laptop going slow and being hijacked?

keylimepie

hi, I wonder if anyone can help me?

My sister is having awful problems with her laptop. For start it's running realy slow online. once online, before she's had chance to navigate to a site, the page has changed to a different site, as if someone is hijacking her connection.

She was using a wireless connection, but she's tried it on the normal modem connection and it still does the same thing.

To try to comat the issue, she's set up a new user account but the same problem occurs. The only pages/sites it doesn't jump from is MSN messenger or other instant message programs.

The laptop's running spydoctor anti-spyware, mcafee antivirus (which may or may not be working) and the firewall that came with the laptop (windows own).

Can anyone help us?

Thanks in advance...

It's a Gateway laptop running windows vista basic and it's just a year old.

o_c99

It could be one of many problems, but as a guess I would think it is possibly a trojan horse. Do you have an up-to-date virus scanner on the laptop? By that I mean I have you updated the scanner recently when on the internet? Have you run a scan recently on the laptop?

keylimepie

She has recently run spydoctor twice. do you think she should maybe disable what she's using and try something like AVG free instead?

Or is there anything else you can suggest?

o_c99

Which site keeps appearing on her internet out of interest?

The first thing I would do as a precaution is back up everything onto disk. I recently had a nasty trojan on my computer which gradually took control. This may not be a trojan but it's better to be safe.

The next step would be to try your current scanner. Is your McAfee working? If so, has it picked up anything?

I've not used AVG before but if the other methods are failing, trying another one is worth a try.

Best of Luck.

Browntoa

yep, backing up the virus is a good idea so you can re-install it later ....NOT !

get her to follow the malware sticky at the top of this section

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269

you may beed to put the software on Cd if she cannot get an internet connection

o_c99

I didn't suggest the virus. I meant backing up the personal files. But yes, have a look at other threads in this section regarding malware.

Browntoa

files hide viruses......

newests trojans target usb drives/removable data on purpose

keylimepie

Browntoa - I've looked at the thread you mention but the suggestions seem to be for XP users and this laptop is running Vista - something which I myself am not very good with!

I realise i'm asking you to repeat what you've already put in that thread, but would you be so kind as to suggest a sequence of sites you think i should download from and in which order?

I know how to boot into safe mode but I'm not sure if you can still access the net whilst in that mode or whether i need to download the approriate programs logging in normally first?

Really appreciate your help with this..

Browntoa

almost all the software will work on Vista

download first , then use the software

try downloading just

www.superantispyware.com

the free blue version , then update and run a full scan

if possible get her to post a hijackthis log here (or you post it for her) after the superantispyware scan

keylimepie

Thanks B I'll do that now :-)

o_c99

I do not disagree Browntoa.

If the computer had to be formatted as a last resort, it would be a good idea to have some files backed up at least. By that I mean personal files like word documents for example. True, the files could contain the problem, but then they may not. As I suggested in my second post as a PRECAUTION it might be worth doing that.

Following the steps in the malware sticky (link above) is certainly worth a try, as is trying your virus scanner (McAfee).