Corrupted PCs find new home in the Dumpster

In the face of growing legions of digital pests, many PC owners are simply replacing embattled machines rather than fixing them.
The New York Times

The story "Corrupted PCs find new home in the Dumpster" published July 17, 2005 at 4:30 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

Content from The New York Times expires after 7 days.

[BMR777]

You've got to be kidding!!!

I can't believe that people are throwing out their old PC's due to Spyware! I could see if it needed a new motherboard or needed a lot of money invested into it to be fixed, but spyware? It is a shame that people would throw out all of that perfectly fine hardware due to spyware. I say, if you don't want your old PC because of the spyware, don't throw it out! Heck, I'll take it. The thing is, people do not realize how easy it is to reformat and then KEEP that junk off. I have 3 PC's, two which go online regularly. No Spyware and No Viruses!!! I don't do much extra, just a little IE settings changes (yes I use IE) to disable ActiveX, and a custom hosts file, and some dilligence. I also watch what I download, no Kazaa or Smileys for me! If you still want to get rid of that old PC, before you do, contact me at http://www.rusnakweb.com or [e-mail] and I'll help you get that spyware off.

BMR777
http://www.rusnakweb.com

[jmanico]

STOOOPID PEOPLE

Whats even more incomprehensible to me is that people stoopid enough to get their machines infected in the first place will have the same problem in about a week with their new computers. The average time-to-live of a raw unprotected machine on the internet is like 15 minutes? Now repeat after me, its really not that tough:

"software firewall, AV Free Antivirus, hardware router/firewall, no NOT download any software that you are clueless about, only surf the web with firefox on an XP account that does not have admin privlegdes, and do not let your kids PLAY WITH YOUR COMPUTER OR EVEN BE ON YOUR NETWORK."

Thank you. Or, just email me at [e-mail] - I will take your infected computer and "dispose" of if properly for you.

[iKenny]

Yes...

Or you could avoid spyware altogether and buy a Mac :)

[jmanico]

STOOPID PEOPLE

Thats right - all your STOOPID people - please just mail me your computer and go buy a mac!

[Andrew J Glina]

Buy an Apple

Anyone with that much money and that little sense that they can't stay off porn sited and/or stop installing "freeware" programs deserve an Apple. They are obviously too stupid to handle anything else. Give me a car and I could have it broken in under a day. Give an idiot a computer and the same will happen.

Throwing out a computer because it had software problems is stupid and I was expecting a "Brought to you by Apple" at the end of this story.

[Earl Benser]

Come on now, Andy....

Anyone (read a significant number of PC owners) with that much
money and that little sense that they can't stay off porn sited
and/or stop installing "freeware" programs deserve an Apple????

Not hardly. If they have no sense to manage their PC's, they are
not propective Appel users. As you say, they are obviously too
stupid . Give me a car and you could have it broken in under a
day. Give an idiot a computer and the same will happen, and it
does, apparently in quite high quantities.

Throwing out a computer because it had software problems is
very stupid. Apple doesn't need customers like that either....

But the PC world does pay a price with a large population
fraction of unskilled users and another large population of
people deliberately trying to screw up their computers. You can't
blame that on Apple............

You're right

they should buy an Apple cos they don't have to put up with that Crap. people shouldn't be labeled "stupid" simply because they, unlike you, don't want to spend money and time fighting off viruses and spyware. They simply want to work WITH their computers and not on them.

You're intolerance of the Mac community humors me. Apparently your ignorance goes farther then your knowledge of computers.

[Dibbs]

hahahaha

you're an idiot.

[NeutralX2]

Right..

Why you wouldnt spend a hour and a half and just format the pc instead of wasting $400 is beyond me.

[jmanico]

Send me your PC

Don't throw away your spyware infected pc, just send it me me - start my emailing me at [e-mail] and I'll take it. Afterall, it's trivial to reload an OS and secure up a new machine. =)

Not trivial to MicroSoft

"Don't throw away your spyware infected pc, just send it me me
- start my emailing me at [e-mail] and I'll take it.
Afterall, it's trivial to reload an OS and secure up a new machine.
=)"

MicroSoft has been at this security thing for several years now
and they seem to have a different impression of trivial. When it
becomes trivial they will put all the third party stuff on their
install disk and get a better reputation.

Jim

[Marcus Westrup]

Burn that degree!

This guy has a "doctoral degree in computer science", and can't keep his own machine clean?!?

So much for skills on paper, what about real world skill? I hope he doesn't look after a customer database - those poor people would be screwed.

[Soliton]

My thoughts exactly...

being a doctoral student in EE. Its a shame!

CS PhD...

How many people getting an advanced degree in CS
have ever used a PC running Windows? They don't
use Windows... The whole notion of viruses and
spyware is completely foreign to those folks.

The question is, why not install one or another
UNIX variant? Today you've go everything you
could want except for the latest games. If it's
because of the games, buy a console unit to
complement your PC.

Seriously, stick Linux, FreeBSD, or whatever on
the thing and be done with it. Your a CS grad,
it's what you've lived and breathed for years
anyway... If you're married to Windows, learn the
ropes -- with a lot of work, you can get them
humming along nicely; and learning the reformat
reinstall mambo is not too much to ask (yes, it's
mind boggling that people do such a thing in this
age, but it's part of Windows' charm).

[challman]

safety is simple

I can NOT believe people are disposing of PCs simply due to spyware/adware/whateverware.

Here is the simple solution to that problem:

1. Firefox. Bypasses the bugs of IE.
2. Hardware firewall. Protects your Windows from Internet malcontents.
3. Web based email. Almost no need to worry about your email again. Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc. most often are able to delete virus laden emails. Furthermore (and this is another sore spot of mine), no need to whine and moan about spam. They handle it for you.
4. Beware of what you download.
5. Beware on ANY pop-up windows (although you shouldn't get many with the above configuration). READ before you say yes/no/ok/cancel.
6. Use a USER account, not an ADMIN (administrator) account.

I've been running like this for months without an infection. If you really feel insecure, then you could add an antivirus program. I'd suggest Norton since McAfee seems to be such a resource hog lately.

[challman]

BTW

If you feel the need to dump and run, you could at least try Geek Squad, IQ Crew, Geeks on Call, etc.

I've never used them, but they may be able to lend a hand for cheaper than a new PC. Or contact me if you're really desperate; [e-mail]

[landlines]

...and if you want to be REALLY SECURE...

...start when you first install a new system:

1. Re-partition your hard drive BEFORE you use your system...BEFORE any connection is made to any network. Yes, you will need a full copy of your OS and applications on CDROM...but you should have this as backup anyway. Leave enough room on the C: drive for the OS and essential parts of legitimate applications (2GB for most people will be PLENTY). Then add at least one more partition for applications and another little partition for swap space. This way you can make your C: drive NON-SHAREABLE and prevent a huge portion of the mischief.

2. Install a software firewall in addition to your hardware firewall. Using the software firewall, severely limit access to the web. If you don't know why an application needs access, DENY it.

3. Remove Windows Scripting Host: it is a beginning hackers' best friend.

4. Avoid use of anything which uses "Active X" (which we call "Virus X"). If you MUST run an application using this "technology," deny it access to the web. Use Eudora....not Outlook or Outlook Express (aka 'Virus Express). Use Firefox...not IE (aka 'Infection Enabler'). Use Open Office...not MS Office (aka 'MS security Orifice').

5. Scan ALL media, downloads, and email attachments BEFORE using them. It pays to be Paranoid. Scan new shrink-wrapped CDROM's: do you KNOW the duplicator? Format your own floppy disks and Zip disks: there HAVE BEEN cases of infections from the factory in "preformatted" media. All of this is a lot less trouble than removing even one infection.

6. Disable ALL "automatic update" features in EVERY program. If you don't have a clear reason to update, DONT DO IT. If you MUST update, make sure you know where the update is coming from: use SSL connection if possible...and ALWAYS save the update to disk and SCAN IT COMPLETELY before installing.

And yes, it would be simpler to use Linux in the first place. But the measures outlined above will enormously improve the security of any Windows-based system.

[Jonathan]

Morons

Tell me how buying new HARDWARE is going to fix security issues with software. Morons.

[Jonathan]

Idiot....

I've never gotten a virus. Never been infected by adware. Never had my computer compromised by a hacker. Why? Because of four simple steps. Anti-virus, firewall, disable services, Firefox. They are relatively simple steps no different then taking your keys and locking your car when you get out of it. The problem is most users are lazy idiots who think a computer is a VCR, microwave, or TV when it comes to use which is not the case. Take your trolling somewhere else you Mac psychopath.

[TV James]

Ugh...

I think CNET wrote this story to (a) make Salesforce look bad or (b) sell lots of advertising next to all the comments they knew we'd leave.

I'm sorry, but I've only gotten one virus, ever. SirCam. And it was because I forgot that in Eudora a single-click opened an attachment. I tried to drag it to my desktop because I knew it was infected and wanted to look at it.

When it broke my computer and took over all .COM extensions, I just loaded REGEDIT.EXE and called my dad, hoping that his version of Windows had the same registry string. I made him read it over the phone to me three times, I plugged it in and regained enough control over my computer to get a full detection/prevention tool up and running to do the rest of the job.

I agree with all these other people on here who say that you can remain virus-free by just being careful and having a firewall, updated anti-virus software, etc. Only I would add to that that there's no reason to take drastic measures and switch to Firefox. You can be completely safe on IE, too, if you're smart.

Will someone please, please, please write some Mac virii to prove to these smug bastards that they're only safe because no one cares about Macs? I'm not suggesting destroying harddrives. I'm just suggesting something that brings up the SadMac and says "See? You're just as easy to infect. It's just usually not worth our time."

[landlines]

Sorry, but you're wrong

Neither MAC nor Linux have a mechanism implemented so poorly as "Active X" which allows one application to take total control of files and facilities of another application without so much as a password.

This is what makes "Macros"...which are intended to be a useful feature.. so deadly in Windows (and ONLY Windows).

[Earl Benser]

They've tried...

... it hasn't....

[Datalus]

This story is ridiculous

This guy shouldn't be praised for his intolerance of spyware. He should be mocked and laughed at in his local town square, while people throw rotton fruit at him. The sad thing his, he has a degree in computer science. It is not that hard to stay spyware and virus free. You just have to use your common sense and not click on shady things on the internet (ie: useless "web drivers", pictures or movies that end in .exe, etc) Wasting his perfectly fine hard ware was pure idiocy. He could have at least bought a new hard drive.

[R. U. Sirius]

VP at Salesforce.com

Someone should tell Lew Tucker how to manage software problems. If I were the CEO of Salesforce.com, I'd fire Mr. Tucker for making a mockery of the company.

Salesforce is supposed to be a software web services tech company, in the CRM space no less, and one of their VP's is so stupid as to be interviewed and admit to throwing away his PC because it is full of adware? How the hell did this clown get such a well paying job? He's an idiot and makes his company look horrible.

Amazing. Truly amazing.

[davebarnes]

Sometimes it makes sense to dump the infected PC

I had a friend do exactly this.
He had a really old Windows 95 machine that was totally infected
with spyware. He did not have the Win 95 CD.
It was easier to have him toss the old machine and then take the
newer (but still old) Windows 2000 machine from me.
I then told him to use FireFox (especially when visiting porn
sites) and only use IE for sites that insisted upon it and which he
absolutely had to visit.
He is spyware free almost a year later.
For him trashing the old PC was exactly the right action to take.

,dave

[dollsey74]

no kidding...

It was Windows 95! But a PC running Windows XP or 2000? That's pure laziness.

[savaship]

Our education system is just THAT bad

How come a guy with a doctorate in Computer Science doesn't know anything about how software works? I only have an associates and I've never thrown out a computer because of software, nor would I ever buy a $400 Dell. Spyware and malware festers in the registry on a windows PC, I would expect a doctorate in Computer Science to know this and be able to do something about it. So, based on the fact that I know more than Lew Tucker, I would like to be given a doctorite degree from his college. Anyone else think they deserve a doctorite more than Lew Tucker?

[radspot]

Don't Throw It Away!

Tossing 'puters because of spyware? I was actually pointed to the Times article earlier, and from another source, but if I recall correctly we had a PhD doing this stuff????? It has already been pointed out that with just a little care and knowledge you can get rid of this stuff and generally steer clear of it. I too have multi-node home network, with everything from W98 to WinXP, have also been wireless since W98...back when you added access point, not all-in-one router...and manage to keep my machines generally safe. When the occasional nasty does get through, I very seldom have a problem killing it. Even if you have to do the proverbial "format C:", that's better use of hardware, the environment, etc; but here's what really gets me...WHAT PERSONAL DATA ARE THESE PEOPLE LEAVING ON THEIR HARD DRIVES?...I would love to get a peek at that PhD's discards! If you just want a new PC...okay...but don't just carelessly discard a perfectly good one because you need to do a little maintainence. If you ARE going that route, I have to wonder...what's gonna keep your NEW PC from becoming another "boat anchor"?

[savaship]

you should go to his house and find out

I think this Lew Tucker might be the SUN microsystems Vice president of Internet Services Lew Tucker... check his house if you're in the area, I'll bet there's some good stuff on that box.

You can avoid spyware very easily

I just read over the article and I can honestly say that 99 percent of all spyware and viruses get onto our computers systems from our own doing. Botton line if you go to a website and you get a message saying you need to install a plugin to view this page close it. Kids infect computers because they do not know any better, adults do the same. I never get spyware on my computer because I know how it works and how to avoid it. I would never consider tossing out my computer because it's loaded with spyware. Who the heck would just go blow money on a new computer only to be in the same seat with spyware and viruses 4 months later? I can almost guarintee that anybody who throws there computer away gets all the spyware back on in a matter of months. Some in a matter of a week. I am a tech at plumchoice computer help and when I tell you we fix this stuff daily I mean it. Yes it does cost more with us to have it fixed however we educate our customers on how to avoid it all together. I can tell you right now the best antispyware products out there are MS antispyware, Spyware doctor, adaware se. Best antivirus? Not norton or mcafee. In a recent study done by our company we found that both products failed to keep viruses off customers computers. Best antivirus programs out there, PC-Cillin 2005, Nod32 and Avast antivirus. We are so programmed to think norton is the best or mcafee is the best. The free mcafee that comes with aol and all of those "antispyware, virus tools" are total junk. I clean more systems running that garbage than I care to think about. I am currently writing an article that covers the best products for spyware removal, antivirus removal and how to keep spyware and viruses off the PC to begin with. If anybody is interested in checking it out I will try to get it posted right here on news.com.

Do the same thing with the NY Times

The Times hasen't reported correctly for years. It's filled with adware and obviously the writers are infected with a virus. In terms of national and regional politics the case can be made that they may also have some sort of Trojan at the very old & tired gray lady. I say throw out the Times. No sense trying to reformat it.

[Tui Pohutukawa]

Mac users are not smug

It simply is hard to understand why the Windows world seems so
reluctant to grasp/appreciate the advantages of Mac OS.

[Mystigo]

Too right!

And so astonishingly hostile in the process! Anytime anyone dares
to suggest that the Mac may in fact be more secure or a better
value in general, the vilification that ensues is just mind-boggling.
And best of all, after wading through a string of invective that
would make a pirate blush, the conclusion is always that it is Mac
users who are smug antisocial zealots.

[Christopher Hall]

No games

That's my reason. Other than that, I happen to like the candy OS.

[WesFlash]

No system is safe from the truly talented

Because Windows is easy to install, many people buy computers from my employer and install the OS themselves. These are the people that plug the phone line into the NIC and wonder why the phone doesn't work. They can't even find a cup small enough for the opening of the "cup holder" that we wonderfully installed for them.
Surely, these people know how to secure a system?

I say that even the truly talented anti-geek will cause any myriad of problem to happen because they can't stop themsleves from doing what is wrong, or they just don't care. You can't stop them from their fate, and they should spend extra, like buying a new computer every so many months, because they don't know how to or won't stop doing what causes all those troubles.

[PCCRomeo]

All PC's are corrupt....

...Some new ones you buy are even worse than old, worn in ones. On my Christmas list this year, is an iBook.....I mean, what the hell. It won't hurt to give one a try...