spyware removal help

ad aware
spybots&d
cwshredder

You can find them all here:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html

Curious, when I click on the url suggested by Marianna (at majorgeeks.com) my installed copy of SpybotSD warns me that in doing so, I will be downloading a known threat: "Avenue A, Inc" and gives me the option of blocking the download. When I do so the page at majorgeeks also does not download.

Is this an example of the pervasiveness of malware?, Is Mariana aware?, Is Mariana complicitious?, Is Majorgeeks complicitious?...

Maybe the Moderator of this discussion board could provide some background here???

I get no such warning from Spybot.

No warning here... maybe your system has a problem.

hmm...... my installed copy of SpybotSD warns me that in doing so

Now I wonder IF you have the REAL copy of SpybotS&D ????

The very best thing I have found is called Ad-aware6 by Lavasoft. I got it free from them amd it removes everything and keeps my computer running like new. I just got through having to use it tonite when I got home for my thirteen year old went to all kinds of places he wasn't supposed to while I was away at work. I ran it and it found 72 bugs that it found and removed for me.

Hey thanks I ran adaware, hijack this, cw shredder, and spybot s&d and my home page still changes

You've Been Hijacked.
Download HijackThis v.1.98.2 to its own permanent folder.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe
If that link is not working, extract from http://www.downloads.subratam.org/hijackthis.zip

To create a folder:
Click My Computer, then C:\
In the menu bar, File->New->Folder.
That will create a folder named "New Folder", which you can rename to "HJT" or "HijackThis".
Now you have C:\HJT\ folder.

Scan and DO NOT fix anything. After Scan, the Scan button changes to Save Log. Click that, save it somewhere. Do Ctrl-A to Select all, and then copy and paste it into a post on one of the following sites in their malware forum so an expert can tell you what to fix. It may take a few days because they are swamped, but they will get to you eventually.

- http://www.computercops.biz/

- http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

Make sure you are using the latest version of Ad-aware which is Ad-aware SE Personal 1.03.
Download Ad-aware version SE Personal 1.03 from here:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/
or http://www.computercops.biz/downloads-file-292.html
Install by double-clicking on the downloaded file.

Run the Webupdate feature. (Click on the Globe icon, Click connect, Click OK, Click Finish.)

Click on the "Settings" button (gear symbol in the upper right corner of the main status screen) in the quick launch toolbar to open the General settings screen. Check the "Automatically quarantine objects prior to removal" setting and then click "Proceed" to save your changes

Click the "Scan now" button in the main menu on the left side of the main status screen or use the "Start" button in lower right corner. This will open the Preparing System Scan screen. Please deselect "Search for negligible risk entries", as negligible risk entries (MRU's) are not considered to be a threat. Then select "Use custom scanning options" and click "CUstomize". This will open the "Scan Settings Page. Make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan within archives
Scan active processes
Scan Registry
Deep-scan Registry
Scan my IE Favorites for banned URLs
Scan my Hosts File

Then Click the Advanced Button on the left side to open the Advanced Settings screen. Make sure the following is on with a "green" checkmark:

Move deleted files to Recycle Bin

Others are optional to be checked or unchecked.

Then click on the "Tweak" Button to open up the tweak settings.

Open up the Scanning Engine section and make sure ll of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Scan registry for all users instead of current user only

Make sure the following is unchecked with a "red" X:

Unload recognized processes & modules during scan.

Open up the Cleaning Engine section and make sure all of the following are On with a "green" checkmark:

Always try to unload modules before deletion.
During Removal, unload Explorer and IE if necessary.
Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot.

Click the "Proceed" button to save settings.

Click the "Next" button to start the scan.

When a scan is completed the Performing System Scan screen will change name to "Scan Complete".

Click the "Next" button to get to the Scanning Results screens where more information about the objects detected during the scan is available.

Click the Critical Objects Tab. In general all of the items listed will be bad. Be careful with the Hosts file entries. Malware uses the hosts file to redirect you websites. However you can use the hosts file as a way to prevent malware. If the object has 127.0.0.1 in it, it should most likely not be deleted as it is protecting against unwanted sites. For more information on how to use a host file to protect yourself read here. So in short, you may or may not want to fix the hosts file entries.

To fix all the bad critical objects do the following:

Right click on one of them to open up the selection screen. Click the "Select All" button to select all entries. In general all should be selected with the exception of the good hosts file entries.

When all are selected Click "Next" and then "OK" in the pop-up window to confirm the removal.
Close Ad-aware, reboot your system.