More Awesome Than You!

I downloaded and used the following keygen:  http:/ /www.torrenthound.com/torrent/3ccd11c75b91f442748d5a2efa3b8a7ef999f0c3 (download link out of firefox), which is labeled The+sims+36+world+adventures+keygen+only.torrent in my downloads history. I used it, installed World Adventures, and have been noticing something strange. On startup my computer loads the keygen. I've deleted the downloaded file as well as the torrents, but it seems like it might be tied into my WA install. Is this anything to worry about, or more of an inconvenience?

Sounds like a virus.... god only knows why you downloaded a random keygen torrent rather than a scene one.

"Scene"? Anyway.

I've run everything through virus scans, and it isn't pulling anything up.

"Scene" as in major warez releasers, as opposed to random Russian satellite state keylogger-infested pirate sites.

If the keygen is "loading" on startup (I'm not certain what that involves based on the description) and you didn't put it in your startup items, something funky's going on. It's not possible to predict what without seeing your shit, or knowing more details on the problem. It's also tough to judge how serious a problem this is. Could be nothing. Could be something.

Based on the general impression that I get from your post though, I'm going to predict the following scenario:

1) This is one of a number of viruses and trojans that you'll get in the indeterminate future.
2) Eventually, your machine's performance is going to degrade significantly. At that point, you will either take it in to Geek Squad and pay several hundred dollars for them to re-install Windows, or you will purchase a new computer from Dell.

Cute! I'm actually scanning the hell out of it at this point, and oh! I don't buy computers from Dell, OR use geek squad. Interesting way to waste some money though.

Serious answer now, open msconfig and look at your startup items. See anything in there that doesn't look kosher? Look at the file paths of all the startup items and make sure they lead somewhere reasonable. Check the startup folder in your start menu as well.

If you have the operating system disk, you can actually wipe out the computer, reformatting your hard drive, and reinstall Windows yourself.  Just takes a little time & patience.  Of course, you would also need the CDroms to reinstall your programs.  I do it myself when it's needed.  No sense in paying someone else to do what you can do yourself. 

I would also recommend you download a program called Malwarebytes.  Just go to their website:  www.malwarebytes.com (http://www.malwarebytes.com) and look for the free version.  Then run that for a full system scan.  It really works well.

I'd looked in the startup folder, but not msconfig. I've got a lovely little gem named "logan estudos Operating System" that is showing.

My backup disks have disappeared in a *poof*. I'm still under warranty, worse case scenario I can send it in to be reformatted but I'd rather not.

Edit: Avast picked it up, although AVG did not.

Here's a link to Google.  There are some articles about this "operating system" there.  http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=logan+estudos+Operating+System&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&oq=logan+estudos+Operating+System&fp=6b22d27f49a5e7dd (http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=logan+estudos+Operating+System&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&oq=logan+estudos+Operating+System&fp=6b22d27f49a5e7dd)

I had found those last night - not much info out there about it, although I think its safe to say that the poster of those downloaded the same "keygen" I did. Everything is cleared up now. I'm a little frustrated that AVG did not detect it.