The only anti-spyware that fixed my PC

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

I thought this might be able to help someone else if they experience a similar problem.

A few weeks ago my PC started to slow WAY down, it was strange because the internet ran fast and smooth, but any application/process I tried to use took minutes to open and days to do anything.  explorer.exe was using 99% of the CPU.    I noticed that if I disabled the LAN internet connection and rebooted, the whole system run perfectally.  Then, if I enabled the internet connection, within 5 seconds the explorer.exe spiked to 99%.  This was explorer spiking, not iexplorer.   I ran a ton of utilities (mcafee, adware, spybot, malware, defender, regfreeze, cleaned, defraged...)  All of these utilities said I was Clean.  Well, I still ran at a snails pace.  My last resort before a format was to call the tech support of my IP.  I have Comcast, which is also a cable TV company, so there supports was always helpful.  After telling the tech all of this he said:  First dump macafee and all the other utilities I collected...  Purchase 'Panda Titanium'  He said that he can't guarantee anything (of course) but said that if that did not fix it, use that on the re-formatted PC.  He said its the best he has found to date. 

After cleaning out everything else... I got the Panda, installed it.  Now, when I began it said: This utility take (sometimes hours) to run, please leave time.  I figured I'd run it over night. I did, The scan time took over 4 hours ( the files scanned bar was scrolling so fast it was a blur)  This morning it had found 3 viruses, and 53 spy/ads.  I cleaned the system, and PRESTO     After a fresh re-boot EVERYTHING is running great.   It amazed me that this utility found 56 things that 6 other programs missed.  The whole PC seems to be running better than when I got it. 

If anyone is having the same issue, or needs to purchase new utilities, consider this Panda Brand.
I hope this might help someone.  O Well, back down to the garage to play the new Progressive I got going last night. (with help from all of you)   

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

I've heard good things about Panda products.  Will have to re-evaluate my client security programs.  Here's a $10 off coupoon for Panda Titanium 2006 with 12/month services 10PANDAS if anybody is interested.

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

Panda has been very good for me too.

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

I've heard good things about Panda products.  Will have to re-evaluate my client security programs.  Here's a $10 off coupoon for Panda Titanium 2006 with 12/month services 10PANDAS if anybody is interested.

Probably due to my location at present, and trying to use a Uk credit card, I spent a few hours trying to purchase on line the Panda Platinum package. I gave up in the end, so many referrals to (not filled in correctley) I settled for The Sheild Anti Virus 2006 prog. cost for a two year cover was approx. $49.00. I read a few posts on various forums regarding the selection I have made, and all seemed very positive.


Tell me Rick ...............................I have not thrown $40 away have I 


Cheers

Ozzy

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

sorry Oz, don't have an educated opinion on that software.

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

For those not able to or in the mood to aquire anti-virus software there are also many free scans online.

The best I have found is Trend Micro : http://www.trendmicro.com | http://housecall.antivirus.com

I have used this for quite sometime now without issue.  If for some reason the program itself can't fix the issue they have great explinations on how to remedy/remove the infected files.

[SAT (aka GANDHI)]

Another good online scanner -->  http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/

[uniman]

Question about spyware.
Lately all my Google searches seem to have a boatload of nonrelated sites. As an example, if I search for "Universal Slot Machine" or "English Bulldog", I get good titles but the link is to "couponmountain" or some other bulls*&t site!
Is this caused by spyware on my pc, or are they now hijacking Google searches?

I have lightening fast dialup,    microsoft IE-7,  , and Windows Defender running every night.   

[Brianzz]

That's keyword hijacking and supposedly against googles rules

[StatFreak]

That's keyword hijacking and supposedly against googles rules

Keywords are planted on the individual websites and if they aren't paying Google for their standing in the search results Google can't do anything to the offender. What they could do is to use intelligent crawling to either pass by (not document) or deliberately lower the standing of web pages whose content does not match its tags -- but then it becomes an issue of Google deciding what constitutes an appropriate tag and what doesn't.

[Brianzz]

That's keyword hijacking and supposedly against googles rules

Keywords are planted on the individual websites and if they aren't paying Google for their standing in the search results Google can't do anything to the offender. What they could do is to use intelligent crawling to either pass by (not document) or deliberately lower the standing of web pages whose content does not match its tags -- but then it becomes an issue of Google deciding what constitutes an appropriate tag and what doesn't.

If they find a website abusing the crawling standards to an extreme they'll remove them from search results. I know a few wesbites that paid search engine optimization companies that got them dumped from google for a year or so.

[uniman]

That's keyword hijacking and supposedly against googles rules

Keywords are planted on the individual websites and if they aren't paying Google for their standing in the search results Google can't do anything to the offender. What they could do is to use intelligent crawling to either pass by (not document) or deliberately lower the standing of web pages whose content does not match its tags -- but then it becomes an issue of Google deciding what constitutes an appropriate tag and what doesn't.

If they find a website abusing the crawling standards to an extreme they'll remove them from search results. I know a few wesbites that paid search engine optimization companies that got them dumped from google for a year or so.

That is what I thought too. My wife says she connected her laptop yesterday, did the same searches and no hijacking. I need to verify her claims. My pc has XP, her laptop Vista.
It looks to me it's an ongoing war. Two days ago I did a search for "Universal Ultra Slot" and one of the first hits was a thread from here (NLG) yet the link was something else. This morning the same search comes up clean.
Thanks for the reply.
Merry Christmas to all!!!

[midas]

You, too, Uniman.  A few days ago, I searched using Google also.  All kinds of web sites started popping up.  Like it took over my computer.  Tried to do a System Restore, but all my restore points have been wiped out.  Windows Update does not work either.  I installed Norton 360, and it found a few Trojans, adbots, spyware, etc.  Wiped them clean.  Google must have some hidden adware, whenever you do a search.  Damn those #$@!@####.

[Ken Layton]

If you are getting "go.google.com" or "go.msn.com" in the address bar when searching with Google then you have a trojan. If you have Windows XP then try this free program:

http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe

[StatFreak]

If you are getting "go.google.com" or "go.msn.com" in the address bar when searching with Google then you have a trojan. If you have Windows XP then try this free program:

http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe

Ken, what does this executable do?

[Brianzz]

That's malwarebytes anti-malware software

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

[StatFreak]

Has anyone used BitDefender? I was looking at buying a copy.

[Brianzz]

You can find working copies on bitcomet

[midas]

Ken, Brianzz,
Thanks for the link to malwarebytes.

A few days ago, I installed Norton 360, after I lost my ability for sysytem restore and windows update.  Norton found 17 threats.  It fixed those, BUT THINGS STILL DIDN'T WORK. 

DL'd malwarebytes.  It did a scan and found 157 threats!!!!!!   After remove and reboot,  Windows Update came up, System Restore is now functioning and NO MORE POP UPS or browser re-direction.

Fantastic. Thanks a lot.

[racergiant]

TrendMicro (the providers of the "Housecall" free online scan) also has a small downloadable file called Hijack This.

It scans your PC and shows you all the stuff running that you probably didn't know you had. 

Services, BHO's (browser helpers [hijackers], etc...)

You can checkmark the items that aren't supposed to be running and it'll clean up all of your problems...

Here's the link...

http://www.download.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10227353.html?tag=mncol;psum

[StatFreak]

...
DL'd malwarebytes.  It did a scan and found 157 threats!!!!!!   
...

OMG! I downloaded it last night, ran it and got only 3 threats (one of which I knew about and deliberately allowed), all registry keys, and none of them were much of a threat. I don't even have any anti virus software running (except Windoze defender) because I got fed up with McAfee and Nortons' poor performance and removed Norton over a year ago. The only thing I do is run adaware and spybotSD every so often. They have only detected adware cookies.

That's why I asked about BitDefender. I want to get realtime protection installed again but this time I want a small footprint on my machine. The problem with the freeware versions these companies provide is that they don't offer realtime protection or the latest heuristic detection algorithms.

Do you have a hardware firewall? If not, you might want to get a router. I must admit to being a bit anal about my router settings, but they seem to have done their job. I only open exactly what I need and nothing else. What I mean is, all routers come with a setting to block everything from the outside coming in, but I also added settings to block everything from the inside going out. This sometimes becomes a problem, but I live with it. For example, when I go to HP for my laotop upgrades, they expect my computer to connect to them using a high numbered port and unless I open the port for their specific IP address the upgrades don't download. I still think it's worth it. Sometime the government time clock changes IP's and I have to include the new settings to regain access. I even block LAN to LAN except for the specific IPs already assigned and ports I know I'll use. I also keep file sharing disabled unless I need to use it, and then I only enable it until I'm done.

[channelmaniac]

Hardware firewalls are THE only way to go. Software firewalls cannot fully protect a machine against DLL injection attacks or atomic attacks against open ports. (Atomic attacks are one that only require one packet to break your computer)

I developed and proctored a training session on the ASA firewall at work and the firewall team gave me one as a thank you present so I now have one hell of a firewall at the house. It's set up so I have VPN access into my home network from anywhere which lets me answer my arcade business emails when I"m on the road for the day job.

If you run a small business from the house you should look into something like that.

Oh, and Hijak This is a great program, but not for the faint of heart. It'll run a baseline and tell you what's on your PC but if you don't know software pretty intimately you'll be lost running it. It's more of an intermediate to expert level program.

[tjkeller]

 

Working on my mother's pc...remotely. Infected w/Adware, Malware, & W32Trojan.
Registry is locked. It will not allow access to online scan sites. DOES have Malewarebytes installed but will not execute.
I did manage to install and run one Panda program but did not get everything. AVG ran & did not get everything. It
will not allow AVG to update for current file updates. System Mechanic (old version) was already installed and ran but it
did not get everything.
Most of what I've accomplished was by sending executables via email as it wont allow direct online access. This is one
nasty bi h that refuses to die. Big cuprit is "Antivirus 2009" ....monster bad....AVOID anything resembling this.

At any rate, I'm looking for next bullet to fire. Email only allows up to 10MB attachment so this further limits options.

ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS???

 

[jay]

Antivirus 2009 is bad.

I have lost 5 PCs here at work. This stupid thing pops up, our non native-english speakers click on it and wammo we are stuck reimaging their PCs.
If you get a fix for this one let me know. The longer it runs the more $%^&*(ed up the computer gets.

[Brianzz]

tried some of these tips?

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/malware-removal/uninstall-antivirus-2009