything comes back.

Nick and I grew up alot different then alot. My parents were SUPER liberal, his were somewhat liberal. But both of us learned... DO ANYTHING for anyone. Don't steal from people, and just basically do what you can to be cool. So I know with Nick,,, my TV (his now) went to a good place.

Before he picked him up, I woke and found the "kids" was on my computer. Well... they "fucked it up bad". Going to sites they weren't supposed to probably... and both point the finger at the other. I spent about 2 hours trying to fix (and I am very computer literate).. but couldn't before Nick picked me up.

I then went to his house. We got a case of beer.. and he had a new computer for me to help him with. Laptop, and he didn't know a thing. So we did that alot. We also picked up my (His) TV. I threw my back out, like real bad. Three of us moving it and it still happened. I already had major cramps, (an ongoing problem of mine), plus my back went out. So I have looked like the "Hunchback" for the past few days. I can't even walk straight.

Well I came back, and I spent like all day "working" on my computer. The problem I have sorted. The solution I have mostly sorted. I got a "virus" from something they went to.. that actually was a "mask", that claimed to be anti-virus software. Well.. it wasn't and was executed somehow. Avast (My main.. and the best freeware antivirus soft) couldn't pick it up. It made and Icon on my start menu, that would make these "pop-ups" constant. Saying I had a virus. It didn't show a name, you couldn't right click and "disable" I had to take hours to locate where it was. Then once I did, I had to go into "safe mode" just to delete the main files. The reason... if a program is running, you can't just delete it (A Memory Resident program). But that program (virus) blocked every chance to disable.

So ok.. I finally deleted the files, but my Avast (anti-virus) now shows I have a virus working in the "system" memory. That means, it runs the moment I start up the computer. Now here is something to know. I promise, anyone of you who does a FULL scan of your computer for a virus will find some. We ALL have some. Most are "Spyware", or "Malware".. those aren't that bad by my thinking. See, they aren't altering an (.exe, .com, .sys) or any other file. Those mostly need to be removed by a full system scan. If they tried to alter something important... your current anti-virus software would detect. Personally.. I knew I had many viruses in my system. But no way am I gonna do a "full scan" with all the chit I got.. (which takes hours) all the time. Personally.. I decide what the "threat" is...

My biggest problem today... A very "bad" virus got in my system. I'll remind you, I program in 10 computer languages.. and have wrote viruses myself (although I never released them). I know how they work, and what they do. This one just threw me OFF Bigtime....

So I got the virus gone now (here is where I am at). I know all the files and such. However, Windows XP has it's own Security System. I had it enabled.. but now all is disabled. The security system was making many "pop-ups" that I had a threat, but was blocked from helping. Now I have no threats (I am certain)... but the Windows Security still reports I do. It points to things I know are taking care of. I can't turn that off.. I tried.. I still don't understand why. I don't understand why I can't delete that.

I think I "mostly" killed the thing.. lol. In honesty, my computer reports NO viruses. Not even those I could care less about. But I haven't figured out how to "end" the warnings completely. At first the warnings were like every second.. couldn't even use the computer. Now... I get a tiny little "warning pop-up" every 30-45 mins.. that points to a problem I no longer have.

Well.... not finished... but at least wearing the thing down!!!

Gary :)