Computer advice need -- found a hiding file causing pop-up advertisements

self | July 20, 2003 | self

[Imagine]

Have been bombarded with annoying pop up ads and traced them back to a file I found lurking in directory c:\windows\system. The file is called SHDOCLC.DLL but when I attempt to delete it through Windows Explorer OR MS-DOS, "access is denied."

[Imagine]

Any body have any suggestions????

[Riley]

It appears to be a real system file, but one with some funky coding in it. Read up here:

http://members.aol.com/ojatex/showdoc.htm

If you are running either Win 98 or XP. you can bring up MSConfig and see if there's something untoward starting from the registry. I'd run Adaware too, just for general maintenance reasons.

[willieroe]

That file is a legitimate file - search the filename on Google for more information. If you are worried about spyware on your computer, go to the Lavasoft website and download Ad-aware Standard Edition.

[HairOfTheDog]

Have you searched for anything from or including Gator Corporation?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Try ad-aware. The free version is pretty good.

[Zavien Doombringer]

the SHDOCLC.DLL is for sizing the Internet Explorer Windows. Do not delete this file! It is a needed Systems file.

However, I recommend: 1. Download and Install Ad-Ware from Javasoft.com.

2. Check your installed programs in Add/Remove Programs in your Control Panel, look and see if Gator was installed. If you use Morpheus, then chances are you have it. Delete/remove Gator software.

3. Disable, Java...this will keep those pop-up down, also this will hinder your browsing experience.

[Ex-Dem]

Are you sure you aren't just visiting sites that contain a lot of popups (which is pretty much every site nowadays)?

[Imagine]

I've been doing a lot of google searches, none of which have been to porno sites. The ads are all commerical pop-up -- incredibly rude.

I did do a "GATOR" search and found and deleted nearly 50 gator files -- but the pop-ups keep comming.

One especially annoying pop-up is the "Search the Web" group which pops in a different design ad every time. Same message though.

[Ex-Dem]

Do you have anti-viral software?

If not, and if you have the money, go out and buy Norton Internet Security. It's a package that has both their anti-virus and firewall software. The firewall software has a nice ad-blocking feature. I've only seen maybe a handful of popups since I got it about a year ago.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Gator will probably replicate itself as long as it's host application is on your computer.

Another one that does that is Hotbar, but these are just the tip of the iceberg.

Get Ad-Aware and SpybotSD, along with their most current update files, and run them both. Besides the spyware programs, SpybotSD will seek out registry entries that sites containing malware will place to get themselves "trusted" status, and it will offer to clear out any tracking cookies and document histories.

Anytime you want to download some free goody from the internet, you should check up on them, and stay updated with the spyware removal tools and run them after every new installation.

[Imagine]

How do I get Ad-Ware?

[Chummy]

Ad Aware is terrific at ferreting such garbage, as is "Spybot Search and Destroy". Run both, as each catches some things the other does not.

Also, a really fine Pop-up Blocker is "AdSubtract", a creation I understand of the fella who first brought us "Frogger."

[Chummy]

Here's more on shdoclc.dll:

WinTasks DLL Library

shdoclc - shdoclc.dll - DLL Information
DLL File: shdoclc or shdoclc.dll
DLL Name: Shell Doc Object and Control Library
Description: Used by Windows applications to add web, file, network and document browsing capabilities
System DLL: Yes

Common Errors: File Not Found, Missing File, Exception Errors
Solution: Download WinTasks to find out which application is using this DLL. Many problems can be solved by resinstalling this application. If the DLL is missing, download it to your windows system folder.

You can find Ad Aware at: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

SpybotSD at:
http://security.kolla.de/

and AdSubtract at:
http://www.addsubtract.com/

Good luck!

[InvisibleChurch]

bump4me

[Imagine]

Well, well, well.

I downloaded Ad-Aware and Spybot, ran both and they both found a lot to stuff, which they eliminated. I've been on the internet for over and hour now and I haven't had one bloody pop-up. Ordinarily, I would have had at least 30 PUs by now. Great advice Freepers!!!!!!
Tank qu, tank qu, tank qu

[Clinging Bitterly]

>> ...they both found a lot to stuff...

Amazing isn't it?
A couple weeks ago I went to a friends house to help clean up her popup troubles. She, or someone, had downloaded Hotbar. Ran those two nifty programs and found that Hotbar had replicated it's little trojan all over the machine, there were no less than 66 entries in the registry for it to start when she ran any of her other programs, so with a DSL connection she didn't have a prayer.

Remember, if you ever get an email with those cutesy little smiling faces on the bottom, offering to jazz up your emails with the free download, that's Hotbar. Don't drink the kool-aid.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good info here!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[MizSterious]

Ok, here's a question for anyone who knows--my computer is a Dell, and they insist that putting these kinds of programs on the computer will cause problems--without saying exactly what kind. What's the story on this? And I wonder if some of these trojans might cause even worse problems?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Dell said that?

The guys that build the ads probably use Dells!

I saw something the other day on Trojans!

Found this site :

www.anti-trojan-software-reviews.com