Pop-up ads/Spyware/Virus problems - all related posts in here.

[Crisp_Rapper]

Stay away from crappy SPECIALIST porn sites!

hun/fusker should be all a normal person needs... it's when you go looking for lactating grannies and their penchant for horses it all goes wrong.

if in doubt READ before clicking 'ok'. and if it's a shared pc, tell whoever it is to stop looking at dodgy s**t.

[SubparMario]

The three musketeers will help you, make sure you use them.

Firefox
Ad-Aware
Spybot

[jim g]

hun/fusker should be all a normal person needs... it's when you go looking for lactating grannies and their penchant for horses it all goes wrong.

if in doubt READ before clicking 'ok'. and if it's a shared pc, tell whoever it is to stop looking at dodgy s**t.

Cheers for the help. it was my step-daughter accessing stupid **** homemade Buffy sites and downloading crap, She is now banned!

[Jusatsushi]

Can anyone help me get rid of this? It pops up every ten minutes or so whenever I'm connected

I've ran both agv and Spybot... nada! It's really pissing me off now.

[charlesr]

Turn off the useless "Messenger" service - Start/control panel/admin tools/services - look down the list and change "messenger" to 'disabled'. Note this is nothing to do with the MSN Messenger chat tool.

[Jusatsushi]

Thanks mate! That's really been bugging me! Not very teccy when it comes to PC's so your help is much appreciated

[charlesr]

Were here to help

[Friction]

Hey all,

Wonder if you can help me with a really annoying pop up type problem I seem to have lately.

I have tried running all the Spyware stuff and my virus checker but it just still keeps happening.

The problem I have is sometimes when I do a web search (using Yahoo) the page of results comes up, but then quickly gets replaced with search results from the website www.search42.com. It also likes closing the original IE window so I have to hit home or close that window and try again to search.

EG. Just to make it happen I did a search for 'Knight Rider' - the yahoo page come up and then it jumped to this = http://www.search42.com/search.php?a...ight+rider&lid=

I can only assume it's some kind of Spyware but I really dont know its just annoying!

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it!

Cheers

[Wild_Cat]

Which spyware busters have you tried? Use Ad-Aware (important: download it from the official website, cause some versions you find at popular download sites are actually infested with spyware (!)) *and* either MS Anti-spyware or Spybot. Up-to-date versions are a must-have, of course. Same goes for your anti-virus, and once your system is clean you should run Windows Update to install the countless security fixes MS has released.


Oh, and of course, stop using IE. It's the primary entryway for spyware into your system. Firefox and Opera, in addition to being infinitely more secure, also happen to be absolutely excellent.

(the secondary entryway, Outlook Express, should be replaced by Mozilla Thunderbird, BTW)

[Friction]

Thanks for the reply.

I have tried using Ad Aware and Spybot - aslo run Coolwear Shredder and Spysubtract, just to be sure!

Virus checker is bang up to date, as are all windows updates.

I tried searching google and I dont get this problem, but then I don't get it everytime with Yahoo either.

I do use IE and Outlook.

I do actually have Opera but never use it....

Can one of the email clients you mention (Mozilla etc) handle Hotmail accounts as well as usual POP3 ones?

Thanks!

[importaku]

Im in a real mess on my pc. Somehow i have been infected with a worm & i cant get rid of it no matter what i do.

The worm is called w32.mytob.f@mm

I have tried both norton antivirus & another called solo. Norton cant find it at all and when windows starts solo picks it up & deletes it from memory but it just comes right back. Symantecs site is total crap as i have done everything on there yet its still on my pc.

I have tried scanning while in safe mode with system restore turned off but that dosent work either.

I dont know what else to do. HEEEELLP

[charlesr]

Have you searched your registry and harddrive for "taskgmr.exe" (note odd spelling)?

[marcus]

From symantexs site -


removal instructions

The following instructions pertain to all current and recent Symantec antivirus products, including the Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus product lines.

1. Disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP).
2. Update the virus definitions.
3. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as W32.Mytob.F@mm .
4. Delete any values added to the registry.

For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.

1. To disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP)
If you are running Windows Me or Windows XP, we recommend that you temporarily turn off System Restore. Windows Me/XP uses this feature, which is enabled by default, to restore the files on your computer in case they become damaged. If a virus, worm, or Trojan infects a computer, System Restore may back up the virus, worm, or Trojan on the computer.

Windows prevents outside programs, including antivirus programs, from modifying System Restore. Therefore, antivirus programs or tools cannot remove threats in the System Restore folder. As a result, System Restore has the potential of restoring an infected file on your computer, even after you have cleaned the infected files from all the other locations.

Also, a virus scan may detect a threat in the System Restore folder even though you have removed the threat.

For instructions on how to turn off System Restore, read your Windows documentation, or one of the following articles:

* How to disable or enable Windows Me System Restore
* How to turn off or turn on Windows XP System Restore


Note: When you are completely finished with the removal procedure and are satisfied that the threat has been removed, reenable System Restore by following the instructions in the aforementioned documents.

For additional information, and an alternative to disabling Windows Me System Restore, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article: Antivirus Tools Cannot Clean Infected Files in the _Restore Folder (Article ID: Q263455).

2. To update the virus definitions
Symantec Security Response fully tests all the virus definitions for quality assurance before they are posted to our servers. There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:

* Running LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions: These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers once each week (usually on Wednesdays), unless there is a major virus outbreak. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, refer to the document: Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate).
* Downloading the definitions using the Intelligent Updater: The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted daily. You should download the definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site and manually install them. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, refer to the document: Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater).

The latest Intelligent Updater virus definitions can be obtained here: Intelligent Updater virus definitions. For detailed instructions read the document: How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater.

Note: If you see an error, such as LU1418, when you try to run LiveUpdate and you cannot get the Web site hosting the Intelligent Updater, it is likely that the worm has modified the Hosts file. You can either download and install LiveUpdate 2.5, which can remove Symantec entries from that file, or you can edit it yourself. See the instructions for both in the "Additional Information" section below.



3. To scan for and delete the infected files

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files.
* For Norton AntiVirus consumer products: Read the document: How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files.
* For Symantec AntiVirus Enterprise products: Read the document: How to verify that a Symantec Corporate antivirus product is set to scan all files.
2. Run a full system scan.
3. If any files are detected as infected with W32.Mytob.F@mm, click Delete.

Note: If your Symantec antivirus product reports that it cannot delete an infected file, Windows may be using the file. To fix this, run the scan in Safe mode. For instructions, read the document: How to start the computer in Safe Mode. Once you have restarted in Safe mode, run the scan again.

After the files are deleted restart the computer in normal mode and proceed with section 4.


4. To delete the value from the registry
Important: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before making any changes to it. Incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files. Modify the specified subkeys only. For instructions refer to the document: How to make a backup of the Windows registry.

1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type regedit
3. Click OK.

4. Navigate to the subkeys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\
RunServices
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OLE
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control \Lsa
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\OLE
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Lsa

5. In the right pane, delete the value:

"SVCHOST" = "taskgmr.exe"

6. Exit the Registry Editor.

[importaku]

I searched the registry but it couldnt find anything, however when i did a file search its found 2 items that match taskgmr.exe

This one was in C:\windows\prefetch TASKGMR.EXE-0322671C.pf
& this one was in C:\windows\system32 taskgmr

[importaku]

hmm thats off did another registry search just on taskgmr without the .exe and it found 1 entry.

Is it safe to delete it??