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Cactus Computer Co. |
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Copyright © 2008 Cactus International, Inc. |
Removing Peer-to-Peer programs
In general it is not enough to quit running peer-to-peer programs. They must be removed to be inactivated. They run as servers, which means they accept requests from the Internet and activate themselves. This "feature" can be disabled by putting the computer behind a firewall/router and disabling Universal Plug and Play in the router. Bit-Torrent and its clones (starred in the list below) can find a way around this router block, so they should be removed regardless.
To remove a program, go into the Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs (for Windows XP) or Program Control (for Windows Vista). Look through the list of programs and uninstall the offenders. Below is a list of programs to look for (the most common ones are in boldface):
PC Programs
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PC Programs
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Mac Programs
list updated 12/08 |
*Bit-Torrent Clone
- Gnutella Runs on the Gnutella network. If we phone you and say you
have gnutella, it may be any of these programs, and a few more rare ones.
To check whether you've still got a problem, connect to the Internet through a high-speed land line. Then, wait at least ten minutes to let the problem develop if it's going to, and:
In Windows Vista, Start, Control Panel. If it says "Classic View" in the upper left-hand corner, click on Classic View. On the right, double-click on Network and Sharing Center. On the left, click "Manage Network Connections". Double click on (usually) Local Area Connection. While you're on the Internet but not doing anything, look at the packets sent and the packets received. If the sent is increasing more than about five packets per second, you still have a problem.
In Windows XP, Start, Control Panel. If it says "Switch to Classic View" in the upper left-hand corner, click on Switch to Classic View. On the right, double-click on Network Connections. Double click on (usually) Local Area Connection. While you're on the Internet but not doing anything, look at the packets sent and the packets received. If the sent is increasing more than about five packets per second, you still have a problem.
In Windows 2000, Start, Control Panel. Double-click on Network and Dialup Connections. Double click on (usually) Local Area Connection. While you're on the Internet but not doing anything, look at the packets sent and the packets received. If the sent is increasing more than about five packets per second, you still have a problem.
If you're sure you've removed all of the above programs, the problem may be a virus or worm. In trying to infect other computers, they send out massive amounts of traffic. If you don't have a virus checker, it's time to get one. If you have one, but your subscription has expired, uninstall it and go to http://free.GRIsoft.com. Their AVG is a good, free virus checker. No matter which virus protection you use, be sure it's kept up to date. Avast, found at www.Avast.com, is another good one.
To see if you have Niachi or Welchia (Windows XP or 2000), double-click on My Computer. Double-click on the C: drive, then Windows (or Windows NT) then the System32 directory, then WINS. It should be empty. If not, you have Niachi. svchost.exe and dllhost.exe. are the files it saves there. If you have this worm, first do a Windows Update (Start, programs, Windows Update) of at least all the critical updates. Then set your computer's date forward into 2004. Re-boot your computer. Wait about 5 minutes and set it back.
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