Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

[WizeOne]

I've decided that the quickest way to deal with my spyware problem is to blow off the C: drive and reload XP. Fortunately my hard drive is partitioned so I can copy any data to the D or E drives and have at it.

Anyone offer a quick tutorial on how to proceed? I've done it before but as TG would tell you, some of those details do not stick like they used to.:redface:

Also, where do I look to save my emails?

Thanks

This stupid spyware will not even let me do a search anymore without rebooting on me. No spyware programs will run to completion, safe mode or not.

 

[i386]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

What extra software do you have installed besides what came with Windows? Which application do you use for email?

 

[bjcsc]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Man that's a nasty virus you got WizeOne...

 

[45Auto]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Try Malwarebytes before you wipe it. It's the only thing that cleaned a nasty adware off my computer. The virus blew right through Norton and McAfee anti-viruses but Malwarebytes cleaned it off. It's a free download:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

What extra software do you have installed besides what came with Windows? Which application do you use for email?

Outlook express for email and quite a few other apps like MS office, various spyware programs, pop up software, HP printer software, etc, etc.


some programs I have loaded on the other partitions, I know I will have to reload them as well.

The key here is that no spyware programs will run to completion either in normal mode or safe mode. Internet sites that claim they can fix the problem do not allude to the above fact.

Also there is no agreement on exactly what it is that I have. I've checked for registry entries on some of the manual remove sites and very little of what they show appears on my registry.

Some comments that I have read indicate that even real time protection programs do not catch these things as they are jumping on board.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Try Malwarebytes before you wipe it. It's the only thing that cleaned a nasty adware off my computer. The virus blew right through Norton and McAfee anti-viruses but Malwarebytes cleaned it off. It's a free download:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

I'm trying it now 45. They claim a lightning fast scan which is necessary to complete before the bad guy reboots the computer. If only you could do a partial scan, delete the items found and then start it again for another round.

In other words, get rid of them a small batch at time.

So far I am 4 minutes into the scan with 36 objects showing. Holding my breath here b......

Whoa! Malware bytes finished it's scan in under 5 minutes. Others ran on interminably. I hit the remove objects button (96 of them) then hit restart and the computer rebooted without the dreaded fake security shield.

I am now going to run some of the other programs and see what they come up with.

45, you might have come up with theeeeee program. I'll post the final results after other scans.

I almost did not try it, assuming it would do no different that all the others.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

SpyNoMore came up with eleven more objects, but they wanted $40 to get rid of them. This was a much heralded program that would not finish scanning before the bad guy rebooted the computer and shut it off.

I will now try LavaSoft Ad-Aware.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped

Thanks All, for your suggestions thru this ordeal. Sometimes you just have to keep trying all the possibilities and that is the beauty of this site.

I did run Ad-Aware and it came up with 7 more objects. No price tag to delete those but it was the Malwarebytes that got thru the maize and was able to do the deed to the bad guy.

Thanks again. I was really not looking forward to any of the alternatives, ie $$$$$'s or time, time, time. Heaven knows that I already spent enoughof the latter on this.

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

Good for you.I hope the virus did not migrate to the other partitions,time will tell.Ron G

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

Good for you.I hope the virus did not migrate to the other partitions,time will tell.Ron G

I don't think so TP. After the intitial fast scan dealt with the issue, I ran a full scan for all drives. It came up clean.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

Glad it worked out for you, Wizeone!

It saved me a reformatting and reload. Yours is the 3rd computer I know of that Malwarebytes has cleaned up when nothing else could touch the virus.

I sent them their $25 after it cleaned mine up, I think it was the 2nd shareware program I've ever paid for in my life, and I've been dealing with PC's since 1985.

No ties to the company or anything, just a very happy user!

 

[LORDY611]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

a local PC shop near me uses only Panda (?) and wont recommend Symantec and McAfee. Anyone have any experience with Panda? I had never heard of it.
I am running the Malware right now on my laptop, which I was ready to reformat and reload, hoping I dont have a hardware problem. It got 6 bugs on the quick scan, I restarted and my problem still is there. Now I am letting it do a full scan. Not too optimistic. I really dont want to buy a new 'puter right now. I'd rather spend it on my house.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

I have had good luck with Trend-Micro,Its a free program.
I have used it on several pcs before.
I run Symantec Corporate 10 on my laptop and have been virus free for over a year.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

I have had good luck with Trend-Micro,Its a free program.
I have used it on several pcs before.
I run Symantec Corporate 10 on my laptop and have been virus free for over a year.

Gary, I ran a half a dozen other virus/spyware/adware programs including trend micro which I used to subscribe to for full time protection.

None of them would run their full course, which was quite lengthy, before the spyware would cause my computer to shut down and reboot.

When, at the 11th hour, 45 recommended the Malwarebytes, their website stated a lightning fast scan. It lived up to its claim and the rest is history.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

hey did you have to pay to use the malwarebyte stuff?

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Ok, I'm Whooped***OS reload averted****

hey did you have to pay to use the malwarebyte stuff?

No, it was free.