Posted on 03/23/2005 8:42:31 PM PST by passionfruit
I have been a Mac user since the first one rolled off the assembly line. I love them, and still have one, which I am using to write this post. The problem is that I bought a notebook PC because I have some work related needs that I couldn't use my Mac for.
My teenage son asked if he could check his email on the PC, and like an idiot, I said yes. He walked off with the notebook, and went to a web site that a friend had told him was "really cool". It became infected with spyware, ad ware and goodness knows what else. We have been running Norton anti virus on it, and have deleted all of the infected files several times. Some persistant ones pop up again when the computer re-starts, and now, Norton Anti Virus won't allow us to do any repair wizard fumctions. It tells us that it has deleted fioles, but won't let us do anything manually, and of course, the files aren't really deleted.
Our version of Norton Anti Virus came with the computer, and did not come with instructions.
Any suggestions that don't include bodily injury to my son, or buying another Mac would be appreciated!
Most of the advice to get rid of spyware is OK. However, I think that you also have malicous files which Norton has isolated.
Try this:
1 In the Norton AntiVirus main window, click Reports.
2 Click View Reports next to the Quarantined items option.
3 In the left panel of the Quarantine, click Quarantined Items.
4 Select a file in the list of Quarantined items and click Delete Item.
You are prompted to confirm that you want to permanently remove the item from you computer.
5 Click Yes to delete the file.
Copyright© 2000-2002 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.
That would be about as effective as King Canute commanding the waves to stop crashing on shore. Hackers in Russia and India and Vietnam will take no notice whatsoever of laws passed by our Congress.
-ccm
I've been using Ad-Aware for about a year now. Between that and my ZoneAlarm firewall software, I've been in pretty good shape as far as pop-ups and spyware are concerned.
I sure appreciate all of this help guys, It's been about three weeks now and I haven't been able to use the computer for it's intended purpose for fear I would infect the companys web site.
Don't listen to the Adware or Spybot suggestions. The best product out there by far is Microsoft's Antispyware. This stuff ROCKS.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
The PC that is infected has XP on it. My Mac's just don't get infected.
Quit.
There's no job so good that it would make me use Bill Gates's feeble crapware instead of my Mac.
-ccm
I would also suggest downloading SpywareBlaster - keeps the nasties from ever getting ON your PC.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Another thing you might DL is X-Ray PC: works like Hijack This! but automatically.
http://www.x-raypc.com/
The absolutely best spyware remover is Spy Sweeper from Webroot. If everything else fails use this software... you get a free 30 day trial, more than enough to get the crap out of your system.
I have both AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy plus a registry cleaner. I got a Download Trojan last week and have been running scans over and over.
I also have Norton with Symantics update but I am getting popups like crazy in spite of MS blocker and also getting new icons on my desktop.
Nothing seems to be working!
You could always reformat your computer and start from scratch.
Go here and see if any parasites are detected: Parasite detector
I have tons of spyware cookies on my computer.
Adaware will get rid of them, but the second i got a website the cookies are on my computer.
Cookies are not always bad. Free Republic uses one.
absolutely agree...the new anti-spyware program by Microsoft is awesome!
Are you talking about a website of your own? I have several and of course you have to have cookies for them unless you want to relog in over and over.
I blame mine on downloading gifs from everywhere!
My computer is running slow tonight and I'm on cable.
Isn't it great? I tried all that other crap - the adaware, lavasoft, spyhunter, etc. Microsoft caught all the stuff that the others left behind. I am 110% behind it. (of course there are Microsoft haters that will ever acknowledge it's a good thing)
It is really good, isn't it? Since you recommended it before, I haven't had one!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.