Annoying spyware - can somebody help clean it out?

indierocker85

Hi there,

Today I all of a sudden got a Windows XP security pop up and it persistently appears all the time. And starts doing scans of my system. It is quite obvious that these scans are fake, despite it showing actual files on my system.

I also get yellow bubbles appear in the bottom right with spyware warnings etc.

please can somebody guide me through removal.

Thanks

dogmaryxx

Download Hitman Pro 3

If a virus is found, you will receive a free 30-day license to remove the threat.

aliEnRIK

dogmaryxx wrote: »

Download Hitman Pro 3

If a virus is found, you will receive a free 30-day license to remove the threat.

Just a suggestion - do you not think its better to use that as a last resort? Once its gone (assuming it removes the problem) the NEXT time a problem comes along then Hitman becomes useless

Would it not be better to learn to use the free software first?

aliEnRIK

Op ~

Download MALWAREBYTES (Make sure you click 'DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION')
http://www.filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/
Open malwarebytes and goto UPDATE and click 'check for updates'. After its updated goto SCANNER and click PERFORM FULL SCAN then click SCAN
Post the COMPLETE log here AFTER youve deleted everything it finds


reboot

Download HIJACK THIS (Make sure you click 'DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION')
http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis/
Click MAIN MENU then DO A SYSTEM SCAN AND SAVE A LOGFILE(Takes seconds) then post the log so we can see whats running
(do NOT do anything else with Hijack but scan and post the FULL log)

indierocker85

ok, things have got worse

Found out the virus was "ave.exe" and followed a link to remove it.

Only now I am back in normal mode. I cannot access mozilla or internet explorer. (I am having to open my documents and type an address in the address bar and it then does open mozilla and goes to the web browser).It makes out there is no program linked to the icon. And I have no tasks now in my bottom right menu bar.

Please advise.

the link I used was
http://www.xp-vista.com/spyware-removal/remove-xp-defender-pro-aveexe-xp-defender-pro-aveexe-removal

aliEnRIK

indierocker85 wrote: »

ok, things have got worse

Found out the virus was "ave.exe" and followed a link to remove it.

Only now I am back in normal mode. I cannot access mozilla or internet explorer. (I am having to open my documents and type an address in the address bar and it then does open mozilla and goes to the web browser).It makes out there is no program linked to the icon. And I have no tasks now in my bottom right menu bar.

Please advise.

the link I used was
http://www.xp-vista.com/spyware-removal/remove-xp-defender-pro-aveexe-xp-defender-pro-aveexe-removal

So you ignored both of the above pieces of advice and went to remove it by other means?

aliEnRIK

My 'advice' is to reboot and keep pressing F8 to get in SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING and attempt to download and run malwarebytes from there

Failing that id download it onto a usb stick then onto your computer

indierocker85

aliEnRIK wrote: »

So you ignored both of the above pieces of advice and went to remove it by other means?

Not at all, I was waiting for a response and tried this, turns out it has done more harm than good!!!

Managed to fix it guys, I have managed to find an Exe file association fix and imported it into the registry. It seems to have worked as I can now open executables and the annoying virus has gone.

Thank you all very much for your suggestions

merch

OP - if you get any more malware etc, try following the steps in the first four posts in this STICKY: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269

I've had a couple of nasties on my PC and was 'cured' after following these steps. Saved me posting unnecessarily....