Just to keep the post fresh... I'm back on my Mac because my PC is very sick. I've identified just about every process that was running, and I had some very nasty ones. My problem is that I don't know how to get rid of them. I run Norton and Spybot and Ad Aware, but the nasty ones keep coming back. There must be an reinstaller somewhere hidden on my machine. There was even something that was preventing me from launching msconfig. At this point, I'm ready to reformat the drive and start over. It seems that its the same amount of work. What's even more baffling to me, is that there's a great product out there that's wonderful to use and has so few problems a child could manage it. Its called Macintosh. Ask yourselves an honest question: would you buy a car that worked as badly as Windows? Heck, would you even buy a toaster from Microsoft? Why is it that Windows is the leading OS? I don't get it. My PC is a great machine. Its more powerful and cheaper than my Mac. But Windows sucks! I wish Apple would release OS X for PC. Maybe I'll run Linux. Sigh... Alas Windows has so much software written for it. Sob, sniff...

I think you said it, the problem isn't the PC, it's Windows. If Bryce (and a few other apps) ran on Linux I'd switch without thinking. A while ago there was a funny anaolgy comparing Windows to car sales and maintenance. Like if the car stalls, try closing all the windows and then restarting. Maybe you had to be there.

OK, found one: A mechanic, an engineer and a Windows support technician are driving along a winding mountain road when suddenly the brakes overheat and fail and the car goes screaming downhill towards a dropoff. The mechanic, who's driving, manages to bring the car to a halt near the brink of the precipice. The three passengers are shaken but unharmed. The mechanic looks at the problem and says "These brakes need replacing, they're worn out." The engineer looks over the design and says "There's a design flaw in these brakes, they're not resistant enough to heat." The Windows tech looks at the other two and says "Hey, let's push the car back to the top of the hill and see if it does it again."

"At this point, I'm ready to reformat the drive and start over. It seems that its the same amount of work." Okay, yes. Save isntallation files, reformat and start over. 1) Install Windows XP, install all the drivers, install Service Pack 2. Do NOT connect to the Internet. Do not even TOUCH Internet. 1a) Go to Start -> Control Panel -> Security Center. Turn off Windows Firewall and, if there is something, antivirus program. 2) Install Norton, Zone Alarm, Spybot. Start Spybot Resident (see that other post, Security, for GG). Do not connect to the Internet yet even if something asks you. 3) Now connect to the Internet. Open Internet Explorer and connect to www.opera.com or www.mozilla.org. Zone Alarm will ask you whether you want to allow Explorer to connect. Say Yes, do not check the box that remembers the answer. Download either Opera or Firefox with Java. Close Explorer. Install the chosen browser and tell it to be the default browser. 4) Now open Spybot and tell it to update definitions. Afterwards, update Norton definitions. If possible, tell both program to do that automatically. Check whether there is a new version of Zone Alarm, download and install. Tell it to check automatically whether new versions are available. If there is, it will start the new browser, not Explorer. 5) Ignore Internet Explorer, use the other browser. 6) Find another program for mail instead of Outlook Express. PocoMail, The Bat, even Forte Agent which is primarily a news reader. Or even Outlook, the older brother of OE. 7) Do not let anything open attachments automatically. ANYTHING. And you should be pretty safe.

Bandolin,

The first thing you need to do is make sure that your spyware/adware removal programs are up to date.

Now reboot your machine, and as the Windows logo is displayed press F8 on the keyboard. This will bring up an advanced boot memu.

Choose 'Safe Mode' and this will open Windows in Safe Mode. This mode is designed to boot Windows into the minimum configuration and keep any user-installed software from running at startup.

Open the Internet Explorer and remove all the temporary internet files under Tools->Internet Options...

Run your spyware/adware removal programs and this should remove the problem files/programs.

Reboot your machine.

This should remove all the problems.

-Chris

erlik is wise. drac (just noticed it's erlik and not elrik)

I think I've met that windows tech!! he he

I know this is no comfort right now, and you have every right to be pissed, but Windows isnt really that bad once you learned the system. In all the years ive been using PC, ive had 1 virus, and i have myself to blame for that one. Other then that, ive had very little problems with Windows. The fact that Windows is the leading OS, is unfortunatly also exactly why its being targeted. :(

bandolin i said this last time we tried to help you with your problem. Now if you have these things reappearing on your computer you have a file in your registery(sc) that is causing them to startup again. It could also be a form of Malware(Malicious ware) that is worse than any spyware you can name because the only way to remove it is to format the harddrive. I have had malware twice on my computer in all the time i have been on the internet and both times called for a format.

It's seriously time to format....format.....format! :)

Try Mcafee Viruscan9 and Webroot Spysweeper,.........I had a bunch of nasty stuff and the apps you mentioned didn't help at all,.......a friend told me about the 2 apps I mentioned(both have limited time free trial versions), and things are running smoothly ever since. Might not work for you, just sharing my experience.

is that there's a great product out there that's wonderful to use and has so few problems a child could manage it. Its called Macintosh
There's a great product out there called the Rolls Royce, wonderful to use, and few problems..but I can't afford it either, so I have to drive a Ford..;) All of the above is good. The only other problem I see is in the future, some installation programs tend to automatically launch IE, and then you have the junk back on in a heartbeat..but if you don't use IE, it may just sit there..

If Billy the Borg did not insist on being able to push things on your machine there wouldn't be all these holes that other crud could creep through. I just went to Microsoft and you can't even physically download the SP2 file anymore which is only 226K. You have to load automatic updates or buy a CD.

In a nutshell, thats because Billy the Borg started the whole thing by passing out free candy throughout schools and corporate America until everyone was hooked with the Mac-like simplicity of running a computer where no one needed to have a college degree in running business applications. Corporate America loved it and ate it up like it was going out of style. No need to train workers, they were doing it on their own, free of charge to big business, and liking it. Then, once he knew you were hooked, he upped the ante and started to drain your pockets while lining his own. At the same time, sabotaging and undercutting all future competition, many more technically advanced and far better than his system, thereby hindering and slowing the technical progress of civilization. Smart boy that Billy the Borg, making himself the wealthiest man in the world being compared to Gutenberg during the period of the enlightenment. Bandolin, did your PC just die on its own or only after taking stuff out of the Startup list? In either case, now that the machine is down and dead in the water its time for drastic measures and you might as well reformat and then reinstall your essential programs. Then, if you have a clean copy of some anti-virus, use that to deep scan your drives and memory. Install a spybot and update all your security software. It would also be the ideal time to get rid of superfluous background running memory suckers in your new Startup list. Then, do yourself a favor and register with Tech Support Guys (its free) and download HijackThis (also free) and run it and have it create a log file for you. Keep the log file for future reference, you can then see with consequent HijackThis scans what has managed to install itself on your system. For links to Tech Support Guys and HijackThis, see post 46 of your last thread concerning this topic. Good luck with all!

Ok, I've read all your posts and it is very sobering. I'm back on my PC now. I've run Spysweeper, ScanSpyWare (which won't do anything until you buy it), and Mwav anti-virus (which seems to have done a far more thorough job than Norton). Checking back in the tasks manager, most of the nasty processes that I had identified by searching such sites as iamnotageek.com, liutilities.com and windowsprocesses.com have been eradicated. I'll try to run like this for a while and if the problem reoccurs, I'll reformat. Afterwhich I will only use my Mac for the Internet and disconnect the PC entirely. I should also give that Safemode thing a try too. Oh, and that Hijackthis thing aswell. Hmmm, by the time I'm done administering to this sick machine, I might have time to enter the July challenge. Or I could use my Mac to enter this month's challenge. Thanks guys. Very unhappy windows user

loderr13: hey, what's worse than finding a worm in your apple? loderr13: give up? loderr13: Finding OSX in your apple.

the only reason why there are more viruses and worms for windows is that 99% is using windows, or its those frustrated mac owners that keep spreading them. I use internet explorer and it works ok just keep all securitysettings on high. macs arent the rolls of computerland, well the hype you get when buying one trys to make you believe that, but with the first unexplained shutdowns u know otherwise lol. p.s. mac as operating system doesnt exist any more its just linux in disguise.

"p.s. mac as operating system doesnt exist any more its just linux in disguise." More of Unix in disguise. And that's the good thing about it. :-)

Windows XP pro SP1 here. Like Rochr I have only ever had one virus and that was my fault (it still wasn't able to deploy though as i had patched the vulnerability it tried to exploit).

ZoneAlarm (with pretty heavy restrictions and everything has to ask permission)
McAfee VirusScan Online (updated weekly) and a bi-weekly crosscheck with Trend Micro's Housecall
AdAware SE (with biweekly crosscheck with SpySweeper)
All OS updates handled by MS Baseline Security Analyzer
Serious passwords (16-24 char) on all admin level accounts
Mozilla for browser/mail

Message edited on: 02/22/2005 20:57

Windows MeNorton AntiVirus 2005, MSN Spysweeper, HijackThis, Adaware, NeoWatch, and Spybot Search & Destroy. Like Ive said in the past, no problems with Windows Mego figure! ;)

Windows XP Pro with SP1, McAfee Virus and Firewall systems, Ad-Aware Pro, Spybot S&D, HiJack This, SpyWare Blaster, Win Patrol and XoftSpy as well as Iolo System Mechanic. All investments and well worth it....not one virus ever...well, my old Win Me had one but I wiped that system out for the XP.

Make sure you backup often and update your firewall/virus/antispyware. Once you let that get old, you lose whatever benefit they can give you. You might want to try firefox (browser) and thunderbird (mail client) instead. Hope I got the mail client name down right. Major swipe of the rusty nail studded club goes to the writers of malware and virus writers. Mac users should have firewalls and antivirus stuff too, its just a matter of time before some dirtbag decides to strike Macs. Spamwriters should get a swipe too, I don't want to know about new Mary Kay products, where are my revealing photos of russian teens? Need something to use that low cost viagra with (joke).