Re: user accounts and lost files

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

From: Bert Kinney (bert_at_NSmvps.org)
Date: 12/12/04 

Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2004 15:29:47 -0500

Hi,

I am assuming you did a virus scan with up to date virus software.

Next search and destroy any installed SpyWare/malware/adware:
Ad-aware is a free multi spyware removal utility that scans
your memory, registry and hard drives for known spyware
components and lets you remove them safely. After installing
Ad-Aware make sure to run the update feature before scanning.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ For large amounts of installed
spyware and such, it may be necessary to run Ad-Aware several
times to clear them all.

Here are a couple more removal tools that should also be run.
CWShredder: http://aumha.org/freeware/freeware.php#cwshred

Spybot: http://www.safer-networking.org/

SpywareBlaster:
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html
SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it
prevents it from ever being installed. SpywareBlaster is
a non memory resident utility. It works by setting a "kill bit"
for the CLSIDs of spyware ActiveX controls, it prevents the
installation of any of them from a webpage.

For more information:
The Parasite Fight:
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Cleaning a Pest-Infested Computer:
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm 

-- 
Regards,
Bert Kinney [MS-MVP DTS]
http://dts-l.org/
wegs wrote:
> This morning when I woke up the computer I noticed that
> all the icons for the accounts on the welcome psge hsd
> changed to the chess picture snd then when i logged onto
> my account I had the messages that virtual memory
> low,norton antivirus subscription unable to read.  I then
> checked ie explorer and found the home page had changed
> to a mixture of symbols and wouldn't change back and i
> was unable to access the main section on registry
> microsoft/ie explore/main (this has happened before but
> is usually fixed by by just restarting the computer). I
> then found all my documents and saved files missing as
> well. I check the other account users and their were
> fine. I restarted computer but although home page was
> reset nothing else was so I tried changing the user
> account pictures but no appeared in the box as normal. i
> am presuming i have a virus by have been unable to locate
> the problem despite virus scans.
> anyone any ideas

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