Blackadar
08-09-2004, 07:21 AM
I've never had a virus problem before...at least none that I know of. I run a pretty clean system and only DL from sites that I know should be safe.
I installed NetZero software on my PC and the last couple of days I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle against viruses and spyware. I don't really think I'm losing, but I'm not sure I'm winning either.
I'm running Avast virus protection and it keeps finding viruses. For example, I ran a full scan yesterday afternoon and told it to get rid of a couple it found. I haven't DL'd anything since then...yet first thing this AM, up pops another one. Ran another scanner and it found a couple of others as well. Yet I haven't DL'd anything...so where are these bastards coming from?
The same thing with Spyware. I've used Adaware and Spybot for a couple of years, but now I'm just getting killed with Spyware. I've had to stop using IE and switch totally to Mozilla to avoid the pop-ups. Since I'm using NetZero high-speed dial-up, I can't use the high-speed part since it works only with IE. So I'm back to plain old dial-up speeds. I think I got most of the spyware, but I still see the occasional pop-up.
I even had crap installed to my PC that looked pretty legitimate...like I WANTED this stuff. That was easy to remove, but I never installed it.
Here's the questions:
1. Could the NetZero software itself be doing this? I would doubt it, but I've had no problems until I Dl'd their software. Now all hell has broken loose. Does anyone know anything about NetZero software and Spyware coming along with it? If it does, I'll stop using them immediately.
2. One of the things NetZero did when I installed it was to DL software automatically. For example, if I click on a DL link, I don't get a pop-up box that shows where I want to save the file, etc. It just starts DL'ing the file and the only indication is a little icon in the bottom left-hand corner of IE. I want the option to specify if and where I DL files...
How do I get IE to start giving me the option of whether I want to DL something or not? I can't seem to find it anywhere in the IE options menu. I reset my security levels and that didn't do it. I looked at the help file and can't find it there either. There's got to be some option somewhere. I'd prefer to use Mozilla, but if I keep the high-speed part of NetZero, I need IE to work properly.
I'm thinking that this is probably the culprit and I surfed somewhere that automatically took advantage of this and DL'd some crap to my 'puter.
3. Is there anything out there better than Avast/Adaware/Spybot for getting rid of crap? I'm noticing that some things keep coming around...even after their supposed removal. I won't use Norton or Symantec software - I've had major issues with both in the past screwing up my system.
4. What's a decent dial-up provider that doesn't make you install software yet doesn't cost $20/mth? I was going to use Earthlink, but $20/mth for dial-up is absurd. I need someone with a lot of options for phone numbers, because the particular calling area I'm in is very limited. If I have to pay for unlimited "metro" calling it's another $20/mth, which makes it as expensive as just getting a DSL line or cable modem.
Thanks for the help!
I installed NetZero software on my PC and the last couple of days I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle against viruses and spyware. I don't really think I'm losing, but I'm not sure I'm winning either.
I'm running Avast virus protection and it keeps finding viruses. For example, I ran a full scan yesterday afternoon and told it to get rid of a couple it found. I haven't DL'd anything since then...yet first thing this AM, up pops another one. Ran another scanner and it found a couple of others as well. Yet I haven't DL'd anything...so where are these bastards coming from?
The same thing with Spyware. I've used Adaware and Spybot for a couple of years, but now I'm just getting killed with Spyware. I've had to stop using IE and switch totally to Mozilla to avoid the pop-ups. Since I'm using NetZero high-speed dial-up, I can't use the high-speed part since it works only with IE. So I'm back to plain old dial-up speeds. I think I got most of the spyware, but I still see the occasional pop-up.
I even had crap installed to my PC that looked pretty legitimate...like I WANTED this stuff. That was easy to remove, but I never installed it.
Here's the questions:
1. Could the NetZero software itself be doing this? I would doubt it, but I've had no problems until I Dl'd their software. Now all hell has broken loose. Does anyone know anything about NetZero software and Spyware coming along with it? If it does, I'll stop using them immediately.
2. One of the things NetZero did when I installed it was to DL software automatically. For example, if I click on a DL link, I don't get a pop-up box that shows where I want to save the file, etc. It just starts DL'ing the file and the only indication is a little icon in the bottom left-hand corner of IE. I want the option to specify if and where I DL files...
How do I get IE to start giving me the option of whether I want to DL something or not? I can't seem to find it anywhere in the IE options menu. I reset my security levels and that didn't do it. I looked at the help file and can't find it there either. There's got to be some option somewhere. I'd prefer to use Mozilla, but if I keep the high-speed part of NetZero, I need IE to work properly.
I'm thinking that this is probably the culprit and I surfed somewhere that automatically took advantage of this and DL'd some crap to my 'puter.
3. Is there anything out there better than Avast/Adaware/Spybot for getting rid of crap? I'm noticing that some things keep coming around...even after their supposed removal. I won't use Norton or Symantec software - I've had major issues with both in the past screwing up my system.
4. What's a decent dial-up provider that doesn't make you install software yet doesn't cost $20/mth? I was going to use Earthlink, but $20/mth for dial-up is absurd. I need someone with a lot of options for phone numbers, because the particular calling area I'm in is very limited. If I have to pay for unlimited "metro" calling it's another $20/mth, which makes it as expensive as just getting a DSL line or cable modem.
Thanks for the help!