EMERGENCY

[Dotan Cohen]

2008/12/5 Steven Vollom <stevenvollom at sbcglobal.net>:
>> Without sitting at your computer it is hard to help, but sdc could be
>> an optical drive.
> I think someone is in my machine.  While I was trying to respond,
> Dick&Filesystems opened over the email.  I had a thumb drive in when the
> problem started.  I removed it thinking that might have something to do
> with it.  My Microsoft mouse was possible going bad, however, I replaced
> it with a small mouse I used for my laptop.  It works fine.  No media in
> the CD.

If you suspect that your machine is compromised, then backup and
reinstall. And verify that the executables that take with you to the
new install are not compromised.

>>  Are you sure that you are not booting from optical
>> media (LiveCD in the drive by accident)? Regarding the problem with
>> Compiz, what video hardware have you, and which driver?
> I don't remember.  I am just trying to keep this machine alive long
> enough to get the new computer working.  This computer is a constant
> problem needing repair.

If it has wheels, tits, or a CPU then it was designed to be a constant
problem for us. That is their nature. Once we accept this, we can live
with it.

> I can't move an open screen on the desktop
> right now.  When I open System Settings, most of the window appears off
> screen.  I can't move the window so that everything appears.  I was
> trying to see if I could get some information on my video card there.

While I prefer to diagnose, in your case I suggest to just reinstall.
It will be difficult for us to diagnose over the wire, and the fix
won't be easy. Also, you suspect that the machine has been
compromised. Go ahead and reinstall, but be careful to preserve your
data. If you are in doubt, then back up everything in /home/.

>>  The
>> description that you gave is called single user mode, and you did the
>> right thing by booting into single user mode, but I hope that you
>> didn't damage your installation by running the repair tools, which it
>> sounds like you may have done. If sdc is not an optical drive than I
>> would hazard a guess at a failing hard disk, try using smart tools to
>> determine that. You might want to do that from a LiveCD if you have
>> one (the Kubuntu standard install is a LiveCD).
>>
> I can't access sudo or Adept or Synaptic.  When I try to type in a
> password it is like the keyboard doesn't work.  Nonetheless, when I
> write into an email the keyboard works fine.

The terminal will never show you the password that you enter. Just
like a web browser will obscure your password in password fields, so
will the terminal not provide any visual feedback to a password being
entered. Just enter it when requested and press Enter.

> If you can reply fairly fast, please do.  I am so stressed.  And there
> is a guy that has been complaining about my posts about 5 times now.

If that guy is in the thread that I just replied to, then don't worry.
We were all noobs once. SOme people just forget that. We are a
community and help each other. Even the guy complaining about your
posts was doing so to help you, you will understand that in a few
months of reading this list.

> I
> don't even know which post he is complaining about but he is
> relentless.  I just don't know how to please him.  If you are willing
> please contact me outside the List.  Thanks.
> Steven
>

There is no need to take the conversation off list. Lets get your
computer fixed first, then we'll whip you for your super-long quotes!

Note that you inline quote and don't top post, so really you are in
good shape! Super-long quotes is one of the _least_ annoying of the
noob habits. You've got the important stuff down pat.

-- 
Dotan Cohen

http://what-is-what.com
http://gibberish.co.il

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