Spyware removal

...and while you're at it, you could INSTALL Linux which DOES NOT download things in an armed state

--much less auto-execute that kind of crap.

First, disconnect from any network or dialup connections.

If the PC is running XP, right-click on "My Computer", click "Properties", click "System Restore", and set the disk space to minimum. After that runs, you should have some disk space available.

Start Internet Explorer, click "Tools", then "Options". Under "Browsing history", click "Settings" and set "Disk Space" to 20.

Connect to the network/dialup. Download the free version of Malwarebytes from

Download the free version of ZoneAlarm

Download the free version of Avira:

Install ZoneAlarm, Avira, and Malwarebytes.

Let these programs get any updates they needs from the network, then disconnect from the network/dialup and let Malarebytes run - it may take a while.

Then run a full scan of the disk with Avira - this will also take a while.

These should clear the most common problems and ZoneAlarm will protect your PC from new intruders.

Do keep the sotware updated - new threats come out frequently. Also do the Microsoft updates - they are free and some of them are are security-related.

Remember not to click on every interesting link you find - if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is and is a sourceof infection. Offers ofkeys to or free versions of expensive software (Office, games, etc) are more likely to be bad than good - so are naked pictures of famous people.

John

klem kedidelhopper Inscribed thus:

Nuke & Pave !

Hi Lenny,

Try Ccleaner.

My favorite antispyware/antivirus programs are: SuperAntiSpyware Malwarebytes Avira

They are all free. As has already been suggested, once you get these programs running on your pc, unplug your connection to the internet to prevent re-infection until the scans come back clean. If you're still having problems, then I found this site which is staffed by volunteers to be quite helpful:

Good luck.

I use these free programs:

Spybot S&D from Safer Networking.

Adaware from Lavasoft.

Zonealarm free firewall:

Revo Uninstaller, to remove all traces of programs you uninstall.

I always liked Klem Kedidelhoppper. It's a pleasure to communicate with you directly.

John's reply is concise...although, I do not believe in ZoneAlarm. If anyone feels the need of a free F/W use Comodo's. I use Window's F/W with SandBoxie for browsing.

"David Farber" wrote in news:id40f6$3dc$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

do you know if CCleaner works on W98SE? the site doesn't mention it.

Find someone you can trust to run a completely managed PC virtual environment. Terminal Server or Citrix.

Let them worry about operating system configuration, virus updates, windows updates, firewalls, spyware, installing applications, licensing, data backups and restoring state.

Bin your expensive desktop and get either a thin client machine, or a nettop. Then connect via remote desktop through your broadband, and use the internet and desktop applications safely. You may even save electricity by not having fast processors and spinning disk drives.

This would be the solution to getting wide community acceptance of safe and secure computing without the stress of having to become your own system administrator - a role that without training is almost impossible to safely delegate to joe public.

Problem is, there are many who think the end users NEED operating systems in their premises. A flavor of Windows or Linux, and a gazillion different configuration options.

No, they don't...

I found this link,

Of course just because it's listed as a Windows 98 program on that site doesn't mean it will install. But if it does install, I would imagine that it would work.

Good luck,

klem kedidelhopper schrieb:

I assume, you have a Wintendo?

Yes. S0KILL.EXE runs from a DOS diskette and works fine. You will get a completely erased hard drive, ready for the Linux, which is spyware free by intention.

Holger

It seems SuperAntiSpyware is among the most thorough:

Malware Bytes sometimes helps when nothing else works:

The free versions of the above two programs have to be run manually, but the free versions of the programs below are meant to provide full- time protection, although such protection often lets malware through, and apparently occasional manual scans should be done with any security program:

Microsoft's own Security Essentials is good:

There's Avast!, which a lot of people like:

Avira has done well in some tests:

Probably the most popular free antivirus is AVG:

If you're running Windows 98, try

ware.com

s.org

y_essentials/

Maybe you could sign your posting...so we know who to credit? (larry,moe, or curly)