# eMachine, has virus, need reformat, considering Linux.



## pepsi71ocean (Oct 28, 2008)

ok, well the eMachine i have been using lately turns out has a bad virus, and the computer os has been severely compromised because over the last 4 days it has been crippling the computer to the point where it doesn't recognize the CD drives, and sometimes even has trouble accessing the internet. I believe that the virus entered the computer through Firefox, and avast didn't detect it either, but then again the computer was out of date on windows update, so i guess its partly my fault for not updating the computer when i first acquired it from cold storage.

Anyways, it is a fairly new computer, 2.8GHz CPU, (was512), but now its 384MB of RAM, some sort of integrated graphics. Now my new question is since it is a brand computer does this mean that if i wipe off the OS and write zeros to the hard drive (i plan to nuke and wipe this drive multiple times) will linux work on this computer, and work properly? does the puppy linux work on a system os, like NTSF or FAT, or does it have its own file system? Second i plan to boot from the CD, and make a CD-RW with the Puppy linux and everything it needs to run on that CD. 

Outside of that i plan to make it a business computer at some point, and im hoping that the fact its running Linux will help reduce the likely hood i will acquire a virus in the future. If im wrong with that assumption feel free to let me know.


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## SimFreak47 (Oct 28, 2008)

It'll run Linux. I had linux work on a Pentium 2 350MHz, and 256MB RAM. (Ubuntu)


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## panchoman (Oct 28, 2008)

linux works on like almost every comp.. 

btw, can you post a hijackthis log? i'm a hijackthis analyst and can look through your log and see if i can find anything.


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## pepsi71ocean (Oct 28, 2008)

panchoman said:


> linux works on like almost every comp..
> 
> btw, can you post a hijackthis log? i'm a hijackthis analyst and can look through your log and see if i can find anything.



will post a list when i get done working in an hour or so.

Also, are their any anti-virus programs like avast that work on linux?


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## panchoman (Oct 28, 2008)

sounds good


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## SimFreak47 (Oct 28, 2008)

You won't need antivirus software for Linux. There are pretty much no viruses for it, and actually getting one is rare. My download box has Ubuntu, and I don't use a A/V.. No problems yet


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## freakshow (Oct 28, 2008)

should work just fine........if u do go linux use ubuntu pretty easy to use


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## pepsi71ocean (Oct 28, 2008)

panchoman said:


> linux works on like almost every comp..
> 
> btw, can you post a hijackthis log? i'm a hijackthis analyst and can look through your log and see if i can find anything.



As per your request.

I hope you can help solve this problem. And sorry for the lateness, nothing goes as planned when updating business computers, lol

Im not sure if this will help but i get advertisements when i go to myspace, only on myspace however and its just on this emachine. that and the missing cd-dvd drives in windows and shakey internet coverage.


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## xfire (Oct 28, 2008)

Rising anti virus is the best free AV http://www.wikisend.com/download/507700/ravfree(1).exe
Puppy can install on NTFS but I couldn't make the boot loader to see it.
Ubuntu will work perfectly with it. Else you can give Xubuntu a try.


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## Grimskull (Oct 28, 2008)

Ubuntu 8.10 is being released i nthe next week or so,  but I'd stick with 8.4 until any bugs get ironed out of 8.10. Ubuntu is really easy to install, configure and setup... theres loads of tutorials and step by step guides online and on youtube.


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## pepsi71ocean (Oct 29, 2008)

xfire said:


> Rising anti virus is the best free AV http://www.wikisend.com/download/507700/ravfree(1).exe
> Puppy can install on NTFS but I couldn't make the boot loader to see it.
> Ubuntu will work perfectly with it. Else you can give Xubuntu a try.



I was thinking of running the puppy OS off of a CD drive. what do you mean by boot loader?




Grimskull said:


> Ubuntu 8.10 is being released i nthe next week or so,  but I'd stick with 8.4 until any bugs get ironed out of 8.10. Ubuntu is really easy to install, configure and setup... theres loads of tutorials and step by step guides online and on youtube.



what are your thoughts on Ubuntu?


Do you think something like Puppy Linux would be safer security wise then something that is more popular like Ubunt?


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