Could use some advice.

and wait for a second opinion , also will try your theroy. One more thing can delete cookies , temp files, history, will let me click on settings BUT won't let me VIEW files .

RIGHT click on Start, choose "Explore" from the little menu. When the Explorer window loads, (assuming you are using Windows 2000 or XP), then click on "Tools" in the upper left, choose "Folder Options". When the "Folder Options" window loads, click on the "View" tab, then place a dot/tick in the "Show hidden files and folders", then UNCHECK the box next to "Hide extensions for known file types" and "Hide protected operating system files", choose "Yes/OK", when it asks: "Are your sure?". Then click on "Apply".

You should now be able see and delete all the files in the C\Documents and Settings\Yourusername\Local Settings\TEMP and "Temporary Internet Files" folders.The "Cookies" folder will reside at C\Documents and Settings\Yourusername\Cookies. YOu can open, then empty those folders manually if you wish.

Hope this helps.

Grif

AND it worked fine fo about 40% of the scan it shutdown my msn explorer. Tried twice. Both times back to desktop.

probably going to end up visiting a HiJackThis expert forum. It looks like you've got SpyTrooper which is some pretty bad adware. Try the ewido scan along with Spybot S&D and Ad-Aware SE which Grif supplied links for in a previous post and do the scans in safe mode. Directions for that are here.

http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

If this does not work, we will point you in the correct direction for a HJT forum.

WILL TRY

BUT NOT IN SAFE MODE.. (didn't read far enough first time..) BUT have not restarted computer .Should I go back and restore everything I had deleted ?? I chose
backedup , saved, option at each site

maria,
you are amazing. i've been following this discussion and i must say that your resolution worked great for my problem. unfortuantely, the dll couldnt be repaired, but the spyware that i was having problems with is gone (hopefully for good)

i am presently using nortons, not mcafee internet security and antivirus software and for some strange reason, it couldnt find the spyware hiding on my comp. your application worked amazing!

thanks again

bjdanso

Checked last posts site and deffently have that.
SPYWARE WARRIOR \ SPYTROOPER .
ALSO checked all the sites GRIF told me about &
none of these were on the ROGUE\SUSPECT LIST.
SO SEESMS LIKE SOUND ADVICE TO ME.
CWSHREDDER X HIJACK REMOVAL TOOL has mergedwith
TREND. SO used that..
STILL HANGING IN THERE BUT WITH ALL YOUR HELP
I'M SURE WE BEAT THIS..

SYS CONFIG METHOED OR THE OLD F8 Does this spyware b.s. make any difference ?

this post here. She is the expert in here.
http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6132-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=144454&messageID=1618942

SORRY to be so anal but don't want to messup

THE MICROSOFT BETA SPYWARE CLEANER

don't need McAfee to get and run the tool. Also, Yes, you can try the Microsoft Beta antispyware tool along with ewido, ad-aware, cwshredder, and spybot and scan with them in safe mode which I supplied the directions for earlier. The EASIEST way is to tap the F8 key about once per second just as the machine it starting to boot up. I would try the tool that Marianna recommended first though.

Checked bio , just to let you know your helping a fellow BOSOX ( from YAZ days) fan..
FROM NEW ENGLAND (NOT CT.) YOU had it made. SOX fan and DAMON AN X ROYAL \ X RED SOX NOW.
CAMMCC1

Now go clean up your computer.

I couldn't get get the MACFEE to work so I started in safemode ( per instructions) and run all 4 from GRIF ( per instructions ) AND LO & BEHOLD IT'S GONE.. !!!!!
HERE IS THE ORDER I RUN THEM IN.
1 EWIDO 50 MINS & 137 FOUND
2 AD-AWARE SE 35 MINS & 29 FOUND
3 SPYBOT SEARCH & DESTROY 3:30 MINS & 64 FOUND
4 CWSHREDDER NOW TREND MICRO 17 MINS & 2 FOUND ( KAZZA sons )
5 SPYBOT AGAIN & 2:30 mins 60 FOUND ( left on by me )
6 SPYBOT ALSO RAN AT STARTUP ( AUTO ? ) 6-7 MINS FOUND SAME 60 I LEFT ON.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. YOUR ARE THE BEST.
LAST QUESTION ( FOR NOW )
SO WHAT DO THE 3 WISE ONES RECOMMDMOND FOR THEN BEST TO
BUY ???
** REMEMBER TRUST HAS TO BE EARNED **
**** IT WAS ****
MERRY XMAS
AND AGAIN THANK YOU
CAMMCC1

and keep them updated and scan with them occasionally. We post updates daily in the updates thread. They are all free but Ewido which is a 14 day trial BUT it will remain free after the 14 days. All you lose is the process guard and the automatic updating but you can still update manually and use the scanner. Merry Christmas and you are welcome.

One more recommendation. There are probably copies of the bad stuff in system restore so it would be a good idea to purge that and then set a new restore point. Directions for that are here.
http://www.pchell.com/virus/systemrestore.shtml

In my opinion, there's no need to buy anything more..Keep the spyware removal tools you just used and simply update and run them frequently..It's also a good idea to "harden" your internet surfing experiencing by using a more secure browser..That can be done by using Internet Explorer and change the Security settings to "High". OR, you can try a secondary browser like Firefox. Either one of those options should help prevent spyware/adware from loading on your machine.

In addition to the other suggestions above, my personal preference is to use a good HOSTS file which will prevent your browser from visiting "bad" sites and therefore it prevents spyware from being placed on the machine. This option can be a little limiting for some internet enthusiasts but it sure helps me. See the link below:

How To Use A HOSTS File

Hope this helps.

Grif

Hi,
I have just spent the past few hours trying to remove this virus ("Your computer is infected! Dangerous malware infection was detected,..." etc. etc. I have followed the instuctions on this forum(re: MSN Messenger, downloading the 4 anti-virus applications, and going to Marianna's link on the McAfee website), but the annoying balloon (Your computer is infected!) still pops up, and my cumputer seems to be slower then before I ran all these anti-virus programs - Adaware SE, Spybot S&D, Ewido (which took almost an hour for one scan), and CWshredder.
I am at wits end with this. Any suggestions are appreciated. One thing I may not be doing is using windows in Safe Mode. I'm not sure how to start windows in safe mode.

The one good thing that I noticed was that my homepage is no longer being directed to the Spyaxe website.

I am using Windows XP, and Explorer 6.0.

Thanks,
Andrew

I spent the better half of today trying to get rid of this thing and after trying all the standard anti-spyware software, Trend Micro, Ad-Aware, SpyBot, and ewido, the only that worked to remove the stupid balloon was a script called smitRem.exe. Do a search on the net for it and then run it in Safe Mode (F8 on boot up) and then run all the other anti-spy stuff after. Hopefully this will take care of it.

F8 on bootup for safe mode which is the easiest way. Detailed instructions are here and make sure you follow them for the correct operating system.
http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml

DO I NEED TO DO THIS ALSO OR AS WE SAY
IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT
ALL IS RUNNING GREAT ??
CAM

already got cleaned up so if everything is OK, you should be all set. If you have any more problems, just post back in a new thread. This thread is getting too long anyway because others posted in it. If everything is running fine, then I would not worry. Happy New Year to you.

One more thing Cam, please turn your caps lock off. Caps indicates yelling in internet lingo plus it is very dificult to read.