Stupid Spyware

[Tinker Gnome]

Okay, so now my desktop is all weirded up because of some spyware I think. It has some stupid "Protect yourself" message on it and I cant get rid of it no matter what I do. I have tried just changing the desktop, but it wont go away, luckily none of my other functions in the computer seem to be inhibited, but it still is annoying. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of it?


EDIT: And I have tried finding the program and deleting it, but it is nowhere to be found. Oh, and I am using Wondows XP.

 

[Greatwyrm]

Have you tried running something like Spybot to take it out? Can you right click on it, select properties, and find out where it is that way?

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Spybot, Ad Aware, and the beta for Microsoft's anti spyware program are all available free, and worth every penny! Ummm, somehow that sounds wrong... They are well worth picking up and using regularly, each catching things that the others miss.

The Auld Grump.

 

[D+1]

Download and run Ad-aware from lavasoft NOW. Get virus protection NOW if you don't already have it. Failure to regularly run some form of spyware and antivirus in todays computing environment is, it must be said, stupid.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Well, I know it is somewhere in the C drive, by clicking on the properties is how I found that out. I have looked through the C drive, but I cant find it. I may have to completeley reboot my compuer and delete any files on it in order to get rid of the thing. I have run the new Microsoft thing, but it did not get rid of it.

 

[Tanager]

I encountered a bug like this recently at work, kept throwing up explorer windows with warnings about spyware and viruses. It also reset the start page on the IE browser to some anonimous search portal, and would reset it every time you changed it to something else. Spybot, Adaware and Spyhunter couldn't find it. I figured out how to get rid of it manually so if yours is exhibiting the same behaviour I can probably help.

 

[IronWolf]

Be sure to run just more than the MS Beta spyware tool, run the others TheAuldGrump mentions in his post. Also for those that are really tricky, a tool like HijackThis is pretty good about telling you about every little process running, Browser Helper Object that may be installed and more. I have used HijackThis on many occasion where a piece of spyware was proving rather sly.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

You might want to try running HiJackThis and CWShredder, both by Merijin. Run a google search on either of them, you'll probably find the downloads on either Majorgeeks or CNet.

***Read the instructions carefully, both of these pieces of software could potentially screw up your system if you tell it to remove something that you actually need.***

If you don't know what you are deleting, DON'T DELETE IT without getting more info on what the file is. I've had to fix several users systems because they thought they were fixing something, when they were actually making the problem worse by removing files necessary for windows to run correctly.

 

[ender_wiggin]

I encountered a bug like this recently at work, kept throwing up explorer windows with warnings about spyware and viruses. It also reset the start page on the IE browser to some anonimous search portal, and would reset it every time you changed it to something else. Spybot, Adaware and Spyhunter couldn't find it. I figured out how to get rid of it manually so if yours is exhibiting the same behaviour I can probably help.

Hey my home computer is doing this. Can you help me fix it (even though I'm getting a new comp in like ten days, this could help)?

The advertisements I've been getting vary from spyware-killer applications to search applications to penis enlargement pills.

Additionally, I've had the internet actually install stuff before, and I've had a hell of time getting them out.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

No, it is not pop up windows, although my newly installed Spyware thing caught that bug I think. Anyways, I am not going to download anything until I know what I am going to do with this thing. I have searched the C drive for the file, but to no avail. And my dad will probably just want to reformat my computer sometime this week. I would upload the desktop to show you guys, but the file is too large to upload here.