Getting rid of spyware

Grrrrr · 3 Dec 2006 at 14:00

OK i'm running XP SP2 which is completely up to date, i use spyware blaster which is always up to date, i use Mcaffe antivirus which is always kept up to date and i use firefox which is again up to date. I've not had any spyware or virus problems for years now.

Last night i downloaded a very dodgy looking file and my suspicions were right as mcaffe popped up and showed it had blocked about 5 trojan viruses. After that though my computer still clearly seemed infected with something so i ran a full system anti virus scan which picked up nothing and a full spyware scan with Ad-Aware which picked up a whole bunch of stuff, which i cleaned. But still my computer seemed infected so i downloaded Microsoft's antispyware software but a full scan picked up nothing.

After a little searching i found the names of the troublesome processes which i googled and found way to get rid of them manually from a very useful site. This worked and seemed to stop all the annoying pop up bubbles coming from the dodgy program in the explorer bar telling me to buy software.

But alas i wake up this morning and there are a whole bunch of internet explorer windows open asking me to buy stuff and i have absolutely no idea what to try next to make sure my system is completely clean again.

Sorry for the fairly long post and thanks to anyone that can help

EDIT\\ Sorry this was meant for windows & other software

Vonhelmet · 3 Dec 2006 at 14:08

Adaware, Spybot, CWShredder, reformat...

That's pretty much the path I'd go down.

What was the file and why did you download it if you already suspected it was dodgy? I think the real lesson is in there to be honest...

SgtTupac · 3 Dec 2006 at 14:09

I managed to get those stupid IE virus pop ups. Do what i done, search for files created on the day you downloaded it. Look thru all the files and delete the ones you know are bad.

i just deleted all the files downloaded on that day and problem solved. Use Windows Search fuction in the start menu.

Cob · 3 Dec 2006 at 15:02

Disable System Restore before cleaning too.

bledd · 3 Dec 2006 at 15:40

Cob said:
Disable System Restore before cleaning too.

yup

or a lot of it will come flooding back!

regulus · 3 Dec 2006 at 17:47

Is it sitting in next to the system clock and keep changing icons from a little bomb to something else? It keeps prompting you to buy spyware programs and telling you that you have critical system errors?

If so, I had that one and many people I know suddenly had it. It's a ***** to get off and I resorted to formatting the hard drive. I tried 6 different AV programs and a boatload of spyware killers, nothing helped.

barnettgs · 3 Dec 2006 at 18:42

Spyware and malware are getting smarter each day so it is much more difficult to remove than ever before.

HighlandeR · 4 Dec 2006 at 00:25

Backup n format and Restore XP

Nice n simple

Tis the only 100% method

Terrier_Jimlad · 4 Dec 2006 at 07:17

no need for a format ... download HijackThis (hijackthis.de or download.com) ... reboot into safe mode so the dodgy processes dont load, run a scan and log ... this puts a .log file on your desktop ... upload this to their website and the results of the scan are displayed with threat level warning ...

This will show you the dodgy processes/files that need to be rid ... go back into the program and tick what it tells you to .... then click FIX CHECKED ... reboot back into normal mode and your pc will be clean

catch me on msn if you need help

The_KiD · 4 Dec 2006 at 09:17

Download a copy of HiJackThis.

First make a folder on your computer in my documents called Hijackthis and then Unzip it to that folder.
Then doubleclick the Hijackthis.exe.

Click the Scan button, when the scan is finished the scan button will become Save Log click that and save the log.
Go to where you saved the log and click on Edit > Select All then click on Edit > Copy then paste the log at one of the sites listed here, or the one in my signature.

It will possibly show issues deserving our attention, but most of what it lists will be harmless or even required,
so do NOT fix anything yet.

The_KiD · 4 Dec 2006 at 09:25

roflcakes22 said:
no need for a format ... download HijackThis (hijackthis.de or download.com) ... reboot into safe mode so the dodgy processes dont load, run a scan and log ... this puts a .log file on your desktop ... upload this to their website and the results of the scan are displayed with threat level warning ...

This will show you the dodgy processes/files that need to be rid ... go back into the program and tick what it tells you to .... then click FIX CHECKED ... reboot back into normal mode and your pc will be clean

catch me on msn if you need help

Can I please advise that you dont do this!

HiJackThis shows areas of your system which "MAY" affected by a virus/malware infection!

HiJackThis.de is a good website to give you an indication of "POSSIBLE" infected areas, but it is not 100% correct! If you fix something you shouldnt you "could" mess it up.