i KNOW this has to be spyware or a virus or SOMETHING. because its causing nothing but trouble. my husband was on porn sites last night :rolleyes:

i woke up this morning to him saying 'i think i broke the computer'

norton blocked alot of things that this 'program demo' did.
but its not doing it all the time.

its not allowing me into system files, it keeps redirecting me to porn sites, and then it will pop up full screen asking me if i want to download thier full version for 39.99

its in my system tray popping up balloons saying 'windows security alert'

i ran a full norton scan so im pretty sure its not a virus. its gotta be spyware.

how do i get rid of this?

every time i try to download search and destroy, it doesnt let me. grrr. frustrating.

First, download, install, and run CCleaner. You might have to borrow someone's computer and download it onto a USB Flash Drive (they're cheap - under $10)

CCleaner - Download (http://www.ccleaner.com/download)

(use the FileHippo site -- the other site is too slow). Run that to get rid of a lot of the crap that is on your computer. Before you clean anything (or you can do a second cleaning), launch CCleaner and go to Options | Advanced, and UNCHECK the box labeled "only delete files in Windows Temp folders older than 48 hours". You can check that later but for now, you really want to clean the temporary files folder out completely.

After you run CCleaner, install and run MalwareBytes:

Malwarebytes.org (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)

Scan with that and delete whatever it finds.

Launch your browser (Internet Explorer or FireFox, or whatever), and reset it to its default state (TOOLS | INTERNET OPTIONS | Advanced (tab) | Reset (BUTTON)). You can then change your home page to whatever you want. Browse to the page you want to be your home page and select (TOOLS | INTERNET OPTIONS | General (tab) | Use Current (button)).

If that doesn't work, you should reply here and let us know as exactly as possible, what you're seeing.

There are a bunch of malware programs that actually install themselves on your computer, then tell you that you're infected and ask you to pay to clean everything off -- not telling you that it's the malware that's causing the problem. Once you pay $39.99, they do fix a few things, but they don't completely remove themselves. Don't fall for their scams!

And tell your hubbie to quit fooling around or you'll take away his computer privileges!

thanks hon ill do that now.

lol telling my husband he cant do something or ill take it away is pointless. ive tried that before. this isnt the first virus/spyware/malware that we have gotten because of his 'habits' and he always throws a tantrum fit if i tell him to stop :P and i mean a REAL fit.

You need to get into the BIOS (press <F2> on cold boot), and enter a SYSTEM PASSWORD and don't tell it to him. That way, he can't get even use the computer -- only you can unlock the computer for him! With a system password, he'd need that to get into the BIOS and change it.

:D :mad:

May I suggest, rather than something as draconian as a Power on Password, you simply set him up with his one limited access account and password protect your own.

this way he can still us the computer, but is isolated from making a mess of the complete system.
Also this stops any meaningless arguments on computer access and usage.

ooo thats an awesome idea ben. thanks!

ok the registermechanic that i got from malwarebytes.com didnt work. it cleaned some of it. but there was more than 500 errors on it and it only cleaned 45 and said i had to pay for the full version to get the rest of them cleaned. so when i went to the page, it wont let me go grrr.

how do i do that system restore thing? where it restores the whole computer to what it was yesterday or the day before?

Registry Mechanic is the wrong program. You want MalwareBytes. Go to the link I posted (here it is again):

Malwarebytes.org (http://www.malwarebytes.org/)

At the left is a blue button labeled "Download Free Version" (Download in big print). Click on that. It will take you to this link (actually, you can start at this link):

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Reviews and free Malwarebytes Anti-Malware downloads at Download.com (http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button)

Click on the "Download Now" button.

---------------------------------------

The System Restore is as follows:

Go to START | ALL PROGRAMS | ACCESSORIES | SYSTEM TOOLS | SYSTEM RESTORE

Quite honestly, you should run MalwareBytes before doing that also!

the links arent even opening. it keeps automatically going to a site called...

http://avirprotect.microsoft.com/block.php?r=49.2


but that site doesnt even load it just says cannot display webpage

The malware is blocking you. This is the full URL for Malwarebytes (except for the "HTTP://")

"download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?part=dl-10804572&subj=dl&tag=button"

Here is the download location for CCleaner

"www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/"

I suggest you copy them and go to another computer and download them to a USB flash drive.

grr the only other computer i have access to is a public computer at the library and you arent allowed to download anything, even to a flash drive (i have a flash drive)

oooh im gonna keep trying. i got it to load ONCE. then it stopped. im gonna keep trying to get past the stupid malware thing

GOT IT

i had to load the page, and then REALLY FAST hit the 'stop loading' button.

the download wouldnt pop up automatically, but i clikced the 'click here' button and now its downloading :D thanks perito

Thank you so so so much perito for the help!!! everything is fixed now. it took 20 minutes for the scan lol. but now that stupid malware thing is GONE. thank you again.

and thank you ben for that idea about seperate user profiles. do you know if on the seperate user profiles, if i change the security settings/restricted sites on HIS profile, will it effect my profile too?

Antivirus system pro can be removed manually as well. Removal guide
(http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-antivirus-system-pro.html)

You may just end Antivirus system pro processes and then download MalwareBytes anti-malware or Spyware Doctor.