Computer Help 9,000,001

[Pancamo]

My wife's computer got hijacked by "security tool". This virus won't let me run HiJack This or any other virus. Being computer illiterate doesn't help.

Can someone help using the most simplistic of computer terms.

Thanks

 

[deskslave]

Try starting the computer in safe mode. Press and hold F8 when you start the computer. You'll get a series of choices, the top one being simply 'Safe Mode.' It loads Windows without loading any of the various drivers, and without connecting to the Internet. Then try running your virus scan program in that -- using the most complete setting.

If you need to update the virus scan software, then you can use 'Safe Mode with Networking' and it'll let you connect to the Internet.

You may also want to get yourself a piece of specific spyware removal software. I like Spybot - Search and Destroy.

 

[EStreetJoe]

If you've got the piece of spyware/malware I'm thinking you have, which tells you that you have a security issue (or virus) and you have to download their specific antivirus program, then I have a solution.

My wife's laptop had that, I did a Google search for the name of the program/security message it kept telling you to download and found 1,000s of people bitching about it. An up-to-date McAfee let it right through and wouldn't remove it. However downloading and installing Malwarebytes free anti-Malware program got rid of it. You can get it at: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

 

[Rosie]

First, let me remind everyone - NEVER click on anything unless you are absolutely, positively certain of what you are clicking on. That includes anything masquerading as anti-spyware. Know what programs you have on your computer!

I am 99.9 percent sure of what malware your wife has on her computer and while I love Malwarebytes, the only certain way to make sure it's gone is to reformat the hard drive. This malicious program is insidious in its grip on a computer system.

In short, since you are computer illiterate, bring it to a professional.

 

[OTD]

Someone at work got this on her computer last night. It is vicious. Within about a minute, it was throwing porn site ads up at her. They'll have to reformat the hard drive, I'm guessing.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

My wife's computer got hijacked by "security tool". This virus won't let me run HiJack This or any other virus. Being computer illiterate doesn't help.

Can someone help using the most simplistic of computer terms.

Thanks

http://www.spywared.com/spyware-removal-instructions/2009/09/25/how-to-remove-security-tool-security-tool-removal-help.html
http://www.techjaws.com/how-to-remove-security-tool/

To edit your registry as directed, select the Run command on the Start menu and run regedit.exe.

 

[Bristol Whipped]

Since you've said you're computer illiterate, I would simply take it to a professional. A lot of times they can clean it out of the system without having to reformat, though sometimes they have to do that. Either way, it's in your best interest to let them look at it.

 

[slappy4428]

If you've got the piece of spyware/malware I'm thinking you have, which tells you that you have a security issue (or virus) and you have to download their specific antivirus program, then I have a solution.

My wife's laptop had that, I did a Google search for the name of the program/security message it kept telling you to download and found 1,000s of people bitching about it. An up-to-date McAfee let it right through and wouldn't remove it. However downloading and installing Malwarebytes free anti-Malware program got rid of it. You can get it at: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Malwarebytes is the shizzle... I run them both, but bytes catches some stuff the other doesn't

 

[deskslave]

The belt and suspenders approach is pretty much the way to go with this stuff. Once you get this problem cleared up, make sure you're keeping your protection up-to-date.

 

[Monday Morning Sportswriter]

One of these got me today at work. I didn't download anything, it just showed up all of a sudden. Hijacked everything, including Task Manager.

It took the HelpDesk two hours to sort it out. Malwarebytes ended up deleting 16 different things that it messed with, from my background to IE defaults.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Those of you who have been infected with this or had to deal with an infection ... humor my curiosity: Which browser are you using?

 

[OTD]

Those of you who have been infected with this or had to deal with an infection ... humor my curiosity: Which browser are you using?

My co-worker was using IE.

 

[RickStain]

Those things are *brutal*. It took me two hours to clear one off my home computer once, and I don't think I've ever faced a computer problem I couldn't solve in less than half that before.

Editing the registry is the only thing that will get it done, and that's not something you can do without being confident in understanding how your computer works.

 

[RickStain]

Those of you who have been infected with this or had to deal with an infection ... humor my curiosity: Which browser are you using?

The home computer got this one using Google Chrome, oddly enough

 

[kokane_muthashed]

This virus hit my laptop a few weeks ago.

I second EStreetJoe's advice. I used Malwarebytes in safe mode and it cleared right up. And while I'm not a complete computer illiterate (it still have to sound out words with my mouth), it was very easy to do.

A couple weeks later, the same virus hit my sister's desktop and I looked like a genius fixing it for her.

And, 2much, my sister and I were running IE.

 

[Pancamo]

I ended up doing a system restore to last week. The damn virus would not allow me to run Malwarebytes at all. She uses Mozilla but still has IE on the computer. Should I remove?

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

What may I ask did you all click on/download to prompt this onslaught?

 

[Huggy]

I got hit by something like this last month and I will add my appreciaiton of Malwarebytes. I did a system restore, ran that on the advice of our IT guy and it was great.

 

[deskslave]

I ended up doing a system restore to last week. The damn virus would not allow me to run Malwarebytes at all. She uses Mozilla but still has IE on the computer. Should I remove?

Thanks for all the advice.

I'm pretty sure that unless you're running Windows 7, you can't uninstall IE, as it's part of the Windows Explorer framework that Windows runs on. I believe you can remove it in Windows 7.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

I have a question for anyone that wants to answer it. I had to buy a replacement power cord for my laptop, been working fine for the last few days, now all of a sudden it shuts off when I plug the power cord in. Any suggestions?

My computer is a Toshiba and the cord is a brand called retrax.