[Hoonercat]

Hello, sorry my first post is a 'please help' but I'm desperate. I bought my PC about 2 months ago and had no problems until this week until, out of the blue:
Home page is set to Wanadoo but it suddenly looked completely different. The usual red background has gone, the format is completely different with everything in a single column to the left of the page and there are odd icons everywhere (speech bubbles, what looks like a camera, bricks & discs). Most of the page is text which looks unformatted.
I can access my webmail account but can't open or send mail,
I can't open my hotmail account, just get a blank page.
When I launch Mcafee Security Centre I just get a blank window, the same as when I try to do a virus scan using Mcafee.
When I run start/help & support nothing happens.
When I try to do a search I get a blank window.
On certain websites I can't get any further than the homepage as nothing happens when I click on the links.
As a last resort I was going to try a system restore but again I only get a blank window. (None of these pages contain a 'about blank' messgae).
I have run avant! Antivirus which found nothing, spybot comes up with DSO exploit all the time. I have contacted Wanadoo who've confirmed that the problem is at my end as they can access and open my mail (with my permission).
So if anyone has any ideas could you please let me know before my new PC learns how to fly via the window.

[fredg]

Hi,
You gave some very good info, except what is your windows operating system, such as XP, 98, etc?
It sounds like you have a Trojan (Spyware program(s) ) in your computer.
The "give-away" is the re-setting of your home page.
Here are some suggestions and steps of what to do:

If you think you already have Spyware/Advertising Ware in your computer, run these as follows:
Spyware/Advertising ware removal

http://www.security-related.com/download2.htm
Download: SpyBot Search & Destroy; 1.3

AdAware at:
www.lavasoftusa.com
Download: AdAware_SE

Both the above programs run better and much faster when run in SafeMode.
It's best to run the AdAware scan first; 3 times; then re-boot.
Then, run the AdAware scan again 3 times; then run the SpyBot.
Re- Boot.
Reason for running so many times:
Some of these trojans' files can be deleted the first time; leaving some others; but on re-boot, they re-write the files that were deleted.
Running multiple times deletes most of it the first
Time.

If you wish to have a great program, after you clean out Spyware/Advertising Ware:
SpyWare Blaster 3.2
Great, free, program that STOPS spyware, trojans, home page hijacks, etc, BEFORE they get into your computer. Check it out at CNET at link:

http://www.download.com/SpywareBlast...ml?tag=lst-0-2

Two Tips:
If you notice the little green computer lights that show your dial-up connection to the internet staying on when they shouldn't be, located on the bottom right of the system tray, disconnect immediately and run AdAware. These lights staying on means that some URL is sending or receiving spyware/advertising ware to or from your computer, most of the time.

Other Tip: After being on the net, if you have visited any sites you don't really trust, then run AdAware BEFORE you shut down or re-start the computer. This will delete any Spyware easier, before the computer can configure it, set it up, spread it throughout the Registry, and make it more difficult to remove after re-booting.

If the above doesn't work, then try editing the Registry. BE CAREFUL when deleting things from the Registry; your computer might not re-boot.
When the computer boots up, the Registry tells it what programs to run; telling it to run the SpyWare/Advertising programs first, if in the computer.
Here are steps for deleting things that startup when you boot up the computer:

Go to Start/Run. Type in "regedit" without quotes, then click on OK.
At the top, Click on "Edit", then "Find".
In the space Find What: type in what you want to find. (in this case, RUN).
Then, put a check mark by "Match whole string only". This will keep the search from stopping at every word it finds, like the word "run", etc.
Then click "Find Next". It will search the registry for the first entry you typed in.
It will "open" a folder on the left hand side of the screen, showing what is in the folder on the right hand side. If you know that an entry on the right hand side is something you no longer have, or has just been added with a name you don't know, then right click on it, then left click "delete", tell it Yes or OK to remove it.
Then, press F3 on the top of the keypad to continue the search.
When finished, at the top, click on File, Exit.

Any StartUp programs, that start when the computer boots up will be listed in folders on the left hand side of the screen with names like:
RUN, RUNSERVICES, RUNONCE, RUN-, etc.
Click on the next folder down with the name RUN in it, to look at its startups on the right hand side.

If the spyware/advertising program has re-set your home page; you will have to type in the home page you want.; click on Apply, and OK.

Please post back if you have any questions.
Happy New Year,
fredg

[Hoonercat]

Thanks for the reply, please bare with me as I'm new to this and still going through your post. I have Spy-bot installed, the only thing it finds is DSO Exploit. I installed Spyware blaster yesterday (too late) and will install Adware as suggested.
I'm starting to think the problem may stem from Mcafee. I have tried to uninstall it but again just get a blank window. In fact, anything relating to Mcafee just gives me blanks. Even when I enter the Mcafee home page and try to follow the links for contacting them I end up with a blank page. Does anyone know how I can contact them?
Many thanks

[psi42]

Try going to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ and making a scan. It probably won't pick up most of the less-malicious spyware, but it might find something.

[fredg]

HI,
Please download/install AdAware_SE, and run as suggested.
That just might clear it up.
fredg

[Hoonercat]

I've ended up doing a symantec PC restore after running all the mentioned programs without any luck and everything's running fine now Next thing to do is get rid of Mcafee and find myself a good firewall.

[wkirky]

I would suggest you use AVG Anti Virus & Zone Alarm Firewall both of which are free to use and will protect you fully. They can be downloaded from the following sites.

AVG
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition - Reviews and free AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition downloads at Download.com

Zone-Alarm
ZoneAlarm by Check Point - Award winning PC Protection, Antivirus, Firewall, Anti-Spyware, Identity Protection, and much more.

You will need to select the free basic Firewall protection on the Zone Alarm website. You will be fully protected by using these version however from time to time they may try to sell you the paid for versions. You can just select no and the free versions will continue to work fully.

Hope this helps