task manager doesn't open!

i think I have a virus on my laptop and it doesnt allow me to open to taskbar by pressing on ctrl alt dlt...is there another way I can open the program?

 

Start>run>taskmgr

You can also open a terminal window and type "tasklist" (no quotes)

 

I just tried it and it says "another program is using this file." I think viruses are running on my comp. What should I do? Any help would be appreciated!

 

download windows defender (Microsoft's program). It may clean it. Run any antivirus you happen to have. AVG is good and it's free. Avast is another option. Unfortunately, many viruses disable the anti-virus programs.
Yet if you are able to name the virus, Symantec and other anti-virus companies may have customized cleaners made specifically for cleaning this particular virus. Symantec's programs have not failed me in this regard (unlike Norton).

You can try mannualy to locate locate the virus. For example run msconfig (run menu) and go to the start up sheet. Viruses often place themselves in the startup list for Windows and take control over it. See the name of the file (look for odd name, ask here if you want), if it exists, restart in safe mode and try to delete it. Most often these files are somewhere in System32 and most often there is an exe file and another one with a close name. You have to delete all of those...

 

Hi, mate.

If you think viruses are running freely on your computer, check it with an antivirus. Since you ask for help, i assume you have no antivirus software on your system.

You could download and install AVG Free. There are many other free antivirus, but that's my personal preference. In case you don't want to install it or cannot install anything at all (hey, sometimes viruses are tricky), you could also try Trend Micro Free online Virus Scan. Just get there and follow the instructions.

If you can test with both of them, do it. Sometimes, they find different stuff.

I'd also install and run Ad-Aware and Spywareblaster. You never know and they will definitely help keeping your system clean in the future.

Add a firewall to the mix, like the free version of ZoneAlarm, configure it to allow internet traffic only to the programs you want and you should be good to go.

I hope this helps, mate.
Cheers.

 

Thanks so much for the info, it has helped me greatly. I have AVG and zonealarm and also AD-aware. I scanned my comp and it has found 4 trojans. There are still some viruses though, because it got to the point where I can't drag my icons on my desktop!

I went to startup and found something weird called "command25" and unchecked it. But there is something called "Zeno" and also "eiuptpmA" and "Remind_XP" ... do any of these sound familiar to you guys? Thanks!


Also, how do I start the laptop in safe mode?

 

go to www.google.com and type in the filenames in the search box. Ex. "Remind_XP.exe" "command25.exe"

I'm almost positive "eiuptpmA.exe" is a virus.

 

Neither of these are essential for XP, and most probably all of them are worms. Windows Defender copes very well with the start up stuff.
When you restart the laptop, press continuously F8 right after the BIOS screen (the initial screen) and before the screen "Windows is loading". You will get to a menu which has lots of options but what you need is Safe mode without networking (it's safer). Then windows will start up greatly distorted in shape and view but this should not bother you. This is the purpose - minimal number of the most essential processes.

 

Ugh...I have the same "suite" of protection (AVG, Ad-Aware) ... would you mind giving more detail as to how you think you got these viruses?

Also OT, does anyone have a preference between Windows Defender and Spybot S&D? If so why?