Another computer question.

[bluenose1940]

A number of times during the past week I have had a message appear on my desktop.

Can anyone tell me what it is please and is it anything I need to be concerned about or, is there anything that I need to do to stop it from appearing.

I have also had messages appear in the bottom right hand corner of my monitor. This message says that Windows defender has recognised virus threats and I need to take action. I've only remembered this because one just appeared after I logged-on just now. When I looked in the 'Control Panel' yesterday there were a number that were labelled as 'severe' and some as 'medium'. I seem to recall that I had the option to 'ignore' 'quarantine' or 'remove' them.
I didn't know what I was doing so I simply removed them. I recall that the word 'trojan' was mentioned at some point.
Is all of this any cause for concern and is action needed outside of me just 'removing' them?

Hopefully I have managed to insert an image of the message that I can only describe as a 'DOS screen'
 

[scudney]

Go into your settings and go to windows defender and run a complete scan 

[steve2006]

Or buy an apple 😀

[ColinBarber]

If defender doesn't help then download Malwarebytes and run a scan. That is a good tool to detect anything nasty on the machine.

If the machine is infected then depending what it is you may not be able to trust the system fully without a complete re-install of Windows so keep a note of what is found.

[Herbie]

I would say you need to go to Windows Updates and check for any outstanding updates to be done and I think you'll find that there is.

When your system is completely up to date, if that hasn't stopped the message about the .NET Framework popping up, go to Control Panel and uninstall any and all instances of the .NET Framework and reboot. Go back to Windows Update and manually check for updates - the system should then download and install the latest version of the .NET Framework.

As for Windows Defender, it's OK as far as it goes, but it's not brilliant so I'd install some other antivirus program such as Bitdefender, Avira or Avast, all of which have free versions available if you don't want to spend much money.

[Guest]

Or buy an Apple [emoji3]

Update for you....

"Malwarebytes added that: "Mac detections per endpoint increased from 4.8 in 2018 to a whopping 11.0 in 2019, a figure that is nearly double the same statistic for Windows. This means that the average number of threats detected on a Mac is not only on the rise, but has surpassed Windows".








Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[Guest]

so I'd install some other antivirus program such as Bitdefender, Avira or Avast, all of which have free versions available if you don't want to spend much money.

Bitdefender ... slick and non intrusive.

avast is a pop up advertising its own stuff, nightmare.

Not tried Avira

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

[PCM]

9 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

If defender doesn't help then download Malwarebytes and run a scan. That is a good tool to detect anything nasty on the machine.

If the machine is infected then depending what it is you may not be able to trust the system fully without a complete re-install of Windows so keep a note of what is found.

+1 Malwarebytes 

[steve2006]

I’m bending this post a little bit seeing as we have some computer experts on the LOC.

I have rediscovered all my Lexus factory manuals on CDROMs but nowadays all my computers are apple (iPad and iMac) with no CD/DVD drives plus the software differences.

I’m looking for a way of getting the data off the discs onto my apple gear?

[OldTrout]

Steve,

I have a Samsung portable DVD writer SE-208 that was under £20. I am shocked to see that its price has risen hugely (>£100 if available!). And it is USB 2

However there are USB 3 drives under £20 on amazon like https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085D955TC/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExN1ZPWU00MUo2SklVJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjg1MDA2MlM3VVpaWUJZWkRZWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzU0OTgwMlE5U0FET1NXTTdDUCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2hxcF9zaGFyZWQmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

You could borrow mine but  time postage back and forth will approach cost of new drive.

John

 

[Herbie]

2 hours ago, OldTrout said:

I have a Samsung portable DVD writer SE-208 that was under £20. I am shocked to see that its price has risen hugely (>£100 if available!). And it is USB 2

Wow! I can't see anything special about it to justify such an extortionate cost so I can only conclude that it's for those people who have far too much money for their own good.

@steve2006 There's no getting around the fact that you'll have to buy or borrow an external optical drive, but your biggest stumbling block may be the software. I don't know about yours but the workshop manuals that I have only work properly when viewed with Internet Explorer - is that even available for a Mac?

I hate anything apple and won't give it house room. Technically good machines but morally bankrupt company forcing you into their own ecosystem and dictating what you can do with your own machine that you've spent your own money on.

But that's a whole other thing so rant over

[Herbie]

@bluenose1940 Geoff, just by coincidence I happened to see this article today. It may have nothing whatsoever to do with your current situation but if the rogue update is present on your machine, I'd be very tempted to uninstall it just in case:

Linky

[steve2006]

That’s the main problem, Apples are OK with music and photographs but not data unless it is apple-ised.

It may be easier to buy a secondhand windows laptop with a DVD drive and use that.

[bluenose1940]

Thanks chaps for your input.  I have run Windows Defender and everything seems to be tidy at the moment.

herbs, I have been into your link and have read it through and I decided to uninstall the rogue update.  I'll see what happens over the next few days.  I have also updated to version 1909 with a build number of 18363778.

If I decide to give Bitdefender a go, do I need to turn off the Windows antivirus or can I run the two at the same time?

[Herbie]

33 minutes ago, bluenose1940 said:

If I decide to give Bitdefender a go, do I need to turn off the Windows antivirus or can I run the two at the same time?

No, you don't need to do anything Geoff. Windows 10 is 'intelligent' in that it detects that you're installing your own antivirus and automatically turns off Windows Defender for you.

[Herbie]

34 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

That’s the main problem, Apples are OK with music and photographs but not data unless it is apple-ised.

It may be easier to buy a secondhand windows laptop with a DVD drive and use that.

You could install Oracle's VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org/ (just checked and it does run on Mac) and then run a version of Windows in there.

[ColinBarber]

7 hours ago, Herbie said:

forcing you into their own ecosystem and dictating what you can do with your own machine that you've spent your own money on.

forced and restricted in that you can install anything you wish on a Mac that you choose, comes pre-installed with industry standard programming languages such as Python, Perl and Ruby, gives you a free downloadable programming environment including C, C++ and objective C languages and give you the ability to install Windows, Linux and other flavours of Unix to run either natively or virtually.

[Herbie]

Maybe, but you can't just go and buy spare parts from any shops and they deliberately slow things down when they think they are too old and force you into upgrading, even though you don't need to.

Many moons ago I had the misfortune to have to use an Iphone 4S and wanted to set up SMS messaging to get sent and delivered acknowledgements, only to discover that apple don't allow you to do that (although I believe they now do allow it).

Their argument was that there was no industry standard and that sent/delivered acknowledgements meant different things on different networks, so they refused to allow it. My point was that if I was aware of the drawbacks and wanted to set it up on my phone that I had bought with my money, then it was my decision to make, not theirs. The technology was already there, in their systems, but they refused to activate it, thinking that they knew best for me on my behalf.

[ColinBarber]

It is a different approach. apple have a closed ecosystem on the Iphone to control the experience. This is well know, if you want more control then don't purchase an Iphone. As for your phone hardware - you were free to do what you want to it. The software however isn't yours, you have a license to use it under the manufacturers terms. The same as Microsoft don't allow you to hack their kernel drivers or licensing keys and still get support/updates.

The SMS thing is down to security rather than standards. 

You can't go into any shop and buy spares for a Dell computer or a Samsung phone. All electronic manufacturers control their spares to authorised partners only.

Deliberately slowing things down to force an upgrade, I'm not aware of this. They slowed down phones that had batteries that couldn't supply enough current to run a phone at full speed without crashing/rebooting, but if you replace the Battery it goes back to full speed.

[RgrWynne]

I have to declare that I am a total apple fan , mainly because I get great reliability. Not in anyway technical but I do understand apple control quite a lot in order to protect the security of their devices, and ultimately my security. I change both my IPad and mobile every three years, have complete back up and touch wood have not had a problem. There is a good resale value for second hand products. That is my opinion and experience