Ok, so I was quietly downloading a torrent. I open the file (Sony Acid Music Studio), then suddenly I get a popup. This was unusual, since i simply don't get popups. What's more, is I wasn't even using the net. Suddenly, my desktop changes.

YOUR COMPUTER IS INFECTED!

It begins. Popups after popups begin to fuck me sideways. I knew i was majorly raped by a trojan. I try system restore. The only restore point was automatically made after the virus(s) took hold on my system.

I try add/remove programs, but it is nowhere to be seen. I am plagued with fake spyware alert ads, phony updates and my desktop becomes cluttered with FREE SEX links.

Yes, I have officially been raped.

Anyway, I spoke to my incidentally asian friend. He told me to partition C:\ and copy into a new drive, then format it. I tried, but every single time i try, I get the message:

"Cannot transfer file:File in use"

I've tried everything, I can't find the origin, and yes, i've already done away with the music studio piece of shit. Even as I type this, every 10 seconds I get a popup.

First time this has happened for about 4 years.

Anyway, is there any way to fix this besides completely format my hard-drive and re-install windows? I wouldn't lose anything too important, but it'll be a bitch to reinstall Microsoft Works, my games, and my terabytes of porn.

And I won't be re-installing Norton. Fucking piece of shit.

thanks

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To be honest, reformatting is going to be the *easiest* thing to do.

The other easy option would be to add another hard drive to copy all the things you need via the Windows recovery console.

__________________
Trueborn Vorpal - I do things.
(irc.slashnet.org #winprog)

have you tried an anti-virus? seems like the smart thing to do when you get a virus.

download AVG or one of the dozen free ones and see how it goes. if it fails you haven't really lost anything.

Formatted it. My main concern is now reinstalling the damn soundcard, cos i lost the disc.

Anyway, I had the latest anti-virus, but the problem was the virus latched itself onto system files, so the anti-virus (or me for that matter) couldn't touch it.

'the anti virus'

you know there are dozens out there right? its like anything else, if one fails, use another.

But I thought that was a problem that any anti-virus couldn't fix, I mean don't all of them steer clear of system files?

That'll teach you for using torrents.

I know.

I use torrents all the time, and for the most part I would consider them more secure then P2P software (limewire, etc.) plus the downloads are faster (Last night one of my torrents peaked at 312kb/s which is unheard of for me. I'm lucky to go over 140.)

Either way, you did a stupid thing and now you've learned from it =)

PS: I have a few reasons for why torrents are more secure:
1) Normally people have opportunities to comment on the torrent file. You don't get this on P2P

I'm to hungover to think of the others.