My computer has been working just fine - up until a couple of hours ago. I have no idea what site I visited that could have possibly done this, but first I started getting tons & tons of pop-ups, and my entire system slowed down, and new icons keep on popping up on my desktop. I ran Spybot, Spysweeper, and it got rid of lots of stuff - or at least, it seemed to - but now, not only am I still getting new icons on my desktop and popups, my Internet Explorer browser doesn't work at ALL. It's really lucky that I also have Firefox installed, because otherwise I'd be really stuck.
What should I do? Please, please someone help me.
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
I'm not familiar with Spysweeper, but Spybot is pretty good for spyware. You might try to use AdAware too... However I wonder if there isn't something that actually got installed on your computer. You might want to take a look into the Windows Task Manager to see if there's any process that might cause this. If you could upload an image of your currently running processes, sorted by user, someone here might help you with this. Not me though, since I'm going to see a movie in a couple of minutes... I hope you solve your problem.
Posted by Xavier (Member # 405) on :
Save everything you need to keep onto disk (or another back up device).
Then reformat.
Marvel at how wonderful your computer runs now!
The problem is if you are missing vital software. But you are going to have to reformat at some point. Best to try to obtain the software now.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
If the problem occurs again, get a mac. It will then be almost certain you will have none of those problems ever again.
Posted by reader (Member # 3888) on :
Internet Explorer suddenly started working again - but very, very slowly.
Anything less drastic I can do than reformatting?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
How familiar are you with the registry? I can give you some suggestions, but only if you know what you're doing.
Posted by reader (Member # 3888) on :
I'm not experienced enough with the technical aspects of computers to start playing with the registry. I think I'm just going to have to leave it up to my father.... I was hoping to be able to fix it myself, because I was the one who (somehow) caused the mess, but I don't want to mess things up further by doing something wrong....
Posted by edgardu (Member # 242) on :
Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. I was able to remove most of the spyware except one - Aurora.
Anyone else ran across this and was able to get rid of it successfully? I searched the internet for solutions. There doesn't seem to be any one straigthforward solution.
The Aurora spyware directs you to a site that will remove it from your computer but I don't trust it.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
quote:Originally posted by fugu13: If the problem occurs again, get a mac. It will then be almost certain you will have none of those problems ever again.
Here's a financially sound piece of advice. Spread that Macintosh Gospel!
Posted by Lady Eruve (Member # 6883) on :
1. Stop using Internet Explorer. Now. It's a virus magnet. If you already have Firefox, you should keep using that instead. 2. Run your Spybot, Adaware, and any other virus detection you have and remove any junk it finds. 3. If you don't have a good firewall, get one. (Windows firewall does not count.) ZoneAlarm is a good one. If you don't have a good, up-to-date virus protection, get one. (You should have at least one each of a firewall, virus blocker, and spyware remover.) 4. Continue to check you system processes (found in Task Manager), and programs installed on your computer for stuff that shouldn't be there. 5. If you *still* have problems with your computer running slowly, and getting pop-ups, then you need to wipe your computer. Save to a disk any important files, and make sure you have copies of programs you need. Then reformat, and re-install what you need, and put your files back. Make sure you have all your virus protection and firewall ready before you connect to the internet again.
We had a big problem recently with bad viruses and pop-ups. We did what we could to remove what junk we could find (at this point we got ZoneAlarm), and it was a lot better, but there were still some pop-ups. We ended up reformatting to be really sure, and we've only had a few pop-ups in the past 7 months now.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
I got lots of good advice when I was infested with evil evil spyware.
Passing some along: try running Adaware (and Spybot) from safe mode. Some things can only be killed when not active.
Noemon likes Ewido (I found it somewhat useful, but too prone to crashes).
Also, try Hijack This!
Posted by Storm Saxon (Member # 3101) on :
quote: 5. If you *still* have problems with your computer running slowly, and getting pop-ups, then you need to wipe your computer.
Before you do that, try restoring your system to an earlier date. At a dos prompt you can do scanreg /restore. In windows it's, like, in the system folder off the start menu. Then delete all your cookies and cache manually from IE (not just with the button), then run your spyware stuff and if that doesn't work, then I don't know.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Download AVG Install it. Run it and Ad-Aware in safe mode.
Posted by Humean316 (Member # 8175) on :
Here is what I did: I opened task manager to see what programs were being run and then any that did not seem right, i looked up. Also, I found that the icons that were popping up were in the windows folder and would copy themselves to my desktop when I ran IE. I deleted those icons and found the program that was installed on my computer by watching task manager to see what programs came on when IE did. I found the program that was installed by looking at the "last modified" part of the file. You will find that it is recent and you probably didnt do. I deduced that that was the program and deleted it. Of course, it worked but I also got rid of IE too. IE is undoubtely bad when it comes to protecting you from spyware. If those steps dont work, I would agree with everyone else who says that you are going to have to reformat. Sorry!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yep, you've already got the good advice. Follow what Lady Eruve says first, go through all those steps, in safe mode when possible, and check back with any problems that you have.
Personally, with computers that I fix, I run an antivirus or anti-adware program at least one more time past the last time it found virii or adware. And with adware, it's a good idea to run Spybot, then AdAware, then SpySweeper successively because each will find different spyware.
It will take time to do this. There is no quick solution. So, get to work! Posted by reader (Member # 3888) on :
Thanks for the help, everyone.
I've run Ad-Aware, Spybot, Spyweeper, cwshredder, cleanup, and I did an AVG scan as well. And I've also been deleting processes that don't belong.
No good. Everything keeps on reinstalling itself.
Reformatting isn't an option; this isn't just my computer, it's my father's, really, and he has too many files on it, accumulated over too many years, to be able to hunt them all down and save them to a disk.
I've found a forum specifically for getting help with this sort of problem, though, so I am hoping to get this fixed.
Thanks again!
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
Get a nylon stocking, a Kleenex, and a paper sack. Put the computer and everything in the paper bag, go out to your lawn, swing the bag around your head, and squawk like a chicken!
Hobbes Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :
Paper bags can't support computers. Unless they're 2 ply.
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
That only adds to the hilarity.
Hobbes Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Hobbes, someone taught you a very odd way of doing kapparot!
Posted by alluvion (Member # 7462) on :
my $0.02
people who indulge in the writng and/or distro of spyware and viruses are cretins of the lowest order.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Tell me when you're willing to play with the registry.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
Everything keeps on reinstalling itself.