The first thing to try would be starting in "Safe Mode" - this might get you past the virus effect. If it does, then you can try to "Restore" the computer to an earlier date - i.e. one before the virus struck.
If you have access to a second machine, you could try linking the two with a USB cable, and using an anti-virus program on the good machine to clean up the problem one.
There are standalone removal tools for this virus - I think that IF I had to use one, I would install it on a memory stick and run it from that.
If you can find some kind soul with an XP disk, you will also need the product key to go with it - and if this is already registered to them this could cause a problem with Microsoft if they are still using the original installation.
I guess that I would start by a good Google search on the virus.
Geoff

Simple (does meercat impression). As above, any PK mount lens will fit any PK mount, and work without too much trouble. As for cameras:

Almost any of the MZ series. The base models MZ-30 and MZ-50 are cheap, and will give you autofocus and autowind. The digital 18-55 kit lens will vignette until you have it at around 24mm. Dead light, and easy to carry around as a second body.

If you want something that feels more like an old Pentax, grab a P-50. I see that some asking prices for these on Ebay are now around £40. I guess that agood one is maybe worth that, but I paid a lot less for mine. The same comment about vignetting applies.

You could also look at the MEII Super and the MX as possibles - I found them both a bit fiddly with my geriatric hands, but others really do like them. if you want an MEII body cheap, I have one that I will never use again.

Other members will almost certainly have other ideas, based on what suits them. I have an MZ-50 that is permanently loaded, and a P-50 that has an MEII autowinder, and a 17mm Tamron Adaptall-2 permanently on.

If you look at the Butkus site for on-line manuals, you should get an idea of which models have things that you dont want.

Geoff

You can get 2.5mm stereo jack plugs from Maplin (and sockets too if you want to make an extension lead).
There are plenty of instructions on the 'net - but most of them refer to making up a switch for Nikon (boo, hiss :mrgreen rather than Pentax.
Your biggest problem will be getting hold of 3-core cable.
Ebay abounds with CS-205 rip-offs, and many of them have rather cheap switches (but you would get a 2.5mm plug and cable) or you could buy a used Pentax Cable Switch F (as used on many of the pre-digital AF Pentaxes) and thus be able to use a Maplin plug with the correct cable and a quality switch. There are often Cable Switch Fs on offer here (or you could just post a wanted ad).
Geoff

I found a small pair of engineer's tweezers to be just right for squeezing the spring out of the retention position and then unscrewing the adapter.
Do a quick google on "Helios 44M" lenses and you can find out about all the variations. But, they are all quite good - or better - and well worth playing with.
I will go along with PeterKR about removing the spring and fitting the adapter permanently to the lens. I have a Hoya f2.8 f135mm in my collection that is permanently adapted. It is short, fast, balances well on the K20, and is about as much as I can hand-hold on a good day (MS is not kind to photographers, but in-body image stabilisation is).
Geoff

And this gets more and more interesting.
There is quite a lot on the 'net about trigger voltages, and how to measure them accurately, and reading the link provided by DOIK, above, shows that two different people can get readings that vary by up to a factor of 8.
One piece of advice that turned up more than once is to use a good multimeter, and avoid anything that shows more than 10 volts across the two conductors of a PC cord (another source used a value of 12 volts, but you get the idea).
My nice little Vivitar is just under 11, or 14,5 volts, (depending on the tester) on that link, so I guess I've been lucky. Am I going to push my luck again? What do you think?
Chris, you might want to think about this as well - and then take Algi's advice.

Geoff

This thread got me intrigued - I do very little with a flash. It will be either with an old AF240Z in the hot shoe, or an even older Vivitar connected via the PC socket. So my understanding of pre hot-shoe flashes is that when they are charged, all the camera does is to close the circuit across the PC cable, which fires a thyristor, which dumps the charge in a capacitor into the lamp. All the test button does is to close the circuit (but at the other end of the cable).
So, on a K20, flash in the shoe, cable into the PC socket, dial set to X, gun set to same ISO setting as the camera, slider on the gun set to bracket the distance I will be taking at (so that the auto-flash setting will work) and get snapping.
I have just done this. There is enough light for the autofocus to work, and the auto-flash takes care of the power, and I get a result. Every time!

But now, one problem is eliminated. I picked up the Vivitar flash in a camera bag full of goodies - but there was no PC cord. I liked the Vivitar because it has a leverlock into the shoe (much easier when you are trying to cope with one or two walking sticks at the same time) and a standard PC cord will not fit. The end that goes into the gun is very short. Needless to say I could not find one anywhere. So I clipped the cable off an old (and totally worthless) capless bulb type gun (bought in Germany in the early '60s) and soldered the ends onto the two relevant contacts inside the Vivitar. Result: a permanently fitted PC cord.

So, reading the original post from Chris, I ask if the PC cord is a good fit into the PC socket on the Samsung body. Further, if it also plugs in to his Hanimex gun, is the socket and plug end totally clean.
He has established that the gun works, he has established that the PC socket works, all that remains is the cable between them.
Geoff

Having worn glasses since the end of WWII, I can tell you that I have not yet found a perfect solution. IMHE, it is harder to use binoculars than almost any viewfinder.
Still, for about £4, why don't you give the item that you linked a go?

Make sure that the M-Pod you buy hyas a 1/4 Whit thread on top.
Some of the cheaper ones do not (including the type mentioned above - these mostly have a grooved post and cross bolt fitting),
Any good magazine will give you a choice.
Geoff

There is another thing about monopods:
My illness means that I need two walking sticks to get about, except for short distances. With a monopod, I can dispense with the sticks and use the m-pod as a walking cane. I have one like JamieT (above) - with the foot bar removed - and another with a QR plate fitting. Fit the plate to the camera and I can move around quite well.
Yes, I still have tripods (yes, plural), but the m-pod is a vital part of my kit.
Geoff

If you are using Manual mode, what is the problem with keeping the aperture fixed and just altering the shutter speed?
I can see that you don't want to disturb the camera itself in any way, but with a good tripod and everything locked up tight, how much do you expect it to move as you adjust one wheel?
Alternatively, did you try putting the body into Av mode, and then using the EV compensation? This should keep the aperture fixed, and give you the auto-bracketing that you want.
Geoff