[oldtima]

1st of all I'd like to say a lot of you do a kick [bleep] job with helping the newbies around here the way you do. But I've found some of your speak ["lingo"] annoying and often w/o due explanation. I'd just like to know what the programs you constantly refer to do and perform. With this in mind, I would like to recommend a sticky made with every program you guys refer to for spyware/adware/malware/virus removers, broken down into sections of:

Cleaners:
Cleanup!
etc...

Scanners:
HJT
etc...

In that sort of way. As of right now I feel overwhemled in my sense of geek terminology, and I've been fighting spyware, EVERY-ware for a long time now and now I hear things like smitrem.exe and RunThis.bat with little or no information to describe them. Could we even make premade mouseover tags explaining, briefly, the download's function as we can't be expected for every team member to reproduce the description? Then the team could retrieve them from any easy location and copy and paste them [complete w/ mouseover tags] as they like. Just a thought.

I mean I'm no stranger to Spyware Blaster, IE SpyAds, Ad-aware, Spybot - S&D, CWShredder, Ewido [Can't even use it though due to ME OS; [bleep] [bleep]s], numberous online scans and virus utilities or HJT. But somebody has to drawn the line b/c it's getting ridiculous to memorize and be expected to know and own all these removers. I predict by 2007 we'll all need at least 3 more SEPARATE utilites in addition to these. Assuming none of them go under.

Removal Database:
Futhermore, once solutions are found couldn't a select group of your team's members compile a REMOVAL instruction thread for that type of spyware and insert it into a standalone forum like: Do It Yourself: *WARE Removal Database. I realize people are still going to have problems even with this in place but most of the computer savvy people will make it through and appreciate the effort.

HJT Log Mayhem:
And lastly, the HJT logs are giving me headaches. WOOF! Dear lord, I don't how anyone reads through that unless they had a nice resolution even then I have my doubts. Couldn't we enable code tags to compact the lists and make them nice and readable? Without stretching the page the length of a battlefield? Maybe even a specialized form implanted into the pre-post page where only HJT logs can be put. Then have the forum recognize them in a way that a little hiearchy sign of +/- would be put next to the potential HJT header and users could close and open the HJT logs as they like.

Anyway I just HAD to state my opinions thus far of the site b/c otherwise I'll just forget to mention them later on.

Edited by oldtima, 17 August 2005 - 02:38 PM.

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Hello!

And welcome to GeekstoGo!

In the Malware forum we have a topic that is called You Must Read This Before You Post a HiJackThis Log.. This topic has a list of all the general programs that will remove 70% of all spyware issues.

In my opinion, the reason why we do not post direct links to every fix and explanations for them is because there are so many of them. Also, the specific fixes, such as smitrem.exe is only needed for a certain infection.

The .bat files that we have people run are batch files that we usually make ourselves depending on which registry entries need to be edited.

For each infection there is a certain way to tackle it, for example, a computer with multiple infections. (Sorry if this gets a bit technical) If a computer has a VX2 infection, Nail.exe and and the Smitfraud infection. There is a certain order in which we need to remove the infections. If Wer just had a list of every "fix" and said use it for this infection, most users would be unable to fix their computers because the fixes might not work. Each infection is different and needs a trained eye to get rid of the correct HiJackThis entries (clicking the wrong entry could severely damage your computer).

Most staff members would agree when I say that giving members access to all of the fixes could potentially be a very bad idea, because the user could do more harm than good.

HiJackThis logs can sometimes be a pain to read, especially if you are doing it in the HiJackThis program. I find that whenever I am in HiJackThis.exe, the best way to read it is to maximize the program, that way you would have to scroll left and right as much.

I hope my explanation gives you some information, and I hope it does not come across as rude, because it by no means is ment to be rude.

Please let me know if you have any other questions, as I lurk around a lot during the night hours

[Justin]

Hello!

And welcome to GeekstoGo!

In the Malware forum we have a topic that is called You Must Read This Before You Post a HiJackThis Log.. This topic has a list of all the general programs that will remove 70% of all spyware issues.

In my opinion, the reason why we do not post direct links to every fix and explanations for them is because there are so many of them. Also, the specific fixes, such as smitrem.exe is only needed for a certain infection.

The .bat files that we have people run are batch files that we usually make ourselves depending on which registry entries need to be edited.

For each infection there is a certain way to tackle it, for example, a computer with multiple infections. (Sorry if this gets a bit technical) If a computer has a VX2 infection, Nail.exe and and the Smitfraud infection. There is a certain order in which we need to remove the infections. If Wer just had a list of every "fix" and said use it for this infection, most users would be unable to fix their computers because the fixes might not work. Each infection is different and needs a trained eye to get rid of the correct HiJackThis entries (clicking the wrong entry could severely damage your computer).

Most staff members would agree when I say that giving members access to all of the fixes could potentially be a very bad idea, because the user could do more harm than good.

HiJackThis logs can sometimes be a pain to read, especially if you are doing it in the HiJackThis program. I find that whenever I am in HiJackThis.exe, the best way to read it is to maximize the program, that way you would have to scroll left and right as much.

I hope my explanation gives you some information, and I hope it does not come across as rude, because it by no means is ment to be rude.

Please let me know if you have any other questions, as I lurk around a lot during the night hours

[admin]

Oldtima, it sounds like you should consider joining our Geek University. There you'll learn how to correctly use those fixes and more.

[oldtima]

Thanks for the quick responses, Jfcap & admin. And by no means did I find your post rude. Also initially what I was trying to convey was that I'm at my wits end & patience with spyware, adware, malware, any other "*ware" besides plain old "soft"ware, viruses, trojans, worms, bots, phishing, spamming. The battle is getting ridiculous. And believe me I have the patience of a petrified tree but if you keep pecking at me the wear and tear will show.

I've grown so disgruntled with computers I REFUSE to ever upgrade to XP in my lifetime. I'm not even going to bother with Windows "Longhorn/Vista" [Where the [bleep] do they get these names anyway?] whenever it comes out. It's just a disaster waiting to happen. A new "puzzle" for the hackers and virus writers to exploit. I'm even scared of using DSL/Cable modem/Wi-Fi. Dial-Up forever baby! I'm not sure how security ranks for T1; maybe it's just as bad as the others. NOTHING IS EVEN DECENTLY SECURE ANYMORE! Other than maybe the d-a-m-n Pentagon, F.B.I, C.I.A and the NSA.

But alas, that frustration and weight of paranoia transferred onto my initial nitpicks of GTG. So do not take my original opinions so harshly. But I still think I have some good ideas. Could we at least discuss the possibility of the "HJT Log Hider"?

Also by no means should you catalog every virus/trojan/spware/malware [I should've been more specific earlier], but rather the most POPULAR & DIFFICULT ones to remove. And then classify those by types by subsection in one sticky (e.g. Trojans, Viruses, Spyware, Malware).

You could do them by the month: "Latest Threats this month...". This seems like a worthwhile idea to me. Believe me I'm not trying to add on to your additional workload.

Order of removal
I get ya here, J. But it would be nice to COMPILE though, by reading through a good sum of the similar threats, and then form a good tutorial on removal. WHILE making the allowed, safe scenarios clear. I do understand what you say when you say it would do more harm than good. But there would be a "Advanced User Warning", although you could argue the definition of advanced differs with every cocky/desperate/"I know enough to bumble by..." user.

Common/Popular Removal Scanners & Apps
Here, I meant to have again the most popular widely used apps detailed and labeled briefly. But per your link, you seem to have it down VERY well. With the exception of the descriptions. Maybe even have a partial personal opinion of rating and performance. And entail the field of the app. But again there is nothing even remotely serious wrong with that thread, I think I've just become a little picky when in regards to dealing with HEADACHE-ware aka Pesky-ware aka Bad-ware. I'm tellin' you one of these slangs is gonna stick and be adopted by slang-america.

Geek-U [Heh, I like the name ]
Also, admin, thanks for the offer. It's very interesting! I know I could help hundreds in my free time. By no means to boast, I'm not the best but I've certainly battled with the fierciest! Just so I know, off the top of your heads, who would rank the Top 3 around here in "*" removal?

But, yeah. I will definitely join later this year, when my schedule allows for it.

Thought on Censors:
Also could we consider lifting some of the censors? I mean what harm did "D-a-m-n" ever do? Or "b-a-s-t-a-r-d-s" when used passively? Sorry to break the rule, just illustrating my examples. I agree these would be useless in thread's TITLES but to censor our frustration elsewhere isn't very nice. Is this in place primarily b/c there is no "Report to Moderator" function? And also to minimize the load mods would have to handle?

Edited by oldtima, 17 August 2005 - 11:17 PM.

[admin]

I know what you're looking for oldtima, and trust me when I say we wish it were that easy. Most the problems we get are the one's missed by the automated tools. The automated tools miss them because of random file names, and many other tricks used of late. We can't just say, "here are the signs of this infection", and "this is the tool to remove it". If you join GeekU I think you'll have a better understanding.

Regarding censorship, we try very hard to make this a family friendly forum, accessible to all. We try not to include anything you wouldn't feel comfortable letting a 10 year-old read. Also, many filtering software products would block this site if it contained the words you suggest. I think we can live without them.