HELPP computer geniuses

[The "Juan" 12]

something happened last night when i was listening to music on WMP and now i have a blue background sayin my computer has been infected with spyware. idk how it let my internet run now for me to get on but idk what to do

[PSD Ryan]

Chances are it's actually a virus thats trying to get you to further infect. Go to housecall.trendmicro.com and run the virus scan and spyware scan, remove anything that shows up. Stop downloading stuff from untrusted sources and up your browser security.

[Bill]

Dump IE and move to Firefox asap.

Run virus scans, I use AVG which is free on downloads.com.

[Loneaggie]

AVG or Avast, spybot, and combo fix. Boot into safe made and run each of them.

[Lazyman]

x2 on firefox

[blacksunshine]

1. boot into safe mode (press F8 on boot between system bios splash and windows splash screens)
2. turn off system restore
3. download combofix (combofix.org), run and clean (might have to uninstall your antivirus you do have to let combofix run)
4. download and install sophos rootkit detector/removal (link), run and clean
5. install Malwarebytes (malwarebytes.org) and run a full scan, clean
6. install AVG Free (free.avg.com) and run a full scan, clean
7. install SuperAntiSpyware (superantispyware.com) and run a full scan, clean
8. run all your needed/wanted windows updates

do these steps repeatedly till the scans find nothing, mark them off the list and running updates till no more updates are found. once this has run it's course, no more problems found and no more updates, reboot and turn the system restore back on and most likely everything should be hunky dory for the time being.

you do need to run periodic checks with all this free software as they will not update nor run resident on their own...that is what the paid versions do.

oh and +1,000,000,000 on the firefox....I only use Internet Exploder if I have to...

[Coach W]

I download everything to desktop.

If something goes bad I set up a new desktop and trash the other one. Done.

You however sound like you have downloaded straight from the internet into my computer. Thats a no no.

You will have to run some anti spyware agents. Good Luck its going to be a PITA!

[Fishndude]

IE is crap!

[Coach W]

IE is fine on a protected network with a protected server.

At home with the minimalist security programs people run on their internet connections you need some added protection. Firefox is good for this.

[native_texan]

1. boot into safe mode (press F8 on boot between system bios splash and windows splash screens)
2. turn off system restore
3. download combofix (combofix.org), run and clean (might have to uninstall your antivirus you do have to let combofix run)
4. download and install sophos rootkit detector/removal (link), run and clean
5. install Malwarebytes (malwarebytes.org) and run a full scan, clean
6. install AVG Free (free.avg.com) and run a full scan, clean
7. install SuperAntiSpyware (superantispyware.com) and run a full scan, clean
8. run all your needed/wanted windows updates

do these steps repeatedly till the scans find nothing, mark them off the list and running updates till no more updates are found. once this has run it's course, no more problems found and no more updates, reboot and turn the system restore back on and most likely everything should be hunky dory for the time being.

you do need to run periodic checks with all this free software as they will not update nor run resident on their own...that is what the paid versions do.

oh and +1,000,000,000 on the firefox....I only use Internet Exploder if I have to...

/\ This .... X10 It's disaster to download stuff without security software in place to guard your PC. The best advice: Don't.

Microsoft Windows Security Essentials is good once you get your PC all cleaned out. Good luck.

[blacksunshine]

I download everything to desktop.

If something goes bad I set up a new desktop and trash the other one. Done.

You however sound like you have downloaded straight from the internet into my computer. Thats a no no.

You will have to run some anti spyware agents. Good Luck its going to be a PITA!

unless I missed something, your desktop is in your hard drive....so same thing, my computer, desktop, c: drive...they are all on your hard drive...so that part matters not....the desktop thing might 'work' for certain instances...but not sure which ones...lol....sounds like you have some fun with computers...lol...

combofix should clean him right up...quickest and easiest way to get back up and running...the rest is for a thorough clean

[blacksunshine]

/\ This .... X10 It's disaster to download stuff without security software in place to guard your PC. The best advice: Don't.

Microsoft Windows Security Essentials is good once you get your PC all cleaned out. Good luck.

rely on the MS stuff at your own risk...there have been several attempts by MS at providing usable, verifiable and trustworthy anti anything programs....all have failed....

I don't have it installed on any machines I have....it might work...but I won't take the risk.....

[ccolley68]

My suggestion:



And start over. Thats what I did.

[Coach W]

unless I missed something, your desktop is in your hard drive....so same thing, my computer, desktop, c: drive...they are all on your hard drive...so that part matters not....the desktop thing might 'work' for certain instances...but not sure which ones...lol....sounds like you have some fun with computers...lol...

combofix should clean him right up...quickest and easiest way to get back up and running...the rest is for a thorough clean

Your Desktop is in your hard drive but it doenst have permissions to your Program Files like My Computer.

Your desktop is a seperate folder that runs for each user on the computer. If Johny gets a bug in his desktop causing things to run not so smoothly, Jill on the same computer might not have the problem.

Bugs are embedded Program Files.

[blacksunshine]

Your Desktop is in your hard drive but it doenst have permissions to your Program Files like My Computer.

Your desktop is a seperate folder that runs for each user on the computer. If Johny gets a bug in his desktop causing things to run not so smoothly, Jill on the same computer might not have the problem.

Bugs are embedded Program Files.

bugs are generally smarter than that and hence do not care about permissions....not to mention, most users are admins on their computers by default....in theory you might have something....but in reality...it doesn't matter....read only if it were truly read only might suffice....like back in old nt4 days, you could set the hard drive in such a way as to write protect the c: still use the computer, do all your surfing and whatnot, soon as it is rebooted...no changes from previous use....it was a pretty neat trick...lol

about the only way for normal users to use their computers and not worry about getting a virus, would be to use it for a plant stand....

how often have you used your trick you posted?