How to get rid of unwanted spyware program?

heh heh...

Go to www.lavasoft.com and download ad-aware. It's free. I'm sure there are other freebies out there as well.

A hint to close those fake pop up messages without having to touch them - do cntrl-alt-delete, click on task manager, click on the offending object and hit end task. Sometimes even when you click on the X on those things they do something you don't want.

Take note of the description in the task manager before ending the task, and then Google it - most times there are several forum sites which can guide you through permanent removal, as just ending the task will not stop it reappearing.

Hi Branson. We will need more facts. whatdoes ot call itself?

Given a name we can find the ways to delete at Mcafee, norton, or other reputable services

Who put it there? If this was a local service, Take it back and have them remove it.

We've all been there.

Well, maybe vermin hasn't.

milo

Yeah, I got suckered once myself, and it taught me to never go to a web site that wanted to do anything friendly for me.

You don't have spy-ware, you've got yourself a full blown virus. And stopping it can be tricky. If you try to ferret this out yourself, you can wind up deleting a piece of your operating system. In which case, I hope you have the reinstall CDs.

Best advice is to contact these people and make them responsible for what they've done to you and your computer. Next, get a good virus scanner, install and scan. Next, get a spy ware tool such as Counter Spy. Finally, never trust anyone with your computer ever again. Good luck!!!

Vermin you were right about it being a virus. Thanks everyone for your help.

I updated my Norton antivirus software and it removed the virus. Up until then Norton could not even find it. Anyone that suspects they may have this virus update your antivirus software and if that doesn't work goggle remove spylock and download the removal program or remove it manually.

SpyLocked is the latest rogue anti-spyware program to come out from the makers of SpyDawn and Virusburst. SpyLocked is installed by a Trojan called Zlob, which attempts to trick you into buying the alleged anti-spyware program. Once you're infected with SpyLocked, a fake security message similar to a Windows notification pops up saying your PC is infected with malware. This SpyLocked message is used to lure you into purchasing, downloading and installing their program to remove the imaginary spyware.

SpyLocked may also automatically launch at your computer's startup and scan your computer. SpyLocked can be extremely difficult to remove manually, and will continue to try to recreate itself.

The ultimate sucker punch is spend $100 at the computer store for Symantec (Norton) and then have to register the bugger on line as it won't work otherwise. It turns out to be a Trojan Horse which takes over everything you want your computer to do. It permanently contacts the Symantec site and costs a bundle in downloads. I've got most of it out and am using McAfie through Bigpond (Telstra). McAfie is manageable and found some crap that Symantec either buried or installed. Normal procedures would not work with Symantec including the 3 finger salute, it was often necessary to completely unplug the computer.

Whatever reputation Nortons had in the past, it is over game set and match. Anyone else in this region I've spoken to has had similar results, some are so disillusioned they are running with no virus software at all.

I imagine that the symantec problems stem from the fact that they probably use really modern high performance PCs or servers and forget that not everyone in the world is as well off as they are in this respect.

I stopped using Symantec (Norton) products because of such problems some years ago.

Kasperski usually wins tests here in Germany, so I have Kasperski on my PC and Anti-Vir on my Laptop, boith work fine. Kasperski needs slightly more resources than Anti-Vir, but is otherwise transparent.

I would guess also that Symantec are using high level languages for most of their programming, instead of a machine code compiler, which run much faster, but need a lot more "know-how".

Their method makes for quicker software development, but really slow code.....someone recently called it "Bloat-Code!"....and if your PC is not the latest with multi-processor etc., you get terrible problems....

First, I'm not s shill for Norton... I've been running Symantec Corporate version for years and have never had a problem. To the contrary, it's saved my butt a couple of times, and I never notice it unless someone's trying to hack me.

How much RAM are you guys running in your systems?

Thanks for that. The bloat code, plus incessant unnecessary downloading explains a lot. McAfie is running pretty much transparently (costs a bit more through Bigpond subscription) and it has found what Norton missed or buried. I'm not prepared to run without protection, so was lucky I could just subscribe and fix it instantly. There were a number of disturbing add ons to Norton that I didn't request, including Microsoft spyware. Considering that Symantec provide the utilities included in Windows, this thuggery is probably not a surprise to many. I will keep Kasperski in mind if McAfie becomes embroiled in the Wintel. I personally am looking forward to genuine competition in the operating system arena. China or any European country could change history this way, especially if system efficiency and security become essential design parameters.

"especially if system efficiency and security become essential design parameters."

They're ALWAYS design parameters.

Tell that to MS!

Yes, they have their problems, but I'm sure they try. However, If I had a nickle for every company I've worked for that let buggie software/hardware out the door, I'd have a whole bunch of nickles!

The simple fact - and this applies to everything from your toaster to your car - if any company waited until they were absolutely certain that there product was 100% bug free, they would go out of business, and there'd still be some hidden bug in their defunct product.

The scary fact - at least 90% of all the software that controls your life, from your medical profile to your flight to Vegas, is running on Microsoft. Booga! Booga!

My toaster may sometimes give out toast which is not quite the ideal colour, but at least it does not need three attempts before it starts! (And it NEVER gives out dough)

Compared per hour use, my car gives many fewer "exceptions" or "conflicts" than Windows - but is more comparable with the results from a Mac.

As for doctor's records, the paper ones from the 60s were lost before computerisation - and I've not been for a check-up in a few years, so I have no idea whether any still exist!

I wonder why I've not flown since '83??

What's the alternative? UNIX and LINUX run in their own happy little world, but are just as full of bugs and no software choices. As far as hacking is concerned, who are the real UNIX/LINUX heads? All the really good engineers that built the system. You think these guys don't know the way to mess things up?!

"You think these guys don't know the way to mess things up?!"

of course they do - but have they been given the inclination to?

Somehow MS has p****d off enough people to produce that result, where the others have not.

That's because nothing interesting or lucrative is running on UNIX/LINUX.

BINGO !!

Thanks Vermin (what an unfortunate name.....!)

Talk to my mom.

Why? Because no spreadsheet is perfect, and the "work-arounds" vary between them.

Engineers need accurate results, but the only way to achieve this is to keep to the same spreadsheet: Excel was once seen as the best, so it is now always used.

In other industries - video, film(Pixar) & TV, for example - Macs are much more prominent, as the methods used to re-encode are faster/more reliable/less processor intensive.

As 3D graphics become more used in design, either Windows will have to change to keep up or someone will produce a killer ap. for "the other lot" and the engineering world will wake up.

Hey I know this company that's really dedicated to doing all sorts of innovative stuff with graphics, they're called Silicon Graphi... Uh, never mind.

What was that you said about lucrative?.Ooops!

you most likely download yourself a fake antispyware program. you can get rid of it by running a real anti-spyware program. below you can find links to some anti-spyware homepage

http://www.spybot.info/

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php

some info for spyware is below

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antispyware#Remedies_and_prevention

try download ad-aware and clean the spyware off. it should work perfect after that. I would normally install two anti-spyware program inside my computer. serve as double security.

Hi Branson,

Give this program a try. It will find it and delete it.

It is not free.

https://www.sunbelt-software.com/index.cfm

The big question in this issue is not how to eliminate the program, but how to eliminate the programmer! I would suggest burning at the stake!

Do it in a Politically Correct manner, burn him tied to his PC!!

'Beware of geeks bearing gifts'

A lot of those type of programs sound good . Trouble is that you install and run it 'cos it's free , then guess what - you have to buy a registered copy to do anything useful. The saying 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' is mainly true. Stick with the ones you see recommended a lot on CR4.

You didn't say how you'd deleted this thing . Sometimes it's possible to reload stuff and delete it a better way.

As vermin says , you may need them OS set up discs. If the system is pre-installed you should have a recovery utility as well . If not ,look for something like BartPE that can help you boot up in a major crisis.

Sorry I can't add much. Maybe you can elaborate on what has occurred. Best of luck.

I had either a virus or ad software that the regular (i.e. ad-aware, AVG and other virus protection software) could not get rid of that sounds quite like what you mention. These programs found it but could not remove it as it is re-loaded upon re-booting.

I finally fixed the problem using a number of steps which included a program called hijackthis along with another program (vneudo sp??) . I believe if you search for hijackthis it will steer you in the right direction.

I've tried most of them, but the one that worked best for me is "SpyHunter". You can download a free version from their website which will located all the "spy" files on your computer but won't remove them. You have to buy the complete version to get automatic removal. However, with the free version, it locates each file and you can manually remove each of the files if you feel comfortable with "regedit" and file deletions. You may have to remove some of them via "command prompt" (DOS). You have to turn off "explorer.exe" first via Task Manager, then go into DOS. Some of the really nasty files won't be removable unless you change their names first, then do a manual delete. Otherwise, buy the complete version and let it do its thing. Best of Luck!

Woof!!! What you're suggesting sounds like a one-way trip to a new system install!

I have SpyHunter. It doesn't cost that much, but it's really good at catching crap.

I got a free copy of Spyware Terminator from a magazine, it finds stuff that even Ad-Aware & Spybot do not find!!

It runs automatically, no registry editting!

http://www.prevx.com

This caught a few things Trend Micro didn't. Free 30 day trial.

Pineapple

The best advice I can give anyone regarding ad-ware/spy-ware is ALWAYS run more than one spy-ware checker on your system! I have yet to find a single program that catches everything. If you run one, then the other, you'll be surprised at what comes up. So, run at least two, perhaps more.

Something we can agree on - but watch out for conflicts, as some anti-virus software flags others as viruses!

Only "SOME"? Maybe that's why Andy runs three anti-virus programs. As each neutralises the others, no wonder none completes the job, if that is at all possible, theoretically.

It's like having cops in triplets: One knows how to write, the other how to read, and the third to negotiate bribe for the other two.

I run 3 Anti AdWare programs, I cannot even say that that is enough......I would need a 4th to test that out I guess.

I also use Rootkit revealer software.

....and of course I have a software & hardware Firewall and Anti-virus software.....

....I get no problems - as far as I can tell......!

Yep, this has always bugged me. I run one that touted as the best, then I run another and find things that the first one missed.