O/T computer help desk thread

[bugdust]

I've been getting a lot of pop-ups lately so I updated SpyBot and checked for spyware...nada. I'm online through AOL & they run McAfee virus scan daily and it turned up nothing as well. So, I went to http://www.spywareguide.com/ and ran their free online spyware/adware check and it found six different questionables and even tells you all about them. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] They also have all kinds of good info on other stuff as well.

[Nick]

I do tech support as a living, been testing a bunch of programs and AdAware still finds the most and it's free. Trying to remove spyware with an anti-virus program won't do much because they're not virus. Would be like using a screwdriver to hammer in nails, not the best tool to use. Scanning in safe mode usually gets more spyware as well, press F8 on bootup (usually after the HP, Dell or whatever logo) and select 'safe mode' from the list.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Person...tml?tag=lst-0-1


Also TrendMicro has a great free online virus scanner:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

I'm using Lavasoft to remove the spyware.


www.lavasoft.com


There's a free download available and I think it works real good!

(but I'm no expert)

[jaransonT3]

Or just buy a Mac and not worry too much about all that crap. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/funny.gif[/img]

[pistolpete76]

ad-aware gets my vote too. i run it once a week, it keeps it all happy. its free and does everything you want.
pop ups are a bitch, microsoft internet explorer is an even bigger bitch. ive switched to firefox, blocks all pops up without me doin shit. plus its faster and less problems

[grumpy]

I too do tech support, homes and small/med business. Mozilla's Firefox is a good move. We use Pest Patrol, but its not free, at the office, works great.

[dayzwalker]

Maybe one of you techs could help me this this issue I've been having. I downloaded spybot and have tried to use it a number of times. I click the "find problems" button and it finds hundreds of spyware files. Then I click to "fix selected problems" and its gets about %70 percent of the way(different every time I try it) and then it just errors and stops running. After a while of it sitting stagnant I hit ctrl+alt+del and it shows that its "not respeonding". This has happened at least 10-12 times on me now, every damn time...ever since I first started using it too. I tried using it in safe mode as well, and same thing happens. When I get home tonight I'ma download adaware and try using that, but maybe some of yall could enlighten me on what the hell is going on with my pc [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif[/img]

Thanks! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[vwcalbug]

DOWNLOAD THE GOOGLE TOOL BAR AND ADAWARE!!

i NEVER get pop ups anymore with those two. The google tool bar is awesome, and does popup blocking

-JustinD

[joedirt]

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] for adaware...my girlf hooked it up for me and i've not had any pop ups or problems since!!

[Nick]

Dayz, if you have alot of spyware, I usually stop the scan after a hundred or so then quaratine those, then rescan the rest. Sometimes if there's too much it'll freeze up the program sp I quarantine then in sections instead of all the same time. Spybot's known to freeze up from time to time. I usually scan 1st with Adaware as it doesn't freeze as often, then scan the 2nd time with Spybot.

I tested the new Micro$oft spyware scanner Beta, it didn't find anything where other programs found 20 or so spyware and Adaware found 50. It does have a nice scheduler (my only complaint with Adware is that it doesn't). Spybot has an auto scan sceduler as well.

[vwfanatic]

its the porn sites....its the porn sites [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]

[Ian]

Yeah, I use spyboy search and destroy and I use AVG free anti-virus. I also have the Google toolbar installed. Keeps my machine squeeky clean.

[vdubjim]

i use a MAC to combat spyware :)

[Turd Ferguson]

You can also use a Mac to combat productivity.

[purplepeopleeater]

i've tried all those....didn't work for some spyware i had

Use webroot's software to remove'em

www.webroot.com

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Unkl Ian]

I just downloaded Ad Aware,but it won't let me install it, [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Idunno.gif[/img]
because it says I already have an earlier version in folder C,
and it won't uninstall the earlier version.It wants me to use the control panel to uninstall whatever the hell this earlier version is.Of course,I can't find it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ian


Nick wrote:
I do tech support as a living, been testing a bunch of programs and AdAware still finds the most and it's free.

http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-...ml?tag=lst-0-1

[alltypesvw]

after being a "microsoft is evil" type of tech support guy.. (I think once you use ANY other OS for a while it's hard not to be) I have to suggest something to everybody

microsoft rolled out a beta of their anti ad and spy ware.. and seriously it is awesome... no joke, I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that it's probably the only spyware that isn't reverse engineered.. microsoft anti spyware download here

it's reallyt good.. after using the 1-2-3 punch of adaware, avg anti virus, and spysweeper.. plus ashampoo startup tuner... this thing is amazing.. it catches everything.. or almost everything... and then takes out those annoying "browser helpers" too

seriously can't reccomend it enough

[Nick]

Microsoft did not write that program, they just bought out a company (why spend $XX to develope a program when we can just a company that already owns a similar program) which wrote that program then renamed it and called it it's own then tweaked it a bit. So it's still backwards engineered.

I tested it between 4 other programs, it found as much and sometimes less then the others but Adaware still found the most from my experience. It's still good to have more then 1 spyware software anyways so it won't hurt having it installed, but if I was to just pick just 1 program, I'm sticking with Adaware.


Back to UnkIan's problem. Did you try to find the program already installed instead of uninstalling it? Go to Start->programs and find "Lavasoft" folder. If it's not there open My Computers and go to C: drive -> program files, do you see a Lavasoft folder there? If so the program to run should be named something like "Ad-Aware.exe". If you can run that program you should be able to use it, just downlaod the latest definitions before scanning. If all else fails, go to this link and follow the instructions (can get a little techie):
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20170

[CMD]

Originally posted by Nick@May 4 2005, 11:38 PM


I tested it between 4 other programs, it found as much and sometimes less then the others but Adaware still found the most from my experience. It's still good to have more then 1 spyware software anyways so it won't hurt having it installed, but if I was to just pick just 1 program, I'm sticking with Adaware.

I'm with you Nick! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/bowdown.gif[/img] After trying lots of others; I found Adaware and with it, in conjunction with Pop Up Stopper; I have no pop ups or spyware, Ever! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] Plus they both were Free! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Dancing.gif[/img]
CMD

[Unkl Ian]

My Dad managed to get it running.

After I downloaded the latest definitions ,
it found 14 tracking cookies that Spy-Bot missed,
then we ran it in safe mode,and found 13 more.

So I feel a little better.Thanks for the help. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

But Defrag still takes FOREVER.
It will run for a while,then it says "Drive contents changed.Restarting."
and it goes back to the beginning and starts again.

Almost as if there is something running in the background,
but it still does this if you start the machine in Safe Mode.

Any suggestions ?

[Nick]

Windows defrag takes too long and too picky (restarts). I use Norton System Works, it has it's own defrag tools that is TONS faster then Windows, and won't restart (you can keep using your PC while defragging).

You can try other defragging programs, I haven't used any besides Norton so I can't tell you what's good or now.

free:
http://www.download.com/Buzzsaw-On-The-Fly...ml?tag=lst-0-11

other free defraggers:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/de...mentation.shtml

others, free trial peroid:
http://www.download.com/3120-2001_4-0-1-0....=50&dlsize=&ca=

[Unkl Ian]

We have Norton Anivirus 2004,I don't see any provision there for defraging.

[Nick]

It's not in Antivirus, it's in System Works. Norton makes a bunch of programs outside Antivirus [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

[Unkl Ian]

We just bought the 2004 Norton,
a couple weeks before the 2005 version came out. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rollingeyes.gif[/img]

We will have to keep it in mind for the next upgrade.

[Nick]

no real difference between 2004 and 2005 and 2003, etc. You're pretty much just buying a 1 year license with a few minor unoticeable changes. Norton SystemWorks doesn't come with Norton AntiVirus, totally seperate programs. The both come in Norton Internet Security though.