# Computer ? possible malware (not in sticky) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004 "2005-01-22T00:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/1 "2005-01-22T00:10:13Z")
Yesterday and today, when I opened my email program, I got messages that one of the mailboxes had a corrupted index. I can’t recall the last time I had a corrupted index, but it’s been at least 4 or 5 years (and not on this PC, or under XP). I haven’t seen evidence of **any** other problems. I use Eudora Pro v. 3.0.3 yes, it’s an antique, but it does the job (and I can’t justify paying $50 for the latest & greatest). ☹ Other data: eMachines T2825 (PC Mag editor’s choice the month before I bought it) XP sans the update Netscape 7.1 Norton Internet Security 2004, running everything but Anti-Spam (I prefer MailWasher) & checked for upgrades today AdAware SE checked for upgrades yesterday Spybot S&D checked for upgrades Monday ran all three in the last 24 hours, and ran Norton AV & AdAware again today I had downloaded Spyware Blaster, but have never installed it. :o I’ll do that no later than tomorrow. Now, can anyone tell me whether there’s anything else I should do?? ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/2 "2005-01-22T00:14:32Z")
Why do you think this is malware? Is it possible that the index really is corrupt? Does Eudora have a tool for repairing corrupt mail files, similiar to the Inbox Repair Tool for Outlook? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/3 "2005-01-22T00:18:26Z")
Totally off topic, but I suggest trying out Mozilla Thunderbird. It’s to email clients what Firefox is to web browsers. It’s totally free. ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/4 "2005-01-22T00:40:46Z")
> [@MC$E](#): > > Why do you think this is malware? Because yesterday was the first time it’s happened in about 5 years. > [@](#): > > Is it possible that the index really is corrupt? I assume it is correct, as it reported it when I opened the program, both days. > [@](#): > > Does Eudora have a tool for repairing corrupt mail files, similiar to the Inbox Repair Tool for Outlook? Yes, it does have a repair applet. It asks whether to repair or use the old one, when it reports the event. > [@World Eater](#): > > Totally off topic, but I suggest trying out Mozilla Thunderbird. It’s to email clients what Firefox is to web browsers. It’s totally free. Thanks, but why? AFAIK, nobody attacks Eudora, but attacks on Netscape/Mozilla do happen. You **did** notice that I don’t use Netscape’s email, didn’t you?? Why would I go from Eudora (antique version or not) to something with a higher profile? I’m happy enough with what I’ve got. I hardly ever change software unless **I** can perceive a good reason for it. If something’s attacking it, I want to know. Who knows what else it’s going after, and Eudora’s an accidental victim. If it’s something else, I need to know that, too. In the latter case, it’s probably the OS, or maybe something totally weird with NIS. \ But I don’t want to think about that unless/until I hafta. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/5 "2005-01-22T00:47:36Z")
From my experience, I would say it is more likely to be an impending hardware failure (hard drive or RAM) or an OS issue than malware. You are pretty well protected with the software you have loaded and up-to-date. Another possibilty is a particular email that is causing the corruption. Are there any messages with weird data in the subject or other fields. Sometimes a program will choke if it encounters unexpected values in those fields. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/6 "2005-01-22T00:51:09Z")
If AdAware and Spybot both come up clean, run [HijackThis](http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/) and post the log here. If that is clean as well, I would say it is not malware, just an unfortunate malfunction. ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-possible-malware-not-in-sticky/286004/7 "2005-01-22T01:00:44Z")
> [@MC$E](#): > > From my experience, I would say it is more likely to be an impending hardware failure (hard drive or RAM) or an OS issue than malware. :smack: I surely hope it’s not hardware! This sucker’s only 14 months old. > [@](#): > > Another possibilty is a particular email that is causing the corruption. Are there any messages with weird data in the subject or other fields. Sometimes a program will choke if it encounters unexpected values in those fields. I looked at expanded headers on all the emails coming in from non-usual sources, and didn’t see anything really peculiar.