computer help please

[oorat]

hey guys,need help. i have an issue now where everytime i use the internet 2 ad icons appear on my desktop and something changes my homepage from msn to ignsearch or something else, i know its a bug or an evil cookie of somesort, could anyone please tell me where i can find a program to rid myself of this annoying thing.

[BlackThorn]

Sounds like you may have spyware. Try Spybot Search and Destroy to get rid of it. There's a few other free, good ones out there besides that one too. Using a couple will help catch all the nasties.

[BrowderChick]

Yeah I was just nailed with one and I was told to use Spybot S&D and it worked. downloads.com. FREE

ps thanks Buddha

[oorat]

awesome, thanx guys

[waltersgirl]

oorat, if it's Second Thought, you can go to their website and they have a downloadable uninstall. if it's CommonName however, you are seriously frelled. not that it can't be remedied, but it takes a LOT of work. CommonName is self-replicating and Spybot S&D can't delete it.

this website (http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/CommonName.html) has detailed, lengthy instructions to get rid of it.

[MJS]

You can also try Ad Aware.

[waltersgirl]

Ad Aware works really well also, but it doesn't handle those two either, unfortunately.

[witchdoctor]

Both Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware are very good programs. They are both free too.

Once you have your computer cleaned out, get a copy of Spyware Blaster. It is also free on-line. It doesn't remove spyware, but instead helps to immunize your computer against future spyware. It blocks most of the known tracking cookies sites, like double click or hitbox, for example. It also alters the way the computer runs active X so that the spyware isn't loaded in the first place.

Some spyware is loaded on your computer by sites you surf without permission via the active X controls. That is called drive-by installation and is what Spyware Blaster can prevent. Other spyware or adware is loaded when you install free programs or shareware (Kazaa or Grokster for example). You have to read the license agreements closely. Some of those programs won't run if you disable or remove the spyware.

[BrowderChick]

I installed Ad-Aware first and it only found 28 problems in mine. Then I did the Spybot S&D and it found about 70 more and corrected the problem I had. My home page changed so i went up to tools and set it back to default and that worked but i had the problem of not being able to shut down. Spybot fixed that for me.

[zelbinion]

i had a similar experience a few weeks ago. It turnd out to be a bug called backdoor.hogle
I finally traced it back to spidersearch.com
They had a uninstall link to take it off the system. Norton, Mcaffee, and several Spyware programs could'nt do it, but the link did

[Darth Buddha]

Further Spybot S&D Advice

Originally posted by BrowderChick
Yeah I was just nailed with one and I was told to use Spybot S&D and it worked. downloads.com. FREE

ps thanks Buddha
You are very welcome.

Everyone who tries Spybot be SURE to go in and use the "immunize" function. That'll prevent spyware from getting in just like Spyware Blaster. Also, do the frelling updates every time you run... it is worthwhile, believe me. Ad-aware has more frequent updates, it seems to me, but can delete stuff in a fashion that can frell your registry from time to time.

I also really recommend Ace Utilities (the trialware version lasts like 30 days or more) and check out your autostart programs. If there is anything you don't recognize, Google it... you'd be surprised how much spyware can get there FROM YOUR ISP PROVIDER!

That and there may be programs you want to run manually, not have running resident from the get-go. You'll be surprised how much faster your PC can be.

[MJS]

Now that we´ve come into this : You people remember to update your firewalls and virus scanners. PLEEEEZE!

Best Regards,
Local computer guy ;)

[BillFrugge]

Thanks Darth! Good advice.

Folks, you can get spyware and virii by visiting web pages. If your computer seems slow, check it. I found a trojan on my computer that came from one of those pop-up windows.

If a window pops up telling you that you need an update or offers an enhancement, kill the window.