Could be a number of things but to be on the safe side run a complete virus check (make sure it's up-to-date) Also download Spybot from and run that.
Broadband users are more open to more attacks so you need anti-virus and and firewall software. You probably have some like Norton anti-virus and Symantec. But I highly recommend Spybot and Ad-Aware (by lava soft) available to download free off the net (do a search) to root out those buggers that like to squat on your hard-drive.
You may have a Trojan and someone is accessing your puter, so get the above software. Also remove your modem link when you are finished because they can still use your puter and dial all over the place when you are not there.
Regards LC.
Don't panic. Let it run. There will probably be an option to clear up the mess when its run. You will need more than a popup blocker though. Get the other stuff. Spybot -Search and Destroy... He He. Do regular checks evey day or so.
Look above you and Sussexguy has given you a link to Spybot.
Hopefully you can download it. I have had problems getting hold of some software. It seems the hackers block of access to it and you get a can read file page or something. Good luck.
However I recommend you run your virus scan or whatever whilst you are logged off or the browser is closed. These processes take time I know but...he Big Brother live is on, take a break or something! Just an Idea.
Firstly you may want to remove want your AVG has found first. Hopefully it won't remove anything important Ha Ha. Iv'e had no probs.. perhaps a few cookies will go...You may have the option to edit?remove what you want but 700+ thingies...I'd just go for it..
for Spybot and you don't need to uninstall AVG. Also run the AVG update to make sure you get the virus definitions for new viruses, the update button is on the lefthand side. After you click it another window will pop up and click the button which says internet.
Another thing to do is go along to windows update and get all the security patches for windows.
Misschief, can I suggest you read the sticky in the Cafe about this ?? :shock: :shock:
http://www.swingingheaven.co.uk/swingers-forum/viewtopic/2672.html
:giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle: :giggle:
Sussexguy.
Yes I have been able to get what I want eventually but I have come up against this problem. I just wondered if anyone else had and does this suggest ther is some sort of hacker war going on. Had no probs getting Spybot but had difficulty getting Ad -Aware.
As various companys have a vested interest in tracking users and are using 'Tool Bar Hijacking' and such, the Ad-aware program is very effective against these and therefore may have become a target for the hackers. Just a thought. I have no difficulty downloading other stuff, just when I try to get hold of something useful to stop the abusers.
Goto c:windowssystem32driversetc and open the file called hosts using notepad if there's any entries that look like 0.0.0.0 delete them, also look for any addresses of common sites.
Re , not being able to access anti virus site , yes some of the recent worms have prevented access to these sites by altering registties , so you cant get the update that killls the worm .
I run Antivar , scanning twice aweek and with the AVguard on all the time , spybot , and after clearing the drive ran the "innoculate " program which fhas been 100% ever since . I have a hardware Firewall in the DSL router I bought , oh and I run the free Symantec "Housecall" about once a month , it often finds stuff that AV guard missed , usually in an archive , but why have that cr*p anywhre on your m/c
Re Mischiefs slow m/c , there is a good chance it has been turned into a "Zombie" and was busy sending spam when it slowed down . I was told by someone who runs a software firewall that it had a,log for attempted hacker attacks , and it was seeing thousands every day ! So yes within minutes of going ADSL always on you could have a problem. I'm sorry that this was not made clear to you when you went Broadband , it should have been pointed out by AOL , IMHO.
When I up-graded to broadband, it came with McAffe personal firewall. Looking at the log, there have been attempts to access various ports at a rate of 1 every 6 seconds, when the pc is online.
With respect to AdAware, Spybot etc...if you update adaware regularly it will pick-up every bit of ad and spy ware going, but just lately I've been getting attempts to deliver various diallers from porn sites...worrying, because adaware didn't pick them out. Also, you really need adwatch...which picks them up and deletes them as they arrive, and also won't allow any registry entries to be altered without the ok.
I reinstalled windows xp for a friend. I installed Norton from disc and then went onto the internet to do windows and Norton updates.
10 seconds after logging onto the net and into the windows site we'd benn clobbered by the lasser worm.
Used the removal tool without restarting the PC and then got zonealarm and the updates done. Touch wood everything seems ok so far, but it amazed me how quickly these things find an open computer, especially through broadband. :shock:
but I didn't hear that bit, I just heard the 'specially selected' bit 8-) 
....... that was on my old puter tho, not this one.
:? :?
- I'm only a tiny way through the scan :shock:
.... so where do I get this Spybot thing? is it easy to find? And should I run that and this AVG thing? or uninstall the AVG and do spybot?
)
