I need some free spyware removal software
Dec 19th 2007, 10:31 am
#61
F*** it!
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Stepford, WA
Posts: 958
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Ivan has imparted some very wise words. I have to agree with him.
I think your only realistic choice is a rebuild. If your I.T dept has an S.O.E image to put on your machine, I'd put the request in for it now. I'm guessing that it's only a small office though and the rest of the machines in there are similarly infected. The moment yours is clean again is the moment the rest of the machines in your workgroup or domain infect it again.
Good luck
Dec 19th 2007, 10:49 am
#62
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Tiddly, install Spywareblaster while you're at it.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
It's a free utility that stops spyware from gaining entry to your pc.
Download updates about once per week.
I use the old faithful Ad-Aware for removal but since installing Spywareblaster the amount it finds is neglibible.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
It's a free utility that stops spyware from gaining entry to your pc.
Download updates about once per week.
I use the old faithful Ad-Aware for removal but since installing Spywareblaster the amount it finds is neglibible.
Dec 19th 2007, 10:54 am
#63
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
So if you keep doing your own check for updates instead of auto I assume it remain free???
Tiddly, install Spywareblaster while you're at it.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
It's a free utility that stops spyware from gaining entry to your pc.
Download updates about once per week.
I use the old faithful Ad-Aware for removal but since installing Spywareblaster the amount it finds is neglibible.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
It's a free utility that stops spyware from gaining entry to your pc.
Download updates about once per week.
I use the old faithful Ad-Aware for removal but since installing Spywareblaster the amount it finds is neglibible.
Dec 19th 2007, 10:57 am
#64
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
So who prefers these to Ad-Aware???
Is this one free Hutch???
http://www.comodo.com/products/free_products.html
Comodo Anti-Malware
FREE lifetime license
The Best to stop and remove *rootkits* in real time. Stop spambots, hijackers & keyloggers. Stop identity thieves from getting personal information. Instantly detects well over 1,000,000 unique, variant and repack malware in total.
Comodo Anti-Malware
FREE lifetime license
The Best to stop and remove *rootkits* in real time. Stop spambots, hijackers & keyloggers. Stop identity thieves from getting personal information. Instantly detects well over 1,000,000 unique, variant and repack malware in total.
Currently the best anti-spyware program (as recommended by the better security forums) is Super AntiSpyware - http://www.superantispyware.com/.
Dec 19th 2007, 11:06 am
#65
A former regular of BE
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Carramar, Perth
Posts: 6,241
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Yep. It updates about once a week so I tend to have an hour on a Saturday or Sunday morning when I do some PC housekeeping / check my bank statements etc.
Dec 19th 2007, 11:13 am
#66
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Cheers
Dec 19th 2007, 11:33 am
#67
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Ivan has imparted some very wise words. I have to agree with him.
I think your only realistic choice is a rebuild. If your I.T dept has an S.O.E image to put on your machine, I'd put the request in for it now. I'm guessing that it's only a small office though and the rest of the machines in there are similarly infected. The moment yours is clean again is the moment the rest of the machines in your workgroup or domain infect it again.
Good luck
I think your only realistic choice is a rebuild. If your I.T dept has an S.O.E image to put on your machine, I'd put the request in for it now. I'm guessing that it's only a small office though and the rest of the machines in there are similarly infected. The moment yours is clean again is the moment the rest of the machines in your workgroup or domain infect it again.
Good luck
Fenton, honey... You wouldn't believe this place even if you saw it.
It's a tiny office, with old computers. I warned the boss the computer I'm on will probably die in the near future because it appears to have boot issues and I can't see how that can be fixed.
He said, 'don't worry... you'll get used to it'...
No concept of how having a computer that won't start and crashes constantly will affect productivity.
There is no IT dept. I'm the most computer literate person here.
I will go and put spyware removal software on the other machines and try to activate the virus programme, but other than that, there's not a whole lot I can do, or want to do.
If these machines die, I'll get it in the neck. Don't want to go there.
Dec 20th 2007, 9:04 am
#68
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,555
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Fenton, honey... You wouldn't believe this place even if you saw it.
It's a tiny office, with old computers. I warned the boss the computer I'm on will probably die in the near future because it appears to have boot issues and I can't see how that can be fixed.
He said, 'don't worry... you'll get used to it'...
No concept of how having a computer that won't start and crashes constantly will affect productivity.
There is no IT dept. I'm the most computer literate person here.
I will go and put spyware removal software on the other machines and try to activate the virus programme, but other than that, there's not a whole lot I can do, or want to do.
If these machines die, I'll get it in the neck. Don't want to go there.
It's a tiny office, with old computers. I warned the boss the computer I'm on will probably die in the near future because it appears to have boot issues and I can't see how that can be fixed.
He said, 'don't worry... you'll get used to it'...
No concept of how having a computer that won't start and crashes constantly will affect productivity.
There is no IT dept. I'm the most computer literate person here.
I will go and put spyware removal software on the other machines and try to activate the virus programme, but other than that, there's not a whole lot I can do, or want to do.
If these machines die, I'll get it in the neck. Don't want to go there.
What I would do is get a program called Ghost. Get a spare machine if you have one and run up a clean build and only install the software you need in the office. Configure what you can on the image and patch it (run windows updates, java updates, quick time updates, acrobat updates etc. Defrag and shutdown. Use Ghost to take an image of the machine. You can then reapply that image quickly to a broken machine. Document all you did you create the build so you know what to do if the image needs a major update.
The other good thing about Ghost is that if the image works on one machine and not another identical machine then you know the non working machine probably has a hardware issue.
There are alternatives to Ghost but Ghost is the most commonly used.
With an image in place you can fix a whole host of issues quickly by re-imaging.
Dec 20th 2007, 9:11 am
#69
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,555
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Ivan has imparted some very wise words. I have to agree with him.
I think your only realistic choice is a rebuild. If your I.T dept has an S.O.E image to put on your machine, I'd put the request in for it now. I'm guessing that it's only a small office though and the rest of the machines in there are similarly infected. The moment yours is clean again is the moment the rest of the machines in your workgroup or domain infect it again.
Good luck
I think your only realistic choice is a rebuild. If your I.T dept has an S.O.E image to put on your machine, I'd put the request in for it now. I'm guessing that it's only a small office though and the rest of the machines in there are similarly infected. The moment yours is clean again is the moment the rest of the machines in your workgroup or domain infect it again.
Good luck
BTW some of my background is AV monitoring, installation, design and SOE design for sites up to 5,000 seats.
Dec 20th 2007, 9:17 am
#70
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
The fact that your AV seems to have been disabled (if it was there originally)is a good sign the malware has had a significant impact. The only reason I would keep the machine is for malware analysis but I am a bit strange and like that kind of thing.
What I would do is get a program called Ghost. Get a spare machine if you have one and run up a clean build and only install the software you need in the office. Configure what you can on the image and patch it (run windows updates, java updates, quick time updates, acrobat updates etc. Defrag and shutdown. Use Ghost to take an image of the machine. You can then reapply that image quickly to a broken machine. Document all you did you create the build so you know what to do if the image needs a major update.
The other good thing about Ghost is that if the image works on one machine and not another identical machine then you know the non working machine probably has a hardware issue.
There are alternatives to Ghost but Ghost is the most commonly used.
With an image in place you can fix a whole host of issues quickly by re-imaging.
What I would do is get a program called Ghost. Get a spare machine if you have one and run up a clean build and only install the software you need in the office. Configure what you can on the image and patch it (run windows updates, java updates, quick time updates, acrobat updates etc. Defrag and shutdown. Use Ghost to take an image of the machine. You can then reapply that image quickly to a broken machine. Document all you did you create the build so you know what to do if the image needs a major update.
The other good thing about Ghost is that if the image works on one machine and not another identical machine then you know the non working machine probably has a hardware issue.
There are alternatives to Ghost but Ghost is the most commonly used.
With an image in place you can fix a whole host of issues quickly by re-imaging.
They don't even have the discs to XP any more... I'm concentrating on getting the AV up and running today. It means long hours on the phone with the support people because they no longer have their license key for the software...
Happy Christmas...
Dec 20th 2007, 12:05 pm
#71
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Now you know what to ask for for Xmas.
The fact that your AV seems to have been disabled (if it was there originally)is a good sign the malware has had a significant impact. The only reason I would keep the machine is for malware analysis but I am a bit strange and like that kind of thing.
What I would do is get a program called Ghost. Get a spare machine if you have one and run up a clean build and only install the software you need in the office. Configure what you can on the image and patch it (run windows updates, java updates, quick time updates, acrobat updates etc. Defrag and shutdown. Use Ghost to take an image of the machine. You can then reapply that image quickly to a broken machine. Document all you did you create the build so you know what to do if the image needs a major update.
The other good thing about Ghost is that if the image works on one machine and not another identical machine then you know the non working machine probably has a hardware issue.
There are alternatives to Ghost but Ghost is the most commonly used.
With an image in place you can fix a whole host of issues quickly by re-imaging.
What I would do is get a program called Ghost. Get a spare machine if you have one and run up a clean build and only install the software you need in the office. Configure what you can on the image and patch it (run windows updates, java updates, quick time updates, acrobat updates etc. Defrag and shutdown. Use Ghost to take an image of the machine. You can then reapply that image quickly to a broken machine. Document all you did you create the build so you know what to do if the image needs a major update.
The other good thing about Ghost is that if the image works on one machine and not another identical machine then you know the non working machine probably has a hardware issue.
There are alternatives to Ghost but Ghost is the most commonly used.
With an image in place you can fix a whole host of issues quickly by re-imaging.
Fenton, honey... You wouldn't believe this place even if you saw it.
It's a tiny office, with old computers. I warned the boss the computer I'm on will probably die in the near future because it appears to have boot issues and I can't see how that can be fixed.
He said, 'don't worry... you'll get used to it'...
No concept of how having a computer that won't start and crashes constantly will affect productivity.
There is no IT dept. I'm the most computer literate person here.
I will go and put spyware removal software on the other machines and try to activate the virus programme, but other than that, there's not a whole lot I can do, or want to do.
If these machines die, I'll get it in the neck. Don't want to go there.
It's a tiny office, with old computers. I warned the boss the computer I'm on will probably die in the near future because it appears to have boot issues and I can't see how that can be fixed.
He said, 'don't worry... you'll get used to it'...
No concept of how having a computer that won't start and crashes constantly will affect productivity.
There is no IT dept. I'm the most computer literate person here.
I will go and put spyware removal software on the other machines and try to activate the virus programme, but other than that, there's not a whole lot I can do, or want to do.
If these machines die, I'll get it in the neck. Don't want to go there.
Dec 20th 2007, 12:15 pm
#72
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
I'll add it to the list...
champagne, diamonds .... XP discs, AV...
Things are running much better today.
Cleaned off a load of crap, organised files, deleted crap, new AV running, using Firefox ... all running faster.
Actually starting up first time and no crashes so far today.
Dec 20th 2007, 4:00 pm
#73
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 9,066
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
I'll add it to the list...
champagne, diamonds .... XP discs, AV...
Things are running much better today.
Cleaned off a load of crap, organised files, deleted crap, new AV running, using Firefox ... all running faster.
Actually starting up first time and no crashes so far today.
all those positive vibes about champagne, diamonds etc. moved over to your computer.
Dec 20th 2007, 4:05 pm
#74
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9,668
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
I quite liked 'the Secret'... I saw the DVD recently.
There's a better series though, called The Law of Attraction which has a bit more intelligence to it.
I think the computer has to want to change though.....and then accept the good things into its life... If it never achieves acceptance, then it's never going to happen.
There's a better series though, called The Law of Attraction which has a bit more intelligence to it.
I think the computer has to want to change though.....and then accept the good things into its life... If it never achieves acceptance, then it's never going to happen.
Dec 20th 2007, 4:24 pm
#75
F*** it!
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Stepford, WA
Posts: 958
Re: I need some free spyware removal software
Come on now people. Let's revist the hostility in this thread. Take a look at this quite amusing video:
