Re: Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware

From: Michel (Michel_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 08/08/04 

Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2004 00:45:02 -0700

My Internet Exp has been hijacked by CoolWebSearch and AdAware, Spybot &
SpywareBlaster have not detected it or removed it! What can I do??

"Walter Clayton" wrote:

> Generally all I use is AdAware first followed by SpyBot. There's a lot of
> overlap in the two tools, but they also concentrate on non-overlapping
> areas. It's also wise to follow up with installing SpywareBlaster. None of
> these require run time presences although SpyBot will offer to install such.
> No harm in doing so and in some instances, especially with multi-user
> machines, a necessity. The biggest issue is remembering to run them
> periodically after checking for updates. The latter is one of the reasons,
> other than not changing usage habits, that people get reinfected. It's
> easier to avoid being click happy than it is to clean up the mess
> afterwards.
>
> There are instances where AdAware/SpyBot may be neutralized or unable to
> clean something. I handle those on a case by case basis since you're looking
> at going with some highly specialized tools that if misused will leave the
> machine unbootable (note that there is a nasty that the current version of
> AdAware had been cleaning incorrectly that would make it impossible to log
> on to the machine without taking corrective action).
>
> Depending on your level of expertise there are some tools that circumvent
> issues with removing nasties that are resident in memory even in safe mode.
> If an XP machine is being disinfected I use a bootable CD created using
> Bart's tools with fully updated AdAware, Trendmicro, McAfee and Kaspersky
> tools (all free versions) incorporated. This also allows me to correct any
> registry issues on the host machine without any major hassles other than
> knowing what parts of the registry need be hacked. The reason I include and
> run AV scanners is generally if some one has a load of spyware it's not
> unusual they'll have nastier stuff as well.
>
> --
> Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
> Associate Expert
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
> http://www.dts-l.org
> http://support.microsoft.com/servicedesks/fileversion/default.asp|
>
>
> "Andrew" <Andrew@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:97E53975-D207-4D60-B5D7-08BE5BB4D3CF@microsoft.com...
> >
>
> >> I already know what Spyware can do and all to your computers but what is
> >> the best Spyware and Ad-aware remover programs out there I'm using Spybot
> >> 1.3 and Ad-aware 6.0 from Lavasoft and I heard having two good Spyware
> >> and Ad-aware remover programs that it will remove about 90% of Spyware
> >> and Ad-aware off your computer and keep it out.
>
>

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