Malware Help

[Aclone]

I'm currently using a laptop (PC) that has (at the least) an adware infection. Not mine, and the owner is in L.A. for a while. I don't want to leave it as is--especially since it keeps rerouting CF. :wink:

Can anyone please suggest a good freeware program I can use to remove adware? I'm hardly a computer expert...

 

[HawkFanISUalum]

Lavasoft Ad-Aware (Ad-Aware by Lavasoft - Antivirus software, free spyware removal, firewall)

Spybot S&D (The home of Spybot-S&D!)

AVG Free (AVG Free - Download Free Antivirus and Antispyware for Windows 7, Vista and XP)

Try those and see if they help...

 

[brianhos]

Malwarebytes.org

Best program out there for removing it.

 

[HawkFanISUalum]

Yes, Malwarebytes is good too. However you can't rely on one tool. Malwarebytes has missed things that Spybot S&D found, and vice-versa.

Always run multiple utilities for things like this, as I've yet to find one that's perfect.

 

[Aclone]

Hmmm...I keep getting "Explorer cannot display the webpage" for lavasoft and malwarebytes. Is that a bad thing?

Edit: Actually, for all of them. Now I'm pretty sure it might be better to shut down the computer...

 

[brianhos]

Hmmm...I keep getting "Explorer cannot display the webpage" for lavasoft and malwarebytes. Is that a bad thing?

Yeah that means your malware added a hosts entry to try and stop you.

Edit c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and remove any lines that say malwarebytes.

 

[Aclone]

Yeah that means your malware added a hosts entry to try and stop you.

Edit c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and remove any lines that say malwarebytes.

Thanks. :notworthy: That goes beyond my comfort level with someone else's computer. His brother is an IT guy (almost-anyone hiring?), I'll ask him to take a look.

 

[ClimbIowa]

Thanks. :notworthy: That goes beyond my comfort level with someone else's computer. His brother is an IT guy (almost-anyone hiring?), I'll ask him to take a look.

Download the program to a flash drive and install it that way.

 

[Aclone]

Download the program to a flash drive and install it that way.

I can try that. Told ya I was a computer illiterate. :biglaugh:

Wait--how do I download the program if I can't get to the website? :wideeyed:

Edit: You're saying download the program to a flash drive after I get the code cleared--I see. Thanks!

 

[iowa_wildcat]

Download the program on a different computer to your flash drive or a CD. Install it from the flash drive or CD. I have cleaned up many computers that were filled with junk by using this method.