Guess who fell under attack this week? I tell ya–there’s nothing worse.
I was working and had to do a quick look-up on a website I’d just used earlier, but I put in .org instead of .com, and wham! I got notification that I’d been hit by a horse. It froze Google Chrome entirely. I couldn’t switch tabs, couldn’t shut down the alert, couldn’t close out the window. I opened another window, and it worked for a few minutes before the horse climbed into that stall too. Then I shut down the entire system. Turned off the computer and tried to go again.
What a nightmare.
My experience proves the importance of backing up your files on something other than your computer. If I’d limited myself to HP’s backup system, I would’ve lost everything.
It was horrible! The virus took over the system to the extent that it shut down my antivirus programs and refused–not just to read–but to acknowledge the recovery disks. Before it shut down my antivirus programs, I ran them all twice, and both times, they responded that everything was hunky-dorey. But my computer was running way too slow, even after using Avast’s Grime Fighter.
I gave up after not being able to get it to run properly, took the battery out, and went on to bed. Next morning, you could tell how fast that horse was galloping through my system because it shut things down that were working before I shut it down the day before.
Someone told me to work through the safe mode–which is great, but I didn’t know what to do once I got there. I realized that I could do some things, so I tried several times to restore to a previous date, but the virus had already infiltrated everything. All attempts failed.
Finally, I just wiped the slate clean and returned my computer to its “factory” days.
Fortunately, all my photos and documents are saved on a different site, and I’m able to access them. I had to rebuy certain programs and reinstall certain others, but basically, I’m back up and running. If not for the fact I need a new computer anyway, I wouldn’t have dared wiping the drive–but now, I won’t think twice about it. I just hope it doesn’t happen again. What a waste of two days!
This afternoon, I will work on what is currently called Riding Herd, and I will finish by the end of the week–and may the Trojans be damned!
Several years into it, and this blog still refuses to be categorized. It's eclectic and includes everything from writing posts to snippets from my ordinary life. 
Linda W. Yezak 
That’s why I’m all Apple. I haven’t had a virus or horse in the 9+ years I’ve been using my Macbook. They cost more in the beginning, but over the years, I’ve saved a LOT! Not just in grief over viruses, but in new computers.
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In all the years I’ve used HP, this is the first time for it, too. I’ve used HP since 1997, I think. Sigh. My perfect record is tarnished.
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Linda,
I’m amazed you went that long with no viruses on an HP!! That was what I had for several years before switching to Mac, and it’s what my hubby has. We’ve always had anti-virus programs on them and still had trouble with viruses. You were lucky. 😉
Sorry you had to go through all of that and happy to hear all is well now. 🙂
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I guess I was blessed!
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anemulligan,
Hate to say this, but I just got done having to have a virus removed from my Macbook by my local computer repair guy. 😦 He told me that shortly after Steve Jobs died, the guy that took over made some big showy statement about Mac owners not having to worry about viruses and that they’d never have to. The bad guys took that as a challenge and now Mac viruses are on the rise. I have Avast, because it was what repair guy recommended, but after reading this post, I don’t feel all that protected by it.
Interesting, just this morning, I signed up for a anti-virus & anti-identity theft program through my internet service provider. Maybe with both services I’ll be okay.
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I’m generally pleased with Avast, but this little pony hid under its radar. 😦
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Oh, dear! I’m soooo sorry you got hit. Such a pain! So glad you’re all cleared up now. 😀
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Thanks, Lynn. Still working on getting cleared up. Keep running into problems. Sigh.
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Reblogged this on Odd Sock Proofreading & Copyediting and commented:
Never take the safety of your computer for granted. Back it up, back it up, back it ALL up. There are many free services to back up your data securely in the cloud. Lots of people use Dropbox or OneDrive. I use Google Drive. There are also free backup services like MozyHome (I use and recommend them). Be safe.
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