Can someone please help me?

[oodi]

PS: Here is the link to download the free version of Ad-Aware. I would install it and run it as well.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-...ml?tag=lst-0-1

Here's another good free one:

http://www.download.com/SUPERAntiSpy...ml?tag=lst-3-7

Judi

[Ryan]

I use Ad-Aware and I recommend it for your typical Adware/Malware. I also use Pest Patrol and Spybot.

When you install Ad-aware make sure you select the option to download the updated definitions (it should do this automatically when you first install the program, but you'll need to do it each time you want to run a scan to ensure that you have the most updated version of it). When you choose Scan, you want to select a "Full System Scan" rather than a Smart Scan. This is more in-depth and occasionally finds more than the Smart Scan does.

Sometimes it's best to do this in Safe Mode to ensure proper removal of things, but let's start here.

Ryan

[Ed13]

By now,
Spybot doesn't work(scans about 1/10 of the way and freezes)
Free scan mcaffe doesn't work(won't load)
norton doesn't detect anything(neither from the site or from the antivirus)
trendmicro doesn't work (won't even load)
can't run on Safemode ( it doesn't load up windows)
About 5 minutes ago the e-mail thing happen again(twice today) and this time it loaded a weird site, so much pop up windows rejecting messages by norton appeared on the screen that the wallpaper couldn't be seen.

I'm this close (.) to applying my version of an antivirus, HAMMER TIME!

[greyhoundfan]

Bummers Ed.. now I think it's time to seek professional help.. anywhere you can take your computer too?

[oodi]

Ed,

It sounds like a complete reformat or system recovery is in order. After that, I would suggest downloading and installing the Ad-Aware, Spybot and Super Antispyware and run them on a regular basis (make sure you check for updates before running them). Inevitably, one will find something that the others didn't. I would also do all the online scans on at least a weekly basis as well.

Just make sure to back up any files you need to keep on CD or DVD beforehand.

Judi

[jeep]

Ed,

It sounds like a complete reformat or system recovery is in order. After that, I would suggest downloading and installing the Ad-Aware, Spybot and Super Antispyware and run them on a regular basis (make sure you check for updates before running them). Inevitably, one will find something that the others didn't. I would also do all the online scans on at least a weekly basis as well.

Just make sure to back up any files you need to keep on CD or DVD beforehand.

Judi

DITTO! I just got through re-formatting a computer for a friend. Viruses and Trojans can replicate themselves and you can end up with hundreds of variations of the initial problem. It's almost impossible to get them all off unless you consult a professional- or re-format.

Your computer should have come with recovery disks that will completely write your hard disc to zero's and then restore your computer to the day you bought it. If not, or if you lost them, you can probably order them from the manufacturer. It's actually a pretty simple operation...

[Wahter]

Here are a few suggestions.

Norton Antivirus. What version are you running? If it's something old like 2004, then all the updating probably won't help, as there are so many new viruses, trojan horses, and worms created each year, that's why companies (like Symantec, makers of the Norton products) upgrade the programs each year.

Also, some of the more recent versions of Norton Antivirus will let you boot up (that is start the machine) from the Norton CD in order to clean up your hard drive. Keep in mind some viruses, trojan horses, and worms will 'hide' in Windows XP's system restore, just waiting for the user to run a system restore session (and then re-infecting the PC).

Are you able to download Ad-Aware? If you are, run the updater, and then disconnect your PC from the internet (temporarily) - either unplug your wire or turn off your cable or DSL modem. This will stop the connection and should help stop some of the pop ups. Run Ad-Aware and do the full system scan while the PC is disconnected from the internet. Hopefully that will catch some things and let you remove/ quarantine them. After that, reconnect to the internet and see if the popups and slowdowns still occur.

Just remember, anti-virus is not anti-spyware. Use the correct tool for the specific job.

If you're running Windows XP, make sure you have Service Pack 2 installed (that has a built-in firewall; there are better firewalls, but this is better than nothing). SP2 will also monitor to make sure your antivirus is running.

Just in case people are wondering what the differences are:

Computer virus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_virus

Trojan Horse:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_...28Computing%29

Worm:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm

Spyware:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware

Malware:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware

Adware (not to be confused with Ad-Aware)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adware

Phishing (this is when it looks like you have a notice from your bank):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing

Hope that will help. One of my customers does PC servicing on the side and she says 80% of her on-site technical calls are from cases of PCs infected with viruses and spyware.

I use Ad-Aware, Spybot, and a commercial product from CA (PestPatrol) to scan for spyware, malware, and adware. Each one of those products will catch something the other ones don't.


Walter

[Ardan]

Hi,
If you have another computer with windows xp, you can take the bad hard drive and put it in the good computer. It will register as another drive (f, g etc)
You can then use the good computers norton to scan and fix that drive.


In this way the good computer is not accessing that drive, thus it will not activate the virus....

I have done this once under the guidance of my brother who is a professional computer tech. It works

otherwise, reformat

hth
Ardan

[Ed13]

Manage to run trend-micro cleaned 3 tracking cookies amd 4 trojans. Ten minutes later the same thing happened again Spy-bot still freezes shortly after it starts scanning.

Im running Windows XP, and Service Pack 2 installed. MAnaged to run on Safemode today.

Its getting better, Speed is back, but The e-mail thing happened again and it also started altering the browser. What do I do now?
What are the proceedures if I want to start from zero?

Thanks all for helping me out

[oodi]

Ed,

If you have the recovery disks, it should be easy. I'm guessing that if you insert the first disk, the system recovery will run on it's own. It will let you know when it's ready for disk 2, etc.

Just make sure to back up any files you want to save before starting this procedure.

If you are paying for an annual subscription to Norton, I would certainly look for something else, since you got hit that hard. If you want a free anti virus program, I've heard that AVG is very good, though I have no personal experience with it.

Judi

[Ed13]

Ed,

If you have the recovery disks, it should be easy. I'm guessing that if you insert the first disk, the system recovery will run on it's own. It will let you know when it's ready for disk 2, etc.

Just make sure to back up any files you want to save before starting this procedure.

If you are paying for an annual subscription to Norton, I would certainly look for something else, since you got hit that hard. If you want a free anti virus program, I've heard that AVG is very good, though I have no personal experience with it.

Judi

I really don't want to start from zero, but my patience is wearing thin. The e-mail thWill look for any disks(theres like a million though). This computer was design and installed for me by a third party, meaning I basically know its very, very fast and nothing else. I'll see if I can contact him! As far as Norton is concerned up to now I was loving it! No pop ups! But after this I don't know it has been useless during this ordeal! I don't mind paying for stuff as long as is top class and worth it.

[Ed13]

Ed,

If you have the recovery disks, it should be easy. I'm guessing that if you insert the first disk, the system recovery will run on it's own. It will let you know when it's ready for disk 2, etc.

Just make sure to back up any files you want to save before starting this procedure.

If you are paying for an annual subscription to Norton, I would certainly look for something else, since you got hit that hard. If you want a free anti virus program, I've heard that AVG is very good, though I have no personal experience with it.

Judi

I really don't want to start from zero, but my patience is wearing thin. The e-mail thWill look for any disks(theres like a million though). This computer was design and installed for me by a third party, meaning I basically know its very, very fast and nothing else. I'll see if I can contact him! As far as Norton is concerned up to now I was loving it! No pop ups! But after this I don't know it has been useless during this ordeal! I don't mind paying for stuff as long as is top class and worth it. As I was typing this the e-mail thing happened again

[Wahter]

...The e-mail thing happened again and it also started altering the browser. What do I do now?
What are the proceedures if I want to start from zero?

Thanks all for helping me out

Sounds like maybe your email program may be infected. Some viruses/ trojan horses will infect your either your PC or your email program, grab a random address from your email address list (or sometimes use your email address) as the identity of the sender and send a message out (containing the virus) to the other email addresses in your address list - that will typically fool the unsuspecting recipient into thinking you or someone you know has intentionally sent out the message with the virus attached to it and they will open it up, thus unwittingly further propagated the virus by infecting their PC. That's the mode of operation - kind of like people who send out the internet hoaxes and urban legends without checking them out prior to forwarding them on.

Double check your email program and look in the outbox/ unsent messages folder - if there are any messages pending to be sent and they aren't ones that you've written, delete them.

Again, check what version of Norton you're running; if it's not 2007, it's not to blame for your PC getting infected, even if you are running the updates for an older version. AVG is a good antivirus product, the link to their website is here:

http://free.grisoft.com/

Hope that helps,


Walter

[Ed13]

Sounds like maybe your email program may be infected. Some viruses/ trojan horses will infect your either your PC or your email program, grab a random address from your email address list (or sometimes use your email address) as the identity of the sender and send a message out (containing the virus) to the other email addresses in your address list - that will typically fool the unsuspecting recipient into thinking you or someone you know has intentionally sent out the message with the virus attached to it and they will open it up, thus unwittingly further propagated the virus by infecting their PC. That's the mode of operation - kind of like people who send out the internet hoaxes and urban legends without checking them out prior to forwarding them on.

Double check your email program and look in the outbox/ unsent messages folder - if there are any messages pending to be sent and they aren't ones that you've written, delete them.

Again, check what version of Norton you're running; if it's not 2007, it's not to blame for your PC getting infected, even if you are running the updates for an older version. AVG is a good antivirus product, the link to their website is here:

http://free.grisoft.com/

Hope that helps,


Walter

This are examples of the messages in the pop ups, but imagine 554 of them:

Your email message was unable to be sent because your mail
server rejected the message:
111 1.1.1 This message has been blocked because it contains
FortiGuard – AntiSpam blocking URL(s). (black url
http://federallotery.eu/vip/

)

Your email message to
<xxxxx@xxxx>
with the subject of:
Lotto Tickets from 50 countries around the world
Was unable to be sent because the connection to your mail server was interrupted. Please open your mail client and
Re-send the message from the Sent Messages folder.

This one seems to be the most prominent one. I'm somewhat confident(read crossing fingers) that
the clean up by Trend-micro solved my trojan problems(still bummed that 4 could get by Norton), so hopefully the spammer is the last problem.
BTW, anyone has clues about the Spy-bot not responding shortly after it starts scanning, the inmunization says it blocked 13,ooo bad products and it seems to be a good program

My Norton version is the 2007. Sorry i keep forgeting things that might help but the spam doesn't allow me much time to post.

[Wahter]

You forgot to tell us which email progam you're using. Is it Outlook or Outlook Express?

If your PC is trying to send out messages by itself, it's infected (either the PC or the email program).

How many messages are in the Outbox waiting to be sent? If there are several, try to delete them.

Skip Spybot for now, try to download and install Ad-aware. Keep in mind you still need to clean up the virus (not the same as Adware). Some of the better viruses out there will disable Norton, so it's no longer active. Can you boot up the PC with the Norton CD in the CD drive and make an attempt to clean it up that way?


Hope that helps.


Walter