Non Motorcycle Related - need computer help

[naturbar]

i have noticed that we have several 'IT' types computer guys here on this forum and i would ask for your help.

 

info you probably need:

1) Firefox is browser

2) Windows XP

3) McAfee protection

4) NetGear wireless router (but have my computer connected via Ethernet cable)

 

problem..... several weeks ago when i turned my computer on it tried booting from a disc (don't know how it happened) i resolved that issue. then last week in the morning my computer seemed to work fine but later i could not connect to the internet - i turned my firewall off and could then connect to the internet - so i just restored to default my firewall settings and and have had no issues since then connecting to internet - but since then i started getting pop ups opening a new browser window with urls such as..."googleads.g.doubleclick.net"..... "epoclick.com/?ads=12587652904" the last digits will change each time a new window opens..... and other pop ups.

solution (?).... i tried use Adblock filters to stop the windows without success, but not sure if i have written the filters correctly. i just read online that if i look into my NetGear Gateway settings and see my Primary & Secondary DNS settings at something other than all zeros then i have been hijacked - the solution was to reset those gateways to all zeros, which i tried but got an error saying the gateways were were not set correctly. i really hate to use malware software to solve my problem(s) as in the past i felt the malware software was creating its own issues.

so....if any of you guys have any suggestions please feel free to post them up .....THANKS

[kj5ix]

Download ( if you can) Combofix from Bleeping computers, and run it. You most likely have been on Face Book, and have a search hook embedded or have been HiJacked.

 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/anti-virus/combofix

[LilBeaver]

While I understand and can appreciate not wanting to use any of the 'rid of malware' junk, and believe me I am the same way, there is a piece of software that seems to work quite well for me; that is the 'Microsoft security essentials' package. Surprisingly enough, it seems to work quite well.

 

It definitely sounds like you've got some spyware or a virus of some sort.

You do say that you have the macafee protection - I presume you have run that to no avail? If that is the case my suggestions are as follows:

1) Download a copy of the Microsoft security essentials [straight from Microsoft - it is a free download] (link here: http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/ ). Install it and get the updates but don't run it quite yet.

2) Disconnect from the web/network

3) Clear ALL temporary internet files - can be done by opening firefox and

-- click on 'tools' -->'clear recent history',

--expand the 'details' section by clicking the down arror then check everything

-- select 'time range to clear' = 'everything'

4) Run the 'disc clean-up utility' to remove any other temporary files on your computer

- go to 'my computer'

- right click on the 'Local disc', C drive - or whatever you have your main hard disc called

- click on 'properties'

- On the 'general' tab (the one with the pie chart) click on 'Disc cleanup' and follow the prompts there to dump the extra stuff

5) Now run the Microsoft security center scan - you can start with a quick scan if you'd like - that will take anywhere from 5-30 minutes, or just dive right into a full scan (which may take upwards of several hours - depending on computer/hard disc speed and how much junk you have on there)

6) Before you plug back into the router, you could do a hard reset on that, then reset the admin password and get it set back up like it was -- that way, if by chance something got dumped on that sucker that was goofing your system(s) up, it will be cleared.

 

I trust the Microsoft security center over any of the 'ad-aware', 'spy-bot', etc products. When those first came out they were terrific, but it didn't take long for me to get really skeptical about what it was actually doing to my system.

 

Hopefully you can continue to get help and resolve your issue before the 'Mac attack' or 'Linux attack' occurs.

 

[etcswjoe]

Who is your ISP? Do you have your modem bridged? If you have it bridged your DNS will show up in your router. You can look up your ISP's DNS to see if they are the correct ones. Check your proxy settings. Sounds to me like the ANIT-ADWAR/ANIT-VIRUS Trojan/adware and it is a bear to remove.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hopefully you can continue to get help and resolve your issue before the 'Mac attack' or 'Linux attack' occurs.

 

 

 

Nope. Too late!

 

One word: Mac.

 

 

 

[Squeeze]

First of all, i'd take a Look into the "hosts" File on your Computer. It should be found in SystemRoot\System32\drivers\etc. I.E C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc.

 

Open the File with an Editor, there should be no Ip-Adresses translated to Host Names. Only Exception might be 127.0.0.1 which is localhost or the own Computer.

 

If there are other IP's listed, you most likely need to allocate the Malware and get rid of it manually.

[Guest]

Ill second what Lil Beaver says...Microsoft security essentials is the way to go.

[Monty]

I'll third it. I have had great success with it. You need to remove the Mcafee first though. Running two antivirus softwares is a no-no. It will cause you more problems.

[naturbar]

thanks for the great replies - i seem to have made some headway since my last post. probably only masking the problem but for now i'll live with it. i simply made an exceptions list of the sites that i will accept cookies. for the past several hours i have not had any unwanted windows open up - so we will see where this leads. this site offers sooooo much more than motorcycle advice - i've recently received expert advice on brakes, clutch & brake bleeding - the $12.00 yearly dues easily the best $$ ever spent. thanks again for the awesome people who take time to read and participate in this great forum - Thank you FreeBird (Don) for all you do to maintain this site.

[ToyOdie]

I have had great success with "HijackThis" from SpyWareInfo.com. You can download it from CNET.com so you know it's clean. The best part is the forum support to clean your computer. Kind of like VentureRiders, all the help (professional) with none of the BS (well maby not like VR) . It will take several runs of different programs to clean the entire system but it works. You post the log file created by HijackThis on the forum and 1 tech works with you untill it's fixed. I have been walked through cleaning 2 systems that I couldn't wipe and reload due to backup issues (lack of). You can read the reviews and basic instructions at this site and others.

 

[ame=http://download.cnet.com/Trend-Micro-HijackThis/3000-8022_4-10379544.html]Trend Micro HijackThis 1.99.1 - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com[/ame]

 

[Michael_Bishop]

Naturbar I know you said you don't like malware software, but one that I have found that can remove a lot of problems is Malwarebytes. There was a lady on facebook that click on a link that said our you really in this video. After that all she got was like a screen that look like a browser and could not close it. I can't remember that the virus name was but t got rid of it. We even used the free one. If you try it make sure you tell it to update before running the scan. Here a link to it.

 

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

[ddoggma]

Run "Malwarebytes" or "SuperAntiSpyware", the free versions. Very good programs. Also a thing called "Kaperskys TDSS remover", has done wonders when I did get a google highjacker. Anything I did a search for got taken off to some weird page. And malwarbyte etc. would not run, unless I renamed them. This thing was nasty. The MS one is good too. Good luck. I bet its still lurking on your puter, So you need to do a scan......

[Poledar]

Try this...go to Accessories, System Tools, and Restore. Go back 30 days, and once Resotre has done its work, do a scan with AVG 2011 for all potential issues. Good luck!!!

[marinakorp]

I agree on the malawarebytes.

 

I would boot in safe mode and run the program..

 

I would also run adaware.