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Topic Started: Apr 5 2005, 07:47 PM (104 Views)
Qman
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Headmaster
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Hey everyone! I was wondering... does this forum affect anyone's computer? Like give it a virus or mess it up or anything. I recently got a virus cleaned off of my computer and my dad thinks it was because of the forums. I really would appreciate replies.
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Dark Mistress
HoM Professor/DE Leader
Professors
I haven't had any problems with mine, but I have really good extra virus and firewall protection on my computer. I sure it is possible that others do not have any or very little protect so It may be possible you could pick up something from here, I thought maybe the links that are posted in the advertising forum might be a possible problem.
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Lexi
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Headmistress/Gryffindor Head of House
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I'm with Spellbook, I have anti-virus protection that updates regularly. Funny you should mention it today because my ISP owner is coming out tonight to renew it for me. I have been a computer owner for 12 months :) .

I don't go to a lot of forums, here, GH, DVT, Photobucket and Sig'n'Av are my main ones and the latest is LiveJournal. I do think limiting your choices to a select few is the best way.

I don't have any other protection but caution, the usual not opening attatchments and all that. Unfortunately our visits to other sites for information could also put us in danger. Not from the site itself, but from what people with small minds and no imagination leave there.
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Dark Mistress
HoM Professor/DE Leader
Professors
I am all over the internet doing research for alot of things. My daughter also does the same for school projects. I purchases the Norton internet security, to go along with my other virus protection. If I came across a website that is corrupted then my security will not allow me to enter that site. I get a window that flashes explaining the problem, if someone is trying to send a trojan virus or worm. It will also flash a box telling me what type they are trying to send and where it is coming from. It's pretty neat, and since I started using that program I has yet to have any problems. (Knock on Wood) I also have the automatic updates, which are done weekly. All emails are scanned in and out going also, so that helps. I know that anyone using yahoo messenger tends to pick up alot of viruses if they are not protected properly.
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Qman
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Thank you for your help. We are going to install Firewall and a Virus Scan program. I also have Ad Aware (very nice program). I used to have Yahoo Messenger, but deleted it when I got the virus. That may be part of the problem. The Virus scan program also scans emails in and out. Thanks again for your help.
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Lexi
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Headmistress/Gryffindor Head of House
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My protection is now up-to-date new Norton just like Spellbooks, and I had never heard of it before but my friendly ISP owner also installed Ad-Aware. I had 104 little buggies that had slowed me down a fair bit. As you said QM, very nice program :) .
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bookworm92
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S.A.P.E.W./RA
We have a lot of protection and our internet is used very widely, but I don't think HP has a bug.
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Nymphadora Tonks
2nd Year
Well, it may just be all the firewalls I set up, but I haven't picked up any viruses recently, so I doubt it's from here.

If you really want to protect your computer, set up a sturdy firewall, run virus scans every week or so, and run a defrag bi-weekly. Just warning you, defrags take forever, so if you run one, you should do it right before you go to bed or school so it can run while you're away.
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Lexi
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I had a problem with my ad-aware program. My ISP owner just came out and fixed it and also installed the Google toolbar. Ad-Aware is now working perfectly and the Google toolbar has a pop-up blocker. I am told pop-ups are the major cause of the 'little bugs' like spyware which invade you unbeknown.

With those two and my Norton I definately feel much safer, particularly after visiting one of the most well known forums and immediately getting 2 pop-ups stopped and blocked.
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Dark Mistress
HoM Professor/DE Leader
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My computer was doing some weird stuff the other day, some of my programs weren't functioning. I had to do a system restore to get everything back on line. Did a virus scan and nothing was there. Did a systems check and everything was okay. It happened right after I load a bunch of stuff for sale on ebay. Really weird.
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Lexi
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I reccomend the use of Ad-aware, it's free, and now it's working properly for me has stopped a lot of little things I would otherwise never have known were there. Google's pop-up blocker has stopped 6 pop-ups from invading today alone.

My computer is now working faster than it has in months, and it's only twelve months old.
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