Can I be sure?

[dugal_loop]

hi

i think i may have a virus or some spyware even though i used an updated AVG and an updated spybot and an updated ad aware to scan for some and didnt find any.

can i stll ahve a virus or some spyware?

how can i make sure?

thanks

 

[Osiris]

Follow these instructions carefully

Download ALL 4 programs and update them as soon as they are installed, this is very important, except for Hijackthis!.

Ad Aware SE Personal Free

Spybot Search and Destroy Free

Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware Free

HijackThis Free

Ewido

Follow these steps

Delete the prefetch folder C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch, this folder will come back on next reboot.

Delete all cookies and temporary internet files in the control panel.

Go to Start, run, type msconfig, go to startup, disable everything except your antivirus, click apply, dont reboot yet.

Download Msconfig Cleanup below

Msconfig Cleanup Free

Run Msconfig Cleanup after you unchecked the items you were told to uncheck and recheck, click "Select All", then click "Clean up Selected", then click "Quit".

Now run each spyware program 1 by 1. Running all 3 at the same time will slow most systems down.

When each program has finished scanning, remove everything.

For Microsoft Antispy, after it has finished scanning, some items will/might be on ignore, you will need to select remove unless the program is valid such as VNC Viewer, etc.

Now go to the recycle bin and delete everything that is in it.

When finished with the scans, reboot, and go into Safe Mode and run these scans again, remove everything they find, and then reboot back into Windows in normal mode. You dont need to run Hijackthis! yet.

Then run HiJackthis!

Save the log, copy and paste the log on www.techist.com
Do not attach the log, copy and paste always. This will make things go much faster.

 

[dugal_loop]

do i need to uninstal already existing ad aware and spybot?
and re download them?

 

[Osiris]

Nope, If you got them, make sure they are updated then scan

 

[dugal_loop]

hi

i downloaded the msconfig clean up. at first it said there were none selected then i think i did something wrong because all the start up icons have been deleated except the anti virus.

what have i done?

 

[dugal_loop]

And also, how can i get into Safe Mode with xp pro?

 

[Osiris]

all of those startup icons you dont need except your antivirus. F8 to get into safemode

 

[dugal_loop]

cheers mate. just wondering, what does msconfig clean up do?

have i done it right?

 

[Osiris]

You done it right. MSCONFIG>startup---this houses most of your startup items. When you install a new program, it almost always go to the start in msconfig, its located in the registry but this is faster and easier and safer to use for most people. The more programs you have running in startup, the longer it takes for your system to boot and the slower it becomes because those programs use memoy, so why have those programs use that memory when you are not using them? Make sense?

 

[dugal_loop]

hi

i understand about deleating the start up program list. but i could have deleated them without the using the actual msconfig clean up program. am i confused? just wondering what the msconfig program does? cheers soory about all these auestions.