Sony sucks

So, in response to the people who wondered in the comments to a previous post whether Neil Diamond's 12 Songs album might be one of those infected with the hidden and, by all accounts, completely illegal (mainly because it uploads whether you click OK or not on the "Terms and Conditions" window -- and in fact, when I put the disc in my computer, that window didn't even appear), memory-hogging, and potentially computer-damaging rootkit virus? Turns out: yep.

Had I ordered the disc through Amazon, I would have had ample warning, via various user comments, that this was one of those infected discs. But instead, I bought it at a local used CD shop, and it's my fault I didn't do any research on it when I brought it home. But really, who thinks of doing research on whether a music CD will fuck up your computer?

I did some internet scouting, and found some sites which have helped me to identify the virus, determine whether or not it was active (which it appears it wasn't), and to deactivate it. Removing it -- that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish. The problem with this thing is that it digs down deep into your computer and conceals itself, and it also links to other programs, so that if I attempt finding and removing it, possibly my media players will be deactivated or disappear, or possibly I'll wind up facing the dreaded Blue Screen of Death. Sony has released their own removal program, available for download at their site, but apparently it causes even more of a security hazard than the original rootkit virus does.

So, I've been able to deactivate it, which is good, but I don't want to just leave it where it is, because it takes up so much memory. I've already noticed slowing on my computer. I'm still trying to find reliable, detailed, and understandable instructions for removing the damned thing once and for all. If any of you have any tips, please send them my way. And if you're thinking about buying 12 Songs -- which really is quite good -- I 100% endorse downloading it wherever you can, instead of buying the actual disc. Fuck Sony.