Need to delete Porn toolbars

[Bonione]

Does anyone know how to uninstall the Elite toolbar which
has porn links. Where did it come from? Also the
xxxtoolbar keeps popping in. What program is it
associated with? I bought this computer 2nd hand and have
been regretting it ever since. It has trojan horses that
my AVG cannot stop but can delete most of them. There is
a problem with LSA Shell {export version}that I have to
use the cmd to avoid shutdown. Can anyone help me out?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

You need to perform a "clean install" of Windows XP
which will rid your PC of corruption caused by viruses.

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows XP, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ==> Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall.
==> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Does anyone know how to uninstall the Elite toolbar which
| has porn links. Where did it come from? Also the
| xxxtoolbar keeps popping in. What program is it
| associated with? I bought this computer 2nd hand and have
| been regretting it ever since. It has trojan horses that
| my AVG cannot stop but can delete most of them. There is
| a problem with LSA Shell {export version}that I have to
| use the cmd to avoid shutdown. Can anyone help me out?

 

[Blane]

This is probably not the answer you are looking for, but if the system is
that severly infected with trojans, spyware and viruses I would recommend
performing a clean installation of the operating system and applications.
Do you have the operating system software and the application software? If
so reinstalling, and then securing the system with antivirus software and
the appropriate Microsoft security updates would be a good idea!

If this is not an option then the following link discusses the xxxtoolbar,
and removal:
http://www.spywareguide.com/product_show.php?id=610

The LSA error sounds like the Sasser worm, or a variant. Microsoft has
released a tool that can be downloaded from
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;841720

Once the system is "clean" some best practices are:

Also you need to ensure your anti-virus software is up to date and to
perform a full system scan of your computer.

Monitor your system using spyware/adware protection tools. Some of these
include SpyBot Search and Destroy
(http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html) or Adaware
(http://www.noadware.net/?hop=wintech). Install these, ensure they are
updated with the latest spyware/adware definitions and scan your system.
Follow their recommendations for removing certain items they find.

Next, if you are able to access the WWW after cleaning the system, ensure
that you are up to date with all Microsoft security updates. This can be
done through the Windows Update feature, by opening IE, going to Tools ->
Windows Updates. Make sure that you enable pop-ups on this page if you
have a pop-up blocker.

I would also look at updating to XP Service Pack 2. This provides many
security enhancements to your system and provides for a safer online
experience.

Best regards,
Blane Clark


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
You assume all risk for your use.
(C) 2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Does anyone know how to uninstall the Elite toolbar which
has porn links. Where did it come from? Also the
xxxtoolbar keeps popping in. What program is it
associated with? I bought this computer 2nd hand and have
been regretting it ever since. It has trojan horses that
my AVG cannot stop but can delete most of them. There is
a problem with LSA Shell {export version}that I have to
use the cmd to avoid shutdown. Can anyone help me out?

When visiting porn sites, always be careful not to download/install
their "free" viewers. You'll get more than expected, every time. To
repair the current situation, uninstall the "viewer(s)" provided and
then use Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search and Destroy
from www.safer-networking.org/ to clean up any residue. Both have
free versions for personal use.

You should also try using MSConfig to see if something is being
started each time you reboot.

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310560

Additionally, Look in the C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up and C:\Documents and
Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up folders, and in the
system registry, primarily in the
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run keys.

Additionally, manual removal instructions for the most common
varieties of scumware are available here:

PC Hell Spyware and Adware Removal Help
http://www.pchell.com/support/spyware.shtml

More information and assistance is available at these sites:

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

The Parasite Fight
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

With second-hand computers, particularly if acquired from
strangers, your wisest course of action would probably be to format
the hard drives and start fresh. You don't want to get in trouble
because the original owner may have filled the hard drive with kiddie
porn, or have problems because the original owner downloaded/installed
viruses or other malware. Some unscrupulous people could even sell a
used computer preconfigured with the necessary key-loggers and spyware
to collect your personal information for future use.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Tom]

Does anyone know how to uninstall the Elite toolbar which
has porn links. Where did it come from? Also the
xxxtoolbar keeps popping in. What program is it
associated with? I bought this computer 2nd hand and have
been regretting it ever since. It has trojan horses that
my AVG cannot stop but can delete most of them. There is
a problem with LSA Shell {export version}that I have to
use the cmd to avoid shutdown. Can anyone help me out?

To add To Bruces and Carey's suggestion regarding a total reinstallation of Windows:

When and if you do this, don't do a quick format when the choice comes about, do a full format.

 

[Don Burnette]

Does anyone know how to uninstall the Elite toolbar which
has porn links. Where did it come from? Also the
xxxtoolbar keeps popping in. What program is it
associated with? I bought this computer 2nd hand and have
been regretting it ever since. It has trojan horses that
my AVG cannot stop but can delete most of them. There is
a problem with LSA Shell {export version}that I have to
use the cmd to avoid shutdown. Can anyone help me out?

Hi Bonione,

I would think that machine probably has quite a bit of adware/spyware on it.
If you have not put any data of yours on it yet, and if you have the retail
XP cd, you might consider doing a format /clean install.

But, if you first would like to try and get it cleaned up without having to
resort to clean install, try the following:

First thing, if it is not on and you do not have a third party firewall,
turn on the XP firewall.

Download , install, and run Ad Aware 6.0 SE.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
Let it delete everything it finds, I suspect there will be quite a bit.
Some trojans will block Ad Aware from running, hopefully that won't be the
case with yours.

If that cleans up the trojans/spyware, then follow up with the following:

1: Do a checkdisk. Go into my computer, right click on your C drive, click
on properties, then check this volume for errors. Put a check in the
automatically fix errors. You will be prompted that it cannot do so while
windows is running, and to shedule the chkdsk on the next reboot. Go ahead
and shedule it, then reboot the machine.

2: Do a complete disk cleanup. Click on
start/programs/accessories/systemtools/ disk cleanup. Put a check in the
option to delete all but the last restore point. Let disk cleanup do it's
thing.

3: Open Internet Explorer, go to tools/internet options. Delete the cookies,
then delete the temporary internet files. Also put a check in delete offline
content. This should take care of anything #2 misses.

4: To make absolutely sure nothing is left over, explore to c: documents
and settings/ < your user name>/local settings. Look in both the temporary
internet files, and temporary folders - delete anything that is in those 2
folders. I would also do this for any left over user names that show on the
system.

5: Defrag your C drive. This may take some time depending on whether it has
been defragged regularly by the previous owner.

6: Make sure your AV program's definitions are kept up to date, make sure
you run with a firewall, and make doing the above part of your regular
maintenance. I do the above at least every 2 weeks, usually on a weekly
basis.


Hope this helps,

 

[Guest]

Go to this website forthe removal tool for the elite bar. You have to run in
safe mode, so download it to your desktop first.

http://spyware.pcwash.com/searchmiracle.elitebar.html

Birdie

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Run these malware cleaners:

1. Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com

2. SpyBot S&D
http://www.safer-networking.org

3. CWShredder
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Update 1 & 2 before running a scan.

Clean-up Windows Startup:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/startup.htm

Then, run a full system virus scan with fully updated definitions. Try Trend
Micro's Sysclean package (free), it's capable of eliminating keyloggers,
trojans etc.

Generic Trojan / Adware Infestation Removal Procedure:
http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html