Unasked for web ad pages every 10 minutes

[Mike H]

My Win 7 pc has been infected by some bug that opens an uninvited
advertising web page approx every 10 minutes. This happens whether I use IE
or Firefox. I ran a full Avast antivirus scan- nothing found. I restarted
Windows- no change. Whilst writing this with no internet page open yet
another one popped up.

Any suggestions on how to find this and eliminate it please? For example is
it possible to uninstall both IE and Firefox and get them again after? Or
might this bug be deep in the registry and survive that?

As I see it it's not only the nuisance of ad pages appearing but also one
day it might load a malicious web one with all the risks associated with
that.

TIA
Mike H

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

My Win 7 pc has been infected by some bug that opens an uninvited
advertising web page approx every 10 minutes. This happens whether I use
IE or Firefox. I ran a full Avast antivirus scan- nothing found. I
restarted Windows- no change. Whilst writing this with no internet page
open yet another one popped up.

Any suggestions on how to find this and eliminate it please? For example
is it possible to uninstall both IE and Firefox and get them again
after? Or might this bug be deep in the registry and survive that?

As I see it it's not only the nuisance of ad pages appearing but also
one day it might load a malicious web one with all the risks associated
with that.

Did you get Win7 preinstalled, or did you install it yourself?

 

[Mike H]

Did you get Win7 preinstalled, or did you install it yourself?

The bug has only started happening today. The pc was new some 3 months ago
with win7 preinstalled but not started. It came with no cd so I made a
repair disc but a full reinstall really will be the last resort, it's
amazing how much stuff I have added in 3 months.

 

[Parko]

My Win 7 pc has been infected by some bug that opens an uninvited
advertising web page approx every 10 minutes. This happens whether I use
IE or Firefox. I ran a full Avast antivirus scan- nothing found. I
restarted Windows- no change. Whilst writing this with no internet page
open yet another one popped up.

Any suggestions on how to find this and eliminate it please? For example
is it possible to uninstall both IE and Firefox and get them again
after? Or might this bug be deep in the registry and survive that?

As I see it it's not only the nuisance of ad pages appearing but also
one day it might load a malicious web one with all the risks associated
with that.

TIA
Mike H

Download and run the following after ensuring that they are up to date:
http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
http://download.cnet.com/CWShredder/3000-8022_4-10301587.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Use Firefox as your default browser
I personally use Comodo Internet Security when using Win7, which will
block suss sites.
http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
And stop looking at porn.

 

[Parko]

On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:49:57 +0100, Mike H wrote:

Download and run the following after ensuring that they are up to date:
http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
http://download.cnet.com/CWShredder/3000-8022_4-10301587.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Use Firefox as your default browser
I personally use Comodo Internet Security when using Win7, which will
block suss sites.
http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
And stop looking at porn.

And while I'm thinking about it grab a copy of Acronis True Image, a usb
hard drive and do some regular backups.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

The bug has only started happening today. The pc was new some 3 months
ago with win7 preinstalled but not started. It came with no cd so I made
a repair disc but a full reinstall really will be the last resort, it's
amazing how much stuff I have added in 3 months.

How about using an earlier restore point?

 

[Charles Tomaras]

And while I'm thinking about it grab a copy of Acronis True Image, a usb
hard drive and do some regular backups.

There's nothing Acronis True Image will do that you can't do with Windows 7
yourself. No need to spend money to do regular backups including entire disc
images. I've got nothing against Acronis' products but they are not
manditory to accomplish a back up.

 

[relic]

My Win 7 pc has been infected by some bug that opens an uninvited
advertising web page approx every 10 minutes. This happens whether I use
IE or Firefox. I ran a full Avast antivirus scan- nothing found. I
restarted Windows- no change. Whilst writing this with no internet page
open yet another one popped up.

Any suggestions on how to find this and eliminate it please? For example
is it possible to uninstall both IE and Firefox and get them again after?
Or might this bug be deep in the registry and survive that?

As I see it it's not only the nuisance of ad pages appearing but also one
day it might load a malicious web one with all the risks associated with
that.

Wow, I don't believe some of the "advice" you've be given. Most of the
"free" stuff (like Avast) fall into the "You Get What You Pay For" category
with any 'New' malware out there.

The only freebie I'd recommend for malware is SuperAntiSpyware. Get it to
remove your bug.
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

 

[Grenou]

Wow, I don't believe some of the "advice" you've be given. Most of the
"free" stuff (like Avast) fall into the "You Get What You Pay For"
category with any 'New' malware out there.

The only freebie I'd recommend for malware is SuperAntiSpyware. Get it to
remove your bug.
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

Hmm, interesting comment.
I run the free version of Avast and have done for years.
Nothing nasty has ever appeared on my computer that hasn't been caught by
Avast.
I might even pay for it one of these days

One man's desirable program is another's put down?

If we installed all the programs that come 'highly recommended', there
wouldn't be any space to do any computing!

Grenou

 

[DanS]

Wow, I don't believe some of the "advice" you've be given.
Most of the "free" stuff (like Avast) fall into the "You
Get What You Pay For" category with any 'New' malware out
there.

The only freebie I'd recommend for malware is
SuperAntiSpyware. Get it to remove your bug.
http://www.superantispyware.com/index.html

SuperAntiSpyware is crap then too, since it's free.

 

[cj]

On Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:49:57 +0100, Mike H wrote:

Download and run the following after ensuring that they are up to date:
http://www.lavasoft.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
http://download.cnet.com/CWShredder/3000-8022_4-10301587.html
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Use Firefox as your default browser
I personally use Comodo Internet Security when using Win7, which will
block suss sites.
http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
And stop looking at porn.

I would start with MalwareBytes http://www.malwarebytes.org. They have a free version that only does on demand scanning
and compliments nicely what Avira and others can't. Personally, I'd move from Avira to Microsoft Security Essentials.
Even though MSSE includes spyware, I'v have seen it miss what MalwareBytes caught.

I also think its prudent to do regular backups. If you have Seagate, Maxtor or WD drives Acronis is free from Seagate/WD.

Good luck

 

[Parko]

There's nothing Acronis True Image will do that you can't do with Windows
7 yourself. No need to spend money to do regular backups including entire
disc images. I've got nothing against Acronis' products but they are not
manditory to accomplish a back up.

I agree, but Acronis comes as a free download with a Western Digital hard
drive.
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp

 

[Charles Tomaras]

I agree, but Acronis comes as a free download with a Western Digital hard
drive.
http://support.wdc.com/product/downloaddetail.asp

Didn't realize WD offered an OEM version of the paid product with their
drives.

 

[John B. Slocomb]

Hmm, interesting comment.
I run the free version of Avast and have done for years.
Nothing nasty has ever appeared on my computer that hasn't been caught by
Avast.
I might even pay for it one of these days

One man's desirable program is another's put down?

If we installed all the programs that come 'highly recommended', there
wouldn't be any space to do any computing!

Grenou

I hesitate to introduce Linux into a Windows thread but recently Linux
Format, a British magazine, tested the virus scanners available for
Linux and voted Avast as the best as it caught all of their test
virus.

John B. Slocomb
(johnbslocombatgmaildotcom)

 

[relic]

Hmm, interesting comment.
I run the free version of Avast and have done for years.
Nothing nasty has ever appeared on my computer that hasn't been caught by
Avast.
I might even pay for it one of these days

Good for you. I think this is an accurate comparison:
http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/a/freeav.htm

One man's desirable program is another's put down?

You get what you pay for is a put down? Touchy, touchy, touchy.

 

[relic]

SuperAntiSpyware is crap then too, since it's free.

_YOU_ used "crap", not I.

 

[chrisv]

SuperAntiSpyware is crap then too, since it's free.

I'm curious, where did 'relic' say it was crap? He's right, not one of the
freebies rate in the top tier of antivirus programs; especially in stopping
other types of Malware like the OP described.

Can you understand, eat your hat?

 

[DanS]

in message


I'm curious, where did 'relic' say it was crap?

It was a logical conclusion based on the statement that 'you
get what you pay for'.......

.....but of course, those aforementioned tools had always
worked for cleaning PCs that were infected with
spyware/malware. Spybot, HiJackThis, MalewareBytes, (used to
be AdAware also),(formerly Windows Defender) are/were all
effective.

He's right,
not one of the freebies rate in the top tier of antivirus
programs; especially in stopping other types of Malware
like the OP described.

AV programs don't stop malware.

Can you understand, eat your hat?

Whatever that means.

 

[relic]

It was a logical conclusion based on the statement that 'you
get what you pay for'.......

....but of course, those aforementioned tools had always
worked for cleaning PCs that were infected with
spyware/malware. Spybot, HiJackThis, MalewareBytes, (used to
be AdAware also),(formerly Windows Defender) are/were all
effective.


AV programs don't stop malware.

Mine does.

 

[Charles Tomaras]

Good for you. I think this is an accurate comparison:
http://antivirus.about.com/od/antivirussoftwarereviews/a/freeav.htm

Seems like out dated information? With the fast moving world of malware and
virus' I'd be looking for a more comprehensive and current comparison of
what's available.