Adware of doom!

Anime2Envy · Post by **Anime2Envy** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 1:06 am

This god forsaken adware is starting to piss me off! Normally I run lavasoft adaware 6 pro on my computer about every three days, and I have never had a real problem with before. About a week ago I started getting a BUNCH of adware installed on my computer out of nowhere. I have ran adaware numerous times with all the latest definitions it always says that everything has been cleaned, but if I run it again half an hour later it will find a bunch of new adware that wasn’t there before. I have even tried running it in safe mode, but it doesn’t help. I am not just talking about ‘Gator’ here, I bet I have removed over 50 different adware programs over the last week! They keep installing toolbars, changing my home page, putting icons on my desktop, and just plain pissing me off! I have cleared all my cookies, and am blocking all cookies for now, but it seems to have nothing to do with my internet use. I hate this, it’s like I have a Trojan that keeps installing random adware on my computer! Yes I have ran Norton, and no I have not installed anything new in the last few weeks.

Also something else is really bothering me that may or may not be related. My auto-hide on my task bar stopped working! It simply refuses to hide. If I reboot my computer it will hide itself for a few hours, but then randomly it will just stop hiding. If I disable then re-enable it will hide once, then just stay there. Also one more odd thing, if I right click on my taskbar and go to ‘toolbars’ it shows a toolbar enabled called ‘TDbo3.’ This is something that I have never seen before, but when I try and disable it, it crashes explorer!

These are some of the smallest yet most irritating problems I have ever had with windows. I hate to think I am going to have to reinstall windows just to fix these little things, seeings as how in general my computer is running more stable then ever. But if I cant get these things fixed soon I am going to have to do it.

Anyone ever heard these of these things before? If so please let me know!

Flint the Dwarf · Post by **Flint the Dwarf** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 1:08 am

What browser are you using?

Hint: use Opera.

Zarxrax · Post by **Zarxrax** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:11 am

Also try the program Spybot. It can get some stuff that adaware doesnt catch, or so I'm told.

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:43 am

Norton sucks when it comes to adverse programs (not quite in the 'virus' definition so it ignores them completely). You might try McAfee. Though Norton came installed on my comp, and is supposed to be the best, McAfee catches the programs as well. It definitely sounds like you have a program hiding in your registry - if you can isolate it that should do the trick. I don't know about Adaware, but McAfee (the version I have) identifies and removes those sort of programs *and* identifies the source if they're coming from one program (or trojan - whatever they're called).

At the very least, you might check the latest list on the McAfee website and see if that taskbar (whatever the file itself is named) is listed under the adverse programs - it could be the source of your problem.

Flint the Dwarf · Post by **Flint the Dwarf** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:46 am

I have a great idea! Get Opera. OMG

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:53 am

flint_the_dwarf wrote:

I have a great idea! Get Opera. OMG

Will Opera remove adverse programs already embedded in the computer?

Flint the Dwarf · Post by **Flint the Dwarf** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 2:59 am

Maybe not remove them, but block them.

I know, Opera isn't the cure-all to browser related problems but it has a lot fewer problems than IE.

Arigatomina · Post by **Arigatomina** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 3:26 am

flint_the_dwarf wrote:Maybe not remove them, but block them.

I know, Opera isn't the cure-all to browser related problems but it has a lot fewer problems than IE.

Ah. I was going to say, if it has nothing to do with her connection I didn't think IE would be to blame. But it would be handy to block them while she's trying to find the source if she has to get online.

Lyrs · Post by **Lyrs** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 12:43 pm

Zarxrax wrote:Also try the program Spybot. It can get some stuff that adaware doesnt catch, or so I'm told.

Yep, it sure does find a lot of things, but you'll need some knowledge of what to remove and what not.

i use it, however if you're getting swamped with adware, make sure that you know which software has the adware attached to it and try to find the right anti-adware tool on google.

dwchang · Post by **dwchang** » Fri Nov 07, 2003 12:51 pm

Zarxrax wrote:Also try the program Spybot. It can get some stuff that adaware doesnt catch, or so I'm told.

x2

DEFINITELY use spybot instead.

A) it catches things adaware doesn't.
B) (most important) It immunizes your computer. What does this mean? After it finds and deletes something, it makes it so your computer won't ever get that file again. Stuff like gator.com will be found once, banned, move on.
C) Easy to update

Oh and as Flint says, use Opera or Mozilla. Both can disable pop-ups and junk like that.