by Times of Oman

Muscat - Oman’s best - known computer whiz kid has given users here some valuable tips to destroy the ‘ILOVEYOU’ virus that is reportedly causing world-wide computer mayhem.

You can remove it either by downloading a patch from the Internet or manually” said Tariq bin Hilal AL Barwani, Internet manager OHI Telecommunication.

To remove manually, first make sure you delete the e-mail you received. Secondly, the virus basically adds some entire that will run themselves each time Windows the entire from the registry editor (regetry.exe) program. Run the registry editor program and delete the below entire: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINErent Version MSKerne132 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINErentVersionDLL. Finally, erase the file LOVE-LETTER-FROM-YOU-TXT.vbs from your windows/system directory,” Tariq Al Barwani explained. The ILOVE YOU virus Bug is similar to the known Melissa virus in technique since it spread itself through e-mail and infects the computer system. However, Melissa was limited to 50 addresses only. But ILOVEYOU uses the entire mailing list,” Tariq said, adding that it basically arrives as an attachment to an e-mail message with the subject line “ILOVE YOU” or “VERYFUNNY”. “When the attachment is clicked/opened, the virus copies itself onto your had drive and sep up the registry to run each time you boot your computer. It sends copies of itself through the Internet Replay Chat (IRC) system. After that, it ties to download and run a file called WIN-BUGSFIX.exe from the Interment. The virus checks all local and network drive connected to your computer. Any files with the extensions. vbs. vbe, .js, jse, .css .wsh .sct, hta, .jpg, .mp2 and .mp3 are erased and replaced with copies of the virus using the name of the deleted file. MP2 and MP3 file are also replaced and changed to “Hidden” files.

Finally, the virus scans your entire outlook and sends an infected e-mail message to each user

According to Tariq, Widows based systems are currently known to get infected by the virus. But, how dose a user know if his system is infected by the virus? “Run a search on your entire hare drive for a file called LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.vbs,” Tariq said.