virus in 10.04

[Roger]

On 28/06/12 00:59, Liam Proven wrote:
> On 27 June 2012 14:25,  <clarke17 at dodo.com.au> wrote:
>>>> picked up a virus last year while using 8.04.
>>>> reformated hd, using another computer downloaded 10.04 to cd
>>>> loaded to HD, repartitioned HDs (using 2 HDs, 1 ubuntu, 1 msxp)
>>>> loaded programs, all OK. Loaded files from USB stick.
>>>> problems with grub 1.98-1ubuntu73.
>>>> Repeated process with same result.
>>>> virus is from "ubuntugeek", can I remove same
>>> It's probably best here if we can identify this virus; how are you
>>> identifying that it is there, and what effect is it having? Do you know
>>> which file has installed it?
>> The effects are as follows
>> 1. when entering setup utility password is declared invalid
>> 2. sreen is offset 3mm to left
>> the following happens intermitently
>> 3. grub selection screen  time out line missing - screen freezes
>> 4. on shutdown freezes on ubuntu logo on last screen
>> 5. screen freezes at ubuntu logo beore opening final screen
>>
>> the virus came from the website 'ubuntugeek' - this site no longer exists
> This doesn't sound like a virus to me and as far as I know there are
> no Linux viruses propagating in the wild.
>
> It sounds to me more like hardware problems and possible driver issues.
>
> First things first -- boot off a recent Ubuntu CD, run the memory test
> (memtest86+) and leave it going for at least one full pass through all
> tests. That will probably take at least an hour or two.
>
>
>
I tend to agree that it looks, more like hardware and suggest to run the 
memtest86+.
We have run ubuntu from 7.nn to now 12.nn with no problem on most of our 
machines except one recent, 3 years old now, laptop which tends to have 
intermittent problems with Ubuntu, and that is because of video on the 
motherboard.

As I understand it, and someone please correct me,  such viruses 
shouldn't bother boot, bios, or the kernel  in Linux, they tend to 
infect the user file system. What you describe seems to be mostly 
outside the user system.


I have seen recent issues where memory or video card can cause what is 
described.
Is your video on the motherboard or is it a separate card?
It may also be that 3D is being used and the video is capable of just 
2D, this was a recent, 8 months ago to 4 months ago,  issue on a laptop 
I worked with on a fresh install of 10.04 and 10.10, it will not run 
11.nn or 12.nn for that reason. It locks up, video goes crazy,keyboard 
inoperable, etc.

#3. Screen offset is a problem, not only on your machine. I run 2 
monitors and the left side monitor is 80 mm off to the right. Pangolin's 
last 3 tail sections are missing yet on the right monitor it's nearly 60 
mm in from the right.
#4. Even 12.04 freezes sometimes on shutdown.
As for #5, this definitely looks like hardware to me. I have had the 
same on a particularly dodgy laptop where memory was low <1gig.

Have you checked your password by going root in a terminal?
Open a terminal and type sudo su and it will ask for your password. It 
will fail if the password is incorrect. If it is correct and logs in, 
type exit to close root and exit again to close the terminal.

Is your keyboard good to go? I have found that a  dodgy keyboard can 
cause password issues.
A dodgy mouse equally so.

Can you boot from a DVD? Could you install from a DVD? and overwrite the 
partition table you created.

Roger