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Have you tried searching your comp files manually (start>>>search>>>files and folders) for program names associated with whatever keeps doing it?

I know one turned up on weekend jobs computer and I had a real hard time getting rid of it *shakes fish @people who use a shared computer and don't pay attention to what they click on*

I even had to get help from another forum member here it was popping up ads so fast that I couldnt close them fast enough ....*takes away Adrians timtam rights*

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The problem is Cali I cant find any files associated with the problem. Reformat to happen soon.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Additional note:

Prior to XP, the laborious but guaranteed way of killing off even the nastiest parasties was this:

[1] Find ALL the files associated with the problem, make assiduous notes of their folder paths, and print out the info (or scribble it on a piece of paper);

[2] Boot into MS-DOS mode (viruses, trojans and other malware that are designed to run under Windows can't run under DOS, and in any case don't get started up);

[3] Delete manually all the files noted in step [1];

[4] Reboot into Windows and clean out the Registry entries associated with the files.

I have been told that this can still be done under XP. However, never having seen XP booted into a DOS-style mode, I would be wary of quoting me on this. One more reason why I stick to that doddery old grandma known as Windows 98. Because if if breaks, I can fix it.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

grrr.

Sounds like you need to take a look at this Lindy:

Adware, Parasites and Other Nasties

Also, look up "Hosts Blocking" to kill this at source in future, namely:

Hosts Blocking

I use Hosts Blocking and it kills most parasites stone dead.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

what p2p prog was it? - it occurs to me I know about a fair few of them (from a purely academic capacity you understand) and I prob know either what it put on your syste and how to shift it, or someone who does... PM me!

If it freezes in safe mode, do you get any error at all? Does it ever BSOD on you or anything similar? I take it you have ctrl alt deleted and been through the processes, checking you know what they all are? Normally googling the exe does the job there.



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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

Cup, Settlers 3: Quest of the Amazons (wants the map editor or something?)

Spydoctor and spyblaster didnt catch anything that has made the pop ups stop.

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

Obvious question: what game?

Thanks for all the help so far.

monkeyboy, I tried your scan thing and when the computer rebooted I couldnt log onto the internet so I did a system restore to just before I did the scan. I cant get earlier restore points to work though otherwise I would go back to before that program was installed.

Safe mode freezes up, which gives me an awful feeling...

I can fumble my way through a reformat if I have to.

edit: RAST, I'll try the extras you suggested that I havent already run.

Last edited by Lindy at 02-Aug-2005 06:36

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

I would try Spy Doctor as well.

I use a few programs as they don;t get everything.

Try:

Ad-aware
Spybot
Spy Doctor
and if you use Internet Explorer then try Spy blaster.

Run your computer in safe mode then rum your anti-virus and spyware removal programs. Some of these spy files are designed to re-install at re-boot even when you think you have deleted them. Running in safe mode will not allow these spy files to run therefore actually deleting it. Try this first before you re-format.

yup. with xp, if you have it enabled do a roll back to.


this is one thing i deal with all the time, since pcs are my life. everybody already suggested ad-aware, which i would do the same. but one site that i havent seen yet is this.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php

i have used this on the toughest computers, and it removes them.

the other option. if you know how or know someone who can, is to have them removed from the system startup.

Fish tanks are an expensive addiction

Lindy,

If you have Windows XP you could go back to an earlier safe point of your computer. That will take care of it.

Otherwise I wouldn't know what to do except re-image the PC and I hate to do that as it takes so long and requires that you actually own all your software.

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

she said she already ran adaware and spybot, so obviously there is something else going on. a popup blocker may cure the symptoms, but won't actually stop the problem.

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"That's the trouble with political jokes in this country... they get elected!" -- Dave Lippman

Have you dug 'round in yer registry?

There's a specific place that most adware/spyware and crap will sit in there...I can't remember where it is tho...

I'd personally reformat as well, but I do that all the time to keep my computer running really good, so I'm used to it

Lindy
[link=Here is the SpyBot link]http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

At the local computer club we had a talk on SpyBot it has many new features and very good selection of options you can set your self.

Keith

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Do you have Ad-Aware?

It scans your computer for spyware (Thus preventing most pop-ups). You'll never have to look through your hard drive again.

Go to this site to get it.
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5
It's free. Make sure you always check for updates before you do a scan.

Another program I recommend is Spybot Search and Destroy. Picks up some spyware that Ad-aware misses. Usually all you'll need is Ad-aware though

Just Google it if you want to download.

Last edited by fishnewbie at 01-Aug-2005 21:14

Last edited by fishnewbie at 01-Aug-2005 21:16

Lindy, try going to yahoo, and downloading their messenger, or in that area they have a pop up blocker that does a pretty good job...I know something else to download but really I got mine where I downloaded the yahoo messenger and it catches most of them heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

me, I'd prob reformat- simply cos you dont know what junk has been put on your system.

But, if you dont have your system set up for easy reformatting (and if you dont, it's something you really should consider doing) the easiest thing to do is to run HijackThis then post your HijackThis log to a specialist forum where people who deal with that sorta stuff regularly can tell you the best way to get rid of any malicious or unwanted processes.


Personally - I would go for the format C:\ enter enter option, but that's just me and my paranoia

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I like to think that whoever designed marine life was thinking of it as basically an entertainment medium. That would explain some of the things down there, some of the unearthly biological contraptions

GRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

In a desperate search for a game hubby wanted to play he installed a p2p program (now removed) which has snuck a group of ads onto the computer. I cant find the buggers to remove them! I know sometimes its a program itself that gets installed but theres nothing in the Add or remove programs list. Looking through the list when you press Ctrl + Alt + Del shows nothing either. My av does not pick up any spyware or adware, neither does adaware SE or spybot. Searches for key words taken from the ads bring up nothing either.

Ideas to help me before I go totally insane? Hubby has been banned from the computer except for when I want to yell at him again for installing that stupid program in the first place.

Last edited by Lindy at 01-Aug-2005 17:20

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Before you criticize someone walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away and you have their shoes.