lop.com and searchweb2 PLEASE HELP ME!!

[Guest]

I've had a problem with these for months. Norton Antivirus (updated)
couldn'y stop this and I use XP Home SP2 (automatically updated). I've tried
running Ad-Aware SE Personal, CWShredder, SpywareBlaster, Spybot Search and
Destroy and Microsoft AntiSpyware and am currently using EZArmor. None of
these remove the problems I get. I've been told of HijackThis but have been
warned against using it as I am not an advanced computer user. How can I get
rid of these problems?

The main problems are:
1) Unsolicited desktop icons that keep returning when deleted e.g. Casino
Online, Find a Date, etc.

2) Unsolicited folders in favourites that cannot be deleted e.g. Cool Stuff,
Online Gaming, Shopping Gifts, etc.

3) A thick blue menu bar at the bottom of screen with click on items and
pull-downs menus of things similar to the above. The blue bar cannot be
removed by clicking on the red X in top RH corner.

4) Home page often reverts to Searchweb.com and has to keep being changed back

5) In "Tools", "Pop-up blocker settings" is set to "high" but still lists
lop.com and searchweb2 as being allowed even if I keep removing them.

6) I get scam emails every so often, mostly for prescription drugs, loans,
mortgages, etc.

7) I get regular pop-up advertisements

8) Internet frequently has to close itself down because it has "a fault" -
whether this is due to any of the above, I don't know.

I really don't know what to do next and would be very grateful of some help.

 

[Malke]

I've had a problem with these for months. Norton Antivirus (updated)
couldn'y stop this and I use XP Home SP2 (automatically updated).
I've tried running Ad-Aware SE Personal, CWShredder, SpywareBlaster,
Spybot Search and
Destroy and Microsoft AntiSpyware and am currently using EZArmor.
None of
these remove the problems I get. I've been told of HijackThis but
have been
warned against using it as I am not an advanced computer user. How
can I get rid of these problems?

Run HijackThis and post your log to *one* of the following forums (not
here, please) where you will get the help you need:

http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Merijn
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=42 -
another tutorial
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
forum
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/

I also suspect you have some freeware program installed on your computer
that is affiliated with Lop.com.

If you are uncomfortable doing the above, then take the machine to a
professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of
BigStoreUSA). There is no shame in doing this.

Malke

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Nige

I will second what Malke has stated.. there is a very good chance that you
have a freeware program where you elected to run 'sponsor' software.. if you
are running a program like Patchou's Messenger Plus add-on for Windows/MSN
Messenger, you may well be re-infecting each time that you fire up
Messenger..

Look closely at what you have downloaded, some 'free' utility that you
couldn't be without, and uninstall it.. then look to re-installing making
sure this time that you uncheck/check as applicable any reference to sponsor
software..

 

[Patchou]

That's not true at all. The optional sponsor of Messenger Plus! can
only be installed during setup. Messenger Plus! itself doesn't even
have the code embedded to launch an installation, only the setup does,
so launching Messenger with Plus! cannot install anything extra for any
reason.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Patchou

I am not suggesting that Messenger Plus itself does anything.. for the
record, I use your program, and have done for a long time..

If, during setup, the unsuspecting do not 'check away' the sponsor stuff,
and it gets loaded, it will then continue to haunt the system.. I have found
that using your uninstall procedure allows for the sponsor software to be
removed at the same time (thereby getting shot of the crap), after which I
would install again, this time ensuring that the sponsor stuff was cut out..

I will re-word my statement to reflect this more.. as for Messenger Plus, I
would and have recommended it to many, and continue to do so.. apologies for
any upset..

 

[Patchou]

No need for apologies. This is unfortunately the kind of statements
that pushes software like MSAS to detect msgplus.exe itself rather than
the sponsor, that's why the need for correction was important.

Thank you for using our product .

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Yes.. I worded it ambiguously.. as in all cases like this, I knew exactly
what I meant by it..

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

One other point here.. maybe MSAS includes your program because it is an
add-on to Messenger..