Is my computer F'ed in the A?

[DSBurroughs]

So, about a week ago, my computer starting getting a ridiculous amount of trojans and various other spyware garbage. My antivirus stuff picks it up (Symantec and AdAware) but don't actually get rid of the problem. I'm also experiencing a gross amount of pop-ups and when I went to check my firewall, it was off and the radio buttons were greyed out so I couldn't turn it back on.

Is there anything I can do to fix this, by chance? Or am I going to have to wipe the hard drive?

[kahljorn]

one problem with spyware and stuff is that it can reinstall itself. Just keep running the programs in safe-mode... try running it more than once or twice before rebooting so that it can pick up the scraps. Try to find the file that makes the stuff reinstall itself and delete that. I've had this problem before and all i can say is that you have to try really hard and be persistent.
Oh yea and sometimes the stuff doesn't get deleted because it's already running. that's why you should boot up into safe-mode and run the programs a lot and then try to find the file(s) that cause it to reinstall. The more stuff you delete, the less likely that it will be running in the background since you will have eliminated it's associations, and thus be undeletable.

Also check your add/remove programs list for installers/crap/"Toolbars"/other crap.

[AChimp]

You only get spyware if you're retarded and install those stupid little browser plugins to make your mouse cursor blink and shit. A complete format and reinstall is the only way to make sure everything is back to normal.

[Grislygus]

I personally think it's B'ed in the C, or at least S'ed in the M.

[executioneer]

Originally Posted by AChimp

You only get spyware if you're retarded and install those stupid little browser plugins to make your mouse cursor blink and shit. A complete format and reinstall is the only way to make sure everything is back to normal.

this is not necessarily true i keep re-getting webhancer every few months and i don't know how to get it to quit, apart from MAYBE disabling flash

[executioneer]

although it would probably help if i would get some security patches on my "100% legitimate" xp

OR YES I KNOW FIREFOX SHUT UP FAGS

[kahljorn]

quit visiting porn sites guys

[executioneer]

i don't visit porn sites those bittorrents sites probably dont help tho

[AChimp]

Yeah, it doesn't help if you don't patch IE.

[FartinMowler]

Does a computer have an ass to get fucked? *



*kids drinking alchohol on a Wednesday can lead to poor behaviour.

[DSBurroughs]

No amount of deletion or patches has yet fixed this piece of trash. It seems like every time I delete something, it shows back up again with an extra letter or number attached. I've deleted IE and installed Firefox, but I still get IE pop-ups.

Oh, and it just took me 40 minutes to start up and connect to the Internet. So looks like I'm just throwing this piece out the window and getting a more worthwhile updated model. Good riddance.

[kahljorn]

dude don't do that follow my suggestion very carefully and try to use more than one virus/spyware programs. Seriously I've had that type of problem before and the main problem is that the stuff reinstalls itself so you have to nip the shit that will reinstall...
Make sure you run the spyware programs more than once per reboot. I think three times would catch everything.. and if there's a file that won't delete get one of those file shredder programs and shred that puppy.

also go to run and type msconfig and make sure there isn't anything starting up that shouldn't be... that's why you should use safemode, though ;o