I'm being plagued by Malware/Adware - Help!

[Old Sparky]

THis has occured since I downloaded what I believed to be Winzip, but turned out to be 'jZip', and a lthough I've removed jZip and other things associated with it such as 'Revo Uninstaller', I'm still getting adverts triggered by clicking on, e.g. a link in this and other forums.  I've downloaded 'Spyware Clear', which is supposed to be free, but it will only remove the unwanted 'junk' on payment of £12.95 for one year.  Now it's not the small amount I object to, but, what I consider to be misleading advertising on the part of the company concerned.  Are there any genuinely free anti-malware services, and, if so, which one(s) to members reccomend?

[tiv48]

try spybot search and destroy
cc cleaner
malwarebtes anti malware
all have free versions that work well.
Rob t

[Joe]

Several people have advised you to run MalwareBytes before.

It is free, though tries to get you to accept a month's free 'trial' of the paid-for version so make sure you un-tick that box on installation.

It's very good and has picked up PUPs on my computers that the other AV software has missed.

— Joe

[Mark Hennessy]

Oh dear - this is a bit of a saga, isn't it. I'm afraid that I've rather lost track of your problems, which is understandable given that they are spread across several threads on at least 2 forums

All I can do is point you towards this thread again: http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/...p?tid=4662 - specifically the last section of the last post "I think I have a virus - what do I do?"

In short, get the computer running in Safe Mode, then run a scan with Malwarebytes. Then CCleaner. Then spend a bit of time un-installing software you don't need - especially stuff you don't recognise. Go through the "Add/remove programs" (XP) or "Programs and Features (W7), then take a careful look in C:\Program Files. Use MSConfig to check what's loaded at start-up.

Once everything is up and running again, do an audit to make sure you're generally safe (e.g. don't use Internet Explorer or Outlook Express).

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this. Computers are complex, and so is malware. No two cases are identical. You have to be methodical, and work your way through the problem based on the symptoms. Some understanding of Windows is essential, and expect to seriously increase your level of knowledge whenever you tackle a problem like this (I certainly do!). Google is your friend - if at any point you don't recognise something - a process or a program - just search for it.

Other options? Pay someone to sort if out for you. Unfortunately, because every case is different, you might be handing over a blank cheque...

Or simply reinstall Windows. If you haven't done this for a while, you'll be amazed at the difference it'll make. Personally, I'd buy a new or s/h hard drive and do a totally clean installation, then copy across the contents of the old hard disc into a "backup" folder on the new. Naturally, taking precautions to make sure I didn't re-infect the new installation (viruses and malware can only do their "thing" when they have been executed - having them sitting on a hard drive is harmless unless you accidentally double-click their executables). A full scan from Malwarebytes will render the backed up files totally safe.

Obviously a clean Windows installation will have a period of minor pain as you discover which applications you need to re-install, but it's often the easiest and safest way to fix these problems. Assuming you have the installation discs, of course.

I appreciate that you might not consider yourself to be a computer expert, or you might not enjoy this sort of thing, but honestly, the best way to tackle this is to regard it just like any other engineering problem. The more you look into these things, and the more your understanding grows, the more enjoyable and rewarding it becomes. Easy to say, but try to hold on to that thought as the problem becomes really sticky

Is this your only computer? If so, that makes life harder. Perhaps now might be a good time to think about something newer? Some amazing bargains to be had - I brought a HP DC-7800 machine from eBay a couple of years back for less than £40, and it's the best machine I've ever owned. New enough to be dual-core, but not i3/5/7, so not sought-after. But a massive step up from Pentium 4 machines, and more than enough grunt to run W7 if needed. It's ex-corporate, so a bit tatty, but it lives under my bench so I can't see it! We regularly throw away similar machines at work, and the next batch will be of that sort of vintage, so I plan - if work are willing - to rescue a few and offer them on the forum in return for a donation to Children In Need.

If you're really stuck, I could probably sort out a Pentium 4 machine for you, and I'd be able to do a clean XP install, but it will be a bit slow...

Good luck!

[Refugee]

I would go with a new hard drive and clean install.
A Linux install on a spare hard drive is a pretty bomb proof way of rescuing data from a damaged drive and can be used to back up all your data while you are at it.
Then you can format and Fdisk the old hard drive and kill all the viruses on it.
The partitions sometimes need to be removed also as some viruses can hide on drives that have just been formatted and not re-partitioned.

[Old Sparky]

For the time being, I'm using Google Chrome instead of Firefox, but may well consider either a new HDD or replacing this now 13 year old computer, although I'm one of those who'd rather not scrap something that's working just because it's old (I still have a CRT TV & Freeview Box for example)

[ppppenguin]

There are several problems with using a machine you know to be infected. Even if it seems OK when using a different browser it may well not be. Since you don't know the true nature of the infection you could be compromising the security of anyothing from your GVR login to your online banking. You could be responsible for generating spam, either directly by your PC sending it or indrectly by others acquiring data from your email address book.

As Mark said, having another computer makes life a lot easier. You can get online even if your main machine is out of action or badly infected. These days a smartphone can serve the same purpose to a limited extent with the bonus that it's also a backup internet conenction if your landline fails.

[Joe]

There's nothing lost, apart from a bit of your time, by running MalwareBytes. That would at least provide some clue as to where the problem is and if more drastic measures are called for.

We don't really know what we're dealing with yet. Some software which adds itself is a pain but not actually malicious. As such it doesn't trigger a lot of AV programs, which is probably why yours let it be installed. MalwareBytes also finds these types of 'Potentially Unwanted Programs' and gives you the option to remove them.

I agree with you about not scrapping something that works to your satisfaction. Personally I think we're far from that point. I've had something very similar with web-sites suddenly producing fake links but I can't remember how I shifted it. It therefore can't have been anything dramatic.

It would be as well to make sure anything you don't wish to loose is backed-up onto CDs, memory cards or whatever. This will be useful if you do need to completely wipe the hard disk or if the problem ultimately stops your PC from working altogether.

— Joe

[Mark Hennessy]

For the time being, I'm using Google Chrome instead of Firefox, but may well consider either a new HDD or replacing this now 13 year old computer, although I'm one of those who'd rather not scrap something that's working just because it's old (I still have a CRT TV & Freeview Box for example)

I think that everyone here will appreciate that sentiment, myself included. But honestly, you are on borrowed time.

Buying a newer machine does not mean that this one has to be thrown away. The OS could be rebuilt - which you really ought to do anyway - and kept as a "hot spare". Or you could experiment with Linux...

Your machine is probably a Pentium 4, and if so, those processors were notorious for their power consumption, which was really tough on the power supplies and the DC-DC converters on the motherboard. The increased heat inside the case stressed everything else too. Add to that the "bad caps" debacle, and it doesn't look good. There's no way I'd rely on a machine from that era as my primary machine.

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself how worthwhile is it to waste time on this. A PC is a tool that needs to work reliably. But it needs to keep up to date. Every new release of Firefox adds significant new features beneath the surface to support modern web technologies, which places greater demands on the underlying operating system and hardware, and already, even a top-end P4 struggles to just browse the web. I upgraded my workshop P4 because watching YouTube videos made the processor run at 90-100%, with the fans ramping up to full speed, and the power consumption rising to a couple of hundred watts. The newer Dual-Core system doesn't have that issue - even at 1080 HD running full-screen.

Using a P4 today is like using an AVO 8 to repair modern circuitry. Yes, the AVO might be in perfect working order, but it's no longer adequate for most tasks. Fine for vintage stuff, obviously. Likewise, if you only visit websites that were coded in 2002, then you might be OK, but things have moved on a long way since then.

Today, I only have one P4 system hooked up and ready to go, and that runs Windows 98 for certain electronics tasks that require direct access to serial and parallel ports - it doesn't connect to the internet. I have a number of P4 systems in the attic, gathering dust - they will never be used.. I even managed to watch several end up in the WEEE skip at work. I would rescue dual-core machines, however. Like a shot

Yes, I still watch CRT TVs. There are 5 in this house in regular use, and probably double that in the attic. But it's not quite the same argument, as good CRTs are still better than LCDs. But that's another thread entirely