...and while you're at it, you could INSTALL Linux
which DOES NOT download things in an armed state
--much less auto-execute that kind of crap.
First, disconnect from any network or dialup connections.
If the PC is running XP, right-click on "My Computer", click
"Properties", click "System Restore", and set the disk space to
minimum. After that runs, you should have some disk space available.
Start Internet Explorer, click "Tools", then "Options". Under
"Browsing history", click "Settings" and set "Disk Space" to 20.
Connect to the network/dialup.
Download the free version of Malwarebytes from
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4716-malwarebytes-anti-malware.html
Download the free version of ZoneAlarm
http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/free-upgrade-security-suite-zonealarm-firewall-search.htm
Download the free version of Avira:
http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus
Install ZoneAlarm, Avira, and Malwarebytes.
Let these programs get any updates they needs from the network, then
disconnect from the network/dialup and let Malarebytes run - it may
take a while.
Then run a full scan of the disk with Avira - this will also take a
while.
These should clear the most common problems and ZoneAlarm will protect
your PC from new intruders.
Do keep the sotware updated - new threats come out frequently. Also
do the Microsoft updates - they are free and some of them are are
security-related.
Remember not to click on every interesting link you find - if the
offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is and is a sourceof
infection. Offers ofkeys to or free versions of expensive software
(Office, games, etc) are more likely to be bad than good - so are
naked pictures of famous people.
John
Nuke & Pave !
--
Best Regards:
Baron.
Hi Lenny,
Try Ccleaner. www.ccleaner.com That will help free up disk space by
deleting temporary files that are no longer necessary.
My favorite antispyware/antivirus programs are:
SuperAntiSpyware
Malwarebytes
Avira
They are all free. As has already been suggested, once you get these
programs running on your pc, unplug your connection to the internet to
prevent re-infection until the scans come back clean. If you're still having
problems, then I found this site which is staffed by volunteers to be quite
helpful: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html Follow the
directions carefully. They have experts who review your logs and then post
steps to fix your specific problem. The only drawback is that there can be a
long turnaround time (maybe 5 days) before someone gets back to you. If you
can still use your pc in the mean time, then it's worth the wait.
Good luck.
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA
I use these free programs:
Spybot S&D from Safer Networking.
<http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/>
Adaware from Lavasoft.
<http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php>
Zonealarm free firewall:
<http://download.cnet.com/3001-10435_4-10039884.html?spi=0d0094ccbdda1de033b7cc76cb5ed4ad>
Revo Uninstaller, to remove all traces of programs you uninstall.
<http://download.cnet.com/revo-uninstaller/3000-2096_4-10687648.html>
--
For the last time: I am not a mad scientist, I'm just a very ticked off
scientist!!!
>I have
I always liked Klem Kedidelhoppper. It's a pleasure to communicate
with you directly.
John's reply is concise...although, I do not believe in ZoneAlarm. If
anyone feels the need of a free F/W use Comodo's. I use Window's F/W
with SandBoxie for browsing.
> klem kedidelhopper wrote:
>> I have a computer that I believe must be really infected with
>> spyware. Is there a spyware removal program, (preferably a free one),
>> available to download that I can trust that won't just load more crap
>> onto my poor suffering machine? It has been running very very slowly
>> and sometimes just almost to the point oof stopping in the midst of
>> an operation. I have on many occaisions had to pull the plug and
>> reboot and it will work for a short time and then sort of hang again.
>> It has become really frustrating. For a time I had been getting
>> messages about the computer having to access more virtual memory and
>> lately I have been seeing messages telling me that I am seriously low
>> on hard drive space. At one point I was down to 37MB. The last
>> message said it was 11MB. I know that I am not saving anything on
>> this machine so SOMETHING has been apparently filling it up. If
>> anyone can please help me with this I would be very grateful. Lenny
>
> Hi Lenny,
>
> Try Ccleaner. www.ccleaner.com That will help free up disk space by
> deleting temporary files that are no longer necessary.
do you know if CCleaner works on W98SE? the site doesn't mention it.
--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
localnet
dot com
<snip>
Find someone you can trust to run a completely managed PC virtual
environment. Terminal Server or Citrix.
Let them worry about operating system configuration, virus updates,
windows updates, firewalls, spyware, installing applications, licensing,
data backups and restoring state.
Bin your expensive desktop and get either a thin client machine, or a
nettop. Then connect via remote desktop through your broadband, and use
the internet and desktop applications safely. You may even save
electricity by not having fast processors and spinning disk drives.
This would be the solution to getting wide community acceptance of safe
and secure computing without the stress of having to become your own
system administrator - a role that without training is almost impossible
to safely delegate to joe public.
Problem is, there are many who think the end users NEED operating
systems in their premises. A flavor of Windows or Linux, and a gazillion
different configuration options.
No, they don't...
--
Adrian C
I found this link,
http://en.utilidades-utiles.com/download-ccleaner-windows-98.php
Of course just because it's listed as a Windows 98 program on that site
doesn't mean it will install. But if it does install, I would imagine that
it would work.
Good luck,
> I have a computer that I believe must be really infected with spyware.
I assume, you have a Wintendo?
> Is there a spyware removal program,
Yes. S0KILL.EXE runs from a DOS diskette and works fine. You will get a
completely erased hard drive, ready for the Linux, which is spyware free
by intention.
Holger
--
Alzheimer ist ganz toll. Man lernt ständig neue Leute kennen.
klem kedidelhopper wrote:
>
> Is there a spyware removal program, (preferably a free one), available
> to download that I can trust that won't just load more crap onto my
> poor suffering machine?
It seems SuperAntiSpyware is among the most thorough: www.SuperAntiSpyware.com
Malware Bytes sometimes helps when nothing else works: www.malwarebytes.org
The free versions of the above two programs have to be run manually,
but the free versions of the programs below are meant to provide full-
time protection, although such protection often lets malware through,
and apparently occasional manual scans should be done with any
security program:
Microsoft's own Security Essentials is good: www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
There's Avast!, which a lot of people like: www.avast.com
Avira has done well in some tests: www.avira.com
Probably the most popular free antivirus is AVG: www.free.avg.com
If you're running Windows 98, try www.OldVersion.com for older
versions of programs. I used AVG ver. 7.x with 98SE, and last year
the virus definitions were still being updated, but 8.x refused to
work with 98SE, even though 7.x kept telling me to upgrade to it.
Maybe you could sign your posting...so we know who to credit?
(larry,moe, or curly)