Does anyone know a good program to do this?
I got MacAffee anti virus that was supposed to give spyware protection. The short story is I probably have all sorts of problems that are impacting performance.
Combofix
And install Microsoft Security
Thanks, I'll give that a try.
Two things that are somewhat annoying that I've been living with...1) yahoo searches are redirected sometimes to a commercial site. Not the end of the world, I just close the redirected window and it never happens twice. Still concerning though...2) somehow I've gotten a funky default browser that I can't change (and never use, I just go to yahoo or google).
Supposedly these aren't viruses.
Ran combofix, got rid of a bunch of stuff, but problems still remain. Bah.
I would guess that you need to run some other anti-spyware if that yahoo redirecting bit is still occurring.
On that second bit, do you mean there is a default home page you can't change or that web links are defaulting to that funky browser rather than the yahoo/google chrome browsers that you typically open? (I think yahoo may have a browser now...?)
Quote from: alfred russel on October 01, 2013, 11:06:32 AM
Does anyone know a good program to do this?
Yes.
1- Malwarebytes (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)
If it still doesn't work go for:
2- Super anti spyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/)
Just don't run Adaware. I have a sneaking suspicion that it ads more crap than it removes, based on personal experience.
Quote from: garbon on October 01, 2013, 09:26:22 PM
On that second bit, do you mean there is a default home page you can't change or that web links are defaulting to that funky browser rather than the yahoo/google chrome browsers that you typically open? (I think yahoo may have a browser now...?)
There is a default home page I can't change (don't really care though and haven't really tried to change it) and web links send me to random commercial links about 50% of the time (which is more annoying, but I still haven't cared for a long time).
I'm trying to update microsoft security essentials right now (seems to be having trouble--have gotten a few error messages).
Do you have random underlined links on various words whenever you read articles?
Spybot Search and destroy is still free.
Quote from: DGuller on October 01, 2013, 10:58:48 PM
Do you have random underlined links on various words whenever you read articles?
I just started with that problem.
I really only use the computer for light internet browsing, and I've known for years it has been afflicted but just didn't care. But it has now gotten quite bad. If Microsoft Security Essentials doesn't fix the issues (it is running right now), I may give in and get a new computer. This one is old anyway.
Quote from: alfred russel on October 02, 2013, 08:50:00 AM
Quote from: DGuller on October 01, 2013, 10:58:48 PM
Do you have random underlined links on various words whenever you read articles?
I just started with that problem.
I really only use the computer for light internet browsing, and I've known for years it has been afflicted but just didn't care. But it has now gotten quite bad. If Microsoft Security Essentials doesn't fix the issues (it is running right now), I may give in and get a new computer. This one is old anyway.
use the two softwares I provided and your problem will go away.
Quote from: viper37 on October 02, 2013, 12:54:01 PM
Quote from: alfred russel on October 02, 2013, 08:50:00 AM
Quote from: DGuller on October 01, 2013, 10:58:48 PM
Do you have random underlined links on various words whenever you read articles?
I just started with that problem.
I really only use the computer for light internet browsing, and I've known for years it has been afflicted but just didn't care. But it has now gotten quite bad. If Microsoft Security Essentials doesn't fix the issues (it is running right now), I may give in and get a new computer. This one is old anyway.
use the two softwares I provided and your problem will go away.
I will try those too. :)
I remember your advice fixed an earlier problem I was having, so I have high hopes. :)
Quote from: viper37 on October 01, 2013, 09:56:31 PM
If it still doesn't work go for:
2- Super anti spyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/)
I tried this one last night. Lots of things found and fixed. Problems still remain. I'll try the other tonight.
Two possibilities: 1) years of neglect of system security has left my computer in the late stages of a severe immune disorder. At this point pallitive care is the only real option. 2) I downloaded things with terms of service that I didn't read that installed horrible things that, since I agreed to them, are not considered malware.
Try this:
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
Close every open application on your computer.
On your left, click on "registry", then "scan for issues" at the bottom of the right screen. "Fix selected issues", make a backup if you want.
Then go back to "Cleaner" on the left. Click on "Run cleaner".
Then go back to "Super Anti-spyware".
At the bottom of the screeen, click "Repairs". Check: home page reset, Reset URL prefixes, reset zone map settings.
Then click "Repair Selected item".
If it still doesn't work, than your #2 is likely...
If you're using Windows 7: Control panel, Programs & Features
If you're using Windows XP: Control panel, Add/Remove programs.
Search for what you don't know on Google, and if it turns out to be software you don't need, uninstall it or ask about it here :)
Can you describe the issues that remain AR? It might just be Windows being old now.
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 04, 2013, 08:47:29 AM
Can you describe the issues that remain AR? It might just be Windows being old now.
I'm getting ads where there shouldn't be ads. For example, in wikipedia pages (those aren't the only places). I'm being redirected to commercial websites when I click on yahoo search results. I have some funky default search engine I can't change.
I'm going to try the things that viper recommended and I'll post an update of how they went. Unfortunately, I'm not going to have time to mess with my computer for the next week or so.
Stop looking at Porn and pirating software Dorsey!
I use Glary Utilities and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. On my mother in laws laptop I have to clean up a lot of the crap she gets manually because these don't get it automatically.
Quote from: katmai on October 04, 2013, 03:21:10 PM
Stop looking at Porn and pirating software Dorsey!
Okay....
Super Anti Spyware is a pretty decent program. My company's virus removal pretty much goes thusly:
Install Super Anti Spyware, Malwarebytes Anti Malware, and Spybot Search & Destroy. Run as much concurrently as possible. We don't declare it clean until we get clean results from all 3. If that starts looking to be impossible, we'll break out HijackThis, CWShredder, and the heavier duty tools like that. If those aren't doing the trick, we've got even heavier duty tools, but at that point, it's so labor-intensive that we'll normally just re-install Windows and only break out the big guns to protect really sensitive data.
I came across a nasty spyware/malware at some point, wich got me infected with more crap because at first, my softwares didn't detect it.
Then my games started exiting to the desktop, and none of my usual solutions worked. I tried lots and lots and lots of anti-virus/spyware, nothing definately worked on its own.
So, I booted in safe mode with Windows 8.1 (tricky, but doable: hit Windows key + RUN, type "msconfig", go to boot, select "safe boot" and check "network", then restart.
Once there, I pretty much followed this guide (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/487744/i-have-a-nasty-virus-and-need-help-from-the-mighty-computer-wizards/).
Eset Online scanner found a few things, including one false positive. One didn't work, but the others finally got rid of that nastyness.