NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm about to try a marathon "scan-athon", for one last ditch attempt to clean my computer.

I'd like a list of ALL of the FREE spyware removers and antivirus programs that are currently available, if possible.

Thanks in advance :)

EDIT: If possible, include links. :)

My personal favorite Ad-Aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/)

My personal favorite Ad-Aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/)
Add spybod_search and destroy to that

(ontop of hijack this as a LDE) and you have a fairly sollid scan

You can get Microsoft's beta anti-spyware tool from their website, it appears to be ok.

You can get Microsoft's beta anti-spyware tool from their website, it appears to be ok.
It is alright (though there are already versions of both viruii and spyware that shuts it down) we still get a more effective scan between adaware and spybot

Spyware doctor, free to download (as well as other spyware programs) at www.download.com

I have both Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware. They're great. :D

I keep trying to update my norton antivirus definitions, but this odd thing keeps popping up, derailing it, then disappearing...

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/9856/gotcha7ng.png

Anyone else had this?

Just download Hijackthis (http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html). Go through the list carefully. Use tasklist.com (EDIT: .org, .org!) to check some of the names.

Oh, and I tend to use ad-aware and spybot s&d to scan for spyware.

As to free Anti-virus, the only one I have tried and would recommend is Grisoft AVG.

Failing that, Buy it, Generally it's less than £30 per year.
Nortons, Sophos, Trend.

Just download Hijackthis (http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html). Go through the list carefully. Use tasklist.com to check some of the names.
I downloaded it and ran it, but it didn't find the file seen in the screenshot I provided... :(

I'm about to try a marathon "scan-athon", for one last ditch attempt to clean my computer.

I'd like a list of ALL of the FREE spyware removers and antivirus programs that are currently available, if possible.

Thanks in advance :)

EDIT: If possible, include links. :)
Non of the free programs did the trick for me. I just bought mcaffee anti virus 2005 for $4.99 off amazon. I figured it would be some weird shitty bootleg that didn't work or was fake or something, but it actually worked and fixed my computer's evil spyware demons. Thats what I'd recomend.

You could try a manual update - http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=173

You could try a manual update - http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=173
even the manual updates were derailed... :(

Best thing to do is run a virus scan and run Spybot Search and Destroy.

You will quite probably find that you will detect some programs but they won't be properly removed so write them down and then boot up your computer in safe mode and delete them manually.

If all else fails then it will just be a case of back up all your essential stuff, format the entire computer and install again from scratch making sure you have a good antivirus and good firewall installed before you connect to the internet. It is also a good idea to download the latest updates for these programs (and don't forget windows too) so that you can apply them before having to connect your nice clean machine to the internet and thus protect it that little bit quicker and better.

metlok

I keep trying to update my norton antivirus definitions, but this odd thing keeps popping up, derailing it, then disappearing...

http://img95.exs.cx/img95/9856/gotcha7ng.png

Anyone else had this?


Never had that problem but I did find something on it you can try:

http://www.msusenet.com/t-2264466.html

Hi Brian,

Welcome back to Symantec Online Technical Support.

Thank you for the information sent with regard to the issue.

Brian, The DICINS~1 window is a part of a LiveUpdate program patch
installation process. It appears when LiveUpdate runs some program
installation processes in the background. It is normal for this window to
appear when you install certain program updates through LiveUpdate. However,
if this window appears every time you launch LiveUpdate or when Automatic
LiveUpdate runs in the background, there may be a problem with the patch
installation.

In order to resolve this issue I suggest that you follow the steps provided
below:

1. Check for available drive space

2. Install the latest version of LiveUpdate

To download the latest version of the LiveUpdate please refer the document
provided below:

Title: 'How to download the newest version of LiveUpdate'
Document ID: 1999051911110813
> Web URL:
http://service1.symantec.com/suppor...src=con_ols_nam

3. Uninstall and reinstall

Note: In some cases the patch may have failed to install properly on the
first attempt and subsequent attempts are unable to complete the
installation because of problems that remain from the first attempt. If you
uninstall the program which LiveUpdate is attempting to patch (such as
Norton AntiVirus 2005) and reinstall it, the program will be reset without
any updates on it. You can then run LiveUpdate to download the update again.
Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance to you in using
the Symantec product.

Regards,

Venkat
Symantec Authorized Technical Support

--


Hope that helps

I downloaded it and ran it, but it didn't find the file seen in the screenshot I provided... :(

Hmm, I don't think I can help you there...

Get someone else to interpret your hikackthis log then, you might have a trojan and they can tell you how to remove it...I forgot the name of the very good forum that can do this for you >_<.
Download SpywareBlaster. It won't remove your existing spyware, but it prevents it from being installed. I have that and Adaware and HijackThis! as back ups, but it works really well, just needs manual updates.

try AVG free - http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_trial.php is vv good - much better than norton, etc in my opinion

Download the 15 day free trial of CounterSpy by Sunbelt -- PC Magazine did an article on spyware removers this month.


This one found and removed stuff that Ad-Aware and Spybot didn't even notice.

AAAAGGH!!
I have the most annoying problem. I have malware of some sort that is changing a registry entry every 15 seconds or so. When I have TeaTimer on, I can't type well or anything because it keeps popping up notices that the program is trying to change a registry entry.

I also can't actually get rid of any spyware, neither Spybot or Ad-aware actually deletes it. It just says it has fixed it, but it's all still there.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

*wishes computers were easier to fix than to break*

AAAAGGH!!
I have the most annoying problem. I have malware of some sort that is changing a registry entry every 15 seconds or so. When I have TeaTimer on, I can't type well or anything because it keeps popping up notices that the program is trying to change a registry entry.

I also can't actually get rid of any spyware, neither Spybot or Ad-aware actually deletes it. It just says it has fixed it, but it's all still there.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

*wishes computers were easier to fix than to break*


Sounds like you've got a virus. Get AntiVir, and your problems will be gone.

Sounds like you definitely need hijackthis Neo-A.
http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html
I'll go hunt the forum out....it sounds like you got a bad one.

AAAAGGH!!
I have the most annoying problem. I have malware of some sort that is changing a registry entry every 15 seconds or so. When I have TeaTimer on, I can't type well or anything because it keeps popping up notices that the program is trying to change a registry entry.

I also can't actually get rid of any spyware, neither Spybot or Ad-aware actually deletes it. It just says it has fixed it, but it's all still there.

:headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

*wishes computers were easier to fix than to break*


make sure everything is closed except for the basic stuff, all the running processes MUST be closed in order for a spyware program residing in your memory to be taken out.

spybot, adaware are good but they dont get everything.

highjack this is BY FAR the best program, but even it misses some stuff.

CWShredder is good for some really weird tough to kill spyware programs that laugh at adaware.

I have about 8 spyware remove pograms + highjack this. The more you have the better chance you have of killing something.

Sometimes you will have to run your anti spyware programs 3 or 4 times after a bootups to kill em all.

But most importantly KILL everything running in the background or run in safemode!!!! Then do your scans!

When all else fails and the free programs, like Webroot SpySweeper, Ad-Aware, Spybot:Search & Destroy, etc, don't work....
format
format
format :mad:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,978009,00.asp

Read this article, and their recommendations.

make sure everything is closed except for the basic stuff, all the running processes MUST be closed in order for a spyware program residing in your memory to be taken out.

spybot, adaware are good but they dont get everything.

highjack this is BY FAR the best program, but even it misses some stuff.

CWShredder is good for some really weird tough to kill spyware programs that laugh at adaware.

I have about 8 spyware remove pograms + highjack this. The more you have the better chance you have of killing something.

Sometimes you will have to run your anti spyware programs 3 or 4 times after a bootups to kill em all.

But most importantly KILL everything running in the background or run in safemode!!!! Then do your scans!


And don't forget AntiVir. It gets even the toughest Trojans out of your system. It's worked every time.

Found it! http://forums.thatcomputerguy.us/

Anti-viruses don't always work once it's on the computer. These are clever things, they hide themselves so they can't be detected unless you manually remove them.

Found it! http://forums.thatcomputerguy.us/

Anti-viruses don't always work once it's on the computer. These are clever things, they hide themselves so they can't be detected unless you manually remove them.

A good idea is to check whats running in the background, kill it then find the file + delete it. Make sure its a file you dont need though, google it to check :cool:

Found it! http://forums.thatcomputerguy.us/

Anti-viruses don't always work once it's on the computer. These are clever things, they hide themselves so they can't be detected unless you manually remove them.


AntiVir checks absolutely every folder on your hard drive. It's yet to miss a single virus when I scan.

Of course, if it doesn't find it, you don't know if it's there on your basis. :rolleyes:

every time my comp slows down too much or some such thing and when defraging etc dosnt help, i just wipe the drive and reinstall :P

every time my comp slows down too much or some such thing and when defraging etc dosnt help, i just wipe the drive and reinstall :P
That is deffinatly the ideal situation a format can be the best cure for performance issues sometimes (almost all the time) it all depends on if the amount of work backing up certian systems are worth it

(i.e. doing it to mine is no big deal but sometimes there are issues with client computers that can make backup hard enough that you give other options a shot)

I seem to have something embedded in Windows. Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D, Anti-Vir, none seem to work. Anti-Vir keeps giving me a popup asking what to do about it, but deleteing, wiping, quarantining, or any other option don't seem to get rid of it. Anti-vir calls it a Trojan, somewhere in the WinToolsA file, or something like that. Anyone else run across this?

Argh. Turns out Spybot wasn't actually fixing the problems, it was just shutting down when I clicked "fix".
:headbang:

Red Sox, go to that forum I linked, they can tell you how to remove trojans, I did two on my dad's pc, I've just forgotten how I did it. Of course he then went overboard and downloaded every spyware tool he found *shakes her head* all he needed to do was follow my advice in the first place.