IT / Internet Boffs please HELP!
Discussion
Any IT or Internet experts may be able to help with a really annoying problem I have...
Adbrite pop ups keep appearing on random sites, it underlines random words so that when my cursor scans over the word, a pop up comes up which is seriously annoying!
I've tried Ad-Aware 2008, which hasn't worked, and many websites claim their programmes will detect the cookie - but will have to pay to buy the programme to destroy the bloody thing!
So any ideas people? any help would be much appreciated.
Adbrite pop ups keep appearing on random sites, it underlines random words so that when my cursor scans over the word, a pop up comes up which is seriously annoying!
I've tried Ad-Aware 2008, which hasn't worked, and many websites claim their programmes will detect the cookie - but will have to pay to buy the programme to destroy the bloody thing!
So any ideas people? any help would be much appreciated.
Download spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/
Install and scan, should sort it out.
ETA linky...
Install and scan, should sort it out.
ETA linky...
Edited by Bee_Jay on Saturday 23 August 17:27
Reformatting the HDD is a final option after all others have failed.
Can I suggest you Google any unique names and/or symptoms you find. Normally this will lead to a report on the website of NAI or other anti-virus company and often to a program you can download to remove the problem.
Can I suggest you Google any unique names and/or symptoms you find. Normally this will lead to a report on the website of NAI or other anti-virus company and often to a program you can download to remove the problem.
driverrob said:
Reformatting the HDD is a final option after all others have failed.
Can I suggest you Google any unique names and/or symptoms you find. Normally this will lead to a report on the website of NAI or other anti-virus company and often to a program you can download to remove the problem.
Doing that simply brings up a load of companies who will happily let me download their programm to SCAN and detect the bloody thing, but then have to pay to actually remove it, so thats no good....Can I suggest you Google any unique names and/or symptoms you find. Normally this will lead to a report on the website of NAI or other anti-virus company and often to a program you can download to remove the problem.
vinnie83 said:
........ but then have to pay to actually remove it, so thats no good....
Why is it no good? Compare it to a failing suspension joint on your car. These things happen. The more you use it, the more likely it is.
Choices: stop using the car, drive it with wobbly steering until it breaks down or pay someone to fix it.
Choices: stop using your PC, ....
All this format your pc nonsense is just that... nonsense...
If it's automatically starting, it'll be hiding in the registry, hiding in the startup folder of the PC, or it will be loaded as a BHO (Browser Helper Object).
First things first, you have to download and run HiJackThis. Save a copy of the log and post it. This will show anything trying to load up at boot up time either through the registry or through the startup folder. It will also show any loaded BHOs which can be removed or disabled by a program called BHODemon.
Both programs are free and clear of spyware etc.
The age of "viruses" has passed, more than anything else it's hard to find an oldskool virus (as in one that is an infector) as now they're mostly malware, ad servers or worms.
Do a HJT log, post it up and lets have a look through it, I've fixed supposedly "reformat is the only way to solve it" malware and it's not come back. Reformatting cos of malware or a virus is like demolishing your house when a lightbulb blows...
If it's automatically starting, it'll be hiding in the registry, hiding in the startup folder of the PC, or it will be loaded as a BHO (Browser Helper Object).
First things first, you have to download and run HiJackThis. Save a copy of the log and post it. This will show anything trying to load up at boot up time either through the registry or through the startup folder. It will also show any loaded BHOs which can be removed or disabled by a program called BHODemon.
Both programs are free and clear of spyware etc.
The age of "viruses" has passed, more than anything else it's hard to find an oldskool virus (as in one that is an infector) as now they're mostly malware, ad servers or worms.
Do a HJT log, post it up and lets have a look through it, I've fixed supposedly "reformat is the only way to solve it" malware and it's not come back. Reformatting cos of malware or a virus is like demolishing your house when a lightbulb blows...
Btw, this site: http://www.spywareremove.com/removeadbrite.html has instructions on how to remove it. Yes it says you have to pay for the tool, but underneath that it has step by step instructions...
I just googled "Adbrite Removal" and it was the first hit...
I just googled "Adbrite Removal" and it was the first hit...
Frederick said:
Btw, this site: http://www.spywareremove.com/removeadbrite.html has instructions on how to remove it. Yes it says you have to pay for the tool, but underneath that it has step by step instructions...
I just googled "Adbrite Removal" and it was the first hit...
tried that, and the files it says to search for and delete, don't seem to exist on my pc - i searched the whole hard drive and no luck I just googled "Adbrite Removal" and it was the first hit...
Frederick said:
All this format your pc nonsense is just that... nonsense...
If it's automatically starting, it'll be hiding in the registry, hiding in the startup folder of the PC, or it will be loaded as a BHO (Browser Helper Object).
First things first, you have to download and run HiJackThis. Save a copy of the log and post it. This will show anything trying to load up at boot up time either through the registry or through the startup folder. It will also show any loaded BHOs which can be removed or disabled by a program called BHODemon.
Both programs are free and clear of spyware etc.
The age of "viruses" has passed, more than anything else it's hard to find an oldskool virus (as in one that is an infector) as now they're mostly malware, ad servers or worms.
Do a HJT log, post it up and lets have a look through it, I've fixed supposedly "reformat is the only way to solve it" malware and it's not come back. Reformatting cos of malware or a virus is like demolishing your house when a lightbulb blows...
Will try this route, thanks - however will be tomorrow, so I'll get onto it as soon as I have time, thanksIf it's automatically starting, it'll be hiding in the registry, hiding in the startup folder of the PC, or it will be loaded as a BHO (Browser Helper Object).
First things first, you have to download and run HiJackThis. Save a copy of the log and post it. This will show anything trying to load up at boot up time either through the registry or through the startup folder. It will also show any loaded BHOs which can be removed or disabled by a program called BHODemon.
Both programs are free and clear of spyware etc.
The age of "viruses" has passed, more than anything else it's hard to find an oldskool virus (as in one that is an infector) as now they're mostly malware, ad servers or worms.
Do a HJT log, post it up and lets have a look through it, I've fixed supposedly "reformat is the only way to solve it" malware and it's not come back. Reformatting cos of malware or a virus is like demolishing your house when a lightbulb blows...
iRoll said:
Deigimeistter is right. Reformatting your HDD is the only cure and don't let anybody convince you otherwise.
Don't forget to back up any important data you have beforehand though.
I really can't believe people are advocating reformatting. That shows a distinct lack of skill.Don't forget to back up any important data you have beforehand though.
iRoll said:
Why do it the hard way when there's an easy one?
And Frederick, with all due respect, your solution is like taking the bulb apart and changing the filament before trying to extract the air and putting it back together, instead of just changing the bulb.
Isn't it hour/hour and a half to reformat? Just download and install the usual range of anti-spyware programs, restart in safe mode, set them all running, have a cup of tea and job done.And Frederick, with all due respect, your solution is like taking the bulb apart and changing the filament before trying to extract the air and putting it back together, instead of just changing the bulb.
Must say this is the first time I've seen people saying reformat just to remove spyware.
I think it all depends how organized you are.
From a time spent:result point of view I'd agree reformatting doesn't take long and is the best way to be 100% sure it's clean, but I know what I'm doing and with a business machine it's easy because you have an image and a network to copy all their crap to.
Joe Soap at home often has little computer knowledge, just a £300 PC World special, and in this day and age very possibly has no physical media or instruction on how to actually reformat the thing let alone no knowledge of how to get all their data and settings back - most PCs these days don't come with much from what I can gather and they've become so much of a commodity item that people buy them and have no idea how they work, much the same as if my car breaks down I take it to the dealers because they know what they're doing.
From a time spent:result point of view I'd agree reformatting doesn't take long and is the best way to be 100% sure it's clean, but I know what I'm doing and with a business machine it's easy because you have an image and a network to copy all their crap to.
Joe Soap at home often has little computer knowledge, just a £300 PC World special, and in this day and age very possibly has no physical media or instruction on how to actually reformat the thing let alone no knowledge of how to get all their data and settings back - most PCs these days don't come with much from what I can gather and they've become so much of a commodity item that people buy them and have no idea how they work, much the same as if my car breaks down I take it to the dealers because they know what they're doing.
All computers from PCW come with some means of recovering the computer back to factory settings, be that recovery media on a CD/DVD or a partitioned HDD.
Most computers also remind you to back up your data every so often, so if people paid attention to what their computer told them (it's really not hard) then it should be no trouble at all to take the computer back to factory settings and not worry about data loss at all.
Also, if it's a PCW jobbie, there's almost certainly information on recovering the computer at support.thetechguys.com, their technical support website.
Most computers also remind you to back up your data every so often, so if people paid attention to what their computer told them (it's really not hard) then it should be no trouble at all to take the computer back to factory settings and not worry about data loss at all.
Also, if it's a PCW jobbie, there's almost certainly information on recovering the computer at support.thetechguys.com, their technical support website.
FunkyNige said:
Must say this is the first time I've seen people saying reformat just to remove spyware.
If your machine has been compromised then I would always suggest reformatting and start again as the only safe solution. The alternative of unpicking the infection yourself with the help of tools etc relies on you outwitting the spyware designers - which most people won't do. Reformatting your machine to remove spyware is like throwing your car away because it needs new tyres.
Here's the software I'd recommend running (including some to PREVENT spyware getting on in the first place!):
Avast! Antivirus - www.avast.com or AVG Antivirus - www.grisoft.com - both are free to home users.
A good free firewall to use in place of the Windows Firewall such as COMODO Firewall - www.comodo.com or ZoneAlarm - www.zonealarm.com . Again, both are free for home use.
Spybot Search & Destroy - www.safer-networking.org
AdAware 2008 - www.lavasoftusa.com
Spywareblaster - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.htm...
WinPatrol - www.winpatrol.com
CCleaner - www.ccleaner.com
Comodo BOClean - http://www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html
All are free for home use.
Here's the software I'd recommend running (including some to PREVENT spyware getting on in the first place!):
Avast! Antivirus - www.avast.com or AVG Antivirus - www.grisoft.com - both are free to home users.
A good free firewall to use in place of the Windows Firewall such as COMODO Firewall - www.comodo.com or ZoneAlarm - www.zonealarm.com . Again, both are free for home use.
Spybot Search & Destroy - www.safer-networking.org
AdAware 2008 - www.lavasoftusa.com
Spywareblaster - http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.htm...
WinPatrol - www.winpatrol.com
CCleaner - www.ccleaner.com
Comodo BOClean - http://www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html
All are free for home use.
Edited by Funk on Sunday 24th August 13:53
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