Arg. preventable computer trouble

[Raxmei]

My mother sent me an Email recently. There was a file attached that she couldn't print so she wanted me to do it for her. To make a long story short, I've only just now restored basic function to my computer. I'll be spending a the next couple days figuring out what's missing and reinstalling it. A large number of files that I considered unimportant (mp3s, old homework assignments, bookmarks, porn) and thus did not back up are completely gone.

There are two important lessons here:
1.Your friends and relatives are not to be trusted. Scan all incoming files.
2.Back up your stuff early and often.

[TrailerParkJawa]

Look at the positive side, this is the kind of lesson you only need to learn once.

About 6 years ago I trashed my dad's computer with an infected floppy. Needless to say, I was very careful after that.

[Alyeska]

Ah, the joys of a second hard drive and CDRs.

[Tsyroc]

My mother sent me an Email recently. There was a file attached that she couldn't print so she wanted me to do it for her. To make a long story short, I've only just now restored basic function to my computer. I'll be spending a the next couple days figuring out what's missing and reinstalling it. A large number of files that I considered unimportant (mp3s, old homework assignments, bookmarks, porn) and thus did not back up are completely gone.

There are two important lessons here:
1.Your friends and relatives are not to be trusted. Scan all incoming files.
2.Back up your stuff early and often.

You lost Porn! I feel for you man. Are you sure that your mom didn't send that to you on purpose?

Do you know what kind of file she was sending you? My mother ocassionally sends me geneology files that she can't open. So far I haven't been able to open them either but I've also lucked out and not had the kind of problems you've had. I think I had to use system restore once but nothing to the extent that you've gone through.

[ArmorPierce]

I once had a computer virus some yars back that I assumed to have for a while cause I didn't update Norton Anti-virus in like 4 months and when it was updated there was a virus detected. We destroyed it. (I think I don't quite remember what exactly happened) Still don't know how I got it, probably from somewhere my brother downloaded from because he would always download something from sites that he found and sites that are advertising a download for hacking a game or some shit like that.