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Thanks very much Chuck and everyone, much appreciated.
I ran a full scan but not in safe mode as I don’t know how to get safe mode, I also don’t know how to connect the router with an Ethernet cable or if I have such a cable, as in the beginning I got an engineer to come to my house and set everything up for me.
I’ve tried all suggestions except the full scan in safe mode. The toolbar still won’t go and the computer keeps turning itself off. When I turn it back on I get the following message: ‘Microsoft Windows, the system has recovered from a serious error’.
Last night the computer was saying I was not connected to the internet, but I definitely was. Today that seems to have sorted itself out.
I’ve just spoken to the computer repair shop and I would like your opinion please, on what the chap had to say.
He hasn’t actually heard of mystart incredibar but said that none of the free-to-download programs will get rid of this sort of thing once a computer has been infected. Said I need my computer wiping clean and reloading, and then McAfee installed, which he will sell to me at the internet price. I can’t remember what he quoted for the McAfee but he said he will wipe and reload the computer for a discounted fee of £35, if I buy the McAfee.
He has worried me because he said the hackers will now have access to my internet banking as well as everything else on my computer, and that these people don’t go out burgling houses anymore, they steal your money online instead. He said that the threat of this happening will never go away, now that I have been infiltrated with a virus.
My laptop is at least 7 years old – is this a good age in laptop years? Could it be coming to the end of its natural life, and should I just bite the bullet and buy a new laptop?
Also, is there any way I can check how old my laptop is, without trying to find a receipt? (I know I won’t have the receipt after all these years).
Any opinion/advice gratefully received. Thanks.