Did I just get a virus on Mac OSX?

[tagutcow]

So I was- erhm- surfing the web, and my computer froze up. My monitor then proceeded to dim from top to bottom, and an alert appeared telling me (in several languages) I had to power off my computer. I tried command-escaping, but nothing worked. I powered off my computer, and after a long reboot (not unusual considering the way the computer was shut down) I get a prompt telling me my Mac didn't shut down correctly, with a dialogue button asking if I want to report the error to Apple. Figuring, if anything, this was the prompt to install the virus, I declined.

What do you guys think? Should I suck it up and download Norton anti-virus?

 

[rxcats]

I have never had anything like that happen on my Mac OS before. I have Comcast as my internet provider and they supply Norton for free both for Mac and Windows. I have downloaded it for both now, but I didn't have any virus protection on my Mac for over 10 years and never had anything happen. I haven't noticed any problem since downloading Norton either, so I don't think it hurts anything. All of my "Mac friends" are against it and think it is unnecessary. I figure there are more haters than fanboys out there and since viruses are largely malicious, it doesn't hurt to have a little protection.

 

[Brian SD]

That screen you got is the 'Kernel Panic' screen. I don't think you can get it from a virus.

What I would do first is get your OS X install DVD and use that to boot the computer (hold down option while it's booting up, then select the CD). I'm nearly positive you can back-up your data booting from the install DVD. Back-up whatever you have that's important, then run the Repair Disk function from the Disk Utility (acccessible from OS X Install disc boot).

After you've done that, try to boot again. If that doesn't work, take it into an Apple store and they'll go through the motions and be able to tell you what's wrong.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was a hardware-level issue, like bad RAM.

 

[rxcats]

Thanks for the info. Now I won't panic if it happens to me! "You need to restart your computer" (kernel panic) message appears (Mac OS X v10.5, 10.6)"

 

[tagutcow]

Originally Posted by Brian SD

That screen you got is the 'Kernel Panic' screen. I don't think you can get it from a virus.

What I would do first is get your OS X install DVD and use that to boot the computer (hold down option while it's booting up, then select the CD). I'm nearly positive you can back-up your data booting from the install DVD. Back-up whatever you have that's important, then run the Repair Disk function from the Disk Utility (acccessible from OS X Install disc boot).

After you've done that, try to boot again. If that doesn't work, take it into an Apple store and they'll go through the motions and be able to tell you what's wrong.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was a hardware-level issue, like bad RAM.

Wow, thanks! I recently got the hard drive changed out, and I also installed some RAM myself (and maybe didn' do such a great job.) I can see how it might be an issue.

 

[tagutcow]

Yup, this is it. Do they have to make it look so foreboding?

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Wow, thanks! I recently got the hard drive changed out, and I also installed some RAM myself (and maybe didn' do such a great job.) I can see how it might be an issue.

If it kernel panicked only the once, you're probably OK. If it starts doing it regularly, could be there is a hardware problem, like your newly installed RAM is not functioning correctly.

From experience OS X is usually extremely reliable, and if it does crash regularly then there is an underlying problem causing it. My Macbook Pro was doing it a few months ago, due to overheating, cleaned out the fans and all is fine now.

 

[Don Carlos]

This has all the hallmarks of faulty or improperly installed RAM. +1 on that suggestion.

 

[origenesprit]

I always thought that was just the mac equivalent of the blue screen of death.

 

[tagutcow]

Originally Posted by Don Carlos

This has all the hallmarks of faulty or improperly installed RAM. +1 on that suggestion.

Would this pose any danger of corrupting my hard drive contents? Would it be safer just to pull the RAM modules out now?

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by origenesprit

I always thought that was just the mac equivalent of the blue screen of death.

It is. TBH I think Windows 7 is as reliable as OS X. BSODs are often caused by hardware problems, but occasionally buggy drivers can cause BSODs as well.

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Would this pose any danger of corrupting my hard drive contents? Would it be safer just to pull the RAM modules out now?

If it keeps on crashing, yes it could corrupt the HDD. Have you got another computer to test the RAM in? If it only crashed the once you should be OK.

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by MikeDT

TBH I think Windows 7 is as reliable as OS X.
LMFAO. Not being a fanboy here or anything, but honestly, Win7 sux cox 'n dix. Soooo many software issues. So, so, so, so, so, so, so many. Many of them critical and nigh-unfixable when they crop up, too. Such as the infamous "read-only" permissions bug, from which my Win7 boot suffered until I threw my hands up in frustration and just wiped and reinstalled the whole damned thing. Tl;dr - MSFT's hamfisted attempts to plug longstanding security holes in Windows by way of creating a "Super Admin" system profile really fux0red Win7 in some pernicious and maddening ways. I'll admit that Win7 is a massive improvement over Vista, but then, a 20-year-old install of Win3 would be an improvement over Vista. Regardless, WinXP is still, after all these years, the gold standard in Windows OSes. There's a good reason why many major companies still refuse to switch over to Win7, even though MSFT thought Win7 would be the cure-all that would finally get people to abandon XP after Vista's failure to do so.

 

[MikeDT]

Originally Posted by Don Carlos

LMFAO. Not being a fanboy here or anything, but honestly, Win7 sux cox 'n dix. Soooo many software issues. So, so, so, so, so, so, so many. Many of them critical and nigh-unfixable when they crop up, too. Such as the infamous "read-only" permissions bug, from which my Win7 boot suffered until I threw my hands up in frustration and just wiped and reinstalled the whole damned thing.
Never heard of that one.

Originally Posted by Don Carlos

Tl;dr - MSFT's hamfisted attempts to plug longstanding security holes in Windows by way of creating a "Super Admin" system profile really fux0red Win7 in some pernicious and maddening ways. I'll admit that Win7 is a massive improvement over Vista, but then, a 20-year-old install of Win3 would be an improvement over Vista. Regardless, WinXP is still, after all these years, the gold standard in Windows OSes. There's a good reason why many major companies still refuse to switch over to Win7,
Many major enterprises are reluctant to upgrade from ten year old Internet Explorer 6, never mind things like IE7, IE8, SP3, Vista or 7.... http://www.ie6countdown.com/ ...despite Microsoft's best efforts to get corporations, government agencies, schools, China, etc. from using IE6.

Originally Posted by Don Carlos

even though MSFT thought Win7 would be the cure-all that would finally get people to abandon XP after Vista's failure to do so.
Well I've been using Windows 7 since it came out, never had any problems at all with it, no crashes, no problems that I've come across. And I know a few others using it as well, in the UK and in China, again no problems. I'm not doing anything exotic or esoteric though, just using LibreOffice and playing music and videos. Mainly use it in the office and classroom for showing Powerpoints to students on the projector I do consider it to be safer than XP though, especially that I'm in China. There is absolutely no way that I would want to be using anything less than Win7, OS X or Linux here, certainly not for banking or anything like that. The school did give me a PC with XP(in Chinese) on it, but I used it after installing Ubuntu on the thing. I bought a new Fujitsu UMPC with Windows 7 Home Premium on a recent visit to Hong Kong, completely happy with it.

In fact this has happened more than one to me when using XP in China... Attachment 66661 ....internet bar in Zhuhai. BTW it was experience of Vista which originally made me buy a Macbook Pro. Having never considered an Apple computer before.

 

[Jr Mouse]

I get that sometimes when my Macbook overheats. It's not a virus.