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General discussion

Transferring Virus from PC to Mac

Jun 21, 2007 1:14PM PDT

This is my first post, so be gentle......


I just purchased a macbook after using/owning a PC for quite some time now. I had to purchase a macbook, because I got a virus on my PC that was impossible to remove. My PC is still infected (after 3 years), yet it has all of my mp3s on it. I want to transfer my mp3's via usb to my Macbook.

Since my pc is clearly infected (to the point where it will be "trashed") will transferring files to my Mac be a bad idea? Of course I don't have virus protection on my macbook and the virus protection on my pc doesn't work (due to the virus).

if you could help me it would be great, thanks

Discussion is locked

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Since you know you are infected,
Jun 21, 2007 2:03PM PDT

do you know what virus it is?

Generally speaking, Windows viruses are not transferable to an Apple Macintosh computer running OSX - where the infection would actually do any harm. Remember, most viruses are written to exploit certain areas of an operating system or application. If you are running Macintosh OSX, the Windows executable virus does not understand where to infect because the OSX (Unix based) file system has a different "filing" method.

I am not aware of any viruses that infiltrated MP3 files... but it has been a while, so I *could* be off base. Presuming this MP3 non-infection continues to be the case, moving your MP3 collection over to the OSX environment should not be a problem. The MP3 player will be different, the OSX operating system environment will be different... That said, if there is an infection, your Mac (running OSX) won't be impacted, but if you share that stuff with other Windows users, the infection could pass through your machine - and infect the other Windows machines.

OK... Now, with all that said, if you choose to boot your Macintosh computer using Windows and transfer your files from the infected Windows machine, you are merely moving from one Windows environment to another - so the Windows operating system on the Mac will become infected and probably behave the same way your original Windows machine does with the infection.

Windows users should always use a computer condom... firewall on, antivirus application active and updated weekly... anti-spyware apps active and all the other stuff... that your Mac running an updated and current OSX does not really need.

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actually my mp3s aren't infected
Jun 21, 2007 2:16PM PDT

turns out I have NO clue whatsoever what is infected. I can't access the internet on my pc and I can't even open up the start taskbar. I also don't know what kind of virus it is or what it's called, and to quote my boyfriend's friend "my computer has **** the bed"

whatever the virus was it basically ruined my entire pc except for the fact that I can access a few files on the desktop and pretty much nothing else. It serves a better purpose in the trash.

there is no way I would have a windows os on this mac - why mess with perfection, right?

so basically I can import mp3s from my pc onto my mac without any worry, right? and there is no way I would send my mp3s to someone on a pc. I wouldn't want to infect them (if they were infected) and ruin their computer

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BTW... there are virus checkers for mac.
Jun 21, 2007 10:29PM PDT

The main reason for their existence is to ensure you don't pass an infected file from your mac onto a friend using a PC. I'm not sure (I never checked it out myself) but I think you get a virus checker with a trial membership at ".mac".

Also... if you have yet to throw away your old PC... make sure you pull your HD from it before you trash the hardware just for safety sake. Some geek with the know how could always get any personal info off the drive.

grim

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Problems
Jun 21, 2007 10:57PM PDT

ClamXAV is a good free virus checker that works with OS X. It also spots Windows nasties too. In fact, that's all it does right now as there are no virus's in the wild for OS X.

About the old machine. Wise advice from Grim. Formatting the drive does not cut the mustard when it comes to security.

Before you import your MP3's into iTunes, set the preferences to import the tracks as MP3 and not as AAC or Apple Lossless. The sound quality of your MP3's is as good as it gets and any conversion to MP4 or similar will not make them sound any better. When you have them imported, you can change the preferences back to AAC.

BTW, do you plan to buy a boat to go with that old anchor?

P

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"cutting the mustard" with DBAN.
Jun 21, 2007 11:12PM PDT

If you have to wipe the drive I'll suggest DBAN. It's about as good as it gets for drive wiping and it comes on a bootable CD so WIndows doesn't have to be operational.

Bob

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Corect re: .Mac
Jun 22, 2007 5:42AM PDT

My sub did (I don't know the name), but I was told one has been included "off and on".

Angeline

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What does that mean?
Jun 22, 2007 6:10AM PDT

Is there something I missed ?

P

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?
Jun 22, 2007 7:37AM PDT

Grim commented: "but I think you get a virus checker with a trial membership at ".mac".

My link to my "Welcome to .Mac" has a voice over that states an anti-virus protection is included. My guess that is for .Mac alone, but I don't know.

My "Dummies" book (appropriate!) says that such protection has been included off and on over time. It has not been continuously because some caused a loss of speed.

I don't know what program was included at the time I subscribed.

I tried going to .Mac at the Apple site, but as I am a subscriber, it puts me into the mail program. So I can't check to see if an AV is mentioned now.

Angeline

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.Mac and AV
Jun 22, 2007 10:02AM PDT

The only AV that was provided for members was a terrible OS X version of Virex. It was offered, back in the day, but soon dropped because it was a terrible piece of software that took an Act of Congress to update its definitions.
It slowed the machine down terribly and served no useful purpose.

When you go to the Apple site, click on the Mac tab and on the left hand side, about halfway down, you will see the .Mac login area. After you log in, do not click on the Mail icons. Check out the rest of the page and all the things that are available to you. Tutorials, Free software, ideas, etc.

Unless you have added AV software, like ClamXAV, yourself, you do not have any running on your machine.

Peter

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I forgot to mention
Jun 22, 2007 10:17AM PDT

You can access your own iDisk by going to the Finder menu bar and choosing the Go menu.
Go > iDisk > My iDisk.

It will mount on the desktop like any other disk and contains some free software for you. You can do a bunch of things with it.

Did you find it already?

P

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Here it is.
Jun 23, 2007 3:25AM PDT
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Interesting.
Jun 23, 2007 9:11AM PDT

It would seem to indicate that virus protection was on the web mail server.

Thanks for the link

P

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reply to: actually my mp3s aren't infected
Jun 21, 2007 11:00PM PDT

Quote "my computer has **** the bed"

whatever the virus was it basically ruined my entire pc except for the fact that I can access a few files on the desktop and pretty much nothing else. It serves a better purpose in the trash.

If you're looking for suggestions as to what to do with the PC, you could do a lot worse than to install Ubuntu (Linux) on it. http://www.ubuntulinux.org. I suggest version 6.0.6 (Dapper). It's free, pretty user-friendly, not unlike Mac OS X to use, very secure, has a very good range of free software, and good free support from the forums, particularly at http://ubuntusupportforums.org, but there are others.

It's rather nice to have a spare computer when things go wrong.

If you're worried about security on the Mac, read the article at http://macfixitforums >new users forum>Macs, viruses and anti-virus software, and then have a good night's sleep!

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Linux will be OK on your old PC...
Jun 22, 2007 11:00AM PDT

...as long as the problem with your PC is really a virus or Windows specific spyware. If you have hardware problems, Linux can't fix them.

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Your Mac Is Safe
Jun 22, 2007 1:53PM PDT

As long as your Mac is not running WIndows, your safe.
Infected MP3 files will not harm your mac at all.

The malicious code was will not execute on the Mac. Does not speak the same language.
However.. those files will still be infected, and if you send them, or share them a friend who runs Windows, you can still infect them.

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transferring viruses from PC to Mac
Jun 22, 2007 3:13PM PDT

The other answers covers this well..they will not transfer but why not put in your Windows Startup disk into that PC and wipe the drive totally and reinstall the OS and use it for something. The computer is not in and of itself damaged by a computer virus but the OS and possibly other files are so wiping it clears that issue though everything will be gone from the drive. It will be a usable ( though a,ugh, )Windows machine. Yes Ubuntu is an other possibility but it seems from what I am reading through the lines, is that you are not a geek and would possibly find running Ubuntu a bit over your head in terms of getting and installing needed drivers and so forth. Just wipe and reinstall and the old PC will work. Another alternative is that this is a good time to increase the size of the old PCs drive..Just get a new drive and smash the old one with a hammer...really smash it, including the internal disks so it is made secure..and dead for good.

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Ubuntu
Jun 23, 2007 12:22AM PDT

...If it's a computer that the original poster is quite happy putting in the bin, then it's likely that most/all of the hardware's drivers have been reverse engineered and put into the Linux kernel by now, meaning virtually no configuration needed after installing Ubuntu and therefore no "geek skills" necessary.

It won't hurt to give it a try, to see how the other third lives Happy And yes, you'll be impervious to any Windows viruses on Linux.

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Geeks, Ubuntu, and the old PC
Jun 23, 2007 7:56AM PDT

In reply to:
Yes Ubuntu is an other possibility but it seems from what I am reading through the lines, is that you are not a geek and would possibly find running Ubuntu a bit over your head in terms of getting and installing needed drivers and so forth. Just wipe and reinstall and the old PC will work. Another alternative is that this is a good time to increase the size of the old PCs drive.

Bitsubeats, Linux seems to trail a reputation for fearsomeness which I think is a bit outdated. No-one is less of a geek than I am, my ignorance is invincible, but I found getting Ubuntu up and running easier than than getting my Mac mini working. Drivers for most common hardware are included in Ubuntu, but I had to go and fetch one from the Epson site for the Mac.
Trying Ubuntu will cost no more than the price of a blank CD. You download it and burn a live CD, which can be used over an existing OS without overwriting it, if you want to try before installing it. You get Mac-like reliability and security, the most useful software items come packaged with it, and there are hundreds of free applications readily available, some of which are actually worthwhile. If you go back to Windows, well, you already know what to expect. If you really must have a Windows box because of some particular application you want to run, dual booting is not really hard either - just got to the Ubuntu forums , there are how-to's in abundance.
Getting a bigger HD might be a good idea, if the rest of the PC is worth keeping.

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smash it with a hammer you say?
Jun 24, 2007 9:11PM PDT

that's pretty funny, because I was actually going to physically smash the harddrive with a hammer a la office space in my backyard.


btw, I transferred all mp3's from my pc to mac and holy crap did it take forever. It took me about 10 hours (no kidding). Everything is running smoothly and I appreciate all the words of encouragement from everyone

to the person that said I should reinstall windows on my pc, I did that before and it didn't work. Whatever virus that is on my computer really f*cked it up good. I should give it another go though just in case, but I won't get my hopes up. It really wouldn't piss me off if there was nothing to fix it, bc it's been infected for about 3 years now. The only thing I used it for was for playing mp3's on winamp and nothing else.

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Don't trash the PC!
Jun 23, 2007 5:40AM PDT

In reference to transferring your MP3 files to a Mac the advice you're getting (that it's safe) is sound, but as far as your Windows PC goes the only post worth reading is the one by NeilFiertel. (I'm assuming you know how to transfer them, on a USB stick if need be.) Take his advice and you'll now have two working computers! Just make sure you transfer the files *before* you reinstall Windows as all personal data will be gone after you wipe the drive. (You'll also have to redo the Windows updates.) No need to smash the drive! Some time in the future you may even want to network the two computers.

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BEST THING TO DO
Jun 23, 2007 3:52PM PDT

is to pull the drive from the computer, connect it to an external hard drive case, plug that external drive into a working computer that has antivirus (you dont want to get infected again) and can the whole drive!
THEN, transfer the mp3s to your mac if they are virus free, and THEN use the working computer to run DBAN (as mentioned previously) (Disk Boot And Nuke) to wipe the drive clean. DBAN writes random data (0's and 1's) that will overwrite the whole disk multiple times. You can also reinstall the hard drive into the original PC and run DBAN from a CD at startup. You can then wipe the hard drive clean with multiple passes.

If your Hard Drive is infected, PLEASE do not smash it! The only thing wrong with it is that it has code written on it that is malicious. You ONLY NEED to reformat it with DBAN to wipe it clean! It will be like a new drive again!

Your computer hardware CANNOT get infected by a virus, the virus resides on the Hard Drive, and when you wipe it, it will be gone. The only way you can get a virus on your hardware components is if it somehow infects the firmware chip for your hardware or CMOS chip for your bios, which I would highly doubt.

USE DBAN! it will 'NUKE' anything on the drive.
After that, reinstall Windows and it will be just like new. It will also run optimal too. You will have NO VIRUS afterwards.

Get updates immediately, then get AVG anti Virus Free version and protect yourself with a good firewall (not windows firewall) and maybe some adware and spyware programs.
Then just be careful about where you surf to and most importantly

DO A BACKUP OF ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT FILES ON A SEPARATE EXTERNAL DRIVE OR DVDS/CDS!

Never have all your important files and settings (without backup) on a computer that can be easily compromised please!

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Best thing to do (comment)
Jun 23, 2007 3:54PM PDT

scan the drive not can... sorry!

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let me repeat myself
Jun 24, 2007 9:15PM PDT

I can barely access anything on my pc. I can only open up photos (on a desktop folder) and mp3's that are in a desktop folder.

I can't open my start task bar
I can't access the internet
I can't do ANYTHING. Most of the suggestions I get from people is to install virus software or download applications online that will help me, but there is no way I can do this if I can't get online.

sorry to get off topic from this forum. maybe I should be posting this in the windows forum?


whatever. I think now that I have a mac I will never go back to a pc (if all stays well)

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The virus may not leave if you do a simple reinstall...
Jun 25, 2007 9:08AM PDT

Simply reinstalling windows over the corrupted windows system will not fix the problem. The virus needs to be written over (and over and over and over). You need DBAN (its FREE, google it) to write random data over the disk multiple times, essentially writing over the whole disk so that previously available data will not be able to be read. The government wipes their disks a certain amount of times so that data can NEVER be read again by anyone. That is what you need to do with your drive. You need DBAN, run the CD when you restart (dont load windows), and tell DBAN to wipe the disk using a good method (you will have to read the DBAN site to learn how to use it in a short time).

This is the only way you will remove and correct your system! The WHOLE disk needs to be written over multiple times with DBAN.

As for scanning it with viruses, of course you cant use it on the computer because its corrupt. Pull out the drive from the corrupt computer, place it in an external HD (with a USB connection), plug it into another computer that is virus free and has good Anti-virus, and your corrupt drive will show up as an external mass storage drive. You will not be able to run windows on the external but you will not need to. All the files will show up on that drive and you can then scan them all from another computer.

If you do the first method (run DBAN on CD while corrupt HD is in original computer) it will clear everything no matter what. If you claim that you still have a virus after that, you either didnt do it right, or your hardware is malfunctioning (its not a virus problem).

Once you do DBAN correctly, the Hard Drive will be like its a new HD right out of the box, and then you can reinstall Windows on it.

OH YEAH, make sure you have a valid copy of Windows (on original legitimate CD) and not a rip off copy because someone could have corrupted the original file of windows if you downloaded it from a bit torrent. If you did, YOU DESERVE EVERY VIRUS OUT THERE AND YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!

P.S. - its not the fault of windows or your computer, its the user that causes viruses to screw it up...make sure you surf intelligently. The computer is just hardware components that gets instructions from the Operating system on the Hard Drive...soooo.... you fix the HD, you fix the computer. The computer is just fine if nothing is wrong with the physical hardware. If for some insane reason that none of this works, just get a brand new HD and swap it with the corrupt one, install a LEGITIMATE copy of windows, and you will be set! (If you get a HD from ebay, you may run into the same problem and you will have to use DBAN on any used HD just to be safe and efficient. New Hard Drives from stores dont need to be DBANned.

Hope that helps!

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Never had any virus in 13 yrs...
Jun 29, 2007 6:18PM PDT

Hello
just a quick note to say I've been working as a translator on Mac for 13 years (that means, daily downloading files from PCs...) and never "caught" any virus. Of course there are some compatibility problems, e.g. if you have to work on specific files (.xml, a.s.o.) but really, working without any anti-virus program and never having experienced any... is just too great!!!
It's only the opinion of a user Wink)))

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bla bla bla
Jul 1, 2007 4:41AM PDT

virus transferred from a pc to a mac will only be unrecongized because macs are using EFIs and virus for windows are meant to infect bios systems

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That and the fact that
Jul 1, 2007 8:43AM PDT

.exe will not run on a Mac.

A PC virus does not even get started because the code is wrong

P