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OT help from computer geeks

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alpep
Posted 2008-09-08 6:11 AM (#21743)
Subject: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
yesterday I was searching for a manual for a piece of recording gear. I found it clicked on it and all hell broke loose.

My screenserver was changed to something that says I need spyware protection and I get a pop up every 3 minutes that brings me to a site that sells this sypware stuff.

I ran
windows defender
ad aware
norton protection center

none of these have picked it up.

any clue how I can get stonehendge back as my screensaver and get rid of this popup?

if I ignore the popup it will eventually start IE and take me the spyware site automatically.

windows firewall is enabled I am not running a router at this time I disconnected it months ago for some reason should I put it back?

e me if you have any suggestions
thanks
al
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G8r
Posted 2008-09-08 7:35 AM (#21744 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969

Al - download, install & run Spybot Search & Destroy . If it finds something it can't remove it'll prompt you to restart, whereupon it'll launch itself before anything else & finish it's cleanup.

If that doesn't do it, then this site is a tutorial on how to use two small apps, vundofix and hijackthis, to remove any infection. You may have to post a log of the analysis to one of the forums specializing in these apps where security experts can interpret the logs and pinpoint exactly which files are causing the infection.

HTH
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Waskel
Posted 2008-09-08 7:56 AM (#21745 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840

Location: closely held secret
Good advice, Serge. Sounds like a variant of the blosod trojan.
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Captain Lovehandles
Posted 2008-09-08 7:57 AM (#21746 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
July 2005
Posts: 3410

Location: GA USA
I guess if you can't find a computer geek, an egghead medical researcher will have to do.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-08 9:25 AM (#21747 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
You might also switch your broweser to Firefox.

It has a lot of pop blockers and other protection built in or as a free addon.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-08 9:26 AM (#21748 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Al,
What manual were you searching for and did you eventually get it?
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G8r
Posted 2008-09-08 9:42 AM (#21749 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969

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alpep
Posted 2008-09-08 9:43 AM (#21750 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
I forgot about spybot s&D I ran it and so far so good


Now can you come to jersey and help me finish setting up this recording rid?
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alpep
Posted 2008-09-08 9:44 AM (#21751 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
Originally posted by stephent28:
Al,
What manual were you searching for and did you eventually get it?
I did not get it

motu 2408 MK II

and opps it looks like the pop up is still here.
I am going to reboot and see if that wipes it out
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G8r
Posted 2008-09-08 10:07 AM (#21752 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969

Those vundo trojans are notoriously hard to get rid of - they put multiple copies of themselves all over hidden system directories, and then rename themselves every time you boot up to make them even harder to track down.

Another tool you can try is SUPERAntiSpyware .

The VundoFix tool will ferret out all the places the infection hides, but it's not easy to use unless you're a real geek, so I use it as a last resort. The experts who monitor those vundo forums are good, and get back to you quickly when you post the log files.
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MWoody
Posted 2008-09-08 11:11 AM (#21753 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13987

Location: Upper Left USA
You could get Dave's Mac as soon as he upgrades...
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Gallerinski
Posted 2008-09-08 11:28 AM (#21754 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks
Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 4996

Location: Phoenix AZ
Upgrade to what ???
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-08 11:44 AM (#21755 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
I have found a lot of them like to hide in your restore point file.....so I typically turn off restore which removes all the existing restore points and then clean the system....reboot and turn restore back on.
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alpep
Posted 2008-09-08 11:52 AM (#21756 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
well serge looks like super antispyware did it.

thanks

but we shall see as the day progresses

thanks again
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-08 11:53 AM (#21757 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
I see that the original manuals are available from MOTU for $20. They have them separate for USB and Firewire.....so that is always an option.
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alpep
Posted 2008-09-08 12:19 PM (#21758 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
Originally posted by stephent28:
I see that the original manuals are available from MOTU for $20. They have them separate for USB and Firewire.....so that is always an option.
yup but I seem to find most of this stuff out there on the net for free eventually
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Weaser P
Posted 2008-09-08 12:39 PM (#21759 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5330

Location: Cicero, NY
Al, I've had a little success with the (free) www.safety.live.com scans. That has helped me out with our company pc's a LOT. Give that shot if you're still having issues.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-08 1:03 PM (#21760 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
Originally posted by alpep:
Originally posted by stephent28:
I see that the original manuals are available from MOTU for $20. They have them separate for USB and Firewire.....so that is always an option.
yup but I seem to find most of this stuff out there on the net for free eventually
I agree! Just throwing that out as a last resort.
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FlySig
Posted 2008-09-08 1:07 PM (#21761 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4044

Location: Utah
Originally posted by stephent28:
I have found a lot of them like to hide in your restore point file.....so I typically turn off restore which removes all the existing restore points and then clean the system....reboot and turn restore back on.
Just be sure to turn restore back on, because if it is turned off and then your computer craps out, you cannot restore from safe mode. There are hacks to try to bring back restore, but those don't always work, and didn't for us.

Plus, Windows SP3 wiped out our restore completely on the home desktop. So you cannot rely on restore. (Restore did work ok on the wife's work laptop after SP3). From safe mode you may or may not have access to all the data on your computer, and programs may not run, like Roxio to burn a backup. So you can't rely on Safe mode to recover data from a second hard drive inside your PC.

Which is why we are now an Apple family. In addition to all the other good stuff about Apple, they have a really sweet auto backup to an external wireless drive. The same kind of safety can be gotten with a USB external drive on your PC machine, assuming you remember to do regular backups.
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Mr. Ovation
Posted 2008-09-08 1:18 PM (#21762 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7222

Location: The Great Pacific Northwest
If the popup is your screensaver now.. just right-click on the desktop, select properties, then click the Screen Saver tab, and select a different screen saver.

Also, while there, click the Desktop tab and select Customize desktop, Then select the WEB tab. If there is anything besides "my current.." delete it, and also UNcheck the checkbox near "My Current...."
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lanaki
Posted 2008-09-08 1:39 PM (#21763 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575

Location: big island
another option:
go to start---->run---->type in "msconfig" (without quotes)---->startup tab. if you see any boxes on the left that are checkmarked but the command line and/or location line is blank, uncheck that box.
spyware trojans that insert themselves into your computer's startup will have a checked box but no command or location specifics.
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stephent28
Posted 2008-09-26 12:32 AM (#21764 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks



Joined:
April 2004
Posts: 13303

Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066
I know this is late but I saw this earlier and immediately thought about poor Al and his computer problems!

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alpep
Posted 2008-09-26 8:03 AM (#21765 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10582

Location: NJ
no it's not too late. I just have not even looked at it for too weeks. I am just too frustrated.
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an4340
Posted 2008-09-26 9:58 AM (#21766 - in reply to #21743)
Subject: Re: OT help from computer geeks


Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389

Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands
I've found the best spyware/spam/firewall/virus package was the one provided free by Road Runner. It's by an outfit called CA.

If there's a problem, like with it blocking the emails, I call Road Runner and they fix it. Maybe your internet provider has something similar.

At home, I'll probably look at the computer about an hour a night, and I remember that in the first two week period I was astounded to find over 5000 attempts to get into my computer by outside hackers.
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