Spyware & Virus Problem
 

Does anyone have a suggestion to fix spyware/virus problems?

I have had some serious problems with my computer lately and a message popped up telling me that there was a spyware problem.

Any programs that work well?

Spybot Search & Destroy
Ad-Aware

both for Spyware-Adware

AVG Antivirus for virus problems

Yes I really am too lazy to look up the links and post them ;)

Thanks, I'll google search.

If you download the Google Pack from google, you get Ad-Aware with it.

It's made by a company called LavaSoft.

I use those three programs, but even they were no match for what my computer caught a couple months ago. Frustrating considering I had a programming project and a five page paper due the next day.

HijackThis
Startup Manager

Those would be the next 2 I would use in this situation. Along with an online Anti Virus Scanner, TrendMicro has one.

Both HijackThis & Startup Manager can mess up your computer much easier than the others if you arent careful though.

I tried some of these and whatever is screwing up my computer is making this impossible. If I can get my computer to download the program and do the "free" scan, when I go to purchase the program my computer either freezes up or gives me a "no internet connection" message.

I even tried the online one from TrendMicro and it froze halfway through the scan.

People caught making these types of spyware should have to spend 10 years in prison. :(

If your using Windows XP you can always try a System Restore to an earlier saved point. Otherwise it sounds like you may need to be in Safe Mode while trying to disable and eliminate this.

SppwareBlaster and CCleaner are 2 more to use.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

http://www.ccleaner.com

I use those 2 plus the Spybot, Ad-Aware, HijackThis, and EzAntivirus from Computer Associates.

Actually, System Restore is one of the way a "clean" system gets infected again. The SOBs figured out how to manipulate the process, so that all of your restore points will be infected as well. So I usually disable System Restore. Nothing pisses me off more than spending several hours cleaning up a system just to have all of the work undone by a restore.

Microsoft actually has a very good product called Windows Defender. It is still beta, but it is the best I've found. Once loaded it continually monitors your system for spyware before it can install itself, and it even updates itself with windows update automatically.

Spyware doctor.

Yes it costs $30, but it's THE BEST one out there... I love it.

Try the free scan and see all the spyware it detects.

http://www.pctools.com/spyware-docto...ref=google_new

I went to the store and purchased Spyware Doctor. Finally figured out how to get my computer to go long enough without freezing up to let the Dr. do its thing, and now it looks like my PC is running fairly well. Thanks for the suggestion MizzouRah.

No problem!!

Installed it on my parents pc and my dad was like... wow, can't believe all the spyware crap that's on my pc and that was after he rean adware.