Computer acting really strange

uh like an hour ago a program showed up on my computer and I really don't know how, but everything got wiped from my computer and i did a system restore, and things looked pretty okay.
but now firefox won't open, Google chrome pretty much is being very slow and it will redirect me to some spam/virus thing when i try to re install mozilla. I'm really worried?

Call me old fashioned, but... Have you tried doing a virus scan?

Are you sure that you did a system restore? did you do it yourself or did the computer offer to do it? it seems stupid but it's happened before. If it's the latter then it probably wasn't an actual system restore, especially as you still seem to have the virus.

What OS are you using? I can guide you through it if it's windows but I have no clue about Macs. I'm assuming since this virus is pretty hectic it's Windows, but I don't want to assume. Either way, do a system reset and the first thing you should be doing when you get it back is windows updates and downloading an anti-virus. On the off chance it was a legit restore and you've just got a virus the instant you returned to the internet, you'll want to make sure it doesn't happen again. If possible download the anti-virus installer elsewhere, put it on a pen drive and get it that way, so you're less likely to get interference(though the pen-drive could be compromised.)

i have windows vista.
I did another system restore just a check. I'm pretty sure I did the restore, nothing offered it. It did say it failed before it started to restore though.
All my photos and everything are gone now. everything is not as slow, but it's still....not normal.
and this just happened

every time i try to download something legit (chrome, anti virus software, etc) it takes me to more spam sites.

System restores don't cure virus infections, alas.

It's looking like your best option at this point is a format and re-install, given how deeply the virus has gotten seated. A virus scan could probably stop it from doing more damage, but they're very bad at fixing the damage that's already been done.

Plus, if all your files are gone already you've nothing to lose.

ah alrighty then.
if you don't mind, can you tell me how to do that though?

boot your computer with the Windows 7 installation disc in the optical disc drive. Install as prompted. (If you haven't installed Windows 7 before, see: Installing and reinstalling Windows 7)

If your computer's a Toshiba it should be able to reset itself to factory settings. I don't know if other makes offer this- I haven't really bothered with keeling up with standardisation over the past few years, but if memory serves me well that reset program opens up a totally secure backup load of code, and completely wipes your existing information. Normally I wouldn't reccommemd this, as it removes ALL custom information, but I guess that's now a non-issue.

Originally Posted by Mister Blak

If your computer's a Toshiba it should be able to reset itself to factory settings. I don't know if other makes offer this- I haven't really bothered with keeling up with standardisation over the past few years, but if memory serves me well that reset program opens up a totally secure backup load of code, and completely wipes your existing information. Normally I wouldn't reccommemd this, as it removes ALL custom information, but I guess that's now a non-issue.

okay good because it is a toshiba.
if i do reset it to factory settings, will that defenitely get rid of the virus?

I would personally recommend you try booting into Safe Mode and seeing if you can get some sort of virus scanner downloaded to see if you can't fix the problem before you waste the couple hours it'll take reinstalling Vista.

However, if your heart's set on doing a system restore (it's guaranteed to get the virus off, whereas the virus scanner isn't), it's probably a good idea to get someone who knows what they're doing to walk you through this since this is your first go at it.

You'll wipe everything (including network drivers), so it's generally better to get someone NOT on a website to walk you through these things, in my experience. In theory it's as simple as popping in a disc and reinstalling, but in practice, hunting down drivers is a pain, unless you have a driver CD (♥♥♥♥ manufacturers that don't ship them with their PCs). And not knowing how or what you're looking for is a nightmare.

Just make sure before you start reinstalling that you either have someone who knows the steps or write down what you need beforehand, because forgetting things can lead to problems down the road (like being stuck with no internet connection).

I think I do have windows 7 disc, this isn't the first time I've had to reinstall it on my computer.
thanks! I'll ask my dad to help me with this tomorrow, seeing as he's generally good with stuff like this.

Originally Posted by Casanova

i have windows vista.

There's your problem.

Originally Posted by Tesla

There's your problem.

I have a vista and my computer acts fine.

Vista is an unfinished project. Anyone with any Win32 knowledge can tell you that. Win98, WinXP and Win7 were really only Win OSes satisfying so far. Though Ubuntu wins on an IBM PC.

Vista sucks indeed but like, i doubt thats actually her problem. I use vista and yeah, its beastly, unseemly, nasty, and annoying. But something had to cause her computer to go poop other than the OS itself.

Not necessarily, really.

Vista, especially after SP1, is a fine OS. It's not as good as 7, but it gets far, far, far more hate than it deserves. Most of the Vista hate was because suddenly programmers had to actually comply with Microsoft's standards, and it turns out that most of them hadn't been doing so for decades. So suddenly poorly-written programs stopped working. This isn't Microsoft's fault, they provided plenty of warning, developers just didn't listen.

To blame Vista for a virus infection is especially bizarre, since it's a far more resilient OS than XP.