Please help me! Virus/Spyware problem

Try running Windows in safe mode (hold F8 before the Windows boot screen appears and choose safe mode) then running Virus/spyware scans.

 

I had spyware problems as well. I donwloaded every free program known to man. Nothing, nothing work until I went to this site.
http://forums.g4techtv.com/messageview.cfm?catid=64&threadid=147688

you need to follow the steps they reccomend. it was the only thing that worked for me. most likely you have a trojan program-that's what I had. they will have you download a program called hijack this and then post your "log". the tech guys on the site will tell you what to delete.

Then follow their steps to protect yourself.

 

also, install SP2 for XP. It helps a lot.

 

These two (especially spybot search/destroy), should take care of most issues, and be certain to download the lastest definition files for each.

spybot search destroy - http://security.kolla.de
lavasoft adaware - http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Finally, think about using Mozilla firefox instead of IE - see http://www.mozilla.org

Good luck!

P

 

Roger that.

 

I had alot off issues before going to Mozilla Firefox, and just upgraded to 1.0.

Get HijackThis, pm me your log (it will be saved as a .txt file) and I will tell you what you need to get rid of. Also, get adaware from Lavasoft, and run that about every month, and do a deep scan, not just a regular one.

Another protection is Zone Alarm. And I am a big hater of Norton, too complex for the average user to configure their computer to work right with peripherals.

 

It's like digital herpes...!

 

What operating system are you running?

 

Go to Google and install their tool bar and it comes with free pop up add blocker. The tool bar has options that are useful to and you can select not to have information sent out to Google. It also features Auto Fill for web forms. It's all free. After you have installed that, go to your internet option, privacy and select to block third party cookies and then allow session cookies. Also select override automatic settings too along with accept allow first party cookies. I don't get any pop ups at all. I use to get million of them all the time, not anymore.

 

Or you can get Mozilla Firefox and be even safer, and it is easier. Nothing to configure, etc. IE just plain sucks.

Plus it looks prettier. Firefox has dozens of themes you can use to change the appearance of it. Take a look at the theme I installed. Everytime I use IE for something, I hate it. So plain. I had to change some filtering and resize to get a clearer picture, but I think you get the idea. And the tabbed browsing is great.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Download it here: http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

 

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

 

Log on to Norton's web site, there should be instructions there for it's removal. Otherwise a virus either installs itself as a service or via the "run" registry key, either way it is a simple process to remove it with regedit. The rason norton cannot remove it is it is running as a priveledged system process.

 

ad-aware
zone alarm
firefox

you run those right, you will never have another popup/virus/piece of spyware on your computer again.

pop what?

 

Am I correct to say that before removing spyware/adware/malware in safe mode with the various programs (Ad-aware,Spybot S&D, microsoft Anti-Spyware, Hitman Pro, SpySubtract etc.) you have to turn off System Restore? This can be done by clicking START, then right-click MY COMPUTER, then properties, then open tab SYSTEM RESTORE, mark Turn off SYSTEM RESTORE.

Most POP-UP's can be dealt with by deleting their respective key in the Browser Helper Objects area(BHO).This involves going into the Register Editor (START, click on RUN, type REGEDIT. Be sure you know what you are doing here!!!) I have installed a small program that is called BHO Demon. I have a couple of known BHO's (5 in total) that I know of (for instance Google Toolbar generates a key in the BHO section), and I can easily monitor this with BHO Demon. When all of a sudden I would have more than the 5 "friendly" BHO's I would know there was a potential problem.

 

Try to use that program, also if shareware you can still update the database.
I'm pretty sure it will work. I used it on a number of friend's computer with sucess.

Here is the link:

http://tds.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=download

After download the updated database:

http://www.diamondcs.com.au/tds/radius.td3

put it in the same directory of the program (ie. overwrite the old one)

Keep me posted.

Cheers ilo.

PS. Like someone else said I will suggest that you use Firefox

 

ED i also run windows 2000P and had exactly the same problems as you, i came across Mcfee spyware and virus remover and run it problem solved, it removed things that i did not know were there, here is the link give it a go and it's free.

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

 

Do any of these work with "aboutblank"? The only way I could get rid of that was to reinstall windows.

 

Hi

It's also very important that you use the correct Ad-Aware and not adware
This one is the good one: http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button
The other ones just give you spyware

Norton isn't that good anymore. Next time you have to renew your Norton... please consider to try another one!!! Norton is NOT updated and great anymore as it used to be. A lot of viruses goes right through it :/

 

No, but google bar and any other bar you install gives you spyware

 

There is only ONE program that takes care of About:blank.
It is called CWShredder. About:blank is a so-called browser hijacker generated by spyware called coolwebsearch. See Merijn's link here:
http://216.239.59.104/search?q=cache:z3SnMZ85dGIJ:www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html+coolwebsearch&hl=nl

 

Get a router and a firewall (macfee is what i use)
from there you will see where the problem is comming from.