aware/spyware

[Niggy G]

I downloaded messenger plus 2, not knowing that this version installs loads of spyware that hijackes IE. (i didn't read the EULA )

At the moment my homepage is set to http://smartsearch.ws/ and it won't let me change it. Also it wont let me type URLs into the address bar, i have to use that site to access pages. Loads of popups apear too.

Ive tried Ad-aware but it doesn't help...... any suggestions?

havent really got time for a re-format at the mo.

 

[Trotterwatch]

spybot search and destroy
and
hijack this

 

[Niggy G]

spybot search and destroy
and
hijack this

I tried spybot search and destroy, but ill also try your other suggestion, thanks

 

[raiden]

turn of system restore in windows as well. just like as with viruses the system restore folder on xp cant be scanned by av software or something like ad-aware. so if your system restore folder has any spyware files then windows would be putting the infected files back after you have removed them. so in my experience turn off system restore until the issue is resolved

 

[smegforbrain]

As nice as Ad-Aware and Spybot are, I've found that having a third program such as HijackThis to get rid of additional stuff is a necessity.

 

[Trotterwatch]

Yeah it's not really a problem to have a couple of seperate programs like this around to do the job. Not any one is going to be 100% with every POS that is coming out.

 

[KingTom]

i've never had any problem with Spybot Search & Destroy, but i used to get annoyed at Ad-Aware B4 I got S&D

 

[Flash]

Yeah it's not really a problem to have a couple of seperate programs like this around to do the job. Not any one is going to be 100% with every POS that is coming out.

regedit.exe + brain.drv + hands.sys works better than all that automatic spyware killers

 

[Trotterwatch]

In a way but not always, trawlling through a pretty full registry looking for potential spyware is sometimes worthwhile, but isn't something an average user will ever feel like doing.

brain.drv does not come as standard in some models of computer users