does my computer have a virus that cant be detected?

[howman]

I recently had the pe_magistr.b virus on my home laptop compter (Win98). It mailed itself to everyone I know. After reading about the the virus and learning that it can spread across the network, I scanned my desktop (Win2k Server). While in mid scan, my computer re-booted itself and then failed to restart. Chalk another one up to the virus.

About a week before the virus arrived, I got a new laptop computer (Win 2k Pro). It was connected to my network for only a few days and had very little up time. I did a virus scan yesterday and it came back clean. Joy.

Today, a few minutes after booting my new laptop, Microsoft Outlook setup wizard poped up. I had never configured Outlook or any mail client yet. So I hit cancel and exited out of the wizard. Well, a few minutes later, the wizard poped up again. This happened repeatedly.

My question is, could the virus be trying to send mail which is promting the setup wizard? Wouldn't my virus scan (Norton AV 2002) detect the virus?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

HF

 

[2ffat]

Do you have the lastest updates/identities? If not it could be a virus. James P. Cottingham

I am the Unknown lead by the Unknowing.
I have done so much with so little
for so long that they think I am now
qualified to do anything with nothing.

 

[howman]

Yes. I did a Live Update through the Symantic software just before scanning. By the way, I just found out that the Symantic name for the virus is W32.Magistr.39921@mm.

Thanks.

 

[Grenage]

It sounds that way doesn't it. If you didn't have an account setup and it tried to send a mail in the background that's probably what would happen.

Mcaffe do a free online computer scan on their website. It might be worth giving that a try, since no 1 virus scanner is infalable.

 

[DanielKBates]

Your virus definitions may not be completely up to date if you are using symantec. We use Sophos which claims to trap many more (around 4000) viruses than Symantec. Dont know if its true though.

 

[Kento]

"We use Sophos which claims to trap many more viruses than Symantec. Dont know if its true though."

Nonsense!!

 

[AVChap]

Every AV product can detect around 59,000 viruses, give or take a thousand. Some on the high side, others on the low side. What you need to look at is whether it can detect AND clean those viruses. Detecting is one thing, cleaning is totally different.

AVChap