Is this a virus?

[Zman]

I may have found some additional info on this problem and temporary work around. I am busy to explain in detail right now. I will post more details later. The problem that Roger2 and I have is what I suspect (not confirm yet) that "something" erased our Inbox.dbx file. This file is in one of the hidden folders. You have to go to Windows Explorer Tools/Folder Options/ to make those hidden folders and system files show up in your Window Explorer. Inbox.dbx is in C:\WinNT\Profiles\<username>\Application Data\Indentities\{you see a lot of digits here}\... If you go this far, keep going into Microsoft and Outlook. There you will find this Inbox.dbx file. When this file is deleted, all mail in the Inbox is gone. When Outlook Express is launched and does not see this file, it creates a new Inbox.dbx (empty of course) with the welcome message.

One way to keep your new message in the Inbox is to move it to other folders that you created in Outlook. This is the temp fix I suggest.

As for McAfee virus scan not detecting virus, you can see http://www.mcafeeb2b.com/support/technical-support/default.asp
to see why it's possible to miss new virus if your scan engine is old. The latest DAT file works well with newer scan engine but not with older scan engine. I am working to get a newer scan engine.

I also suspect the Outlook problem is caused by Virus but I am not sure. Get a newer scan engine and scan all your local drives and all files. You might also want to get the Outlook Express patch if your Outlook Express is old. You can get the patch from Microsoft. In IE, go to Tools/Windows Update/.

Well, I think this is a lot more detail than I expected to put in. If you have any questions, please ask me again. If I found new info, I will post more details.

 

[roger2]

whenever i update my DAT files i am given positive, reassuring confirmations, ie 'patches down loaded...patches installed' etc., it never says 'hey man, you better check your scan engine'

the point is, after i follow Mcafee's update instructions i feel that i am protected, and i should be protected, after all i actually paid for the program and a year's worth of updates...

the info you found re. the scan engine may be a good lead...

btw, my scan engine is v 4.1.40 - i only purchased the prog a couple months ago and i updated the scan engine then. that is not to say that this is not the problem though

i appreciate you diggin into this, and your suggestion about saving to other folders is a good one which i will employ

ON ANOTHER TRACK...Power Management in W2K, while better than W98, still doesn't work well on either of my PCs. i am wondering whether i might have left Outlook Exp. open, left the PC for a long time, then things got screwed up (ie that file you mention got deleted) when the PC was rudely awakened (i have it set to never turn off the HD, but as i said, Power Mgmt on W2k has never worked right for me)

was Power Management a part of the scenario when you lost your email? are u using W2K?

so, Z, thanks for digging...at this point i am happy to just make some new email folders and better spend my efforts finding and executing some good trades ...

i did just update my DAT's (again!) and will run full scans, but i am not inclined to buy a fresh ViruScan, after only 2 months, in order to get new scan engine

if you happen to learn anything new let me know, i'll do the same...

 

[Zman]

I am using W2k. There was a power glitch that afternoon but it was while another user using that PC in different user account. If it was power glitch that caused this, why it deleted my mail again on the next day I opened Outlook? The power glitch is from the wall outlet not W2k power management.

My Outlook Express has been working normally again the yesterday and today. I don't know what I did that make it stop deleting my mail but I did found W32/Navidad.gen@M in one of the RECYCLER folder. After I clean that virus, I have no problem the next 2 days. But I still not sure if it's this virus that cause it. When I was doing the digging, I also renamed the Inbox.dbx file to confirm my finding on the welcome message issue. Then I deleted the newly created Inbox.dbx and renamed the old one back to Inbox.dbx.

I don't know what I did that fixed (hopefully it's fixed) the problem. I don't like not knowing why the problem is gone but it's better than deleting my mail everyday. Maybe I didn't solve the problem but some how I stopped it from deleting my mail.

I was using 4.0.50 scan engine and DAT file downloaded on 8/8/2001 night. That'sd when I found the virus and found out I need newer scane engine. I have 4.1.40 engine and 4.x.4153 DAT file and rescanned last night. Didn't find anything. I think your engine should be up to date enough.

I was told that there is a patch for Outlook Express but I have not run the patch yet, and do not know what the patch fixes.