# Busted! Now, how to fix the computer? (Long intro) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999 "2012-01-28T17:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/21 "2012-01-29T12:08:37Z")
I just had a thread about root-kit viruses and the answers given there was if, you have a root-kit virus the only sure way to clean it is to reinstall your o/s See thread > **[Learn Me About Root-Kit Viruses](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=640065)** > > I read about these but a lot of it is computerese going over my head. I read that you can’t detect a root-kit virus, is this true? I also read the only way to be sure you get rid of it, is to reinstall the o/s. So can anyone learn me about these... MSE is going to be just as good as AVG or Avast or others. The thing is if you don’t update your virus definitions at least once per day, you may find yourself in trouble. Malwarebytes is also the same. The nice thing about MSE is the free version updates automatically. AVG and Malwarebytes you must update manually for the free version. It’s easy if you get in the habit of just updating whatever you use the first thing when you log on. ---
**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:** [January 29, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/22 "2012-01-29T15:26:22Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I have a nephew that likely visits certain sites that he shouldn’t using InPrivate with Win7 and I lack the knowledge to check. See [http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_vista-security/is-there-any-way-i-can-completely-remove-the-in/096ccf1c-f280-46c5-b595-73227a0aad18](http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-security/is-there-any-way-i-can-completely-remove-the-in/096ccf1c-f280-46c5-b595-73227a0aad18) or > **[In Windows XP System How To Remove System From Domain? - Computing.net:...](https://computing.net/answers/windows-xp/in-windows-xp-system-how-to-remove-system-from-domain/201888.html)** > > I am using windows xp already joined to domain. now i want to disconnected to domain. how can i do it? ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/23 "2012-01-29T16:28:36Z")
Thanks Quartz. Looks like InPrivate works well to mask tracks and therefore this functionality needs to be disabled. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/24 "2012-01-29T19:43:38Z")
> [@Myglaren](#): > > My grandsons play this all the time on XP machines. > > Doesn’t run on their Android tablets though 🙂 Shhhhh! Their mother prefers it that way 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/25 "2012-01-29T19:57:01Z")
> [@](#): > > My sister is completely computer-illiterate, but I called her to explain the computer is probably infected, and she needs to see that my nephew does what is necessary to clean it up. She says that the nephew is sneaky and changed screens whenever she tries to see what he’s doing. ‘See, mom? I’m doing school work!’ :dubious: She asked if there was any way to find out what he was doing. I’ve never even seen Chrome, but I did a little searching and told her how to find History. Oops. Whatever else, Nephew needs to be only allowed to work on the computer in the kitchen or den, with Mom in the same room. He doesn’t get access to the computer otherwise. If this means that your sister needs to physically lock up the computer in some sort of cabinet or safe, then that’s what happens. And your nephew needs to be on a strict budget of gaming/leisure time on the computer. He can earn more time by doing chores and getting good grades, and he can lose time by getting bad grades or going to porn sites. Oh, he’ll find a way to get to porn sites, but there’s no reason to make it easy for him. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/26 "2012-01-29T20:15:13Z")
> [@BeaMyra](#): > > MSE is going to be just as good as AVG or Avast or others. I like MSE but there is one gaping flaw IMHO, it uses the windows update path to pull its updates. Meaning: Many viruses disrupt windows updating but leave ftp/http based downloads still working. Some people shut off updates, therefore, no AV updates. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/27 "2012-01-29T20:31:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > History was full of Minecraft and porn sites. You really ought to have a heart-to-heart talk about this. Right now it may seem like an innocent diversion or simple youthful experimentation, but it can devolve into obsessive behavior that will make it hard to form relationships with other people, especially women. You might want to tell him to take it easy on the porn too. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/28 "2012-01-29T20:47:03Z")
> [@arseNal](#): > > Maybe I missed it somewhere, but how do you know for a fact that the computer has malware on it? I don’t know it for a fact, because I haven’t run a scan. But it is well known that malware can slow a computer, and that malware is prevalent on sites such as the ones listed in History. > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Whatever else, Nephew needs to be only allowed to work on the computer in the kitchen or den, with Mom in the same room. He doesn’t get access to the computer otherwise. If this means that your sister needs to physically lock up the computer in some sort of cabinet or safe, then that’s what happens. And your nephew needs to be on a strict budget of gaming/leisure time on the computer. He can earn more time by doing chores and getting good grades, and he can lose time by getting bad grades or going to porn sites. As of Friday evening, he’s grounded and not using the computer at all. If he was, I’d suspect some sort of protestation from the email I sent him. > [@GreasyJack](#): > > You really ought to have a heart-to-heart talk about this. He seems to have communications issues. He lives on the Southern border, and I live hard-against the Northern one. so we’re about 1,400 miles apart. I do know that he’s been to a speech therapist, and I believe he is struggling in school. I don’t know if I can even get him on the phone. I have communications issues too. I like to try to lay things out as fully as possible, and in as logical a manner as possible. If he has ADHD, I suspect I might sound like an adult in a Charlie Brown film. I’ve tried to help my sister from afar, but the whole household is dysfunctional. I’m not even sure who-all is living there. Sis won’t do things that are too much trouble, and she likes to avoid conflict. I don’t think there’s anything I can do on that front. Anyway this thread is about his computer, and what I can tell them to do to fix it. I’m watching the replies and will collate them and send them to my sister when and if she sends me an email. (Trying to explain over the phone how to type a url is a bit of a chore.) Oh, here’s a tidbit. She bought the computer at Frye’s. I told her not to, and I told her why. But she did anyway. She says the only disc they received with it was for McAffee. No OS discs. Aiyiyiyiyi… ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/29 "2012-01-29T20:57:48Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > The first was telling me (telling me!) to ‘get the money together’, and the second was protesting that he doesn’t go to porn sites.. Wow! I’m not a parent and I don’t do the “kids these days…” thing, but holy shit, dude. “Get the money together”? Seriously? > [@](#): > > Dear Uncle Johnny, > > I tried to be discreet about this, but apparently you just aren’t getting it. My mom isn’t going to shell out for a new Mac, so guess who that leaves on the hook? Listen, I know you got expenses. Don’t we all. I’m just sayin’ > > One of us is in 7th grade and the other works a full time job. So get the money together, and make things right on my birthday. Hey, If I wanted to bust your balls, I’d tell you to get your shinebox. > > Now go home and get your fuckin’ shinebox. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999/30 "2012-01-29T23:29:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > He seems to have communications issues. He lives on the Southern border, and I live hard-against the Northern one. so we’re about 1,400 miles apart. I do know that he’s been to a speech therapist, and I believe he is struggling in school. I don’t know if I can even get him on the phone. I have communications issues too. I like to try to lay things out as fully as possible, and in as logical a manner as possible. If he has ADHD, I suspect I might sound like an adult in a Charlie Brown film. I’ve tried to help my sister from afar, but the whole household is dysfunctional. I’m not even sure who-all is living there. Sis won’t do things that are too much trouble, and she likes to avoid conflict. I don’t think there’s anything I can do on that front. I was mostly just trying to make a joke about the horrors of a crippling Minecraft addiction. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/busted-now-how-to-fix-the-computer-long-intro/610999.md?page=1)