jostubbs said:
I am not sure which of these to try. These ads come up even when I am
not running Internet Explorer but don't seem to come up when I don't
have Windows
Messenger running. Is there any way I can stop Messenger from loading
on
startup? I have tried to take it out of the startup sequence when
running
msconfig but it seems to keep puttin itself back in there. There is
also another suspicious startup file
(c:\windows\system32\elitejgk32.exe) even
though there is no file of this name within that directory. I also
cannot get rid of this from the startup as it keeps coming back.
The ads themselves look like a small internet window and it is always
the same cycle of ads showing up.
I already have Ad-Aware SE and Spybot and this has not fixed it
although Spybot did find some things that Ad-Aware did not.
I hope you can help. I am starting to get the feeling that I am going
to have to reload everything from scratch....
Jo
Hi, Joanne. It looks like you have the Elite Toolbar malware on your
system, and probably other cr*p, too. Windows Messenger is not the same
as the Messenger Service. To prevent Windows Messenger (the instant
messaging application) from starting, from within the program click on
Preferences and uncheck the option to have it start with Windows. Then
exit the program. You should disable the Messenger Service by doing:
Start>Run services.msc [enter]
Then scroll down to the Messenger Service, stop it, and set it to
"Disabled".
You will need to clean up your computer as Kelly suggested, although the
Elite Toolbar can be quite tricky to remove. You will definitely need
to use HijackThis. This requires expert skill. Here are my general
malware removal steps. You must do everything with updated tools in
Safe Mode. When you get to the HijackThis part, post your log at one of
the suggested forums (not here, please). I highly recommend the AumHa
forum - the regulars are helpful, friendly, and extremely expert.
First delete all Temporary and Temporary Internet Files. Then:
1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2004)
antivirus using updated definitions.
Before you remove malware, get LSPFix or WinSockFix for XP - see links
below.
2) Remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. These
programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other.
There is a new version of CWShredder from Intermute. I would not
install the other Intermute programs, however. Alternately, there are
CoolWebSearch malware removal steps at SilentRunners.
Be sure to update these programs before running, and it is a good idea
to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode. Make sure you are able to see
all hidden files and extensions (View tab in Folder Options).
If the malware remains even after you used Ad-aware and Spybot, you can
scan with HijackThis. HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and
disable hijackers, but it requires expert skill. See below for
HijackThis links, including sites where you can post your HJT logs. A
combination of HijackThis and About:Buster works well in removing the
About:Blank homepage hijacker. Again, this is an expert tool and
novices should get help with it.
3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System
Restore after the system is clean because malware will be in the
Restore Points. With ME, you must disable System Restore completely.
With XP, you can delete all but the most recent (presumably clean)
System Restore point from the More Options section of Disk Cleanup
(Run>cleanmgr).
4) Make sure you've visited Windows Update and applied all security
patches. Do not install driver updates from Windows Update.
5) Run a firewall.
Links to help with malware:
Software/Methods:
http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html
http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt/ - HijackThis
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm - Repair Winsock 2 settings after
removing spyware
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html - WinsockXPFix.exe
HijackThis:
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim
Eshelman
http://aumha.net - forums
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
forum
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
General:
http://aumha.net - look under "Security" for various forums
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
If this all seems overwhelming, take the machine to a good local
professional (not a BestBuy or CompUSA type of store). There is no
shame in doing this; I don't hesitate to take my car to the mechanic.
Good luck,
Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
www.elephantboycomputers.com
In Memoriam - MVP Alex Nichol
The world is diminished without him.
