# a question regarding a possible computer virus **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919 "2010-07-16T15:07:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/1 "2010-07-16T15:07:56Z")
I am dipping into the well of computer knowledge here on the Dope and hope to come up with a full bucket. One of the computers here at work has been infected with a trojan (not mine, I know better) and an odd message window keeps popping up. Can anyone confirm that the following message is the result of a virus? If so, can they name it and point to directions for it’s removal. I thank any and everyone in advance for any information they can share. Message window reads as follows: communication timeout error has timed out waiting for the underlying service to start. Press ‘Retry’ to try again or press ‘Cancel’ to abort. Note: capitalization or lack thereof is the same as the actual message window ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/2 "2010-07-16T20:42:07Z")
I don’t know if this helps, but I Googled “has timed out waiting for the underlying service to start” and the first page links all referenced McAfee Personal Firewall. Do you have McAfee Personal Firewall installed? Is it running? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/3 "2010-07-16T21:25:32Z")
An actual virus would have warned you in heated terms that you are infected (yes, viruses these days generally warn you that you have viruses). It just sounds like a service isn’t running properly. Now, that may have been due to a virus infection that was not completely cleaned, or something just went wrong with the program and it needs to be reinstalled. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/4 "2010-07-17T06:36:16Z")
> [@Mister\_Owl](#): > > One of the computers here at work has been infected with a trojan (not mine, I know better) and an odd message window keeps popping up. Can anyone confirm that the following message is the result of a virus? Doesn’t sound like one. Check the Event Logs to see if anything’s left a message there. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/5 "2010-07-17T10:02:28Z")
Some services have dependencies on other services, i.e. service ‘b’ cannot start unless service ‘a’ is already running. It sounds like this may be what is happening here. As **RealityChuck** says most viruses these days will pop up boxes telling you that you arte infected and need to buy their product to remove the infection. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@Mister\_Owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Owl)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/6 "2010-07-17T15:12:43Z")
Thanks folks. We are dealing with it. Whatever trojan infected this particular computer is very stubborn. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-regarding-a-possible-computer-virus/546919/7 "2010-07-17T15:28:20Z")
I generally don’t fight much with things like this. I had a virus once and I spent the better part of three days getting rid of all of it, and in the end the system still wasn’t quite right. These days I will spend maybe an hour fighting a virus. After that I just wipe the disk and re-install. It’s just easier and faster to start over.