my AC broke and i got a virus on my computer that i just can't get off. everime i open internet explorer it gives me offers for some stupid malware stuff. anyone know how to get rid of it?
morethanjustajock
09:49:49 PM
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
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13 comments:
The basic groundwork you can do is opening the Control Panel, and uninstalling anything suspicious from "Add/Remove Programs". (Hint: Things like Ads4U and SEARCHASSISTANT are suspicious ;-)
Another trick you can do to keep your computer running smoothly is to download Ad-Aware Personal (it's free), and use it to run scans every once in a while. That software cleans out the most common spyware bits and nasties that can infect your computer. (Recommendation: This is like virus-scan, it takes a lot of computer power, so leave the computer on and run the scans overnight.)
A final thing that would be most beneficial in the future is to download and use a different web browser, due to the prevalent security holes in Internet Explorer. My personal recommendation is Mozilla Firefox. It even let's you copy and use all your bookmarks and such from Internet Explorer after you install it.
OP, if you've got any questions directly related to any of these three options, my contact info is in my Blogger profile.
delete temp files this will usually clear out some malware. also in adition to adawrae try "spybot search and destroy".it get some stuff that adawre dosent and adware get alot that it doesnt.
First go to the mircrosoft website and download your windows update (you have to use internet explorer). You should do this every few weeks regardless of wether you're having problems or not. Next download Adaware or Spybot (free online, just search with google) and run a scan to clear out your computer. Problem solved. Well, possibly.
Good luck!
Wow, we're so damned helpful and with, what, a ten minute response time. See how much easier computers are than relationships?
but how much more wonderful are relationships that computers?
mmm...not everything is black and white kiddo.
for the record, i haven't done the windows updates in years, and my computer is right as rain. theyre really a waste of time, especially if you're intelligent enough not to open things like CRAZYHOTSEX.EXE sent in an email from grandma.
of course, i do have a bit more knowledge about computer than the average joe...
Not doing the updates is just plain stupid. Sure if you're not poking around on high risk websites and dowloading all the time you'll probably be fine, but if people are working hard to make improvements and fix bugs for your system for free why not take advantage? The added protection against viruses and spyware taking advatage of your system is reason enough to spare the twenty seconds to click the link.
^You don't even have to click the link. Under settings, there's an option for automatic updates.
Your computer scans for updates every time you turn it on. When there's updates, it'll download them and reboot your comp on its own. You can even set what time your comp does the scan.
"...people are working hard to make improvements and fix bugs for your system..."
hehehe, somebody pinch me, i must be dreaming... microsoft is hardly interested in the experience of its users on it's software. the bugs fixed are the ones that are most publicized and exploited, and are even then only repaired after long, long delays (multiple-month delays and perpetual warning-list mentions, anyone?).
also, its "fixes" and "improvements" generally are shoddily constructed, creating new holes or instability at various points in the underlying system.
don't get me wrong, it's not a bad thing to subscribe to the updates, but they're hardly a godsend, and should definietly not be considered a vital portion of your system's protection.
a balanced safety regimen is key to success, as is user education. while the computer can catch many mistakes the user makes (like downloading conspicuous viruses), the user still must have enough sense to avoid certain suspicious activities (phishing, trojans, etc).
Internet explorer is for n00bs.
Get firefox, it's much better. There's less spyware, pop-ups, viruses, and bad stuff.
i already have ad-aware and already did the add/remove programs thing but it just keeps reinstalling itself. i got firefox and it helped...a little. thanks for all your help everyone
My saviour in your same predicament was Ewido. It opens before any other programs to stop spyware before it imbeds itself into your system at startup.
http://www.ewido.net/en/
I suggest you look into system registry cleaners, like the previous anonymous mentioned, or you can give me an email/IM and I'll give you a few quick steps that can do the same thing.
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