Adware Spyware & Virus Troubleshooting/Guidance

[Assimilator87]

OMFG!!! :mad: I just wrote a gigantic post critiqueing the adware removal software that I've used and I forgot to copy the post, knowing that PCStats always times out when I take a long time to write a post :mad: It's all gone now and I'm too lazy to rewrite it. It wouldn't have the same flow as the first time either so here is the summary:

Adware spyware and viruses (plural = viri?) are a huge problem, especially adware. Whenever I get infected, I stay infected until I reformat because none of the programs I've used has ever worked successfully. That's why I thought I'd make one thread in which everyone can help eachother to overcome this problem. I don't have much expertise in the matter so your help would be appreciated even by me. Here's what I can contribute:

Lavasoft Ad-Aware: There's a free personal version. Its got a noob friendly interface and it's very up to date. It doesn't come with real-time protection.

Webroot Spy Sweeper:Same as Ad-Aware, but comes with real-time protection and it's constantly being updated. It's a retail product that you have to buy. There's a trial version that you can keep downloading, but Webroot shortened the trial period from 30 days to 14 days so it'll be a good challange for the strong willed :D

Spybot Search & Destroy: Free program with real-time protection. I don't like the interface, but you should try it out for yourself because it's a powerful program for being free.

Microsoft AntiSpyware: M$ is at it again to monopolize all software. It's got a very bright, fresh interface and it's got real-time protection as well. It's still in beta stage, but you can download a free one year trial. I'm not sure if it will remain free when it reaches v1.0 status. It's not very powerful though and I think it's because Microsoft's database of malicious software isn't complete yet, but I think that as the program reaches final status that it will be quite powerful.

AVG is another well known program, but I haven't used it. It's an anti-virus program so I don't know if it'll take care of adware. Would somebody tell me if anti-virus programs also handle adware and vice-versa for anti-adware programs?

Note: None of the above programs have been able to clean my system once its been infected, not even Spy Sweeper which is the highest rated anti-adware program and it costs money.

Please contribute your experiences with adware, spyware, and viruses and help troubleshoot those that are in need.

Sticky please

[speedy11309]

Along with these programs, I use SpywareBlaster and A-squared 2. SpywareBlaster prevents spyware from getting onto your computer. It's pretty effective. I base this on the fact that I run these programs about once a month and the most they find is like 5 programs, and thats a rarity. A-squared 2 is a trojan and malware detector. Does exactly what it claims. Highly recommend it. Both are free.

[Stone Fox]

Ad-Aware is ************************e. I've tried running it at the same time as other programs (spybot S&D & Microsoft Anti-Spyware came out best) and it hardly picks up anything compared to a lot of them.

MAS's memory resident protection is really good - but to get MAS now a days you have to authenticate your copy of windows!

Also worth noting that the vast majority of malware is designed to exploit IE - so switching to firefox helps attract less s**t. That and you get multi-tab browsing - I don't know how I lived without it.

*edit* actually, yes I do. I'd look at the bottom of my screen and find I had about 3 million copies of IE running at once and start screaming.