[canusa]

Hello,

My computer is really slow and yesterday I received a message stating something about my startpage being hijacked.

Not computer saavy, what should I do?

canusa

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Hi canusa. Welcome to Geeks To Go.

I need you to do a few things for me.

Download Ad-aware from: http://www.lavasoft.de/res/aaw6.exe

Install the program and launch it.

First, in the main window, look in the bottom right corner and click on Check for updates now and download the latest reference files.

Next, we need to configure Ad-aware for a full scan.

-> Click on the Gear icon (second from the left) to access the preferences/settings window

1. In the General window make sure the following are selected:

• Automatically save log-file
• Automatically quarantine objects prior to removal
• Safe Mode (always request confirmation)

2. Click on the Scanning button on the left and select :

• Scan Within Archives
• Scan Active Processes
• Scan Registry
• Deep Scan Registry
• Scan my IE favorites for banned URL’s
• Scan my Hosts file
• Under Click here to select drives + folders, choose:
• All of your hard drives

-> Click on the Advanced button on the left and select:

• Include additional process information
• Include additional file information
• Include environment information
• Include additional object details

-> Click the Tweak button and select:

• Under the Scanning Engine:
  • Unload recognized processes during scanning
  • Include basic Ad-aware settings in logfile
  • Include additional Ad-aware settings in logfile
• Under the Cleaning Engine:
  • Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot

-> Click on Proceed to save the settings.

-> Click Start and on the next screen choose Activate in-depth Scan at the bottom of the page and then choose:

• Use Custom Scanning Options

-> Click Next and Ad-aware will scan your hard drive(s) with the options you have selected.

-> Save the log file when it asks and then click Finish

-> When finished, mark everything for removal and get rid of it. (Right-click the window and choose Select All from the drop down menu and click Next).

-> Reboot your computer.

Download Search and Destroy.

Spybot Search & Destroy Download and install. Start Spybot S&D using the "Spybot-S&D (easy mode)" link from your Start menu . Click the Search for updates button, if any are found then click the Download Updates button. After all updates are downloaded, click the Check for problems button. When the scan is complete, place a check next to anything marked in red, then click the Fix selected problems button. You may need to run Spybot S&D multiple times to remove all infections.

When finished, Reboot your computer.



Please delete your temporary files. Double Click My Computer (WinXP: Navigate to Start --->My Computer)
You will see an icon representing your harddrive (most likely C: Drive) Right Click on the hard drive icon and click Properties at the
bottom of the fly out window. One the very first tab (General) you will see a button labeled "Disk Cleanup"...click that button.
Make sure the following are checked:
Downloaded Program Files
Temporary Internet Files and
Recycle Bin
Click OK and Disk Cleanup will delete those files for you.


Finally, reply to this post with a HiJackThis log so we can look for any nasties that may have been missed.

Most of what it lists will be harmless or even essential, DO NOT delete or modify anything yet! Someone will be along to tell you what steps to take after you post the contents of the scan results.

[coachwife6]

Hi canusa. Welcome to Geeks To Go.

I need you to do a few things for me.

Download Ad-aware from: http://www.lavasoft.de/res/aaw6.exe

Install the program and launch it.

First, in the main window, look in the bottom right corner and click on Check for updates now and download the latest reference files.

Next, we need to configure Ad-aware for a full scan.

-> Click on the Gear icon (second from the left) to access the preferences/settings window

1. In the General window make sure the following are selected:

• Automatically save log-file
• Automatically quarantine objects prior to removal
• Safe Mode (always request confirmation)

2. Click on the Scanning button on the left and select :

• Scan Within Archives
• Scan Active Processes
• Scan Registry
• Deep Scan Registry
• Scan my IE favorites for banned URL’s
• Scan my Hosts file
• Under Click here to select drives + folders, choose:
• All of your hard drives

-> Click on the Advanced button on the left and select:

• Include additional process information
• Include additional file information
• Include environment information
• Include additional object details

-> Click the Tweak button and select:

• Under the Scanning Engine:
  • Unload recognized processes during scanning
  • Include basic Ad-aware settings in logfile
  • Include additional Ad-aware settings in logfile
• Under the Cleaning Engine:
  • Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot

-> Click on Proceed to save the settings.

-> Click Start and on the next screen choose Activate in-depth Scan at the bottom of the page and then choose:

• Use Custom Scanning Options

-> Click Next and Ad-aware will scan your hard drive(s) with the options you have selected.

-> Save the log file when it asks and then click Finish

-> When finished, mark everything for removal and get rid of it. (Right-click the window and choose Select All from the drop down menu and click Next).

-> Reboot your computer.

Download Search and Destroy.

Spybot Search & Destroy Download and install. Start Spybot S&D using the "Spybot-S&D (easy mode)" link from your Start menu . Click the Search for updates button, if any are found then click the Download Updates button. After all updates are downloaded, click the Check for problems button. When the scan is complete, place a check next to anything marked in red, then click the Fix selected problems button. You may need to run Spybot S&D multiple times to remove all infections.

When finished, Reboot your computer.



Please delete your temporary files. Double Click My Computer (WinXP: Navigate to Start --->My Computer)
You will see an icon representing your harddrive (most likely C: Drive) Right Click on the hard drive icon and click Properties at the
bottom of the fly out window. One the very first tab (General) you will see a button labeled "Disk Cleanup"...click that button.
Make sure the following are checked:
Downloaded Program Files
Temporary Internet Files and
Recycle Bin
Click OK and Disk Cleanup will delete those files for you.


Finally, reply to this post with a HiJackThis log so we can look for any nasties that may have been missed.

Most of what it lists will be harmless or even essential, DO NOT delete or modify anything yet! Someone will be along to tell you what steps to take after you post the contents of the scan results.

[coachwife6]

I saw you posted your log after I looked at this. Sorry about that. Run those other programs first and then post a fresh log. Thanks.

[canusa]

Hi Coachwife6,

I've completed the steps and now when trying to download a new Hijack This log, after clicking on the Quick Start link, "page cannot be found" keeps popping up.

It has popped up several times now.

Did I miss a step or what should I do?

Again, thanks for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated.

Canusa

[coachwife6]

The link is viable. I just checked it. I saw that you had posted a log on an earlier thread. Can you just go to the place in your computer where you downloaded it before and open it up and hit scan?