Spyware help!

Xylochick216 · #1 06-25-2006, 08:29 PM

I have no clue what happened to my computer today, but I got on this afternoon and there's a blinking triangle with an exclamation point in the taskbar of my computer that keeps saying, "Warning! Your computer could be infected with spyware! Click here to find out how to get rid of it." I know it has to be spyware itself. I usually use Firefox, and that's fine, but in explorer, my homepage is now "about:blank" and keeps going to random anti-spyware sites even when I try to reset the homepage to yahoo. I've run my virus software several times (which found 4 files to quarrantine) and I've run both spybot and adaware, which each find a few things each time. I went through the add/delete programs in the control panel, too, and deleted anything that I didn't remember installing. It still keeps popping up and flashing in the taskbar, and random explorer windows keep opening with adult pictures and anti-spyware ads. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to make it stop? I'm at my wits' end!

ETA: I've also tried right-clicking on the flashing triangle, and no menu pops up or anything.

tunatartare · #2 06-25-2006, 08:32 PM

Try cleaning out cookies on your computer. That and maybe downloading Spyware Doctor and running that are the only things I can think of. Can you ask an IT friend or person at your job to take a look at it?

JenMarie · #3 06-25-2006, 09:48 PM

Sometimes spyware starts it's evil doings on Start up. So restarting your compy can just make things worse. I forget what you run... I believe it's MsConfig and there is a way to stop programs from loading at start up. It'll give you a list of things that do. If you find some funky stuff, uncheck it all and hit save. (Start Menu>Run...> msconfig)

I had to do this with my friend's computer... I unplugged her cable line. That way anything needing to obtain an internet connection to produce pop ups couldn't. Then I ran all her virus scans and whatnot.

Worst case scenario, you reinstall Windows to wipe everything. But that's after you've tried everything to no avail.

Drolefille · #4 06-26-2006, 09:08 AM

I don't know how computer literate you are, but there are a few things to try before you go the wipe your computer step. Download Adaware (from www.lavasoft.de) and Spybot (google search) Update both of them. Also download a program called "Hijack This"

Scan with Adaware and then with Spybot to see what you find. This should clear most problems from your computer. Occasionally one of these will find things that it can't fix but at least you know what the problem is. Run HijackThis, be careful and follow the instructions, and save a logfile. Now. Restart your computer and repeat.

If Adaware and Spybot can't fix it, and you're not very computer literate, take the newest Hijackthis Logfile and find a computer help website and post it. Almost every computer help website wants this before they help you. (you can also PM me with it or post it here if you like) Someone else can then point out what looks wrong on your logfile.

If you are comfortable with the computer, go through the Hijack This scan results. Look for things that don't make sense...

What this problem sounds like is Cool Web Search or a variant. The thing is a bastard when it comes to trying to remove it and it required registry edits. Once you nail down the problem, a google search can point you to tools to try and fix it. PM me if you have any questions!

teena · #5 07-08-2006, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I don't know how computer literate you are, but there are a few things to try before you go the wipe your computer step. Download Adaware (from www.lavasoft.de) and Spybot (google search) Update both of them. Also download a program called "Hijack This"

Scan with Adaware and then with Spybot to see what you find. This should clear most problems from your computer. Occasionally one of these will find things that it can't fix but at least you know what the problem is. Run HijackThis, be careful and follow the instructions, and save a logfile. Now. Restart your computer and repeat.

If Adaware and Spybot can't fix it, and you're not very computer literate, take the newest Hijackthis Logfile and find a computer help website and post it. Almost every computer help website wants this before they help you. (you can also PM me with it or post it here if you like) Someone else can then point out what looks wrong on your logfile.

If you are comfortable with the computer, go through the Hijack This scan results. Look for things that don't make sense...

What this problem sounds like is Cool Web Search or a variant. The thing is a bastard when it comes to trying to remove it and it required registry edits. Once you nail down the problem, a google search can point you to tools to try and fix it. PM me if you have any questions!

This is the best advice you will ever get. I would highly suggest that you do this.

Xylochick216 · #6 07-08-2006, 12:28 PM

I run Ad Aware daily, and that didn't help. Neither did SpyBot. I did numerous scans of all my drives and went through Hijack This. Nothing. I ended up backing up all of my documents and clearing the harddrive. I recently had backed up my entire system so I restored it back to those settings. No problem since then (well, my dog ate through my power cord so I haven't been able to use it, but there are no more viruses!)

Rudey · #7 07-08-2006, 01:25 PM

Go to microsoft.com and download windows defender.

-Rudey

teena · #8 07-08-2006, 03:27 PM

I'm finding that Defender isnt as good as the original MS Antispyware. You?

Drolefille · #9 07-08-2006, 06:52 PM

We use it at work and I swear it catches nothing. I wish we could use Ad-Aware/Spybot. And I do download Hijack-this at work sometimes just to diagnose..

Glad the system restore worked for you! Anyone with IT questions feel free to PM me.

ETFix Spelling

SigmaChiGuy · #10 07-08-2006, 09:20 PM

Go to this site and run their scan, it'll do about everything you'll need. Also, whoever uses your PC, tell them to stay off the porn sites - that'll get you every time.

www.pandasoftware.com/activescan

If you don't know what you're doing, stay away from Hijack-This as you can turn some stuff off on your PC, which will disable things, and then you're totally screwed because you didn't knwo what you were doing in the first place.

Drolefille · #11 07-08-2006, 11:55 PM

Yeah, I recommend Hijackthis only for experienced users, or if you don't know what you're doing, run the scan and post the logfile online for someone else to tell you what to do