Spyware Removal

[Meely]

Hello gang,

 

As of late my computer functions crawl along at a snail's pace.

I figured my puter is prolly laced with some sort of Spyware which is slowing it down.

 

Can anyone recommend a good (free) version of a spyware removal program and where to get it?

 

Tnx,

 

Meely

[Beats]

Spybot - Search and Destroy.

 

Just google it

[HTHM]

Adware as well.

[ehg]

Recently had some 'downloader' thing come off facebook.

Ran Spybot and Lavasoft ad- aware and they found nothing.

Ran AVG Anti-spyware and it found and removed the thing slowing and messing up my computer.

Maybe try AVG it was free.

[Wendel]

Avg or superantispyware.com

 

it does a really good job!!!

[Governator]

I've had AVG running for years.... A+

[Billy Bob]

Another thing to really get your computer to run faster is get rid of Microsoft Explorer and use Mozilla Firefox as your browser. That was the BEST thing I ever did to surf the web.

 

Bob

[Hooked]

Best thing to run is ATF Cleaner first, then Malwarebytes Anti Malware. Make sure you update Malwrebytes first before running. Trust me, that anti-malware program puts others to shame.

[bicephalic]

Hey - I'm going to start broad here and if you need more detail let me know.

If you have the opportunity, pull the hard drive and scan it with Kaspersky or Avast (free trials) in another computer or a usb tray. Other people have recommended AVG here - EXCELLENT product, but as of late, the free version just hasn't been cutting it for us - the pay version (under $40 US) does a better job).

 

Download the following (all can be found by a google search):

 

Lavaosft Ad Aware (Ad Aware SE will run in safe mode, and although old, tends to be more effective than the most recent version if you can find it), AVG Anti spyware, McAfee Stinger.

 

Also get the following:

 

Kazaabegone, miniremoval_coolwebsearch_smartkiller, Hijack this, CWShredder, Kill2me, SmitFraudFix(will be detected by some programs as a virus itself - it isn't), and winsockxpfix.

Next (or first if you don't have the resources to scan it with another computer) - restart the computer in safe mode - (hit F8 repeatedly on boot until you see a menu where you can pick Safe mode and hit enter).

 

Once windows is loaded run them all in the order listed above.

 

Then reboot into regular mode - run super anti spyware, and spybot search and destoy as a follow up.

 

oh and btw - no warranties expressed or implied

[douG]

Sounds pretty thorough to me, bicephalic.

 

Which head I be talkin to right now? This is way worse that trying to talk to someone whose eyes don't track, so you don't know which eye to look at. Should I be checking something out over my shoulder? Two heads is worser, by far.

 

I wasn't referring to you, Roy.

[Canuck]

Anti Malware gets my vote. Finds problems the others miss. Then install and run Advanced WindowsCare Personal. It has filters that keep the crap from coming back. Its really good and free. Also has a registry cleaner that speeds things up a lot.

Edited November 8, 2008 by Canuck