Help !

[familyman]

My homepage has been hijacked by a site telling me i have to download security programs from them -i've tried a system restore but that was no good -any ideas anybody ,computers are not my strong point so keep it easy!

[mumof4]

have you tried tools, internet options then tried changing the home page address ?

[NikpV]

possibly have picked up a virus so changing in tools options may just work until the next time you log in otoh it may be a simple home page changer, could try out firefox as browser - tends to somewhat more resistant to this type of thing

[mumof4]

scan yer pc hun, ive caught 5 trojans in the last couple of days. getting a wee bit fed up with it now as they arent being picked up till i actually scan the pc.This is all since i got that zip file the other day.

[Saif Rehman]

Ok, since i worked at PC World i will try to help the best i can -

 

Can you tell me what anti-virus software you are running? along with any other spyware and firewall programs?

 

Sytem restore will not work as the virus may have affected/embedded itself in the computers registry - the only thing that will work for sure is by doing a complete reformat using the computers original restore disk's, however, you will lose all work/settings saved on the computer.

 

Thanks

[familyman]

Ok, since i worked at PC World i will try to help the best i can -

 

Can you tell me what anti-virus software you are running? along with any other spyware and firewall programs?

 

Sytem restore will not work as the virus may have affected/embedded itself in the computers registry - the only thing that will work for sure is by doing a complete reformat using the computers original restore disk's, however, you will lose all work/settings saved on the computer.

 

Thanks

Using norton anti-virus that came pre installed on the pc also using the pc's windows vista defender and firewall

[mumof4]

if it is a trojan, there is a removal tool online as i have to download it as one of the trojans i caught was in the restore bit...mine are all languishing in my virus vault.

 

try scanning to see if it is picked up.the new Ad-aware 2007 is pretty good, i also use spybot search and destroy.Norton im afraid i think is pants as everybugger tries to create a virus that can get round it.Plus when i had it , it took my a fair few weeks to get rid of all the files as they were dotted everywhere.

[El Dingo]

According to El Xando, this can be caused by visiting a web site that changes your home page. The adverts are for:

PCDriveCleaner

PCDoctor

pcturbopro

systemdoctor

They can also 'pop up' during browsing and are very irritating.

Is this what has hijacked your home page?

[mumof4]

PCDoctor is a pain in the A55 if it pops up.Even if you click the red cross it still continues.

[El Dingo]

Just click cntrl-alt-del and shut down IE. It's a pain, but it stops PCDoctor running.

[big_kev]

Can you not just right-click Internet explorer and "start with out add-ons " ?

 

You can then change homepage etc

[El Dingo]

Can you not just right-click Internet explorer and "start with out add-ons " ?

 

You can then change homepage etc

 

Yes, good thinking.

 

This doesn't stop PCDoctor though.

Edited November 4, 2007 by El Dingo

[familyman]

Thanks for all the advice everyone ,managed to get it sorted by installing a version of SPYBOT ( thanks mum of 4! ) swept the computer and got rid of the bugs,so all seems ok .Once again the forum comes through!

[Saif Rehman]

Congratulations on fixing the computer, however, i do not recommend Nortons as a anti-virus software (it hogs up to much of computers memory) I would recommend Kaspersky Internet Suite which includes a firewall, anti-banner, anti-phishing, anti-dialler, anti-spy and pop-up blocker and alongside this i would have Spybot.

[mumof4]

Glad its sorted, i use AVG along with AD-Aware 2007 and spybot search and destroy.Also have the sygate firewall installed.

[Smilge]

Congratulations on fixing the computer, however, i do not recommend Nortons as a anti-virus software (it hogs up to much of computers memory) I would recommend Kaspersky Internet Suite which includes a firewall, anti-banner, anti-phishing, anti-dialler, anti-spy and pop-up blocker and alongside this i would have Spybot.

 

Sorry Saif ....disagree with you there. The newer versions of Norton Internet Security suite are outstanding and do not hog the computers memory as you suggest. I have used all the previously mentioned Anti-Virus software and having children that need some protection from the idiots out there, I can recommend Norton as their parental and privacy controls are excellent. Since installing it I have had no viruses, adware, spyware or tracking cookies on any of my machines. Oh and by the way, completely formatting the hard drive to get rid of viruses may have been the way you used to do it when you worked at PC World but that's the last resort these days. There are plenty of removal tools around that do the job and you don't lose any of your important files.

[NikpV]

While I have no recent experience of Norton I will not load anything to do with them due to the difficulty of unistalling anything - from past experience, it is a shame because the stuff they did for DOS was really useful but things like 'live update' ruined any reputation they had with me

[big_kev]

Norton have improved somewhat the 2007 version (internet security) is far superior to the older 2005 version that I had.

 

Much more in the background and less blocking of everything and its dog.

 

I tried McAfee last year and it was better than the older Norton but not as user friendly as the new one.

 

Also on the symantec site they now supply tools for completely uninstalling all Norton software and it works just fine.

 

Try here to see prices....

 

http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Software/Se...%3B+Anti-Virus/

 

Obviously this is an example may pay to shop around.

[MadBaz]

Norton still is bloatware and it still slows systems down significantly, All the leading antivirus programs usually do their job but at the moment Kapersky has the fullest feature set (apart from a startup registry scan, but none of the others do this either) and is probably the best out there for the average joe.

 

Personally I use AVG pro and have done for many years and even though the latest version hasn't got West Coast Labs certification (neither has Norton) it still does a robust job and is the best VFM, and Grisoft (owned by Sophos, arguably the best in the world) because of AVG free are usually first off the mark at detecting and finding fixes for new threats.

 

Spybot S&D is used for the other stuff, and I use a Linux Smoothwall firewall (free if you've an old pc).

[big_kev]

I am still impressed with Norton 2007 compared to earlier versions.

 

However I will concede that both McAfee and Kapersky are probably just as good.

 

Certainly wouldn't want to not have an antivirus software running or a hardware firewall.

[Saif Rehman]

I have a well-known computer magazine some place that ran a full experiment with all the major anti-virus software manufacturers. And as i thought, Nortons was one of them that came at the bottom of the pile - it was even beaten buy a free program (AVG) in detection rates of viruses. But to be honest i cannot remember what version Nortons was, i will need to dig up that magazine and check.

[mumof4]

never heard of kapersky.....is it a free one or one you pay for?

[MadBaz]

Kaspersky is one you buy, they have a free trial and a free online scanner here

 

AVG has always beaten Norton hands down with heuristic analysis and detection of trojans, the problem with AVG is that its not as user friendly as the big names.

 

The problem with reviews of antivirus is they become out of date as soon as a program update is released (not to be confused with virus definition updates).

ICSA labs is possibly the best place to review antivirus as they are and always have been the leading authority on testing and certifying antivirus solutions, ps they do antispam, antispyware and firewall testing as well. Their website is a little long winded but is quite comprehensive.

 

I agree with Big Kev, no-one connected to the interweb should be without at least antivirus, anti spyware and a firewall (preferably hardware like in some routers) XP/Vista comes with a basic firewall and it should be enabled by default.

[mumof4]

Hmm..im trying to download the free trial version of kapersky to see what its like, but its telling me to remove AVG....i dont particualy want to remove it..any advice peeps?

[MadBaz]

Keep AVG,

You'd have to remove AVG via add remove programs in control panel first, as having 2 antivirus programs running can cause problems, a simplistic way of putting it is that they cancel each other out.