OT: Need Help--My computer is infected with spyware

[spookley]

Guys I need some advice. I have a pop up on my computer.."Your computer is infected!" Windows has detected spyware infection." I keep getting pop-ups from Spyguardpro and Malwarealarm. Keep getting these popups and my computer is slow. What should I do??

[FlyingDonut]

Get a program called "Spybot: Search and Destroy" and run it.

[TheWatcher]

There are free spyware scanners Adaware & Spybot Search & Destroy Run both of these and see what comes up.

[Sal]

Turn off Messaging in your Services.

 

Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

In Services (Local), look for the service "Messenger." Double-click it. Stop the service (Stop button), then change the dropdown "Startup type" to "disabled." Hit Apply.

[trmoore54]

Contact the Geek Squad immediately! (And I don't mean the CGC Chat Boards)...

[bghkoyama]

Adaware is great free download and they also have a spyware tool as well.

[Duffman_Comics]

Looks like a problem lots of folk over at Geeks To Go have dealt with before here.

 

I recommend you join. It is free (I have) and the solution is tailored to your machine and your operating system.

 

It may take a couple of days but they are good folk and will get to you - they are volunteers too.

 

This is their Home Page.

 

Good luck.

[sckao]

There are free spyware scanners Adaware & Spybot Search & Destroy Run both of these and see what comes up.

 

These are both pretty good. (It's better to run both since each has a separate database and may have entries the other one doesn't.)

 

Another program that is FREE for personal use is AVG which has both an anti-virus program and an anti-spyware program.

 

http://free.grisoft.com/

 

 

 

[CAMERANIAC]

There are free spyware scanners Adaware & Spybot Search & Destroy Run both of these and see what comes up.

 

These are both pretty good. (It's better to run both since each has a separate database and may have entries the other one doesn't.)

 

Another program that is FREE for personal use is AVG which has both an anti-virus program and an anti-spyware program.

 

http://free.grisoft.com/

 

 

 

I swear by Spybot. Any time I notice the puter slowing down, I just run the ole Spybot and problems solved.

[skypinkblu]

Adaware and Spybot were great, but this program is much more up to date against recent stuff. It takes a while to run, set it at night and get rid of all the stuff in the morning. It finds much more than either of the other programs and it's free. Make sure to keep updating it daily....and good luck!

 

http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

[bghkoyama]

Adaware and Spybot were great, but this program is much more up to date against recent stuff. It takes a while to run, set it at night and get rid of all the stuff in the morning. It finds much more than either of the other programs and it's free. Make sure to keep updating it daily....and good luck!

 

http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

 

I'm going to try this tonight.

[Warlord]

Turn off Messaging in your Services.

 

Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services

In Services (Local), look for the service "Messenger." Double-click it. Stop the service (Stop button), then change the dropdown "Startup type" to "disabled." Hit Apply.

 

 

Does Windows XP still ship with that turned on? What's the situation with Vista?

[The Troll King]

The last time I used Ad-aware it ended up taking over my system and itself turned into spyware. Spy-bot is a little better but not much.

 

Trend Microsystems is probably the best and it's still free!

 

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

[FlyingDonut]

Actually, the answer is easy. Buy a Mac.

[TheWatcher]

Actually, the answer is easy. Buy a Mac.

 

I was just thinking of posting the same thing

[CAMERANIAC]

Adaware and Spybot were great, but this program is much more up to date against recent stuff. It takes a while to run, set it at night and get rid of all the stuff in the morning. It finds much more than either of the other programs and it's free. Make sure to keep updating it daily....and good luck!

 

http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

 

Thanks for the link! Worth a try........

[silverage12c]

Actually, the answer is easy. Buy a Mac.

(thumbs u

[djpinkpanther67]

or works for me

[The Troll King]

Mac

 

http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2006/02/macosxleap.html

 

http://antivirus.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=antivirus&cdn=compute&tm=25&gps=175_300_1276_626&f=00&su=p284.8.150.ip_&tt=2&bt=1&bts=0&zu=http%3A//apple.slashdot.org/apple/04/05/12/1840230.shtml%3Ftid%3D126%26tid%3D172%26tid%3D179%26tid%3D185%26tid%3D190

 

There are probably 10 times the people trying to produce malicious code for Macs then PC's because admittingly it's more of a challenge.

 

Oh, and let's not forget what Mac users can't do:

 

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant

[sckao]

 

I actually personally use Webroot Spysweeper.

 

Some programs you might want to stay away from:

 

Norton Anti-virus (which may bog your system down)

Spyware Doctor (which totally hammered my system resources and slowed everything to a crawl.)