Outlook erasing incoming - virus?

[navychop]

Something happened on my machine and Symantec stopped working. I have the 2005 version. Says to reinstall. Well, I put it off, and was just careful where I went. Not careful enough, it seems.

I downloaded 29 messages Sunday in Outlook and they all instantly disappeared. Not in any folder, or deleted files, or even recycle bin. Did a test, having my wife send a test message. Same thing happened, instant obliteration.

So I ran AdAware, which removed a few things. Spybot also, although there seems to be a problem with one of it's files. I'll find the discs and reinstall Symantec, and test it carefully. I've been planning on rebuilding my system from reformat on up, but the honeydew list keeps taking priority.

Anyone familiar with this virus, or ever even hear of it?

 

[Ramy]

If you have a 2005 version then it is pretty useless now. You need a new version of antivirus software. I would recommend downloading AVG antivirus software for free.
Go here: AVG Free - Download antivirus and antispyware software for Windows XP and Vista

 

[navychop]

You think the updates that are distributed for the 2005 NAV are insufficient? Program itself needs updating?

Does AVG get along with AdAware & Spybot?

Thank you.

 

[Ramy]

If you just paid for the original software and haven't reuped every year for their service then they aren't giving you much now.
Yes, I have all 3 installed on all my computers with no problems.

 

[rhdj]

As long as your virus database updates,which means you still paying once a year or so, you should be protected with your virus software. Have you tried a program called Hijackthis? It does not remove anything but lets you see what is running on your computer and maybe spot suspect software. Beware though all software is listed ligit along with spyware and hijack scripts. Someone here should be able to help you spot the script doing this.

 

[rhdj]

When you run Adaware, do you do a full system scan and allow it to remove files on restart? If not go to the setup and change that ,it is not default if I remember correctly. Also sometimes you have to run adaware a few times to get all the files detected and removed.

 

[navychop]

Yes, I pay for the annual subscription updates.

Full system scan. I believe it removes them immediately. Only certain ones need to be removed on restart?

Hijack has good reports but has many false positives. So yes, if I go that route I'll have to consult here.

I haven't heard of this particular behavior from a virus. I'll have to google more to see if I can find a name for it- might help with removal.

I think I'll go with AVG and then maybe reinstall Symantec.

Thanks for the help.

 

[jayn_j]

Before you go too far down the virus road, have you checked your e-mail rules? It is possible to have a rule that permenantly deletes all incoming mail.

 

[navychop]

Yes, I thought of that first. But I thought choosing "delete it" put it in the deleted items folder.

Anyway, it gets curiouser and curiouser. Gone yesterday. Gone after reboot yesterday. Here today. Yep, all Sunday's messages are in my email box.

So I go to my mail box using web mail. Six messages. 5 dated today, one yesterday. Go to Outlook. Send/Receive. It downloaded 2 messages that I could see. The one dated yesterday was in my inbox. One of the ones from yesterday was in my Junk Mail folder, so I moved it to the inbox. It disappeared.

AVG, here I come.

Kinda strange, huh? Any ideas?

 

[mike123abc]

I do not bother bringing mail to my computers any more. I just keep it all on yahoo. With unlimited storage on yahoo it has been great keeping it there for the past few years. Worldwide access is nice too. Google has a mail service too that will let you keep all your mail there if you are not a Yahoo fan.

 

[Ramy]

It could have been an office update that did it. I would google the groups and see if anyone else is having the same problems.

 

[navychop]

Thanks, I'll do that.

I loaded AVG yesterday and ran it. Last I saw, it was over 50% done. When I came back, my computer was sitting at the bios log in screen. Sigh.

If I ever get the time, I'll reload everything, on a new HDD. A good clean start, if I can find everything.

 

[jayn_j]

Yes, I thought of that first. But I thought choosing "delete it" put it in the deleted items folder.

For some unfathomable reason there is also a "permanently delete it" option. That one bypasses the deleted items.

BTW, I did the office update a week ago. I am getting different issues, but not this one. I'm not sure I would recommend the update though. Mine was for Office 2003 and after the update, I cannot exit out of Outlook. The window closes, but the process remains active. If I start it up again, it spawns a new process, leaving me with 2 actrive Outlooks. I need to go in and manually kill them.

 

[navychop]

Thanks. But if I reimage my system, and load Office from CD & update it, my only option will be the latest update. I think. Or do they offer a way to just update to some previous point, shy of their latest?

 

[jayn_j]

Thanks. But if I reimage my system, and load Office from CD & update it, my only option will be the latest update. I think. Or do they offer a way to just update to some previous point, shy of their latest?

Unfortunately, not. It's latest or nothing. Let us know how it works out.

 

[navychop]

Grrrr- The honeydew list is beginning to look more attractive. I'm so tired of rebuilding systems from reformat on up.

 

[Foxbat]

With Outlook, we have had this issue get a few of our users: Most of the Views into folders are broken down by "Today" Yesterday" "This Week" "Last Week" "This Month" and "Older". You can collapse and expand these headers, so it is possible to still have the messages but not be able to see them if it falls within one of the collapsed headers.

 

[StevenD]

For some unfathomable reason there is also a "permanently delete it" option. That one bypasses the deleted items.

BTW, I did the office update a week ago. I am getting different issues, but not this one. I'm not sure I would recommend the update though. Mine was for Office 2003 and after the update, I cannot exit out of Outlook. The window closes, but the process remains active. If I start it up again, it spawns a new process, leaving me with 2 actrive Outlooks. I need to go in and manually kill them.

Do you have iTunes installed? iTunes installs an Add-On that keeps the Outlook.exe process open.

 

[Ramy]

Do you have iTunes installed? iTunes installs an Add-On that keeps the Outlook.exe process open.

Wonder why it does that?

 

[StevenD]

Wonder why it does that?

Because it can sync your calendar and contacts.