Virus?

[h_troy]

Hello, I am new to this forum, but have had several problems with my computer but no luck on finding anything on the internet to help me. Hope someone here can.

Problem:
The fonts on my computer have been changed to symbols. Therefore I am not sure what programs I am going into or anything. Internet still works, but address bar is full of symbols. I can view pages they are readable. Norton is not working. Operating system is Windows Xp. Is this a virus.

Help,
H_troy.

[Shifter2101]

did ya try this?

or you can get adaware from here... but if everything is symbols you wont know what your looking at to set it up.

[h_troy]

Thanks,

I will try that. I had a thought that it might be some adware or spyware programs. Even if the computer has some kind of spyware I wont know what I am getting rid off. Any suggestions.

H.

[Shifter2101]

ummm... you can delete pretty much everything that adaware cames up with... when its done running just rightclick in the field where the "objects" are and then "select all" then rightclick once more and "delete"... but there again, if you cant read the jibberish how are you supposed to be able to run the program?

im sure if that online scan turns anything up someone here (more knowledgeable than i) can help you w/ killing it.

[h_troy]

I am at work now. I will try this when I get home. Hopefully it
will clean it off and no more symbols. But you think its adware and not a virus.

H.

[Shifter2101]

could be any number of things... but, thats where i would start looking... (both ad/spyware & viruses).

[nomaxim]

Try this virus scan.

It's a free one.

AVG

Just in case it is a virus!

[nomaxim thinks, , I seem to think I've heard of this problem somewhere before. ]

Edit: Some system stats would help. OS, browser, and such.

[h_troy]

I tried using the norton that was on my system, but its been disabled and cant reinstall it. Used housecall, found hawawi.f. So that might be part of the problem, cant delete the registry files because the fonts are symbols and I cant see where I am going. I actually have two computers that are not networked and its happening to both. The second computer, gets the symbols occasionally and ran housecall on it, but no virus. So I am thinking that the virus is not related, at least I hope not.

Operating system is windows xp home edition, internet explorer, pentium two, two hardrives.

Think harder where did you hear this before, because i havent not to this extent.

h.