Memory Meter and Speedblaster

[Patty]

By accident I downloaded these last Friday Sept 5th and
all trouble broke loose with IE 6. When I opened a link
the webpage wouldnt load and I was unable to close it.
The mouse would freeze up on me. So basically I was
unable to surf the web. I uninstalled it but, I kept
getting this green popup in my taskbar and something was
running in the background and I couldnt find it. Needless
to say I finally gave up and took it to get fixed by a A+
Certified Technician to find my problem..I was so
frustrated with trying to figure out how to fix it. but,
he claimed it was all fixed by just uninstalling aol 8.0
and reinstalling it..he claims it was a bad install and
he was able to surf the web. Ok great if that was the
case but, I knew it wasnt. As I was still unable to surf
the web even though he claimed he could. In the meantime
I explained to him I installed this memory meter by
accident and now I cant surf the web..I didnt have a
problem with aol 8.0. So I did a system restore. Now
everything is working fine. But, Im still not sure what
memory meter actually did to cause my problem and if this
crap is still in my computer. I know it had to effect IE
6. Im running home xp and aol 8.0. Anybody know what
memory meter could have done to create this mess?
Patty

 

[Patty]

-----Original Message-----
By accident I downloaded these last Friday Sept 5th and
all trouble broke loose with IE 6. When I opened a link
the webpage wouldnt load and I was unable to close it.
The mouse would freeze up on me. So basically I was
unable to surf the web. I uninstalled it but, I kept
getting this green popup in my taskbar and something was
running in the background and I couldnt find it. Needless
to say I finally gave up and took it to get fixed by a A+
Certified Technician to find my problem..I was so
frustrated with trying to figure out how to fix it. but,
he claimed it was all fixed by just uninstalling aol 8.0
and reinstalling it..he claims it was a bad install and
he was able to surf the web. Ok great if that was the
case but, I knew it wasnt. As I was still unable to surf
the web even though he claimed he could. In the meantime
I explained to him I installed this memory meter by
accident and now I cant surf the web..I didnt have a
problem with aol 8.0. So I did a system restore. Now
everything is working fine. But, Im still not sure what
memory meter actually did to cause my problem and if this
crap is still in my computer. I know it had to effect IE
6. Im running home xp and aol 8.0. Anybody know what
memory meter could have done to create this mess?
Patty
.

I forgot to mention before I restore system I did a
search on memory meter and found a prizesurfer.exe I
think was part of what got installed but, when I tried to
delete it told me access denied. Its probably spyware.
But, now Im afraid to download spybot or anything to find
and fix my problems before. So I just restored the system.

 

[Crusty \(-: Old B@stard :-\)]

Well, if you're afraid to download and update SpyBot to clean your system,
there is not much we can do to help you. You don't even know what else may
be lurking on your hard drives.

 

[Ron Martell]

By accident I downloaded these last Friday Sept 5th and
all trouble broke loose with IE 6. When I opened a link
the webpage wouldnt load and I was unable to close it.
The mouse would freeze up on me. So basically I was
unable to surf the web. I uninstalled it but, I kept
getting this green popup in my taskbar and something was
running in the background and I couldnt find it. Needless
to say I finally gave up and took it to get fixed by a A+
Certified Technician to find my problem..I was so
frustrated with trying to figure out how to fix it. but,
he claimed it was all fixed by just uninstalling aol 8.0
and reinstalling it..he claims it was a bad install and
he was able to surf the web. Ok great if that was the
case but, I knew it wasnt. As I was still unable to surf
the web even though he claimed he could. In the meantime
I explained to him I installed this memory meter by
accident and now I cant surf the web..I didnt have a
problem with aol 8.0. So I did a system restore. Now
everything is working fine. But, Im still not sure what
memory meter actually did to cause my problem and if this
crap is still in my computer. I know it had to effect IE
6. Im running home xp and aol 8.0. Anybody know what
memory meter could have done to create this mess?
Patty

Both Memory Meter and Speedblaster are a type of product best
described as "scumware".

Here is an excerpt from the license agreement and privacy policy which
you had to accept in order to download the programs:

"By using the Software, you may be exposed to contaminated files,
computer viruses, eavesdropping, harassment, electronic trespassing,
hacking and other harmful acts or consequences that might lead to
unauthorized invasion of privacy, loss of data and other damages.
Furthermore, by installing the Software on your computer, you
understand that: (i) certain system non-personally identifiable
information, including statistical data, stored on your computer will
be made available and transmittable to Total Velocity servers or the
servers of affiliated companies of Total Velocity; (ii) other
information available now or in the future including links, services,
messages advertisements, cookies and the like may be installed on your
computer and; (iii) Total Velocity may automatically transmit to and
install on your computer, Software improvements, corrections,
adaptations, conversions to more recent Software versions or any other
changes to the Software, with or without giving notice."

and at another place in the agreement

"The Software is provided for your use, as described above, free of
charge, and is supported by advertising revenue. By downloading the
Memory Meter software, you agree to receive advertising messages
delivered on your computer in any form and of any frequency. Total
Velocity may, in its sole discretion, change, modify, add or remove
portions of this license at any time."

In other words it is advertising spyware.

Best way to deal with these types of programs is to download, update,
install, and run AdAware 6 (free) from www.lavasoft.de or one of the
other spyware removal programs. These utilities have become as
essential as antivirus software. I have AdAware installed on all of
my own computers and I routinely install it on customer's machines
whenever I am called in to service or inspect them.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."