Please help me with this annoyance

[morganlast]

Every few minutes my browser opens a window and tries to go to
http://trafficex.org/trs/console.php?adv=aI8pgk

This is driving me crazy. It even ran as I was typing this.

I deleted all files and even wiped the cache folder and created a new
one. I wiped cookies. I ran two spyware programs and nothing has
worked.

How do I get rid of this?

Thanks.
morganlast

 

[Martin C]

You don't say which spyware programs you have run, so I will give you the
whole gambit.
Check out the following to get rid of your problem.

Get this file:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/RestoreSearch2.REG
After downloading it, right click it and choose Merge.

Download/run Cool Web Shredder from:
http://www.merijn.org/

For Info on Cool Web Search Variants:
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html

Download/install/run Ad-Aware from:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
This will detect any spyware on your system. When you run Ad-Aware, click on
the ref update to get the latest up-to-date ref file, run Ad-Aware and
delete everything it finds.

You can also download/install/run:
Spybot - Search & Destroy from :
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download
Sometimes this will find problems that are not found in Ad Aware.
This program has two entries to it (Easy and Advanced). Unless you know what
you are doing, run it in Easy mode and also select Immunize after it is run.
Make sure you read the help on this first.

If you still have problems, download/run HijackThis from:
http://www.merijn.org/
Be very careful with this program though. Do not remove anything that is
referenced by it until you get advice on what to remove as it will list some
good items as well as bad ones.
See http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/#quick and read the quick start on how to
create a log file that can be sent to a forum that can provide assistance on
removal of unwanted problems.
Post the logs to an appropriate NG here where they specialize in
spyware/hijacker removal:
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/

There are many Forums that offer Free "Hijack This" log review.
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security,1
http://www.computercops.biz/forums.html
http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/index.php
http://boards.cexx.org/
http://forums.net-integration.net/
http://forum.mvps.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php
http://www.lavasoftsupport.com

Take your pick - they all offer excellent support -

At the very least you should have Ad Aware present on your machine and run
it periodically.

Hope this helps,

Martin

 

[morganlast]

Martin,

Thanks a lot for all the help.

I ran several spybot programs and none of them found it, but I did
find some exe and dll files that had been created shortly before the
annoyance began. I removed them (and the processes that were running)
and was successful.

I then downloaded an anti virus program and it not only found the
files I had safely set aside, but virus too. And since I had never
opened an email attachment, or clicked on anything suspicious, I was
surprised.

Thanks again for all the info.
morganlast