Gah! Need better anti-bug stuff

**Lemur** · 12-05-2009, 05:49

Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

It's not google, it's the virus, most likely.

Yup, the virus/malware has probably hijacked your Hosts file.

**CrossLOPER** · 12-05-2009, 06:14

Avast and spybot search and destroy. You really don't need more...

**Beirut** · 12-05-2009, 14:23

Originally Posted by Lemur

Yup, the virus/malware has probably hijacked your Hosts file.

You just might be right. (You usually are.) Whatever is friggin' with my riggin' is not letting me DL superantispyware or update Ad-Aware or Spybot. I appear to be in the clutches of an evil madman.

Since our learned and most excellent members suggest a browser other than IE, which is of course what I use, how does one safely - meaning without killing myself or my software - change from IE to Firefox?

And is it easy to change over, or does it require a brain? Cause, you know...

**naut** · 12-05-2009, 14:53

Originally Posted by Beirut

And is it easy to change over

Yep.

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/personal.html

Download. It'll ask if you want copy your bookmarks etc, tick yes, install. Search for the add-ons Noscript and Ad-Block. Safety.

**pevergreen** · 12-05-2009, 15:51

Yeah, thats a nasty one. Do it quick.

I had that problem earlier in the year, wouldnt let me access C drive (had to go into explorer, [delete your recycle bin in C:\ base]) or any antivirus stuff. I ended up reformatting.

**Beirut** · 12-05-2009, 22:06

Well, I am Firefoxed.

Not that it helps, I'm still kazood up the wazoo and can't seem to update or install any new anti-virus stuff or Google straight to a page without running into endless useless search engine pages.

In any event, this is beyond what I'm prepared to deal with. This machine is a crazy conglomeration of my woman's French programs and my English ones, as well as having been subjected to my kids various live chat programs and online games, so I think it's time for The Big Flush. I was going to do it anyway, but this situation just seems to beg for it.

Aside from whether I should re-install XP or go for the newer W7, since I'm going to backup my stuff on an external HD, re-install some form of Win and then retrive my stuff, what is the ultimate Must have list of stuff I should install prior to retrieving my old stuff off the external HD (and inspecting it with)?

I'm guessing:

AVG 9.0 Free
Superantispyware
Spybot

Any other programs I should have or steps I should take?

Thanks for the help.

**Lemur** · 12-06-2009, 01:06

I would definitely move to Win7.

**pevergreen** · 12-06-2009, 02:17

Be careful, a virus (possibly the one you have) did the rounds through external USB devices, infected them, then everything they touched.

**Beirut** · 12-06-2009, 02:32

Originally Posted by pevergreen

Be careful, a virus (possibly the one you have) did the rounds through external USB devices, infected them, then everything they touched.

But if I scan everything I intend to reload (before reloading of course) with Spybot, Superantiyaddah-yaddah, and AVG 9, do ya think that will clear things out?