"Warning: possible spyware or adware infection! Click here to scan your computer for

[texastony]

Originally, my fathers computer got this message above, and spybot and avg helped remove most of the worms, trojan horses, malware, etc., that came with this message. Yet it did not remove the program that reinstalls it each time. Can anyone give me advice on where to remove these programs?

I fix computers as a partime job and most peoples problems are fixed with an antivirus program. Unfortunately, this did not work in this case. I had to reinstall my OS after having to wipe my computer clean of everything.

Now another friend has called me with the same problem...I don't want to have to rewipe his computer too.

Please advise the best action on removal of this message, and it's reinstalation programs.

TexasTony

[ken545]

texastony
Welcome to Safer Networking.


Please read Before You Post
That said, All advice given by anyone volunteering here, is taken at own risk.
While best efforts are made to assist in removing infections safely, unexpected stuff can happen.


Download Trendmicros Hijackthis to your desktop, double click it to install, follow the prompts and by default it will install in C:\Program Files
Trendmicro\Hijackthis\Highjackthis.exe

• Open HJT Scan and Save a Log File, it will open in Notepad
• Go to Format and make sure Wordwrap is Unchecked
• Go to Edit> Select All.....Edit > Copy and Paste the new log into this thread

DO NOT have HijackThis fix anything yet. Most of what it finds will be harmless or even required.

[texastony]

Unfortuantely, I already wiped my dads HD clean...and reinstalled all his software.....only 2 hrs of work. Yet, This Friday I will be working another friends computer with the same problem. I guess then, I'll post the hijackthis notes then.

[ken545]

Good Morning,

Reformats are not a lot of fun but with the serious threats going around nowadays sometimes systems are compromised and the best route is a reformat to be safe.


Here is some reading for you with tips and free tools to help keep you safe in the future.

Malware Complaints
Are you mad ? I mean really mad, seething mad, so mad your ready to spit, mad that you have taken your hard earned dollars to buy a computer only to have some Miscredents, Dirt Bags and Cyber Criminals install a malicious program on your computer without your knowledge or consent. You can post your complaint at the above site. If you live in the U.S.A. you can also report your grievance to your State Attorney Generals Office and the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

• How did I get infected in the first place ? Read these links and find out how to prevent getting infected again.
• Tutorial for System Restore <-- Do this first to prevent yourself from being reinfected.
• WhattheTech
• TonyKlein CastleCops
• Grinler BleepingComputer
• Geeks To Go
• Dslreports

If you install Spyware Blaster and Spyware Guard, do not enable the Tea Timer in Spybot Search and Destroy or they will conflict.
Here are some free programs to install, don't leave home without them

• Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5
  Check for Updates/ Immunize and run a Full System Scan on a regular basis.
  
• Spyware Blaster It will prevent most spyware from ever being installed.
  
• Spyware Guard It offers realtime protection from spyware installation attempts.
  
• Win Patrol This program will warn you when any changes are being made to your system and give
  you the option to deny the change.
  
• IE-Spyad
  IE-Spyad places over 4000 web sites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads
  (cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.
  
• Firefox 2.0 It has more features and is a lot more secure than IE. It is a very easy and
  painless download and install, it will no way interfere with IE, you can use them both.
  
• Zone Alarm Here is a free Firewall from Zone Labs, I
  wouldn't access the internet without it.

Glad we could help.

Safe Surfn
Ken