I own a computer consulting company, and 50-90% of our calls have to do with
removing spyware and viruses from people's PCs running Microsoft Operating
Systems. Here's a pretty good recipe to remove spyware and viruses, and
protect your computer from future infections (follow all steps, this is not
a time for shortcuts - Feel free to ask me any questions in my direct
email).
1. Download a spyware blocking hosts file. You can get one from:
<http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.zip> Unzip it and copy the hosts
file to:
Windows9x: c:\windows\hosts
Windows NT/2000/XP: %system32%\drivers\etc\hosts
Verify Microsoft did not make this a .txt file, as it sometimes has a
habit of doing...
2. Install a spyware blocking reg file from:
<http://www.spywareguide.com/blocklist.reg>
3. Install Spyware S&D. You can download it from:
<http://security.kolla.de> Make sure you download all updates after it is
installed. After all updates are downloaded, select "Inocculize" and let it
do it's thing.
4. Install Adaware, from <http://www.lavasoft.com>. Again install all
updates.
5. Install an anti-virus program. I like Symantic, but AGV is free and
works. <http://www.grisoft.com>
6. Reboot your computer into Safe Mode. If you don't know how to do this,
I believe you hit F6 or F8 while booting. Do an internet search to figure
it out.
7. In Safe Mode, run Spybot S&D first. Clean up everything it finds. Run
AdAware second, clean up everything it finds. Run your anti-virus and clean
up everything it finds.
8. On XP/2000/NT, turn off the following services: Alerter, DNS Client,
Messenger (not MSN messenger, but the messenger service).
9. Reboot into normal mode.
10. Run Windows Update and install all updates.
11. Relax and enjoy computing again.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of ATWEDITOR@aol.com
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 2:19 PM
> To: mgs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Virus stopper [OT]
>
> I had my computer slowed to a crawl not by viruses but by
> spyware. This
> things creep into your machine on a regular basis, and if you
> don't clean them out they can become as destructive as a
> virus. I have found a great program that is free for
> personal use. It works quickly, and it regularly updated,
> also free. I use it once or twice a week and it always find
> 7-12 new spyware creepers that snuck into the machine.
>
> It's called Ad-Aware Se (from Sweden, I guess). Go to
> Lavasoft.com for the free download. They also try to sell a
> professional version, but I'm OK on the virus side.
>
> Jay Donoghue
> 72 B-GT
> 66 Mustang
>
>
> In a message dated 3/7/2005 1:55:52 P.M. Eastern Standard
> Time, simon.d.matthews@gmail.com writes:
>
> On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 10:20:00 -0800, Max Heim
> <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
> wrote:
> > Long term, the cheapest alternative is probably buying a
> Mac -- you
> > not
> only
> > don't have to continually buy and upgrade AV software, you're
> > actually getting work done instead of wasting your time
> > installing/reinstalling/uninstalling/purging various nasty bits...
>
> Or Linux. Depending on the h/w and s/w you need to run, it
> provides a very stable and complete environment.
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