SOS! How do I remove spyware from my PC?

D_Ivana Dickenside

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HELP! i have spyware on my PC and i don't know how to remove it :eek: i downloaded a free scan but all it did was scan the infected files. unless i buy the program it won't erase them :mad: i've tried googling tips on how to remove spyware but i didn't come up with anything. generally i have a pop-up blocker activated but it even broke through that. what am i supposed to do? my windows XP keeps saying i have trojans on my computer, which i know is something else that doesn't refer to condoms :confused: any tips and ideas would be much appreciated.
 

unabear09

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eek

do you not have any active anti virus software on the comp? only thing I could suggest is maybe going to aol, and downloading their spy zapper program.
 

splitface

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i also recommend Search and Destroy, but my biggest reccomendation is Hijack This, availible at Major geeks.com Link after the jump. Do a scan, and post the results and I'll take a look


|MG| HijackThis 1.99.1

Middle of the page (horizontaly speaking) bunch of links Majorgeeks FL, Major Geeks TX.... pick one a download, then run.

Also, those messages poping up saying "YOU HAVE A TROJAN!!!" is probably the virus itself.

Goodluck.

Splitface
 

classyron

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Don't worry, Mac viruses are coming as soon as they get a bigger market share. They are not worth the effort for most loser hackers right now.

To clean your PC for the average user (all freeware):

- SpyBot Search and Destroy (be sure to Immunize too to prevent further incidents)

- Ad-Aware (it removes annoying data miners and little else)

- CWS Shredder (removes all variants of the Cool Web Search spyware)

Hijack This is great, but not for the average user.

As for Virus Scanners, they do not effectively block spyware. It is recommended to change virus scanners every year or two. Once a scanner becomes effective and/or popular it becomes a target for virus writers. The new AVG is riddled with its own spyware, so avoid it. NOD32 is no longer effective, and it was great for years. Norton, McAffee and that shit is exactly that, shit, because it too is riddled with spyware and wants to eat all of your system resources. The new Avast is pretty good, as is PC-cillin. Bit Defender kicks ass, but is SLOOOOOOW, and a resource hog.

Never use anything that says "Internet Security" or anything like that. If it says that it means that it will try to control everything coming in or out of your machine, and that gets a little tired. If you immunize with Spybot, and do frequent scans (weekly) you should be okay. I used to make $70/hour off of people who trusted Norton/McAffee or went without scanners. Trust me, the money was very good.
 

mindseye

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Don't worry, Mac viruses are coming as soon as they get a bigger market share.

That's pretty optimistic; I've got a hunch that Apple has missed its window of opportunity in the computer/OS market, which is why they're pushing mobile devices like -pods and -phones, but that's a topic for a different thread.

Norton, McAffee and that shit is exactly that, shit, because it too is riddled with spyware and wants to eat all of your system resources.

If you're stuck with using Windows, Symantec Corporate Edition is pricey but good; it's aimed at a market that won't put up with all the bloat crap that the consumer-level programs are laden with.
 

classyron

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The computer company where I worked used Symantec Corporate, and my sys admin would not believe me when I told him that viruses were getting through. I eventually wiped the local install of it from my machine, installed Bit Defender and ran a full scan. There were multiple incarnations of 6 different viruses just on my local machine, which meant that they not only got through the server, but they also got around my local scanner. They eventually went to Eset's corporate solution, and added more hardware protection.

For the home user though, Norton (Symantec) is a hoax. Bad juju!
 

HazelGod

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Spybot Search and destroy is a great free program

I second this advice...SpyBot S&D is very good. My other personal recommendation is the free edition of Ad-Aware.

I would suggest using both of them on your machine. There are bits that each will catch / remove that the other will miss.


Going forward, I suggest you switch your web browser to Mozilla Firefox and install the NoScript plugin. It lets you selectively enable the scripts which are usually responsible for installing this crap on your machine.

Also, anytime you install software, don't just click "Next" without actually reading what the installer plans to do...and if they offer an "Advanced" button during installation, use it! That mode lets you selectively disable junk components (adware, spyware) that you don't want or need.
 

Lex

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In addition to what HazelGod has mentioned, get a copy of Pest Patrol. It swats away things that are trying to be placed on your machine.

I also use Zone Alarm Pro.

I also second using Firefox with the add-ons HG mentioned in addition to Ad Block Plus.
 

Smartalk

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I have always used both AVG Anti-Virus and Spyware software of all the software I have used it is the best by far and its free. The latest free version 8 combined Anti-Virus and Spyware program. It can be down loaded free from this site using thi link.

Computeractive - Thank you page

You will be what this program will find and remove on your computer. Plus it runs in the background all the time giving you constant alround protection.

Nothing to lose only gain, which is something to be said in this day and age.

Cheers

Smartalk
 

TinyPrincess

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HELP! i have spyware on my PC and i don't know how to remove it :eek: i downloaded a free scan but all it did was scan the infected files. unless i buy the program it won't erase them :mad: i've tried googling tips on how to remove spyware but i didn't come up with anything. generally i have a pop-up blocker activated but it even broke through that. what am i supposed to do? my windows XP keeps saying i have trojans on my computer, which i know is something else that doesn't refer to condoms :confused: any tips and ideas would be much appreciated.

I prefer Ad-Aware - it removes 10-15 attacks a day from my laptop.
 

nydudehere

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Good luck. Hope you get rid of those nasty viruses.. man do i know about them frickin things.. recently lost all the data on my computer..yes everything.. had to reinstall the whole sistem again..whata pain.......
 

EboniGoddess

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HELP! i have spyware on my PC and i don't know how to remove it :eek: i downloaded a free scan but all it did was scan the infected files. unless i buy the program it won't erase them :mad: i've tried googling tips on how to remove spyware but i didn't come up with anything. generally i have a pop-up blocker activated but it even broke through that. what am i supposed to do? my windows XP keeps saying i have trojans on my computer, which i know is something else that doesn't refer to condoms :confused: any tips and ideas would be much appreciated.


Awe man...they got you good. I found out years ago that those sites offering free scans did only that....free scans. If you're a comcast user they provide anti-spyware software (McAfee) but some other companies like AOL and verizon do too...i believe. If not the best thing for you to do is dowload windows defender. Its from microsoft (a reliable name:smile:) and did my computers good. Scanned and removed the spyware with great results and the best part is that its free. Ussually if there is a spyware problem with my computers I have the factory cds to my desktop and laptop so I just pop em in and restore my computer to its factory settings (aka like it was when you first bought it). It ereases everything that didn't come with it like Microsoft office (for me) but I still have the cd. If you're like me it either comes from a filesharing program like limewire or morpheus or comes from dowloading spyware infested porn. Anyway, here's the link to windows defender:


Download details: Windows® Defender


Good luck!:smile:
 

EboniGoddess

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oh, i meant to tell you....if you can identify what programs are creating the problem you can just go to the control panel and click the add or remove programs button and scroll down till you see the one that is causing the problem. Click delete and it should be gone but I must warn.....some do require a reboot.