# My computer caught the Virus! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2000, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506 "2000-01-05T07:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/1 "2000-01-05T07:30:00Z")
I had to work on Friday night, and forgot to shut down my computer. When I did a reboot on Saturday the First, the computer shut down as soon as it started to load Windows. When I tried to restart it, I was told that the himem.sys and config.sys files were corrupted or destroyed, and I couldn’t access and save any of my essential files. I had to re-format the hard drive and install everything, plus get a new modem because I lost the driver for the old one. Just finished everything up last night and am trying to get all my bookmarks back. Did anyone else have any trouble this weekend? ---
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/2 "2000-01-05T09:14:00Z")
was it a y2k problem or something else you think? how old was your comp? * * * Chief’s Domain - [http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi](http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~ravi) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/3 "2000-01-05T13:21:00Z")
My computer, an AMD K2-300, was Y2K compliant according to every test I could find. The files on the hard drive were being eaten alive at a rapid pace. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/4 "2000-01-05T13:39:00Z")
slyth, Did you check the internet for modem drivers before resorting to buying a new one? Most manufacturers have drivers right on thier websites. Sorry to hear you had such trouble! Sounds like a virus, as opposed to Y2K. Make sure you get a good anti-virus for your new system, and do a backup now that you have it working OK. If you don’t have a zip drive or similar device and can’t borrow one, see if a local computer store or reseller rents them. Also, places like Office Max or Staples will back up your data (for a price). Have a better day, Zette * * * Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high. Not enough and you’re gonna die… [Click here for some GOOD news for a change](http://www.binghamtonpress.com/binghamtonnews/local/Sanews5.html)[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/5 "2000-01-05T16:13:00Z")
Just boot to DOS [hold down control key just before w98 comes on]. Run setup from the original W98 cd & it restores the system files… ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/6 "2000-01-05T16:18:00Z")
handy, The OP says he already fixed it. Zette * * * Love is like popsicles…you get too much you get too high. Not enough and you’re gonna die… [Click here for some GOOD news for a change](http://www.binghamtonpress.com/binghamtonnews/local/Sanews5.html)[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/7 "2000-01-05T17:50:00Z")
Zette, You said “Did you check the internet for modem drivers before resorting to buying a new one?” LOL, kinda hard to get on the net if your modem drivers aren’t installed \< giggle \> That said, a friend or family member with internet access would be the best way to work around that. Sorry, I had to bring that up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/8 "2000-01-06T00:48:00Z")
Zette, I know he got it going again, just wanted to show him what to do next time or rub in you didn’t have to do alllll that 🙂 Next time folks [www.download.com](http://www.download.com) for a virus scanner. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/9 "2000-01-06T01:51:00Z")
I did use a friend’s computer to try to get the modem driver, but the company itself wasn’t supporting the modem I had anymore. I used the boot disk to start up, but the virus still wouldn’t allow me to install. It would eat files almost as fast as I could load them from the disk. After it was determined that I cpuldn’t do any recovery, I just formatted the whole damn C drive from the boot, then did a complete install from the full edition Win 98 second edition disk I had. ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-computer-caught-the-virus/12506/10 "2000-01-06T02:20:00Z")
I swear I don’t know anything about this… * * * Krispy Original – voted SDMB’s 19th most popular poster (1999)