Possible virus?

Timmy_d

Hi guys i think i may have some sort of a virus on laptop...e.g when i open up a word document on my desktop a duplicate copy is also created of the same file starting with ~$tim.doc for example and when the original is closed down the copy disappears...bit strange ran avg and SUPERantispyware but nothing,any ideas?

aidan_walsh

Thats a temporary copy, which should be hidden by default. Its quite normal and is only visible if you have Hidden Files and Folders enabled.

Timmy_d

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Thats a temporary copy, which should be hidden by default. Its quite normal and is only visible if you have Hidden Files and Folders enabled.

Hmmm not activated though,double checked...

Sherifu

What you've described in your first post seems normal enough. They would usually be hidden alright though.

Capt'n Midnight

many apps create temp files , and it's up to the app to delete them when finished. you can empty the folder straight after rebooting, but best not to do it while you have programs open in case they are using them

Timmy_d

Sherifu wrote: »

What you've described in your first post seems normal enough. They would usually be hidden alright though.

Ya defininetly its only started doing this within the last week and def no settings changed...thing is its only word documents that are affected

Capt'n Midnight

many apps create temp files , and it's up to the app to delete them when finished. you can empty the folder straight after rebooting, but best not to do it while you have programs open in case they are using them

muggyog

I suppose you COULD regard Microsoft Word as a virus however this is normal operation. To fix it remove Word and install OpenOffice.;)

Timmy_d

muggyog wrote: »

I suppose you COULD regard Microsoft Word as a virus however this is normal operation. To fix it remove Word and install OpenOffice.;)

Ya thing is i shouldnt need to get rid of word,been using it for years...

mukki

muggyog wrote: »

I suppose you COULD regard Microsoft Word as a virus however this is normal operation. To fix it remove Word and install OpenOffice.

that poster saying to unistall word and install open office, should get a warning from an mod, thats a terribal bit of advice

Timmy_d wrote: »

Hmmm not activated though,double checked...

what do you mean by not activated, are you sure your checking it right.....

open my computer
press alt (on vista)
click on tools
click on folder options
on new windows click the view tab
in the options box click do not show hidden and system files
click ok

if icons are still there

right click on them
click properties
tick the hidden check box
click on ok

Capt'n Midnight

mukki wrote: »

that poster saying to unistall word and install open office, should get a warning from an mod, thats a terribal bit of advice

That's what the is for I guess

Older versions of office have no copy protection worthy of the name. Older corporate licenses don't have individual serial numbers, you just use the serial on the media kit. I've lost track of the number of pirated copies of office I've seen, where people didn't realise you weren't supposed to copy it or the seriousness of it. It's the casual copying that killed off all the competitors.

On a new machine, for most users an up to date OpenOffice is better than an older copy of word. On an old machine OpenOffice would be slower, but on a machine that old I'd be more worried about the hard drive dying of old age and besides it wouldn't run the latest version of Microsoft Office anyway. ( if anyone reading has a very old machine look at abiword )

muggyog

Im obviously an idiot and should be banned for giving stupid advice.

mukki

muggyog wrote: »

Im obviously an idiot and should be banned for giving stupid advice.

i dont thinkthat your an idiot (maybe you do though ), and should not be banned, but the there is a lot of people here that suggest you have to install firefox/linux/openoffice to fix problems with m$'s versions, and they normally get a warning for pimping other software instead of trying to help out with a problem