Howdy ya'll,

What you might be experiencing is what we like to call Malware / Spyware / Trojans / bad things, here is a little "How To" to fix those issues. And after you are done scanning your system please Defrag your system; you would be surprised as to how much speed you will pick up.

This "How To" is simply to help folks that might otherwise not be familiar with some of these applications and processes. And none of these programs (except the anti-virus) run in your background nor do they take up any recourses other than when you run them. You don't keep these programs running at all times (except the Anti Virus [auto protect]) you only run them once a week or once a month as needed.

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Make sure you don't have any viruses. Make sure you have an up-to-date virus checker on your system, and *gasp* actually use it once in a while.

If you don't have a virus checker and can't afford to buy one, go to Trend Micro's Free online virus Scanner, House Call:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Although everyone should have an Antivirus (AV) Scanner and they should update it Daily, if you don't set it up to update automatically you will have to click the Update button.

If you're looking for an excellent AV light on resources NOD32 is for you. You can at least give it a try:
http://www.eset.com/home/home.htm

Another Good and FREE scanner is AVG:
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Another thing to always do is to keep your system up to date from Microsoft:
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/ .

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One of my Favorite Anti-Spyware utilities that are free comes from Trend Micro called (drum roll..............) Trend Micro Anti-Spyware which I have done some tests with it, verse Lava soft and Spybot-S&D (which I go into more detail on how to use them below) and Trend Micro Anti-Spyware blows the doors off them. Best way to use Trend Micro Anti-Spyware is to down load the trial (it lasts 30 days) and then go to the Help tab and update it.

http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan

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If you don't already have it, download, install and run Ad Aware SE Personal:
http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download .

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Next, check for, and download any available updates:

1. click "Check for updates now".

2. Click "Connect".

3. If updates (definitions) are available click "Ok", otherwise, click "Ok".

4. Click "Finish".

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Next, configure Ad Aware to be as effective as possible:

1. Click the 'gear' in the upper-right hand corner of the Ad Aware Window.

2. Click Scanning, and check (tick) the following:

* Scan within archives

* Scan active processes

* Scan registry

* Deep-scan registry

* Scan my IE Favorites for banned URLs

* Scan my Hosts file

3. Click "Tweak".

4. Click "Scanning Engine", then check (tick) the following:

Unload recognized processes & modules during scan

5. Click "Cleaning Engine", then check (tick) then following:

* Always try to unload modules before deletion

* During removal, unload Explorer and IE if necessary

* Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot

* Delete quarantined objects after restoring

6. Then click "Proceed"

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Now, let Ad Aware locate and remove anything it finds, by:

1. Click "Start".

2. Check (tick) "perform full system scan".

3. Click "Next".

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Exit the program.

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If you don't already have it, download, install and run Spybot S & D:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html Next, update the current definitions by:

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Next, check for, and download any available updates:

1. Click "Search for Updates".

2. Check (tick) all available updates.

3. Click "Download Updates".

4. Click "Search & Destroy".

5. Click "Check for Problems".

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When the scan is completed:

1. Check (tick) everything that was found.

2. Click "Fix selected problems".

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Click "Ok", then exit the program.

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Ewido Security Suite (bought out by AVG and made better)

When running an Ewido scan no windows or programs should be open! Do not use the Computer while the Ewido scan is running!

Please download the trial version of Ewido Security Suite here:
http://www.ewido.net/en/download

When installing, under "Additional Options" uncheck "Install background guard" and "Install scan via context menu."

Launch ewido, there should be a big "E" icon on your desktop, double-click it.

The program will prompt you to update; click the "OK" button

The program will now go to the main screen

Update ewido:

You will need to update ewido to the latest definition files.

On the left hand side of the main screen click update

Click on Start

The update will start and a progress bar will show the updates being installed.

After the updates are installed, exit ewido.

Do NOT run a scan yet.

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Be sure you can see hidden files.

How to see hidden files in Windows:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/foru...ows-tut62.html

Next, please reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following:

1) Restart your computer

2) After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon appears, press F8.

3) Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear

4) Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode.

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* Now open Ewido Security Suite

Click on scanner

* Click Complete System Scan and the scan will begin.

* During the scan it will prompt you to clean files, click OK

* When the scan is finished, look at the bottom of the screen and click the Save report button.

* Save the report to your desktop

Close Ewido

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If you have Spy Sweeper installed. While this is a great program, we need to temporarily disable (not uninstall) the program because it might stop our fix.

Disable Spy Sweeper:

Open it click > Options over to the left then > program options > Uncheck "load at windows startup".

Over to the left click "shields" and uncheck all there.

Uncheck "home page shield".

Uncheck 'automatically restore default without notification".

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Get Hijack This currently at version: 1.99.1:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

Make sure you reboot before you run HiJackThis!!

Run HiJackThis and click "Scan", then post your log here:
http://www.hijackthis.de

Also, make sure that you actually extract HijackThis to its own folder. DO NOT run it from within a zip manager (WinZip), as no backups will be saved.

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Once that is all done and if you don't already have it, download, install and run CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com

Cleans the following:

* Internet Explorer - Temporary files, URL history, cookies, Auto complete form history, index.dat.

* Firefox - Temporary files, URL history, cookies, download history.

* Windows - Recycle Bin, Recent Documents, Temporary files and Log files.

* Registry cleaner - Advanced features to remove unused and old entries, including File Extensions, ActiveX Controls, ClassIDs, ProgIDs, Uninstallers, Shared DLLs, Fonts, Help Files, Application Paths, Icons, Invalid Shortcuts and more... Remember to always back up your registry file prior to editing anything; this program also comes with a comprehensive backup feature.

* Third-party applications - Removes temp files and recent file lists (MRUs) from many apps including Opera, Media Player, eMule, Kazaa, Google Toolbar, Netscape, MS Office, Nero, Adobe Acrobat, WinRAR, WinAce, WinZip and many more...

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This is fitting; for a little humor watch this flash movie

http://homestarrunner.com/sbemail118.html

Have a great Day!!

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o just for $@#$s and grins, post how many bugs you found on your system after you ran the clean ups.

The most I found was on my boss's daughters system, she has Lime wire and Napster on there and she had over 800 bugs (Virus and
Spyware)

I once found (on a customers computer) over 15000 malware/spyware bugs and 190+ viruses.

You should have pulled up his cookie list. It probably would have included a lot of "anal", "webcams", "free", "asian" and "lesbian" entries.

I use Spybot and AVG free.

same spybot takes care of all the cookies as well as the malware that gets in there sometimes and avg will find any virus on the pc. Another note though. If your not sure if ur firewall sucks or not click this link.

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Scroll to the bottom click proceed and then its gonna send stuff at ur pc, packets, other programs, signals anything that a decent firewall would stop. Then at the top of the page it will tell you if ur firewall sucks or not.

alternatively, type in "britney XXX" in google, click on every link, and then see if your computer lasts through the night.

I mean, your computer has to get some viruses in order to build up it's immune system right? What doesn't make your computer spark only makes it stronger.

/wrist

I'll be sure to run through this before release. It's always a good idea since the release engine isn't always great and the lag some bad coding could cause is ugly sometimes. Also just a heads up Cicadymn I accidentally hit report on your /wrist post 8o/

rofl reported. see where your trolling gets you, Cic?

Only a month late, but aren't you trolling by posting this as well without contributing to the discussion of the thread?

I will delete posts if anyone starts spamming this thread.

Do not reply to this message.

i was just responding to the report (im sure you were too skull :P).

but yeah, to get back on topic, there is a program called The Cleaner that i've been using for years. it monitors your registry and notifies you if there's been any changes made to the vital parts, such as the run/runonce keys. it is extremely handy when you get unannounced trojans. also comes with a nice scan for malware/trojans/bunch of viruses too i think.
you can dl it for free (last time i checked) over here http://www.moosoft.com/

ok i am making a new updated version with more goodies in it, and alot longer too. i'l give ya'll a heads up when it is finished

its not the private servers that crash, its the design of obsidian. that's the crashing factor

Excellent Topic. Helps alot, thanks :)

Thanks for the information about stopping Spy-ware. I wasn't sure what was exactly right. I was using SUPERAntiSpyware but it's a huge system resources hog.

Would you recommend Norton to be good protection?

I don't really recommend Norton at all. It's practically spyware in itself.

It eats up all kinds of system resources and sets up so many filters/safeguards that checking your email becomes an hour-long endeavor.

I've been using AVG Free for years and have had excellent results with it. If you feel like getting that bit of extra protection, splurge on AVG Pro.

Avast! is superior.

I tried out AWC (Advanced Windows Care) recently and it's brilliant. It sped up my computer quite a bit and fixed up quite a few problems.

mrcheese:
Avast! is superior.

Not sure how I missed this post before....tell me more about Avast!, matey.

Haha! Pirate humor.

I find its real time scanning is better, picks up crap AVG doesn't and is far less attention hungry.

shades88:
same spybot takes care of all the cookies as well as the malware that gets in there sometimes and avg will find any virus on the pc. Another note though. If your not sure if ur firewall sucks or not click this link.

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Scroll to the bottom click proceed and then its gonna send stuff at ur pc, packets, other programs, signals anything that a decent firewall would stop. Then at the top of the page it will tell you if ur firewall sucks or not.

Used your link:

"Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion."

"Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet."

OWNAGE.

Epic, just tested that too hemi, EVERY port I have seems to be stealthed - i'm using comodo firewall. Not bad for free software, it passed every test with flying colours.

mrcheese:
I find its real time scanning is better, picks up crap AVG doesn't and is far less attention hungry.

My girlfriend used to use Avast untill her computer was swarmed with viruses. I installed AVG and it got rid of them all. She then switched back to Avast. I prefer the combination of AVG with A squared.

As for the firewall thing, I'm just using Windows Firewall and passed the tests.

Your girlfriend needs to download less porn.

So I said, but I believe she kept getting worms and such from our school's computer because she frequently used her flashdrive at our school.

Also, Cheese, I love your sig.

I made the change earlier today. It is nice of them to do it though, gives me a great visual cue as to which posts are going to be mindless drivelly spam.

Well, though a lot of them have light sabers, not all do. It's easy to tell by the badges on display.

Eh eh! For a sticky thread, do stay on-topic for once.

Yes sir, sorry sir.
So, I noticed one he could've added, as I helped with a thread like this back at HMO.
A Squared is a nice anti-Malware program, and it picks up rootkits and such. IT even got the Sony Vaio rootkit out of my computer.

WAT IZ A TOPIK?

I believe it's a place that is Hot.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

AVG comes in a pay version, it is far more effective than standard AVG free version.