Computer has been taken over!

[patriot_wes]

about 4 days ago a program got itself installed on my system and has corrupted it. Constant url diversions. lock ups, putting junk on my desktop, etc. I have Windows ME. Someone suggested downloading Spybot S&D which I did and also Spyware Blaster. It seems they cleaned out alot of stuff but didn't get rid of everything and also left the changes to my system.

Here's the first annoyance

When I try to do a System Restore it tells me I must "restart the computer before running System Restore" It does this even when I have just started it.

Any ideas would be appreciated. p_w

[shadowbreaker513]

use mozilla firefox

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by shadowbreaker513 use mozilla firefox

That kind of answer does nothing to help the existing problem.

patriot_wes, follow the instructions in this thread and post a Hijack This log when you are done.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=103171

[shadowbreaker513]

when i had problems like that, just switching to firefox and setting as my default brower stopped most of the problems that i couldn't clean. so yes, it does do something to help the existing problem

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by shadowbreaker513 when i had problems like that, just switching to firefox and setting as my default brower stopped most of the problems that i couldn't clean. so yes, it does do something to help the existing problem

I see. So rather than help someone remove potentially crippling invaders from their system, ones that are already there, we should tell them to just ignore it and use a different browser?? I think NOT! Besides the fact, you said yourself that installing firefox "stopped most of the problems". That's not acceptable to me. I'd want them ALL stopped, not MOST.

[gta_pimp3]

ok first of all i agree with panama red because if you ignore one little problem..., becomes to which becomes 4 which becomes 8 and it spreads horrible idea shadow. OK now for when you do get it clean(good luck with that) download zone alarm it will stop the spyware from coming in having more then 1 program for same use is good and reccomended.

[glc]

How does zone alarm stop spyware? That's a firewall, not a spyware blocker. Spyware Blaster is a spyware blocker.

shadowbreaker: read and heed what Panama Red (my fellow moderator) has said. Posts like that will get you in our radar pretty quick and I don't think you want to jeopardize your membership.

[Cricket]

patriot_wes: You might also want to run Ad-Aware SE Personal and CoolWebShredder to clean up your system a bit more.

Cricket