What the heck happened?!

[YAS1]

When I started up my computer, I got this message saying:

"The files that make the computer stable have been replaced by unrecognized versions. Please insert the Windows XP Professional CD now."
Or something like that. Then, the options were Retry and cancel. I clicked cancel and it asked me if I wanted to keep these unrecognized versions. And I clicked yes. After that, I ran AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy but it was clean. I'm not sure if my computer has something dangerous installed on it. Should I do a virus scan? Is my computer okay?

 

[Sawyer]

if it said that, your Windows xp must have been accidentally deleted. do you know where the CD is? if you insert it and install it, it should work again. viruses don't do that, i don't think.

 

[Pazuzu]

viruses don't do that, i don't think.

oooohh brother, if ya would know what viruses can do...

They can replace your windows files with their own ones, and if the windows files are changed, that message will appear.

 

[Sawyer]

well that's on a windows -_- i use a Mac, so the files can't be replaced. they're STUCK to the computer. but if it was a virus, it wouldn't be such a popular one... at least not one of the email sent ones, right?

 

[Kura]

@@ did you try a symantec search?
anyways, i don't think it'd be a virus..
when we bring our comp to the computer tech (my dad's friend) he always runs this program (i forget what it's called)
but the program fixes any data that is lost every time you start up your computer
(and yes, every time you start up your computer, little numbers in the startup are lost, and that causes your computer to run slower and slower every time..
like for example, when you first buy a new computer, it's fast.. then after a year.. it's pretty slow..)
@@ anyways.. it's kinda like defragmenting..
peices of information in a library.. but when you look at that information and close it, the info gets put back somewhere else..
defragmenting is like organizing a shelf..
it puts things in order so it can locate it faster..
.__. so.. yeah..
i dont think it's a virus.. i think its just the computer..
my computer's windows 98 just didn't start up one day.. and it told us to reinstall it..
._. so.. that info-losing part might be the reason..
@@ um..
i dont know if that helped much.. sorry..
but i hope i gave you a bit more info about what it could be..