Official Spyware Help Thread

[Bigboi]

I came up with this after having some spyware woes myself. Any questions? Ask em'. Answers? Them too.
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First Day Stuff:
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Notice: Before asking _ANY_ question, make sure you have done the following...

1. Download any of the programs shown below and run scans regularly to keep secure on your computer.

2. Make sure you don't have ridiculous security settings on your web browers and other applications.

3. Download one of the most secure web browsers on the internet: FireFox.
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Spyware/Virus Removal Programs
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Spyware
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PestPatrol (pay, but really really worth it)
Windows Defender (free. It's the renamed version of Microsoft Antispyware. Don't knock it just cause it's a Microsoft product; it's startlingly good. You need SP2 to run it though)
Spyware Blaster (free)

Anti-virus
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AntiVir (free)
AVG (free, or at least this version of it)

Other
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End It All - Much more descriptive version of Task Manager's window for closing processes (not free anymore, but here's a copy from back when it was)
Hijack This - Gives a list of registry entries in specific areas and allows you to erase them with a click. If you don't have experiencing in working directly with the registry, or you're not sure what's what inside it, doing anything in here without help can easily screw up your PC. (free)
Tweak UI - Has nothing to do with anti-virus or spyware. Just a nifty little Microsoft program used to change Windows GUI options that you can't normally change from inside the Control Panel. (free)
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Question and Answer
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How do I remove SurfSideKick adware?

Answer: Follow the guide at http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic9549.html . I confirm that this method works.

Can I use Anti-Spyware programs to remove viruses?

In most cases, no. You'll have to get a seperate program.

Do you have to have anti-spyware programs before or after you get spyware to get rid of it?

You can use Spybot to remove spyware after you've been infected with it.

 

[Blitzzo]

"I remove spyware, but it keeps coming back!"

Download Spybot - Search & Destroy. It has an immunization feature as well as an optional install for the TeaTimer control, which help prevent spyware from entering your system. Also, many spyware processes get blacklisted so they can't run in the background.

http://www.spybot.info/

Edit: Good idea to add that into the first post.

 

[Kiro]

(i'm just saying, do you have to have that before or after you get spywere to get rid of it?)

 

[Bigboi]

(i'm just saying, do you have to have that before or after you get spywere to get rid of it?)

You can use Spybot to delete spyware after you've been infected with it.

 

[Kiro]

ohhh, becouse I had spybot one time... it was no good, it said I would have to pay for it to work...-.-;

 

[Blitzzo]

Then you didn't get the real thing. Spybot is a program you don't have to pay for. Donations are optional. :P

 

[Rob]

(i'm just saying, do you have to have that before or after you get spywere to get rid of it?)

You can use Spybot to delete spyware after you've been infected with it.

Wrong.

It only removes running processes. It won't remove dormant spyware. That's what Ad-Aware is for.

 

[Blitzzo]

Umm... yes it does remove dormant spyware. Haven't you ever used the program?

You may be a bit confused. Spybot removes spyware from your hard-drive, but only in known locations. If the spyware is installed in a funny place, it won't get detected.

 

[Arrow]

I'd like to point out some other useful programs, in addition to the aforementioned Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D.

Spyware
-----
PestPatrol (pay, but really really worth it)
Windows Defender (free. It's the renamed version of Microsoft Antispyware. Don't knock it just cause it's a Microsoft product; it's startlingly good. You need SP2 to run it though)
Spyware Blaster (free)

Anti-virus
-----
AntiVir (free)
AVG (free, or at least this version of it)

Other
-----
End It All - Much more descriptive version of Task Manager's window for closing processes (not free anymore, but here's a copy from back when it was)
Hijack This - Gives a list of registry entries in specific areas and allows you to erase them with a click. If you don't have experiencing in working directly with the registry, or you're not sure what's what inside it, doing anything in here without help can easily screw up your PC. (free)
Tweak UI - Has nothing to do with anti-virus or spyware. Just a nifty little Microsoft program used to change Windows GUI options that you can't normally change from inside the Control Panel. (free)

 

[Blitzzo]

Windows Defender is good, but has no immunization. I found that a certain piece of spyware kept appearing on the system, and I discovered from this that it didn't immunize. I then put Spybot on the computer, and it fixed the problem.

 

[Rob]

You may be a bit confused. Spybot removes spyware from your hard-drive, but only in known locations. If the spyware is installed in a funny place, it won't get detected.

Oh THAT explains so well why Ad-Aware picks up so much more than Spybot does...

 

[Arrow]

Windows Defender is good, but has no immunization. I found that a certain piece of spyware kept appearing on the system, and I discovered from this that it didn't immunize. I then put Spybot on the computer, and it fixed the problem.

Well generally I have every single program I mentioned on my PC and run them all when I have issues. That's sure to combat pretty much anything that comes my way. But yes, the immunization offered by Spybot (and Spyware Blaster for that matter) are definitely useful.