PC reboots whenever MS software is started

[PerryG]

Let the jokes begin....seriously, a friend of mine called with this problem. She has run all kinds of anti spyware and has the normal virus protection stuff. Whenever she tries to run anything in her Office Professional series, her pc reboots. Any ideas?

By the way, if this is the wrong forun for this, my apologies. It just sounds like virus type behaviour to me.

Thanks for any or all help.

Perry

 

[eyec]

sounds like a virus that has placed itself in the MSOffice operating files.

make sure they are using the latest definition files of whatever virus software they are running and possibly download another vendor's virus scan software to confirm the absence of a virus.

if they do detect a virus and are running ME or XP have them disable the SYSTEM RESTORE function before removing the virus. remove the virus and then reboot and re-enable the SYSTEM RESTORE. this is critical because some virus' overwrite system files in the RESTORE directory so you put the virus right back on your PC the next time you reboot.

finally. make sure you do not have a spyware program loaded. best to run a spyware detection program to be sure this is not hijacking your system. also check what processes/services are running to see if you can detect something amiss - especially an open port (use tcpview to see who is connected to your machine).

hope this helps, but so many things can affect/infect machines now adays that this is only the quick troubleshooting method i use when suspecting or getting strange results from one of my machines.

 

[tazuk]

Just a quick thought - is the machine set to automatically restart on system failure? Assuming XP check under My Computer - Properties - Advanced tab - Startup and Recovery settings.

HTH

TazUk

Blue-screening PCs since 1998