It turns out my Mom does not have the Sircam virus,  she has the w32/magistr24876@mm virus.

The problem I have is I don't know what happened to Mcafee.  It was working fine, then I downloaded the 8-22-01 virus file update and now when I try to use system scan it bombs and comes up with an error message.  The online instructions say use the update file with system scan to clean it off so now I don't know what to do.  Mcafee came with her Compaq and I can't find a install disk or I'd ditch Mcafee and reinstall it with the update.

Heeeeelllllllppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I found a entry in the Win.ini file on the run= line and ditched it but I can't figure out what line in the registry the virus has added.  Can anybody help me with this that can explain it in a way that even "I" can understand?

Please?
Anybody?

All the new viruses now are designed to crash your system when you run any software to remove them, or any updates to your virus list.

You need to get some "save" disks.  Then you need to put your computer into safe mode, run the save disks (this will isolate and block the virus) and then you can successfully download the latest virus update and then clean your hard drive.

McAfee probably won't cut it.  Time to go to CompUsa and fork our $40 for Norton Anti virus.  Sounds like you know the name of the virus, so you need to go to the symantec site on a non infected comptuer, download some save disks for that virus, print out the instructions to run computer on safe (it's quite a lenghty process, you'll need to follow the directions closely), then once it's quarantined, you can use your computer for the most recent norton download, sweep and clear.

I had this same problem last month (different virus though) and the Norton cleared it right up.  Best $40 I ever spent (oh yeah, and a $20 mail in rebate too!)

Best Buy carries NAV in the [i]Special Value Edition[/i], which is just a CD in a cardboard sleeve for $20.  I asked why the price difference, was told, "Well, the regular edition has a paper manual, registration forms, ect..." These days you can register electronically and the manual is on the CD.  
I told them at Best Buy that digitalized info works so well with a digital information retrieval device, a.k.a. the computer.[rolleyes]

The Mcafee is probably on her main OS recovery disk, it came with the bundle, at least mine did for my HP.  To have a startup disk for the virus program of your choice, you have to select that option and make one up.  Should be one of the first things done with a new computer or virus software.

Hopefully you and your mother know of the old computer maxim, "Blessed are the skeptical, for their files are backed up."

P.S.  Check on that Norton site, they may have a fix for this virus.