Need a good Spyware remover. HELP!!!

[Joe Tonich]

Went on my sons computer and there were 45 pop-ups sitting there on the screen. I used Spybot, Adaware SE, and window wash, to no avail. They keep coming and they drive me crazy!!!
Spybot cannot delete one called 'Virtual Grub" or 'HotsearchBar' and Adaware has 2 that IT cannot get rid of, same with Norton. (I think they're different) The browser on their comp. is YAHOO, and IE is on there too, and I have ZoneAlarm as the firewall. I'm even willing to pay for a good one, but need to find out which are good. Any advice will definitely be appreciated.

Thanks,

[Per Swenson]

Try this, http://www.webroot.com/
get the free trial version first.
Then down load firefox, http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/central.html
You should then be problem free.

Per

[John Miliunas]

Joe, first, I'm assuming you downloaded and applied the latest definition files for the utilities you've used, right? OK, another one I've had some success with is also free. Try: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Now, not to scare you, but some of the spyware out there now is totally insidious! I worked on a friend's machine a few weeks ago for probably close to SIX hours. Just about when I though it was clean, another 10 minutes later, something would crop back up. Many of these nasty ones self-propogate after a certain amount of time that you're back online. Others can be eliminated but, only after extensive hacking on the Registry and often with very specific removal tools. See if "Spywareblaster" doesn't do something for you and let us know. Best of luck, my friend!

[Michael McDuffie]

Check out www.majorgeeks.com


If you are running XP, Microsoft has a spyware remover that is quite good.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx
Michael

[John Hart]

...If you are running XP, Microsoft has a spyware remover that is quite good.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx
Michael

I'll have to second the motion on this software. It's been rock solid for me and I haven't had an instance of Adware or Spyware since installation over 5 months ago.

[Bob Johnson2]

Another vote for the MS freeware, they just released a new version. If you want to pay for one Spysweeper is good.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Webroot Spy Sweeper is the best I have found. That's what my computer guru recommends too.

[Russ Filtz]

You need to try booting to Safe Mode and re-run all the spy/virus ware. If that doesn't help, download "hijackthis". Run it and save a log file. Don't try to fix things yourself or you can screw things up totally. Go to this website and post your log.

http://www.short-media.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=57

It may take a day or so to get a response, but they are good. If that fails, a re-install of Windows is needed.

All this assumes you don't have a system Restore point you can use to go back before the infestation.

[Joe Tonich]

Man, that Microsoft spyware is the cats meow!!

It found and removed a whole slew of stuff. Ran it twice, then adaware, then spybot. NO POP-UPS!!!

I tried the Firefox/SpywareBlaster combo and still had 52 pop-ups this morning.

Installed the microsoft and ran it this morning, went fishing with the boys for a few hours (No keepers ), and no pop-ups when we came home. I'll know for sure tomorrow morning after it sits for a good while. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thanks for all the advice!

Joe

[Perry Schmidt]

Another vote for the MS freeware, they just released a new version. If you want to pay for one Spysweeper is good.

I 2nd Spysweeper. Very good.

A couple other points -
1) Do the removals in safe mode. That will help stop them from replicating til you're done.

2) Enable real-time protection. You may be removing them just fine, but they're being 'reinfected' as fast as you can remove them. Real-time protection should stop that.

3) Download the latest definitions. After you do that, unplug the computer from the network til you're done.

4) Check your 'Add/Remove Programs' before and after you run your removal tools. Lots of time you'll see an icon before and the icon goes away afterwards. You can remove these programs.

I've had great success with Spybot and Microsoft's Spyware. I've been able to remove all spyware on every machine I've tried with Spybot. And although I can't speak for Microsoft's removal tools (just haven't really tested it that much) their real-time protection appears to be VERY good.

I've heard MANY good things about Spysweeper. Many people I know who've had troubles with Spybot have had great success with Spysweeper.

Perry

[Tim Morton]

As a mac user I just LOVE reading all this stuff*LOL*....wha tis spyware? What are popups....and last but not least...what are viruses? Apple Store is open 24hours a day...free shipping!!!! Sorry i couldn't resist.

[Bob Nieman]

You should use multiple programs. I'd use the ones mentioned above. They all have strengths and weaknesses. The M$ version is based on what was previously the best one available before they bought the company, so it should be where you start.

Joe, are you getting pop ups while the computer is idle or while browing the web? If they self generate I'd be worried (there may be something truly malicious and your computer may have been compromised). The firefox probably didn't work because existing infections were still there. Generally it is a better/more secure browser.

I personally go with Tim's suggestion at home. No viruses, no spyware and no protection beyond a more secure operating system flying below the bad guys' radar (and a decent firewall).

[Frank Hagan]

Some of the spyware requires manual removal. There are some pretty knowledgable people at the Ad-Aware forums on http://boards.cexx.org/Check there for really persistent infections ... they may require manual removal of the registry settings, etc.

[Joe Tonich]

Thanks.

The pop-ups were coming while the comp. was idle for the night. While on line they were coming about 4 per minute at times. The Microsoft program found an killed the bugs. So far, so good. No more pop-ups!

Thanks again,

Joe