[robertk]

I am a light computer user, Windows 98, mainly Internet for research as needed, and purchasing a few things online. Ebay and Amazon now and then. I have no financial information on the computer. The add-ons I use are Clean-Up every day, SpyBot and AVG Free(I got a spyware attack last year). I need to re-install Ad-Aware and I would like to install the Google Toolbar and get rid of the Earthlink Toolbar.. What other files do I need to add for safetys sake? I never open attachments anymore, even from people I know who write me they are sending attachments. Are there any discussions or tutorials on this site suggesting what to download and how to use it?

R

[Advertisements]

Here are some tips, to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future, I strongly recommend installing the following applications...

Detect and Remove Programs:
How to use Ad-Aware to remove Spyware
here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Ad-Aware.

How to use Spybot to remove Spyware
If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer,
Similar to Ad-Aware, I strongly recommend both to catch most spyware.

Prevention Programs:
Spywareblaster<=
SpywareBlaster will prevent spyware from being installed.

IE/Spyad <=
IE/Spyad places over 4000 websites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads (Cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.

MVPS Hosts file <=
The MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well know ad sites etc. Basically, this prevents your computer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer
Other necessary Programs:
An AntiVirus program is a must!
Whether it is a free version like
AVG or

Anti-Vir, or a shareware version like Kapersky, this is a must have.

A FIREWALL is a must have.
Two good free versions are
ZoneAlarm.
Sygate

Internet Explorer is not the most secure and best browser. There are safer and better alternatives available. I recommend Firefox

And also see TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place? and Spyware Aid's spyware article:

Spyware, Adware, Malware: What it is
how it got on my computer, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.

[happyrock]

Here are some tips, to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future, I strongly recommend installing the following applications...

Detect and Remove Programs:
How to use Ad-Aware to remove Spyware
here are instructions on how to download, install and then use Ad-Aware.

How to use Spybot to remove Spyware
If you suspect that you have spyware installed on your computer,
Similar to Ad-Aware, I strongly recommend both to catch most spyware.

Prevention Programs:
Spywareblaster<=
SpywareBlaster will prevent spyware from being installed.

IE/Spyad <=
IE/Spyad places over 4000 websites and domains in the IE Restricted list which will severely impair attempts to infect your system. It basically prevents any downloads (Cookies etc) from the sites listed, although you will still be able to connect to the sites.

MVPS Hosts file <=
The MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well know ad sites etc. Basically, this prevents your computer from connecting to those sites by redirecting them to 127.0.0.1 which is your local computer
Other necessary Programs:
An AntiVirus program is a must!
Whether it is a free version like
AVG or

Anti-Vir, or a shareware version like Kapersky, this is a must have.

A FIREWALL is a must have.
Two good free versions are
ZoneAlarm.
Sygate

Internet Explorer is not the most secure and best browser. There are safer and better alternatives available. I recommend Firefox

And also see TonyKlein's good advice
So how did I get infected in the first place? and Spyware Aid's spyware article:

Spyware, Adware, Malware: What it is
how it got on my computer, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.

[robertk]

I went to LavaSoft(throughbleeping.com) to download Ad-Aware, I clicked download, and within a few seconds it said I had downloaded AdAware. I tried to follow steps to install it, I do not think it is really downloaded. I tried to find it and cannot. Will it hurt if I try to download it again?

R

[Retired Tech]

Shouldn't be a problem if it hasn't installed yet, choose run and it should start the install as soon as it has downloaded

[robertk]

For AdAware, I followed the above links and disenabled the toolbar for pop-ops and I believe that AdAware is now downloaded. I do have a desktop icon for it. It is not installed tho and I cannot figure out how to do this. I believe I may have clicked on an incorrect box after the download was complete. Should I once again download AdAware and this time click Save or Open? I believe I clicked the Close box, thinking I could install it later. If I do download it again, should I do anything with what I just downloaded and what about the desktop?
Also, I got an Illegal procedure after all this, saying "Kernel 32 caused an invalid page fault". Is this anything to be concerned about? Whenever I try to go to GeeksToGo from my Favorites, it tells me Windows cannot go there and the page will close, which it does. Then I retype the URL and I get there. Strange.

R

[Retired Tech]

Download it and use run / open

[happyrock]

did you get firefox....if not get it and try connecting with it...

[robertk]

Yes, I have downloaded FireFox, so far it seems faster. I need time to figure it out, I do not see anywhere I can click on Mail to get my Outlook Express and I need to figure out how to set a homepage for this. I do not see any pop-up blockers on the toolbar, do I also need to install the Google toolbar. I still need to re-download and install AdAware.

R

[happyrock]

put a folder on your desktop..name it ...NEW DOWNLOADS..launch firefox...go to page you want as your start page...then click on tools...options...general or main tab...in the start up section...click on use current page/s...then click on OK from now on when you launch Firefox that page will be displayed..on broadband you can have it load 10 or so "start pages"...just get them all loaded and go back to the previous instructions and set the current pages as your start page...then about halfway down click on the button..save all files to...then click on browse..click on the NEW DOWNLOADS folder you made ...OK your way out..from now on everything you download will be in that folder...if your not 100% sure that what you downloaded is malware free just right click on the NEW DOWNLOADS folder and one of the options is to scan with your AV and some of your malware tools...I recommend you scan EVERYTHING you download just to be safe..it only takes a few seconds because the folder is small..
get these add on's for firefox
fasterfox will tweak all the settings to make firefox faster...
ie tab...in case you hit a site that does not display properly in firefox...(RARE)
adblock plus gets rid of ad's..
macafee's site advisor...lets you know if any site your visiting is good or bad..
tab mix plus...gives you a big range of options on how things like searches..history ..links are opened..I set mine so everything opens in a new tab AND the focus is on that tab...that means when I click on a link I'm looking at that page...you may want yours to open a new window or even open it in the page your on...you have to figure out what you want it to do but it onlts takes seconds to change it ...so play around until you get the way you want it..
these are basic extensions but there are tons of extensions or add ons you can try...
just google firefox add on's ...

Edited by happyrck, 05 April 2007 - 10:47 AM.

[robertk]

I now have AdAware installed, I had 8 Critical Objects, all named Alexa. Firefox is definitely faster than IE, can't wait to tweak it. I will take some time to follow your suggestions, not sure I understand them all. One time I read that you should Customize your AdAware, I do FullScan but I know you can do more. Is there somewhere I can get suggestions for that?

[robertk]

I am using FireFox to get to GeeksToGo and am having a hardtime understanding the toolbar. I see no Refresh and no link to Mail(I use Outlook Express) that is on Internet Explorer. Is there any way to to do this for either of these? Thanks.

R

[happyrock]

the link I gave you in a earlier post has instructions on how to use the program...most important tool is SpywareBlaster...keep it updated and it will keep most of the bad stuff from ever getting on your computer...get spybot search and destroy and update and run it also...instructions are on the link I provided..

[happyrock]

the blue arrow making a circle...up by top of page.. is how you refresh the page your on...
can't help you with outlook as I don't use or recommend it..I recommend web based E-mail like Gmail or yahoo mail..
reasons being you can be anywhere in the world and get your mail..and they are stored on their servers and not your computer and any crash you experience does not effect your mail..ask someone whose hard drive died and they lost all kinds of data...of course backing up will mitigate this but in my experience no one does...not even clients that I send out regular emails reminding them to do it

[robertk]

refresh-gotcha
you are 100% correct on OE, I lost everything a few weeks back. I find yahoo mail so slow tho, OE is much much faster
I do have Spybot on the Computer, now will get Spyware Blaster.

R

[robertk]

I am talking a good friend into installing SpyBot and Spyware Blaster. I have used CleanUp for a while now but this friend has tried it and he loses his yahoo password whenever he did CleanUp. Is there a way he can use CleanUp yet still keep the yahoo password on the computer? Thanks.