Shenan
Thu Jan 29 01:14:50 CST 2004
anonymous wrote:
> I was recently infected with Spyware and Adware without my
> knowledge, and it has damaged my Internet Explorer. I did
> download Spynuker and Popup Nuker, but they don't seem to
> help with my problem. I cannot search on the internet, or
> even type in URLs. It keeps telling me that an internet
> connection is not established, even though I know I have
> connected. Then it gives me the option to try again, and
> lets me go to my search site. After typing in the address,
> it prompts me that that URL is restricted, and I am not
> able to open it. Also, my computer is much slower, and
> keeps freezing. I am at a total loss as to how to fix this
> problem. It is driving me crazy. Can anyone help? Any
> suggestions are appreciated!! Thanks!
Turn on that firewall...
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/home/using/howto/homenet/icf.asp
If you are getting "Messenger Service" popups - this will also remedy those.
(If you have AOL, you will have to get a third party firewall. IMHO -
another reason NOT to use AOL. Although, I suggest highly that if you want
to get better protection, you should get a third party Firewall anyway, it
still does nothing for my AOL dislike.)
Make sure you have all the updates (critical) installed from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
(Scan for updates, Review and Install)
Get rid of the spy/ad/mal-ware..
(Yes - using MORE than one of these.. I recommend at least the first
three.)
Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/
Lavasoft AdAware
http://www.lavasoft.de
Hijack This!
(For browser Hijacks - also look into CWS Shredder)
http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
SpywareBlaster (to help prevent getting reinfected)
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
And Assortment of Others:
http://www.merijn.org/downloads.html
After you cleanup your PC somewhat of spy/ad/mal-ware, verify your antivirus
software is updated and run a full scan of your computer. If you have no
antivirus software - get one NOW!
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to about
80-120MB..
- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
following:
- Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
- Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
something between 80MB and 120MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.)
- Click OK.
- Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
(the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes
or more.)
- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
Explorer.
Uninstall any software you do not use often/ever. (If you have something
installed but never use it, uninstall it. If you go through Control
Panel -> Add/Remove Programs and see things you seldom if ever use, it is to
your advantage to remove it.)
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<- Shenan ->
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