! spyware symbol on my home screen!

[Guest]

I am unable to get a notice off my computer, it reads WARNING, your computer
may be infected with spyware, and wants me to click on the link. I have been
reluctant to do so. The screen is black except for this yellow warning, but
otherwise I can carry out my business on the computer. I have run McAfee,
AOL Spyzapper, and LavaLoft, all to no avail. There is also a yellow ! sign
on my toolbar, which I can't get rid of. Every once in a while a balloon
pops up to remind me that I need to get spyware. Any help would be
appreciated!

 

[David H. Lipman]

1) Download the following item...

Adaware SE
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/

2) Disable System Restore
http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.htm
3) Reboot your PC into Safe Mode
4) Using Adaware SE, perform a Full Scan of your platform and clean/delete
any parasites found.
5) Restart your PC and perform a "final" Full Scan of your platform using Adaware
6) Re-enable System Restore and re-apply any System Restore preferences,
(e.g. HD space to use suggested 400 ~ 600MB),
7) Reboot your PC.
8) Create a new Restore point
9) Please report back your results


--
Dave




| I am unable to get a notice off my computer, it reads WARNING, your computer
| may be infected with spyware, and wants me to click on the link. I have been
| reluctant to do so. The screen is black except for this yellow warning, but
| otherwise I can carry out my business on the computer. I have run McAfee,
| AOL Spyzapper, and LavaLoft, all to no avail. There is also a yellow ! sign
| on my toolbar, which I can't get rid of. Every once in a while a balloon
| pops up to remind me that I need to get spyware. Any help would be
| appreciated!

 

[Malke]

I am unable to get a notice off my computer, it reads WARNING, your
computer
may be infected with spyware, and wants me to click on the link. I
have been
reluctant to do so. The screen is black except for this yellow
warning, but
otherwise I can carry out my business on the computer. I have run
McAfee,
AOL Spyzapper, and LavaLoft, all to no avail. There is also a yellow
! sign
on my toolbar, which I can't get rid of. Every once in a while a
balloon
pops up to remind me that I need to get spyware. Any help would be
appreciated!

In addition to the excellent advice you got from Dave, here's how to get
rid of the desktop warning. Go to the Display applet in Control Panel
and look on the Desktop tab. Click on Customize Desktop, and then click
on the Web tab. You will see that there are checkmarks next to "My
Current Home Page" and probably "Lock Desktop Items". Uncheck these. By
highlighting the "My Current Home Page" and clicking on the Properties
button, you will be able to determine the name of the file that is the
message. It might be called something like "security.html" or the like.

Of course you want to click Apply and OK out when you've made your
changes.

You want to find that file and delete it. I hate to say this, but the
search function in XP is pretty lame. The absolutely easiest way to
ferret out this file is to get and install the free search app
AgentRansack from here: http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/ which
will make finding this file a breeze.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I am unable to get a notice off my computer, it reads WARNING, your computer
may be infected with spyware, and wants me to click on the link. I have been
reluctant to do so. The screen is black except for this yellow warning, but
otherwise I can carry out my business on the computer. I have run McAfee,
AOL Spyzapper, and LavaLoft, all to no avail. There is also a yellow ! sign
on my toolbar, which I can't get rid of. Every once in a while a balloon
pops up to remind me that I need to get spyware. Any help would be
appreciated!

To deal with issues caused by any sort of "adware" and/or
"spyware,"such as Gator, Comet Cursors, Smiley Central, Xupiter,
Bonzai Buddy, or KaZaA, and their remnants, that you've deliberately
(but without understanding the consequences) installed, two products
that are quite effective (at finding and removing this type of
scumware) are Ad-Aware from www.lavasoft.de and SpyBot Search &
Destroy from www.safer-networking.org/. Both have free versions.
It's even possible to use SpyBot Search & Destroy to "immunize" your
system against most future intrusions. I use both and generally
perform manual scans every week or so to clean out cookies, etc.

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


--

Bruce Chambers

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