Disappearing files

[John Kennett]

This one has got me stumped!

I have 2 networked Win 98 PCs at home, and an Excel file has just disappeared from one of them almost without trace.

It is not listed in Explorer/My computer; it's not in the recycle bin (but it hasn't been emptied); the only sign that it ever existed is an orphan shortcut in the recent documents list.

There is also another Excel file that hasn't disappeared, but half of the data in it has. The space is still there, but the cells are empty. Even more weirdly, a sum total still shows the value as if the missing data was there.

Anyone got any suggestions? Or is the machine posessed by demons?

Thanks
John

[Dan Kaplan]

This is a wild guess, but it might be worth scanning for viruses.  I have seen similar behavior due to a virus.  Did you change anything recently?  Am I correct in assuming that the file problems didn't appear as a result of having just networked the computers?  I can't think what that would've caused.

Dman

[Justin]

Am I correct in assuming that the file problems didn't appear as a result of having just networked the computers?

If you are on the internet, and you have file sharing enabled, and do not have the shares password protected, it is trivial for anyone on the net to gain access to your entire system without your knowledge. Anyone with a Windows or Linux box can easily list your shares and their respective permissions, mount your drives, and play. It's possible that someone has done this and decided to just torment you (rather than just deleting CWindows)...

------------------
Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Mandi]

...and do not have a firewall?  I am hoping that plays into your list too, Justin?

-Home LAN bound in 6 weeks and counting . . . .

[Shalazar]

Mandi -

You wouldn't believe how many people run always-on connections with no firewalls.  It's mind boggling.

I recently had a broadband service installed, which due to my embarrassment at its performance refuse to name, and the installers never once mentioned the need for a firewall, or any other sort of protection.

Thank God I knew better and had Black ICE defender ready upon their leave, but everyday non-computer savvy people I feel sorry for.  But I guess natural selection applied to computers too....

[Justin]

Yes, a firewall would prevent file sharing if properly configured.

Note that it doesn't matter if you have broadband access or not - even over a 14.4 modem, if you have file sharing on etc (and no firewall), I can map your drives. Broadband access only makes the process a little quicker (and is more commonly "always on&quot.

I'm currently not running a firewall - ZoneAlarm et al do not allow other PCs to access the connection (eg, Windows' "Internet Connection Sharing", where it acts as a gateway). Besides that, I wouldn't trust a Windows based firewall... I normally run a *real* firewall on my BSD box, but my modem doesn't like that box for some reason... so I gave up for the time being...

I don't do *any* file sharing over the network card that connects my modem. When I transfer files to the car PC, I have that on a separate subnet, with sharing enabled only on that network. This prevents being able to mount my shares from the net.

At any rate, firewall or not, any file shares should be password protected. A false sense of security is worse than no security at all. For example, suppose you leave for a while, and ZoneAlarm or BlackICE or whatever decides to crash. Perhaps someone found an exploit that will crash the program. Now suddenly your system is wide open, and Mr. Hacker is downloading your sensitive files.  Always have more than one line of defense

------------------
Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[Terra]

Always have more than one line of defence

Exactly...

--
Terra
--defense--
FutureQuest

[John Kennett]

Thanks for all the thoughts!

I'm fairly sure it's not down to a virus, as both PCs have got up to date virus checkers running and they don't find anything.

I don't think it's hackers because the PCs are on dial up connections, and I'm running Zone Alarm on them (and I tend not to do for conspiracy theories anyway!)

So I'm putting this down to general Windows Weirdness. I'm just glad that I don't have to deal with a snotty technical "support" person telling me that "it's not possible"

John
-- Demons!
[This message has been edited by John Kennett (edited 09-01-00@03:45 am)]

[Justin]

and I tend not to do for conspiracy theories anyway!

You know what they say - just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they are not after you...

-- The TRUTH is out there!
   (ok, I'm not really that big of an X-Files fan)

------------------
Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support