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media codec Popup When Signing on to AOL [RESOLVED]


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#46
bunsnpigs

bunsnpigs

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The I-Give folder/file is gone. AND... no more popups. I can get into AOL 9.1 just fine. I'm shocked, truthfully. I didn't think it would ever go away. Did you ever actually see it in any of these logs?
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#47
RatHat

RatHat

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No this is the first time I have come across this one before, and with no signs of infection other than I-Give, which even though it is known adware, I did not think would be responsible for this as you had been using it and wanted to keep it. Kind of threw me a bit. Still you are OK now, and that is the main thing.

The first thing we need to do now is to remove all the tools that you have used. This is so that should you ever be re-infected, you will download updated versions. It will also remove the quarantined Malware from your computer.

Click Here to download OTCleanIt
Double-click OTCleanIt.exe to run it.
Click the Clean up button
Click Yes to the reboot.

OK, lets carry out a few preventative steps to make sure you reduce the risk of further infections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Now lets Reset and Re-enable your System Restore to remove any infected files that have been backed up by Windows. The files in System Restore are protected to prevent any programs from changing those files. This is the only way to clean these files: (You will lose all previous restore points which are likely to be infected, but that's good news).

Turn OFF System Restore.
  • On the Desktop, right-click My Computer.
  • Click Properties.
  • Click the System Restore tab.
  • Check Turn off System Restore.
  • Click Apply, and then click OK.
Restart your computer.

Turn ON System Restore.
  • On the Desktop, right-click My Computer.
  • Click Properties.
  • Click the System Restore tab.
  • UN-Check Turn off System Restore.
  • Click Apply, and then click OK.

System Restore will now be active again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Next, lets reset your hidden/system files and folders. System files are hidden for a reason and we don't want to have them openly available and susceptible to accidental deletion.

Reset Hidden/System Files & Folders
  • Click Start.
  • Open My Computer.
  • Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
  • Select the View tab.
  • Under the Hidden files and folders heading UNSELECT Show hidden files and folders.
  • CHECK the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
  • Click Yes to confirm.
  • Click OK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Another essential is to keep your computer updated with the latest operating system patches and security fixes. Windows Updates are constantly being revised to combat the newest hacks and threats, Microsoft releases security updates that help your computer from becoming vunerable. It is best if you have these set to download automatically.

Automatic Updates for Windows
  • Click Start.
  • Select Settings and then Control Panel.
  • Select Automatic Updates.
  • Click Automatic (recommended)
  • Choose a day and a time when you know the computer will be on and connected to the internet.
  • Click Apply then OK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


In addition to Windows updates, you also need to ensure that your version of Java is the latest.Click here to download the latest version (Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 6). Once downloaded, install it and then Reboot your computer.

It is most important that you also uninstall older versions of Java.
  • Click Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
  • Delete all Java updates except Java ™ 6 Update 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


OK, now lets download some preventative programs that will help to keep the nasties away! We will start with Anti Spyware programs. I would advise getting a couple of them at least, and running each at least once a month.

Anti Spyware
  • SpywareBlaster to help prevent spyware from installing in the first place. A tutorial can be found here.
  • SpywareGuard to catch and block spyware before it can execute. A tutorial can be found here.
  • IESpy-Ad to block access to malicious websites so you cannot be redirected to them from an infected site or email. A tutorial can be found here.
  • Spybot Search & Destroy a powerful tool which can "search and destroy" nasties that make it onto your system. Now with an Immunize section that will help prevent future infections. A tutorial can be found here.
  • AdAware another very powerful tool which searches and kills nasties that infect your system. A tutorial can be found here. AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy compliment each other very well.

Note: If you find your system slows down after installing any of these, just uninstall it, or disable it from running at startup.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Next lets look at Firewalls. These help to prevent unauthorised access both to and from the internet or your local network. A firewall is considered a first line of defence in protecting private information. Below are two free firewalls to choose from, if you do not already have one. Note: You only need one firewall one your system.

Personal Firewalls~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


On to personal Anti Virus programs. One AV is a must have! But never more than one, as this can and will cause conflicts and false readings. I have listed three free AV's below which are as good as any paid subscription AV, as long as you allow them to update themselves.

Anti Virus Programs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Nearly done! If you like to use chat, MSN and Yahoo have vunerabilities that can leave you open to infections. There are however a couple of very good, Malware free Instant Messenger programs which allow you to connect to multiple IM services in one program! (AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, IRC, MSN):

Instant Messengers~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Lastly, it is a good idea to clear out all your temp files every now and again. This will help your computer from bogging down and slowing. It also can assist in getting rid of files that may contain malicious code that could re-infect your computer.

Temp File Cleaners
  • CleanUP! - Cleans temporary files from IE and Windows, empties the recycle bin and more. Note: Do NOT run this program if you have XP Professional 64 bit edition.
  • ATF Cleaner A very powerful cleaning program for XP and Windows 2000 only. Note: You may have this already as part of the fixes you have run.

To find out more information about how you got infected in the first place and some great guidelines to follow to prevent future infections you can read this article by Tony Klein.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will keep this log open for the next couple of days, so if you have any further problems post another reply here.

OK, all the best, and stay safe!

Best regards,
RatHat
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#48
bunsnpigs

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Thank you so much, RatHat. I will follow these steps this evening. My day is about to get very hectic, but I think I might just shut down my pc so it doesn't sit here and gather malware!

Again, thank you so much. I have no idea how I would have done this without your help. I'll have to make a donation! I will post an update in a day or so so that you and others know how things are going. You are all amazing on this forum.

:)
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#49
RatHat

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You are more than welcome Judi!
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#50
bunsnpigs

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RatHat, thank you. I did the clean up, the reset of the hidden files and system files, as well as the system restore off and on.

1. I already have Norton AV - latest and greatest that is also supposed to have anti-spyware.
2. I already have automatic Windows updates, Java 6 except it is called Java Se Runtime Environment 6 update 1, but I installed the version you said to install anyway.
3. AOL has its own anti-Spyware, if you can believe it, so along with Norton and AOL, it should have been enough.
4. I already have a firewall with Norton. I don't use IM at all. I detest it (I'm old).
5. I do clean up my temp files periodically because my system is so slow.

So.. you would have THOUGHT I would have been ok! Things are running a bit slow right now. I will go ahead and delete those earlier versions of Java, download some other anti-spyware - probably Spybot and AdAware (which I had tried using myself to clear this up), and download a file cleaner to make life easier.

Thanks again. This certainly has been a challenge.
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#51
RatHat

RatHat

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Judi,

If things are running a bit slow, lets do a bit of a tune up of your machine.

Firstly, lets get rid of all the old prefetch files, that could be slowing things down a bit:

Click Start then Run, type prefetch then press enter. Click Edit then Select All, (all files will highlight), right click any file, click delete, confirm. This will empty all the old prefetch files, and Windows will rebuild the new ones that it needs. If you want to find out more about what Prefetch does, click here.

Now, lets run Disk Cleanup:

Click Start then All Programmes, then Accessories, then system tools. Locate Disk Cleanup and click to run it. Clean all your drives, then reboot your computer.

Next run a defrag: Start then All Programmes, then Accessories, then system tools. Locate Disk Defragmenter and click to run it. Highlight a drive, and click Defragment. Repeat for each of your drives.

Another good way to improve the speed of your computer is by downloading and installing Tune-Up Utilities.

Run Tune Up disc clean up

Run Tune Up registry clean up

Disable the anti virus programme then click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, the screen will lose colour during the process which can take a few minutes and then needs a reboot

Check the anti virus programme is running

Those will have cleared the drive of obsolete software errors

These are suggestions for making the most of the free trial

Click optimize and improve then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot.

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor.

Regards,
RatHat
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#52
RatHat

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Since this issue appears to be resolved ... this Topic has been closed. Glad we could help. :)

If you're the topic starter, and need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member with the address of the thread.

Everyone else please begin a New Topic.
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