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damn spywares!


vanz

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To be honest, it sounds like you are pretty infected. It may be time to back up your data, put your recovery disk in, and start with a nice fresh Windows XP install.

 

I'd be happy to work on it, but I'm in Vancouver and you're in Beaverton. It also could take quite some time to remove it all. Each scan takes alot of time, and it takes many of them to completely clean any and all infections. Sometimes it's just best to start fresh. With heavily infected computers, it's easier, takes alot less time, and your computer will run like it was when you bought it. This also insures that you have absolutely zero spyware, viruses, trojans, etc.

 

If you have any questions on how to do this, I'd be happy to help. It sounds like there are some other computer "gurus" here that are happy to help as well.

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Please try this before you format your hard drive... Everytime I encounter this kind of issue I alway do a SYSTEM RESTORE and it seem to work all the time. SYSTEM RESTORE will let you go back few months before the incident occured caused your computer to go nut. Once you SYSTEM RESTORE it, it will keep all your files but will remove any programs that you installed till the day you restored it to.

 

I am at work and I dont have the access to go into my control pannel but you can check it out with you window help and support.

 

 

 

Using the System Restore WizardThe System Restore Wizard guides you through the steps of each task in System Restore.

 

When you run the wizard to restore your computer to an earlier state, it displays the following screens:

 

Welcome to System Restore

 

This screen gives you the option to restore your computer to an earlier time or state.

 

Select a Restore Point

 

This screen allows you to pick a date on the calendar and then select a restore point to restore your computer to an earlier state.

 

Confirm Restore Point selection

 

This screen allows you to change your mind about the selected restore point or the restoration and to save all files and close all programs before starting the restoration. After you confirm the selection, the restoration process starts, the system restarts, and a user logon screen is displayed.

 

Restoration Complete

 

This screen indicates your restoration has been successful. If the restoration fails, the Restoration was unsuccessful screen is displayed, and no changes are made to your computer.

 

For more information about System Restore, see System Restore overview.

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Confirm Restore Point selection

 

This screen allows you to change your mind about the selected restore point or the restoration and to save all files and close all programs before starting the restoration. After you confirm the selection, the restoration process starts, the system restarts, and a user logon screen is displayed.

 

 

I am stuck here!!! Doesn't let me click nextDOH!

 

Now where did i put my windows CD?

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You'll have to go back on that calendar and find the last date there was a restore point saved. This usually happens automatically when programs are installed. Unfortunately, I've had limited success with this. Sometimes it does work, but usually it doesn't in cases like this. But it is worth a shot.

 

Many computers these days don't come with a recovery cd. They either come with a hidden partition on the hard disk or you are required to make cds/dvds using an pre-installed application.

 

What's the make/model of your computer?

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**This is Beckie's Son**

 

Before you go throught the trouble of reformatting and reloading all of your programs (I HATE doing that (flame)) there might still be hope!!

 

When you are geting "redirected" to other web sites it is usually because your hosts file has been edited to point to a new address when you type an address into your web browser. The hosts file on your computer is a file that is a hidden system file that contains a list of URL's (web addresses, URL stands for Universal Resource Locator) and their corresponding IP addresses.

 

The programs that I use to remove most if not all spyware, adware, and other general "malware" that I run into are: Ad-aware, Spy-bot Search and Destroy (S&D), Windows Defender, and HijackThis. If you don't have computer knowledge or experience DO NOT USE HIJACKTHIS WITHOUT GUIDANCE from someone who knows that they are doing. It is possible to make your computer not operate properly if you remove things you shouldn't. All of these programs are free and all but HijackThis also provide "active" protection.

 

When you do these scans and removals ALL of them should be done in Safe Mode (by pressing F8 on starup BEFORE the windows XP loading screen) because safe mode will load only the basic processes and drivers that are needed to run Windows. Also, these scans all need to be ran on ALL user accounts on the computer in order to remove all instances of the malware.

 

If all of this seems to be a bit overwhelming, I would be happy to take a look at the computer for you sometime as my girlfriend lives over in the Tigard area. (waving)

 

Brian

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Well I found the CD and I was about to start it but luckily I came back on here to see some responses(clap) You guys are great!

 

So for system restore...I tried doing it on safemode, but it doesn't work. I have several restore points bolded, but nothing allows me to go to the next step.

 

I know reinstalling windows is going to be a pain, but I think it's time for a new start anyway. I backed up most of my main stuff months ago and I don't think I did anything crucial since then.

 

I'll see if adaware finds anything on safemode. Yeah, I'm not that technical and using hijackthis may not be the best option for me.

 

Thanks for the offers to come help me guys, but I think I can handle the reinstall...hopefully.

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If you choose to do a reinstall, it's not hard at all. It walks you right through it. Once you see how easy it is, you won't hesitate to just start fresh next time this happens. It's just a computer. You can't kill it. Anything you do can be fixed.

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**Beckie's Son again :P**

 

My only word of advice to you is scan your data BEFORE you put it back on your machine; if you don't there is a chance that it may become reinfected if the malware originated from a file that you have saved whether it be an application, a nasty piece of software hidden in a picture or music file, or a system file (although you most likely won't be restoring any system files from your file backup).

 

GL and hopefully it all works out for you(fingers)

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Good advice, Brian. Hate for him to have to go through this again tomorrow. DOH!

 

Vanz, after your Windows install, I would recommend the following steps (in this order):

 

Install drivers (if you have any to install)

Do all critical Windows Updates (Including service packs)

Install Anti-Virus program and perform updates to definition files

Install any other needed software

Perform a full virus and spyware scan of all backed up data (as Brian suggested)

Restore data

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Got my laptop all reformatted(clap) All fresh and clean now.

 

I lost the install disc for my laptop adapter though. It's the linksys wpc54g version 4. I only see 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 on the linksys website. I tried the 3 last night but it didn't allow me to connect. Oh well, I'll figure something out.

 

I'll be sure to scan files after I do all the steps that you listed wobbles.

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Another thing you should do is run an online Kaspersky scan for free:

http://www.kaspersky.com/kos/eng/partner/default/languages/english/check.html?n=1235541275087

 

If none of those options work, there is a manual fix, but you will have to delete some registry keys and some files in safe mode. Let me know if you need any further help with this.

 

 

+1 Kaspersky is one of the best out there. It has found things on my system that your mainstreams like AVG and Norton couldn't even touch.

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want me to come by and offer some help? Is it a desktop or laptop? If it is desktop take card out of slot and install in a different one. If it is a laptop, you may need to either try your card in someone else's laptop, or try different card to locate issue. No matter what driver you have or even if you have no driver, your machine should at least acknowledge the new device. you could check your device manager and see if it is already there just disabled or something. Let me know.

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Before I got your link' date=' I did some searching and found this ftp site for linksys drivers. [url']ftp://ftp.linksys.com/pub/network/[/url]

 

Haven't gotten it to work though...I installed it, but the computer is not even registering that there's a card in there.

 

Did you install service pack 3 yet? Service pack 3 is incompatible with many of the older networks cards since it uses enhanced security, so that sometimes causes some difficulty. If it's a re-badged card made by linksys for dell, hp, etc., you are better off getting the drivers directly from the computer manufacturer instead of linksys. The driver I posted was for a re-badged card. I'm not sure exactly which card you have, so that's all I could do.

 

You are sooooo close! Once you get the network drivers installed, you'll know how to do this on your own. Next time you get infected with viruses, spyware, etc, you'll know how to handle it on your own. ;)

 

From the steps you've taken on your own, I can tell you have enough computer knowledge to do this. Just finish the network driver and you're all set.

 

Let me know if you need any further help.

 

-Dave

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Did you install service pack 3 yet? Service pack 3 is incompatible with many of the older networks cards since it uses enhanced security, so that sometimes causes some difficulty. If it's a re-badged card made by linksys for dell, hp, etc., you are better off getting the drivers directly from the computer manufacturer instead of linksys. The driver I posted was for a re-badged card. I'm not sure exactly which card you have, so that's all I could do.

 

You are sooooo close! Once you get the network drivers installed, you'll know how to do this on your own. Next time you get infected with viruses, spyware, etc, you'll know how to handle it on your own. ;)

 

From the steps you've taken on your own, I can tell you have enough computer knowledge to do this. Just finish the network driver and you're all set.

 

Let me know if you need any further help.

 

-Dave

 

Yes I did install SP3, I'm going to try your link now and see. It's funny...before all this spyware crap happened...I upgraded to SP3, hmmm. Then right after...bam

 

Hey Eric, thanks for your offer but everything is almost taken care of.

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