OT: Adware removers

frank

Post some more info on your PC configeration(ram, HDD cap, video card?) and OS (XP, Vista, Win98?), as this would make a difference.

XP and Vista restore, likes being run from the safe mode as then you remove the root of the problem. Yep it makes a huge difference where you restore from.

I got a hot puter thread posting next Monday. The FBI wanted me to wait until then to post the details.

T_Bone

That is a good indication that your XP registery is corrupted with a worm.

When you tried to restore from the regular XP loading, you transferred that worm to the safe mode registery thus restore will not work in any XP mode and your will need to "completely" reformat the HDD. This tip came from my son's BIL who makes $250kyr plus at repairing large coorperate puter systems as they use XP-nodes for some reason on there notebook PC's.

Caution: If your using a lap-top with a propriatary(sp)(OEM copy of XP), you will not be able to use the OEM recovery disc and you will need to buy a original Ms-XP copy, THEN download the OEM keyboard and DVD/CD drivers for your model of notebook. Why?

When you delete the original OEM partition, that keeps the OEM disc from reloading the OS. Acts just like the recovery disc is corrupt when in fact it's still good. Toshiba wanted $35 for another disc to make the OEM recovery disc orperational.

There are some keys that would work with my OEM Ms-XP disc but the DVD would not work without the correct OEM driver that is not available for free DL.

T_Bone

Distrowatch.com - weekly magazine for the open source world.

ubuntu.com - linux for the masses.

pcbsd.org - unix for the masses.

If you just surf the internet and get email/im, then the switch is just common sense. Lose the bloat, make your machine yours again and keep it that way.

Open your Internet browser (Internet Explorer or whatever) and click on the top-edge menu TOOLS>INTERNET OPTIONS then click DELETE COOKIES, DELETE FILES (including offline content). That will dump a bunch of baggage. Then, still in INTERNET OPTIONS click the ADVANCED tab and down near the bottom of the list of choices, under SECURITY check "Delete Temporary Internet Files When Browser IS Closed".

Occasionally empty your Recycle Bin.

Be aware that some software, like Kodak's Easy Share to get pics off your digital camera onto your computer, will automatically log onto the INternet (without asking or telling you) and go get their latest update, every time you log on. These can eat up a lot of processing time and make your machine run slow. How do you know? Press the Ctrl-Alt_Del keys simultaneously. At the pop-up box, click on Task Manager. Under the Applications tab, lookto see if there's anything running that you don't need or want (like Kodak Updater Agent). If so, click once on it to highlight it, then click the End Task button. That'll kill the little bugger until the next time you log in. You can stop some of these automatic updaters by opening the software's Preferences (usually under Tools or Options) and de-selecting "Automatically Update" or whatever.

Trend Micro - House Call - www.trendmicro.com

and from Microsoft - Windows Defender

Both products are free and I will testify that they do a great job.

Also visit your 'installed programs' list. Anything there that is from GAIN get rid of it. Extra smileys, webshots...etc. Get rid of them they will KILL your performance.

Tee

BTW - I have 15 years working with PC's and networks and these are the best tools I have found for people to use without being a computer nerd. ;-)

I run 4 different programs on my computer, a couple times a month. Adaware, Spybot, AVG Anti-spyware, and AVG antivirus. The last 2 run all the time the computer is running. And they are all free, and don't contain a bunch of advertisements. Windows Defender also runs.
Some programs detect things that the other don't.

Remember to also keep things programs updated with there latest definitions and info.

Norton has a collection of similar tools, but I find Norton slows my computer down more than the things its supposed to be preventing, and in addition to the cost of the software, they charge a yearly subscription fee to get updates.

There are other anti-virus companies around too. Avast is one.

A last option is to completely format your hard drive, clear of everything, and re-install everything with the disks that came with your computer, if you have them. This is not the same as System Restore, that you found already. This completely erases everything, and returns the computer to the way it was the day you bought it. You'll lose any pictures, and other things you saved to it since then. Back them up to disk before you attempt this.