Advertisement
Anyone familiar with the "WinFix" pop-up ad (hijack) program? Its name is a misnomer because it doesn't fix anything it slows down my computer and makes the screen freeze. Anyone know of a quick way to get rid of this? Assume I can follow instructions but I'm probably not nearly as computer savvy as you are. Failing a fairly easy fix, can you recommend a program I can buy to do the job? Shouldn't programs that attach themselves to a computer without the owners consent be illegal? Can't the FCC or some govermntal body fine the beneficary of such actions??
Thanks in advance for any help you might offer.
J.G.
Thanks in advance for any help you might offer.
J.G.
posted by:
|
Houston
|
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Fri, November 25, 2005 - 12:04 PMAlas, the government is moving too slow to stop this madness. I suggest using a program called HijackThis to remove the offending software. Also, a program called SpyBot: Search and Destroy. Both of these programs are free of charge. Surprisingly, one of the best anti-spyware programs out there (the one I use also) is Microsoft's AntiSpyware. It is free to those who "validate" their copy of windows, but I'll bet you could find a copy out there without validating. -
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Fri, November 25, 2005 - 1:34 PMThanks Psychotty. I'll surely pass this information along to anyone else who gets infected. I bit the bullet this morning (didn't know if anyone would answer my post) and bought McAffe's latest anitviral program. It seemed to fix the problem. I'll keep you posted on if the problem has really gone away. The ironic thing is while I was searching for a program that would eliminate the pop-ups I came across "WinVirusPro" which claimed to be able to eleminate that type of "hijack" virus. I'm thinking, first they infect you then they sell you software to get rid of the infection. *issed me off!! I'd rather spend twice as much as I did than to be extorted that way. Anyway I don't mean to rant. Like I said, your advice will be passed on. Thanks again.
J.G. -
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Fri, November 25, 2005 - 1:51 PMIf I had my way, the soulless individuals that provide software that infects computers it is purporting to protect, for violating a trust like that, would meet a punishment worthy of violating the Geneva Convention. Fortunately, for them a) I often don't get my way and b) I don't know their e-mail / ip addresses... yet....
I have little first hand experience with McAfee, but trust them as "one of the good ones"... -
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Fri, November 25, 2005 - 7:33 PMamen to that! :)
-
-
-
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Mon, November 28, 2005 - 2:48 PMWell as a rule, you should never trust anything advertised for your PC that is offered for free in a pop-up or in the ad space of a web site. There are free utilities out there like the previously mentioned Hijack This and Spybot but they don't advertise.
There's also bad juju from legitimate companies. In case you hadn't heard this in the newsm if you haven't disabled Autorun in Windows, Sony music CDs install DRM spyware on your system not only screwing up performance but have a security vulnerability that is being exploited to hijack your PC. Sony has offered a removal tool but it has a worse security vulnerability in it. There's a free removal tool from Sophos (sophos.com the best anti-virus software there is.)
One way to tell if you have the Sony hack is to create a folder or file that starts with "$SYS$" if it becomes invisible, you have it.
There are two ways to disable autorun. The second disables data execution. I use WinXP Pro with SP2, don't know about Win2K or other versions. I'm not sure if disabling data execution could lead to unanticipated problems. It does have an option for you to create exceptions to the rule.
Disable Autorun
1. Click: Start
2. Click: Run
3. Enter: GPEDIT.MSC
4. Group Policy mmc will popup. On left panel:
5. Double-click Computer Configuration to open submenu
6. Double-click Administrative Templates to open submenu
7. Double-click System to open submenu
8. Double-click Turn autoplay off option which will be near the bottom of the list in the right panel. The default is the Not configured . Set it to Enabled.
Disable Data Execution
1. Click Start
2. Select Control Panel
3. Select System
4. Click the Advanced tab
5. In the Performance region select Settings
6. Click the Data Execute tab in the dialog box that opens
7. Select Turn on DEP for all programs and services except for those I select
8. Click Add.
9. The open dialog box will open. Browse and select your application.
10. Click Open
11. Click Apply
12. Click Ok
13. Reboot
-
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Mon, November 28, 2005 - 7:28 PMThanks Hypno. I've paid for the latest McAffe, downloaded SpyBot search and destroy 1.4, and AdAware. Not sure if I solved the problem though. My computer still seems slower than it used to be. There's no way things that attack a person's computer should be legal. I don't see why there is any debate about that?? Anyway, thanks for taking the time out to write.
Jesse
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Mon, November 28, 2005 - 8:54 PMHumm I keep getting the message that this file (GPEDIT.MSC) can't be found? -
-
Re: My computer got "hijacked" damit!
Tue, November 29, 2005 - 3:58 PMJust tried it on my XP Pro, comes up just fine. I think it also works on Win2K. It may not be available on XP Home et al. It brings up the Group Policy window which you can probably(?) get to somehow in right-click My Computer-->Manage. You would need Admin rights. Group Policy is where net admins can set controls over what you can and can't do like not allow you to play MP3s at work, etc.
-
-
