Pop-ups blocked but appear as if minimised on task bar

[Guest]

I am getting bombarded by pop-ups from offeroptimiser.com. The blocker
operating since SP2 upgrade ensures that they don't block my screen but
appear as ghost programs on the task bar. It makes it difficult to open
websites direct from favorites as the site tries to open into a non-existant
window.

 

[Malke]

I am getting bombarded by pop-ups from offeroptimiser.com. The blocker
operating since SP2 upgrade ensures that they don't block my screen
but appear as ghost programs on the task bar. It makes it difficult to
open websites direct from favorites as the site tries to open into a
non-existant window.

You already have malware on your computer that needs to be removed. Here
are general malware removal instructions, with links at the end:

1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2003)
antivirus using updated definitions.

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).

HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and disable hijackers, but
it requires expert skill. See below for HijackThis links. 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 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.majorgeeks.com - good download site
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners

HijackThis:
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim
Eshelman
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
forum
http://www.lavasoftsupport.com/index.php?showforum=44
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/

General:
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://forum.aumha.org/ - look under "Security" for various forums
http://www.pchell.com/
http://www.spywareguide.com/index.php
http://scumware.com/
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm

Malke

 

[Guest]

Thanks for that - I saw others here with similar problems with
offeroptimser.com.
Sysclean did a good job on 5 trojans it found but could not deal with a 6th
- hostprep.
ad-aware I could not get to work at all it kept hanging.
bazooka did the trick with good advice on de-registering the malware and
finally deleting. The application had installed themselves over a year ago,
before I had a firewall.
Many thanks
Frank P

 

[Malke]

Thanks for that - I saw others here with similar problems with
offeroptimser.com.
Sysclean did a good job on 5 trojans it found but could not deal with
a 6th - hostprep.
ad-aware I could not get to work at all it kept hanging.
bazooka did the trick with good advice on de-registering the malware
and finally deleting. The application had installed themselves over a
year ago, before I had a firewall.
Many thanks
Frank P

Sysclean is not a full-featured antivirus, as I pointed out in my advice
to you. It is a first-stage tool to get the machine clean enough to be
able to install a full-featured antivirus, update that program's virus
definitions, and do a full scan in Safe Mode.

I'm glad you got your problem solved, but don't neglect to have a
full-featured av installed.

Malke