# Windows 98 help needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 23, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526 "2002-12-23T12:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/1 "2002-12-23T12:53:56Z")
Someone has been fooling around with the computer the boss uses (it is an HP Pavilion running Windows 98), and now open windows **close** instead of minimizing when I click on the “\_” box in the upper right corner of the window. I was installing a new print driver when I noticed the problem–I don’t think I caused it, but it is possible it happened during my struggles anyway. Anyone have any ideas on what to look at and what to change or reset to get things back to normal? ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/2 "2002-12-23T13:27:14Z")
Can you get to the “closed” programs if you hit Alt-Tab? The [Friend Greeting worm](http://vil.mcafee.com/dispVirus.asp?virus_k=99760) can prevent minimized programs from appearing on the taskbar. That link has information on removing it from your system. ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/3 "2002-12-23T14:22:15Z")
**Number** , Alt-Tab does make the window sessions available, so they aren’t 100 % closed, they just aren’t “minimized” to where they appear in the task bar (or whatever that thing at the bottom of the screen is called). (We have found one application that does minimize correctly–the window emulating to the ASD/400.) Alt-Tab certainly helps the situation, so thanks a bunch. But I’m still want to make minimize work properly if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/4 "2002-12-23T14:24:40Z")
OOPS–make that the AS/400. Even preview doesn’t help if you don’t proof read carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/5 "2002-12-23T14:32:36Z")
**Number** has nailed it - it’s a virus. There was a thread about it on this board a few weeks ago, but I won’t burden the hamsters with a search, since cleaning out the virus will cure the problem. Update your Norton/McAfee/whatever anti-virus software, and go after the evil little worm! ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/6 "2002-12-23T14:58:49Z")
I’m still exploring and reading the site mentioned, but so far I have found nothing on his pc that indicates that “Friend Greeting” was ever installed on it. Updated info–Now Eudora lite is also minimizing correctly along with the AS/400, but Explorer, Word, and others still do not. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/7 "2002-12-23T15:11:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by So Far So Good \* > \*\*I’m still exploring and reading the site mentioned, but so far I have found nothing on his pc that indicates that “Friend Greeting” was ever installed on it. \*\* You mean, other than the fact that minimized tasks aren’t always appearing on the task bar, which is the primary symptom of this particular worm?! Could be something else, but if it stinks like a dead fish, I’d have to guess that it’s a dead fish! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/8 "2002-12-23T15:12:48Z")
OK. You guys are good. I was able to find several of the “Indications of Infection” that McAfee said to look for. It’s just that there’s nothing on the computer named “Friend\*”, and that’s the first thing I looked for. Problem is not solve, but at least it is identified. Thanks to both of you. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/9 "2002-12-23T15:20:15Z")
Hope it works out. Often, figuring out how a particular infection managed to get to the PC is the toughest part - the “well-written” worms and viruses do their dirty work and then erase their own footsteps. And of course the user whose machine has been “hit” always insists that he didn’t do anything, didn’t download anything, didn’t install anything, didn’t read any email, etc., etc. Must be spontaneous generation, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/10 "2002-12-23T15:24:34Z")
Your search probably turned up nothing because the program file has the _hidden_ attribute set; [Here](http://helpdesk.ttu.edu/bulletins/E-Card_Scam.php) is a page detailing how to manually remove the worm, but I’d let my AV software do the job if I were you. ---
**Author:** ![Drew\_Blade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/958977/32.png) [@Drew\_Blade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drew_Blade)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/11 "2002-12-23T15:32:35Z")
At least he was willing to admit that he probably did start a download from Friend Greeting some time last week. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-98-help-needed/144526/12 "2002-12-24T04:42:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by So Far So Good \* > \*\*At least he was willing to admit that he probably did start a download from Friend Greeting some time last week. \*\* Based upon my experience with users, this qualifies as a miracle. Call the Vatican!! 😃