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Moral: surfing when not entirely awake can be dangerous to your computer's health.
I downloaded (not entirely deliberately) something I should not have last night. Now, despite the best efforts of AdAware and Spybot, I cannot get rid of this AZESEARCH critter.
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I recently had to deal with a pretty severe infection on my machine, and even after running the programs you and Beren have mentioned, I still had a problem. Pouring through a number of anti-spyware fora I came across references to Ewido. I downloaded the 14 day trial version, and was impressed enough with it that I'm going to buy it when my trial period is over.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Oh, I hate those!!! My brother accidentaly downloaded one of those "search" toolbars and I never got rid of it. That is, until I finally reinstalled Windows. Now I run both Sygate Firewall and the usual Windows Pop-up blocker, so stuff like that doesn't even ask me to be donwloaded anymore... phew... And AdAware just shows 5-10 objects every few weeks, most of them probably totally harmless.
Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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If you search for AZESEARCH uninstall there are a variety of moderately technical ways to ditch the bugger.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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My favorite way to get rid of stuff like that is to start windows in safe mode, search for it, and delete the .exe file and whatever else is associated with it.
I'm sure some of the computer guys will give you about a dozen reasons why that's a bad idea, but I've had better success with this method than with any of the ad aware/spybot type programs. I use them just to clean up the registry.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by El JT de Spang: My favorite way to get rid of stuff like that is to start windows in safe mode, search for it, and delete the .exe file and whatever else is associated with it.
I'm sure some of the computer guys will give you about a dozen reasons why that's a bad idea, but I've had better success with this method than with any of the ad aware/spybot type programs. I use them just to clean up the registry.
The only reason this wouldn't work is in the case of Spyware that adds extra info to the Registry. Just from reading those forum posts, the best ways to get rid of this bugger is to use Hijack This and delete it with that. However, I would suggest running both Ad-Aware and Spybot in safe mode to get rid of this, mostly because it can't be removed while it's running, and it runs only when you start up the computer in normal mode. To get to safe mode, hit F8 right before the Windows Loading screen pops up.
Posts: 3003 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Not to mention the really nasty stuff embeds itself in the registry - which, while I quite cheerfully go on a hack-and-slash expedition which is not without its own risks, isn't guaranteed of catching all the associated registry entries.
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I tried to get to it in safe mode, before I started this thread. However, something about how my dad has the network/computer set up means that my password doesn't WORK when the computer is in safe mode.
The program Noem recommended is running now (I'm on a different puter). If it doesn't kill it (along with all the cookies it is gleefully slaying), I'll check out the links, fugu. Thanks!
Are they in order of preference, or no particular order?
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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No particular order. They mainly constitute forum conversations.
I'd try running the series of antispyware programs without restarting first, then the file deletions and registry editing as recommended if you're comfortable with that, of the stuff mentioned.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Between some of the suggestions at fugu's first link and Hijack This! (linked to by the same site), I think it's dead, Jim.
*eyes computer suspiciously* At least, I think it is. And the Google toolbar reinstalled ok (with all the new features I hadn't gotten around to installing), and the awful headers and footers are no longer being added to each browser page.
Thanks, everyone!
Oh, and I was not terribly impressed with ewido. It crashed about 70% through the scan. And it took HOURS to get that far.
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Now I run both Sygate Firewall and the usual Windows Pop-up blocker, so stuff like that doesn't even ask me to be donwloaded anymore... phew... And AdAware just shows 5-10 objects every few weeks, most of them probably totally harmless.
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And it took HOURS to get that far.
