# Brand new computer, what the heck just happened? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 25, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584 "2015-11-25T22:43:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/1 "2015-11-25T22:43:22Z")
I just got a brand new computer from Dell for my wife. I turned it on and pretty much instantly had a crap ton of malware and other stuff including something that the pre-installed macafee called the artemis! Virus. Leading to a blue screen that gave me a phone number for Microsoft tech support. The guys from tech support said that my home network was compromised which is why I had this problem. He then tried to sell me Symantec network security system for 300 bucks. So… Now I feel like the whole thing was a scam. What the heck is going on? ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/2 "2015-11-25T22:45:55Z")
Can you bring back and get your money back I had a Dell computer and I hated it. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/3 "2015-11-25T22:57:30Z")
> [@purplehearingaid](#): > > Can you bring back and get your money back I had a Dell computer and I hated it. Unfortunately dell is the only company that makes a 17 inch laptop that isn’t a gaming computer. So dell it is. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/4 "2015-11-25T23:16:49Z")
I do seem to have 30 days to return it ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/5 "2015-11-25T23:17:53Z")
I do seem to have 30 days to return it. But honestly I would rather just fix it. Is this malware from Dell or something in my home network? How is it possible that I downloaded a virus on initial startup? ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/6 "2015-11-25T23:19:07Z")
Does “I turned it on and pretty much instantly had a crap ton of malware…” mean that you did not connect to the Internet and you did not open a browser window at all? I say this because there are websites that will pop up crazy warnings with a nice tech support number, when you don’t really have an infection. Once you call that number and start following the “tech support” steps you will be hosed. How do I know this? My mom got caught by one of these scammers a couple of months ago :(. She ended up shipping her computer to me so I could re-image it. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/7 "2015-11-25T23:26:13Z")
Dell just found out that some of their laptops have malware on them from the factory. [http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/](http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/) > **[Dell's Laptops are Infected with 'Superfish-Like' pre-installed Malware](https://thehackernews.com/2015/11/superfish-malware-dell.html)** > > Dell's Laptops are Infected with 'Superfish-Like' pre-installed Malware called eDellRoot rogue root SSL certificate ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/8 "2015-11-25T23:34:14Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Does “I turned it on and pretty much instantly had a crap ton of malware…” mean that you did not connect to the Internet and you did not open a browser window at all? > > I say this because there are websites that will pop up crazy warnings with a nice tech support number, when you don’t really have an infection. > Once you call that number and start following the “tech support” steps you will be hosed. > > How do I know this? My mom got caught by one of these scammers a couple of months ago :(. She ended up shipping her computer to me so I could re-image it. I fear that this is what happened to me. I’m doing a factory reset right now. Will that be enough? We couldn’t boot up without connecting to the Internet. When we did it started downloading stuff like crazy. We also installed drop box and chrome. But that’s it. My wife is freaking out that we are going to have our identities stolen. I told her I don’t think that’s how this works. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/9 "2015-11-25T23:41:07Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > Dell just found out that some of their laptops have malware on them from the factory. > > [http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/](http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/) > > [Dell's Laptops are Infected with 'Superfish-Like' pre-installed Malware](https://thehackernews.com/2015/11/superfish-malware-dell.html) The Dell thing isn’t malware. They’ve configured Windows extraordinarily stupidly in a way that compromises your security when using secure websites (e.g. online banking), but it’s not malware. ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/10 "2015-11-25T23:42:32Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I fear that this is what happened to me. I’m doing a factory reset right now. Will that be enough? Probably not: > [@https://thehackernews.com/2015/11/superfish-malware-dell.html](#): > > The rogue certificate, dubbed eDellRoot, was first discovered over the weekend by a software programmer named Joe Nord. **The certificate is so creepy that it automatically re-installs itself even when removed from the Windows operating system.** There’s a link to removal instructions in this article: [Dell ships computers with built-in security flaw | Dell | The Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/nov/24/dell-security-flaw-apologises-for-shipping-computers) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/11 "2015-11-25T23:43:56Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Unfortunately dell is the only company that makes a 17 inch laptop that isn’t a gaming computer. So dell it is. Not true. I am at this moment typing on a 17" HP Envy dv7. Definitely not a gamer: Core i5 with 8MB RAM. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/12 "2015-11-25T23:50:36Z")
> [@JerrySTL](#): > > Dell just found out that some of their laptops have malware on them from the factory. > > [http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/](http://www.geek.com/apps/dell-has-a-superfish-malware-situation-all-of-their-own-1640144/) > > [Dell's Laptops are Infected with 'Superfish-Like' pre-installed Malware](https://thehackernews.com/2015/11/superfish-malware-dell.html) All the more reason to build your own if at all possible. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/13 "2015-11-26T00:01:40Z")
Build your own laptop computer? Is that even possible? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/14 "2015-11-26T00:02:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Not true. I am at this moment typing on a 17" HP Envy dv7. Definitely not a gamer: Core i5 with 8MB RAM. I went looking for the hp version and it didn’t seem like it was made anymore. Guess I didn’t look hard enough? If this turns into a tire fire I’ll send it back and get the hp ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/15 "2015-11-26T00:14:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Build your own laptop computer? Is that even possible? From what I understand, it’s more limited and complex than a desktop but doable. There’s also the local computer shop or one of the online custom builders. I would stay away from the big guys who install a ton of third party crapware. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/16 "2015-11-26T00:27:53Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > I went looking for the hp version and it didn’t seem like it was made anymore. Guess I didn’t look hard enough? If this turns into a tire fire I’ll send it back and get the hp Here’s the one on their website. It’s got 16MB instead of 8, but that doesn’t make it a supercomputer. Just substitute GB for MB in my posts. I’m an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/17 "2015-11-26T00:40:58Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > All the more reason to build your own if at all possible. Building your own laptop sounds like a hell of a project. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/18 "2015-11-26T01:06:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Build your own laptop computer? Is that even possible? > > From what I understand, it’s more limited and complex than a desktop but doable. There’s also the local computer shop or one of the online custom builders. > > I would stay away from the big guys who install a ton of third party crapware. I’ve read someplace that Microsoft hates that manufacturers (HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo, eMachines, Gateway, etc.) load up computers with this third-party stuff. All of it slows systems up and make people think that Microsoft systems suck. I think Microsoft demonstrated this once by showing systems running clean versus with all of the crap installed. So I believe systems bought through the Microsoft Store (they have retail stores like Apple, just fewer of them, and much less crowded) are free of crapware. And the Microsoft Store also offers a service to clean new systems of crapware. (They charge for this of course.) And Microsoft’s dissatisfaction with the manufacturers is one reason they released the Surface tablet computers, and later the Surface Book notebook computer, as Microsoft-branded products. Doing so represented a huge shift on Microsoft’s part; prior to that they never competed with the PC manufacturers. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/19 "2015-11-26T01:13:53Z")
After a further search, I found that the “[Signature Edition](http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/cat/Signature-Edition-Computers/categoryID.69916600)” PCs are the ones that Microsoft has stripped of third-party software and “tuned” for performance. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584/20 "2015-11-26T01:15:43Z")
Well, while I am in here screwing with stuff, can I remove some of this dell bloat ware myself? How do I do it? Also, what are good anti virus and network security software packages these days. I’m suddenly a lot more security conscious than I was earlier today. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brand-new-computer-what-the-heck-just-happened/738584.md?page=2)