Help with Adware, spyware, and Hijacks

[bu-bye]

Ok I'm about to go postal on my computer! :mad:

A few months ago my computer started slowing down and my home page would change. So I installed Spy-bot and Ad-Aware and fixed the problem. A few days later the same thing happened. I bought the full version of Ad-aware and Spykiller 04 which fixed the problem again for a few days. I then install Win-patrol to watch over my system all the time and now it is always finding hijacker programs tring to take over IE. So I removed IE all together only to find out Outlook needs IE to run. I can't believe the SOB's at Microsoft did that! I need My outlook so I installed IE again. Now my Windows updater thingy does not work. I installed Mozilla and have been using that but I still get attacked by adware, spyware, and hijacks even though I don't even touch IE anymore. What is going on here? There has to be some program I installed in the past that is causeing this. I have removed every program that might be causing this but I still get hit. My next step is a system rebuild but that would take FOREVER with all the software I have. Is there a software that scans your computer for bad programs known to have adware on it?

Help please.

P.S. I'm not on porn sites so no wise cracks about laying off the eye candy.

[Speedin96]

Welcome to the NEW age of the internet. Anyone remember the days of AOL 2.0? I didn't know that I had to add the @mindspring.net to get my registration information to sign up for an account at westwood.com to play red alert.

Well it seems you've been overtakin' if your getting these spyware and adware that quickly your revisiting sites that are bogus. When those windows pop up, do you trust software from this company, click no. DO NOT FALL FOR THE "your computer is under attack click here to scan and remove" pop ups. Unfortunatly these companies are taking advantage of noncomputer saavy people and they think they are getting a system alert and its really a pop up window with the "XP look".

Best thing to do, is format your computer and reinstall windows, then install norton's internet security, install ALL of the latest updates, and don't download junk, get rid of kazaa and winmx, imesh (gag), bearshare (OMG), etc.

When you go to install programs pay ATTENTION to "Install Gator" "Install SaveNow" check marks that are checked by default and your soo in a rush you NEXT NEXT NEXT...

Good Luck

If you will make it a habit to clean your temporary internet folder after you are finished with the internet, it only takes like 3 clicks and boom its cleared, cookies would help to but then you loose the auto login in some sites like this one.

If I could get the list of addresses of these people that develop these pop up ads, I'd stop by for a little visit, destroy every computer/server they have and hang them up by their toes and fingers using fishing line.

[ July 29, 2004, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: Speedin96 ]

[Radcat]

I had all the stuff to get rid of that crap then I got the new Norton internet security program and it found another 100 or so spyware programs on my computer. I still get about 2 or so a week but I also have my IE to block all cookies on websites that I don't visit everyday. That helps a lot. My gf's computer had over 27k reg keys and other things on her computer. She didn't block any cookies at all.

[Nachius]

Download hijack this and reglite.

[95Batmobile]

I would backup, format, and install Spy Sweeper. It is my new favorite program...
I use it now and it finds stuff that every other program doesn't find. PLUS it monitors all activity and if a program is trying to take over your computer it lets you know and you can shut down the program.

[malice10985]

I had severe pop up syndrome on my computer. I went to officemax and paid $30 for McAffee antispyware. It worked well for about 10-15 minutes. Now I still have a crapload of popups and I am $30 poorer than I was before.

[RallyRed 98]

mozilla?

[Red V6 Raider]

I just got rid of all my spyware on my computer here at work. There was one program that was starting up with the computer that would consantly redownload the spyware and create popups and all that. That's basicly how it works and until you get rid of THAT program or programs. You will never be rid of it.

Through HiJack This I found a program in my registry called "ttflhf.exe", my guess is that it is installed and titled with a random sequence of letters so that it can't be detected by the name of the program.

Run adaware and spybot s&d and then check your registry for anything that looks fishy.

[Everglades W68]

You can try googling the description of the problem and/or the name of the adware/spyware/malware that you think is causing the problem. Be careful, though. Often times, you'll get junk spyware remover ads show up in the results.

Doxdesk.com has instructions on removing these types of problems. Their instructions are not consistent on quality, though. Sometimes, they'll give you step-by-step accurate instructions; other times, it'll be cryptic notes that are hard to figure out.

What can happen is if you don't get a complete removal of all parts of the junk, the program will re-load itself upon the next re-boot or reconnection to internet.

[bu-bye]

Originally posted by RallyRed 98:
mozilla?

Mozilli is a web browser based off of netscape. It think it was designed for Unix/linux users.

Ok I ran every remover tool I could find and found a few more hidden files and reg entries. While I was searching through my winnt folder I found a virus file I had seen on a clients computer some time agao. How it got past Norton I don't know. On the web site it said this virus installs adware programs on systems. I'm running NAV in safe mode right now and it has already found five viruses. I think I need to reload NAV because it did not catch these files being installed on my system.

[user1101]

Originally posted by bu-bye:
Mozilli is a web browser based off of netscape. It think it was designed for Unix/linux users.

You're completely wrong. Mozilla was derived from the grand-daddy of all web-browsers - Mosaic (hence the 'Mo' part of Mozilla). Netscape was an offshoot of Mozilla - not the other way around. Netscape is still actively being developed by AOL, but all of the hype and momentum is behind Firefox - a secure, light, and user-friendly browser derived from mozilla code that's available for Windows/Mac/*nix platforms.

Installing a solid firewall between your machine and the internet is the first step you should be taking. Moving from IE to Firefox is also a no-brainer move you should be making. Also Check your registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURR ENT VERSION\RUN to figure out what's auto-loading at boot-up.

[bu-bye]

Originally posted by user1101:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by bu-bye:
Mozilli is a web browser based off of netscape. It think it was designed for Unix/linux users.

You're completely wrong. Mozilla was derived from the grand-daddy of all web-browsers - Mosaic (hence the 'Mo' part of Mozilla). Netscape was an offshoot of Mozilla - not the other way around. Netscape is still actively being developed by AOL, but all of the hype and momentum is behind Firefox - a secure, light, and user-friendly browser derived from mozilla code that's available for Windows/Mac/*nix platforms.

Installing a solid firewall between your machine and the internet is the first step you should be taking. Moving from IE to Firefox is also a no-brainer move you should be making. Also Check your registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURR ENT VERSION\RUN to figure out what's auto-loading at boot-up. </font>[/QUOTE]HAHAHA Easy bronco. Thats what I was just told about Mozilli from some guy I met the other day.

I do have firefox installed but because it is such a basic browser it will not see my radios that I use for my business.

Are there any other browsers you would suggest using?

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Mcaffe internet security 6.0

[maxcamaro]

memory upgrade and run ad aware and spybot twice daily...works great for me

[andrew.brandon]

ok I know this has beendiscused before but everyone seems to be in here so I will just ask. I have the trial version of mcafee virusscan and mcafee firewall. My video card also came with a popup blocker that has never let one through. my question is since I am cheep bast***, what is the best FREE spyware and adware programs I can DL and is there a better virus protection and firewall combo for free too?