Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual problems).
He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of anti-spyware and now his
whole computer is running slow. I hope to get to his house tomorrow to look
at it, but any suggestions what it might be, and more importantly, how to
get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this point) give any more information. He
has WinXP.

Re: Anti-spyware by Malke

Malke
Mon May 28 08:24:46 CDT 2007

Joy wrote:
> Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual
> problems). He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of
> anti-spyware and now his whole computer is running slow. I hope to get
> to his house tomorrow to look at it, but any suggestions what it might
> be, and more importantly, how to get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this
> point) give any more information. He has WinXP.

Without knowing exactly what your friend has picked up, it impossible to
give you specific removal advice. Here are my general malware removal steps:

Go through these general malware removal steps systematically -
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Include scanning with either Sysclean or Multi_AV, plus AVG Anti-Spyware
(formerly Ewido - http://www.ewido.net/en/) and follow instructions to
do all scans in Safe Mode.

When all else fails, run HijackThis and post your log in one of the
specialty forums listed at the link above (not here, please).

When you get to your friend's house and find out what the "anti-spyware"
rogue is, you can also look it up here:
Bleeping Computer removal how-to's -
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html

Standard caveat: If the procedures look too complex - and there is no
shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - have your friend take
the machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local
version of BigStoreUSA). Please be aware that not all local shops are
skilled at removing malware and even if they are, your computer may be
so infested that Windows will need to be clean-installed. Have your
friend's data backed up before you take the machine into a shop.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

Re: Anti-spyware by Joy

Joy
Mon May 28 09:09:50 CDT 2007

Thank you very much for all this information. I'm sending it to myself to
my webmail address so I can access it when I get to his house.

Happy Memorial Day to you!

"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:uAVpQuSoHHA.1216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Joy wrote:
>> Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual
>> problems). He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of
>> anti-spyware and now his whole computer is running slow. I hope to get
>> to his house tomorrow to look at it, but any suggestions what it might
>> be, and more importantly, how to get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this
>> point) give any more information. He has WinXP.
>
> Without knowing exactly what your friend has picked up, it impossible to
> give you specific removal advice. Here are my general malware removal
> steps:
>
> Go through these general malware removal steps systematically -
> http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
>
> Include scanning with either Sysclean or Multi_AV, plus AVG Anti-Spyware
> (formerly Ewido - http://www.ewido.net/en/) and follow instructions to do
> all scans in Safe Mode.
>
> When all else fails, run HijackThis and post your log in one of the
> specialty forums listed at the link above (not here, please).
>
> When you get to your friend's house and find out what the "anti-spyware"
> rogue is, you can also look it up here:
> Bleeping Computer removal how-to's -
> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html
>
> Standard caveat: If the procedures look too complex - and there is no
> shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - have your friend take the
> machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local version of
> BigStoreUSA). Please be aware that not all local shops are skilled at
> removing malware and even if they are, your computer may be so infested
> that Windows will need to be clean-installed. Have your friend's data
> backed up before you take the machine into a shop.
>
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


Re: Anti-spyware by PA

PA
Mon May 28 09:24:14 CDT 2007

Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting your hijackthis log
to an appropriate forum.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

When all else fails, HijackThis v1.99.1
(http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware with
assistance from an expert. **Post your log to
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html,
http://forums.subratam.org/index.php?showforum=7,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or other appropriate forums for expert
analysis, not here.**

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

Joy wrote:
> Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual
> problems).
> He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of anti-spyware and now
> his
> whole computer is running slow. I hope to get to his house tomorrow to
> look
> at it, but any suggestions what it might be, and more importantly, how to
> get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this point) give any more information.
> He
> has WinXP.


Re: Anti-spyware by Joy

Joy
Mon May 28 16:31:00 CDT 2007

I was mistaken, it wasn't anti-spyware that my friend downloaded, but an
anti-spam program. I just came from his house, and I was able to delete it
through Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. Thanks again.

"Joy" <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
news:%23GyMmBNoHHA.1476@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual
> problems). He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of anti-spyware
> and now his whole computer is running slow. I hope to get to his house
> tomorrow to look at it, but any suggestions what it might be, and more
> importantly, how to get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this point) give any
> more information. He has WinXP.


Re: Anti-spyware by Lloyd

Lloyd
Wed May 30 14:13:12 CDT 2007

All minor stuff! The gov has the technology to hack your PC through the
power outlet, ham radio, microwave, break-and-enter to place a microchip in
your USB or other ports which will send and receive data. All your
anti-virus, anti-spyware, trojans, keylogger, etc. are useless! Hijack this
will find nothing! The A-V or other techs may take control of your PC but
they will be frustrated in their efforts by the previous resident on your
PC. It happened to me and could happen to you. If you're in Canada, the
Canadian Security Agency or the R.C.M.P. will have access to the same
technology to keep watch on you. Check out
http://www.tagmeme.com/exmachina/a/000122.html for one woman'e experience
and she is much more proficient than I! The gov knew in advance that 9/11
was going to happen and allowed it so as to be able to remove your civil
liberties and institute Homeland Security. Microsoft probably made a deal
with the gov (so that Microsoft's software has vulnerabilities which allow
the gov's hackers access. Use Linux and other open software. Not that that
is going to save your ass from microwave, ham radio and other intrusions)
which let them off the hook in the lawsuit with Napster. The judge in that
case recommended that the Justice Dept. go straight to the Supreme Court but
the fix was in. Microsoft's lawyers came from the same law firm as one or
some (I forgot which) as those on the Appeals Court. So. draw your own
conclusions! The press reported how Bush sat in a classroom doing nothing
after hearing that 9/11 had occurred. He knew but what the fuck could the
puppet Prez do? The Supremes had their reasons for giving Bush the
Presidence. O'Connor, for one, expressed her preference for the election of
Bush. You may boast about how much memory your PC and/or hard disk mat have.
Fool, the gov is working towards zetabytes. They can monitor any telephone
of=r PC in the world! Wgat can you about it? As an individual, little! As
the taxpayers whose dollars pay for this intrusion, together you can make a
difference. Pass the word and get PC users worldwide to flood their websites
every day, every hour, every minute, every second. They could stop an
individual but not the world!

"Joy" <joymp2@bellsouth.net.NO_SPAM> wrote in message
news:%23GyMmBNoHHA.1476@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Got a friend I'm trying to help with his computer (he has visual
> problems). He says he (accidentally?) downloaded some sort of anti-spyware
> and now his whole computer is running slow. I hope to get to his house
> tomorrow to look at it, but any suggestions what it might be, and more
> importantly, how to get rid of it? Sorry I can't (at this point) give any
> more information. He has WinXP.