I was in the middle of checking facebook and email
when something popped up on the bottom
of my screen saying: "windows security alert" and asking if I wanted to start a scan, but when I said yes, the scanner was not what normally scans. And the website it led me to ( to "activate" my virus software) was not a windows website.
Obviously it was some kind of virus or whatever. The problem is that now I can't open ANYTHING on my laptop. I restarted, but everytime I try to load something, it says "can't open (program).exe. Do you want to activate your antivirus software now?" so... Can't open my REAL antivirus software.
Isbthere anything I can dobro get around this?
I am using my iPod to post this... Have never had this happen and am unsure what to do...

I had the same virus a couple weeks ago. Couldn't even open my start menu. Ended up having to pay someone to clean it for me. It was only $25 but still a pain. I have no idea what they did to fix it so I'm not much help. Haha

@minor catasrophe: I had one literally three days ago that wouldn't allow my taskbar to come up, and it completely erased the file that would allow it to show up. (I went to find it so I could manually open it, and it wasn't there.) and it wouldn't let my computer run in safe mode at all.

When I finally got the restore menu open, it had deleted my restore points (I make sure to create them in case things like that happen!)
I had to wipe my entire computer, and I couldn't open my desktop to back anything up. It was so terrible :(

can you boot up in safe mode with networking and download malwarebytes? I had something similar only it kept popping up porn links on my desktop everytime I stopped that "scan"... malwarebyte took it right out

@ericswife-- would my regular antivirus work? I am in safe mode currently, using mcafee security center to scan my laptop

it may do the trick.. but I dont use Mcafee so I couldnt tell ya for sure :)

I think it's going to have to. My computer will not let me access the internet when I am in safe mode.

Okay.. I entered safe mode and am doing a virus scan. I hope that helps.

The virus scan did not get rid of the problem. Am trying system restore, but I am not sure if that will help

Viruses are a pain in the nuts. Do you still have your Windows discs? Because the easiest way to get rid of it would be to backup everything you want to save (pictures, text documents, etc... Might have to do it in Safe Mode) and then reinstall Windows. It sounds like a pain, but it will not only get rid of the virus, but probably speed up your computer as well, so it's a win-win situation =)

Yeah, the ONLY way that I know of getting rid of THAT problem...is to reboot the computer from scratch. I had it happen to me back in the day...and nothing I tried, including just about every anti virus and malware program, would fix it.

By rebooting from scratch are you referring to a system restore, or by reinstalling windows?

while you're in safe mode, do a system restore. (To a date when your computer was working fine, obviously ;D)
I'm not sure exactly how to get to it, but I go to the help option in the start menu and search system restore... it's usually one of the last links. "run system restore wizard" or something to that effect.

Pick a date to restore to, and it should allow you to get to everything normally (your regular non-safe mode log-in and the internet.)
I'm 99% positive that DOES NOT remove the virus, but it should allow you to download something to remove it.

Also, I don't think regular windows has any type of "scanning" option. So any pop ups you get that are not from YOUR antivirus are spam. Don't click them.

yea, that virus is a pain, the only way I've heard to get rid of it is to format the hard drive and reinstall windows

I'm just worried that I won't be able to find my windows discs. I'll try that, though.
I did the System Restore to a week ago when I didn't have the problem and am running and anti-spyware/malware program.
If that doesn't work, I'll try to find my Windows discs and restore that way.

My Moms computer had something similar to that, does this "fake spyware program" you speak of have a name? I just remember that it slowed the computer down a shitload and I was lucky if I could get onto the internet at all. I remember hers did but I forgot the name of it, but I ended up going to google and typing "how to get rid of [program name]." I got lucky somewhow and found a website that referred me to downloading malaware bytes, saying that it was the only affective free program known to kill the virus. It took afew hours I remember but sure thing malaware bytes ate the virus for me. I noticed a BIG difference on her computer after that.