downloads with malware

[petiteGMT]

I have windows 7 pro 64 bit. I was directed to download VLC first at the end of January 2015 from CNET site. Well that was a nightmare.

With that download came such nasty, destructive malware I ended up nearly having my hard drive crash and I ended up needing a new one -- thankfully I got a new hard drive before I lost all my data as it was transferred (after making sure I wasn't bringing along that vicious malware). You have no idea what problems it caused amd the expense of a new hard drive, data transfer etc.

But that first version I downloaded was able to convert video in asf format to mpeg4 or most anything. Now this new version, which I downloaded from this site won't convert instead the VLC crashes. Each and every time. No matter how long or short the video is.
With this happening, I have no desire to try the software on other things, like making a playlist and transferring to my mp3 player etc. I don't want to risk any crashes or problems.
I read the FAQ of what to do when this happens nd did it, but to no avail.

Has anyone else had this problem of malware with VLC? Has it effected the way it works? My downloads now all come from this site.
thanks for any help.
Gina

[hobbes]

CNET is a pile of --please stay polite--. Anything downloaded from there is stuffed with malware. So nothing specific to VLC.

Which version of VLC do you have?

[petiteGMT]

Hi
I have VLC 2.2.1
It was not the first version downloaded, which was the one that converted great. I also did not choose CNET for the download, techs for the hardware I was using did. I would have rather they go to the source. Boy little did I know. I ended up having to get a new hard drive and the stuff that happened over the months of March, April and May would make your hair stand on end.
I had to use windows restore several times to get my notebook back and ended up still needed a new hard drive, it had become so destabilized.
I would love this software to work as it did the earlier version, was what they had the end of February. I am at such a loss as to why this keeps crashing.
thanks for any help,
Gina

[hobbes]

You can download an older version from the archive, see if that works better. That would help narrow down the possible causes.

[kodela]

Download the VLC from here: http://www.videolan.org/

Download the VLC from the archives: http://download.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/