Osiris' 4 Step Spyware Removal Guide (old)

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Osiris

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Warez Monsters 4 Step Spyware Removal Guide

Updated: 18 September 2006

Follow these instructions carefully and do what is said. If you can¡¦t perform a step, then skip it, an example would be if you can¡¦t get into safemode to scan your system, skip it and move on to the next. Please be precise in what your problem is. The more information I have the better I can help. Please name the Trojan, virus, Spyware you have and the affects it is having on your computer. An example would be your desktop has changed and you can¡¦t change it or a program is asking you to scan your system and then once you let it scan it asks you to buy it so it can remove the problems. If you happen to view this guide before posting, please tell us that you already performed these steps so I don¡¦t waste time in posting this guide up for you. If you have dial-up, I suggest you download these programs on another computer and then transfer them to the infected computer. Please be active with your posts meaning don't come here and state your issues, then have someone help you out but then you come back 2 weeks later. These issues need to be addressed ASAP. When posting your log, don't attach your log as a text document, copy and paste it to the forum. If you don¡¦t know what you are doing, (I know you are just try to help) then please refrain from telling someone what to delete using Hijackthis as it can cause a system crash or other irreversible affects. Thanks for your cooperation.

1.) Download ALL 13 programs and update ASAP if needed.

HijackThis

Make sure you put Hijackthis! In the root of your drive (C:\HJT) IMPORTANT!!

Ad Aware SE Personal Free

Ad-aware Messenger Service Plug-in

Ad-Aware VX2 Cleaner Plug-in

Spybot Search and Destroy Free

Spy Catcher Express

HijackThis Tutorial & Guide

Smith fraud Fix

Ewido

CCleaner

Cleanup!

Rootkit Revealer

CWShredder

Msconfig Cleanup

2.) Update your System completely and remove offending programs
Make sure your system is completely updated with all of Microsoft¡¦s Updates including SP2 This service pack fixes a lot of Spyware issues, exploits, etc. NOTE: If your system is severely infected DO NOT INSTALL SP2 DOING SO CAN/WILL RENDER YOUR SYSTEM USELESS AND WILL BE TO BE REINSTALLED. Read this as to why not to install SP2 on an infected machine

Please visit at least 2 of these free online virus scanners

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www3.ca.com/virusinfo/virusscan.aspx
http://www.tenebril.com/scanner/main_scan.php

Next go to Add/Remove Programs and uninstall any offending programs, here are some below: Note: If you have more than one antivirus installed, please remove one. If during the uninstall process you receive an access denied, just move on to the next one. You may be asked to visit the offending programs website to receive an uninstaller, do not do so, just ignore it, close it, and move on.
If you are no sure about a specific program, look below. All programs in this site are offending and needs to be removed ASAP, even if you paid for it.

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

180 Search Assistant
180Solutions
Active alert
Ad Service
AdTools
AdTools Service
Alexa toolbar
BargainBuddy
Bearshare
Bullseye Networks
CashBack
CMDtel.exe
Cosmi
DH
EasySearchBar
Elite Sidebar
Elite Toolbar
Freeze Clip Art
GAIN
Gator
Hotbar Outlook Tools
Hotbar Web Tools
HuntBar
Internet Optimizer
ISTbar
ISTSvc
Keyloggers
Limewire
MaxiFiles
Media Access
Media Gateway
MySearch
MyWay Search Bar
MyWebSearch
Morpheus Toolbar
NavExcel Search Toolbar
NavHelper
ncase
Oemji Toolbar
Open Site
Preview AdService
Search Toolbar (HuntBar/WinTools)
Sender.exe
ShopperReports by Hotbar
Sidefind
SideSearch
Slotchbar
Spysheriff
Spyware Warrior
Spyware Soft Spot
Software Update Manager
SurfAccuracy
SurfSideKick
Upspiral Toolbar
TurboDownload
VBouncer
Viewpoint
Viewpoint Manager
Viewpoint Media Player
WareOut
Warezp2p
Web.exe
WeatherBug
Web Rebates
Web Search Toolbar (WinTools)
Webhancer
WhenU (any entry)
WeirdOnTheWeb
Windows AdService
Windows AdStatus
Windows ServeAd
WinTools
WinTools Easy Installer
WSEM Update
Download Accelerator Plus
Kazaa
Kazaa Lite
Kontiki
Messenger Plus
NetPumper
NewDotNet
P2P Networking
StarWare
WildTangent

3.) MSCONFIG Entries removal

Next step is to open MSCONFIG. Go to start, run, type Msconfig, press ok, go to the startup tab, then click disable all. Now re-check your antivirus, firewall or any other program that you absolutely need to be started up each and every time windows is restarted. Now rechecking these entries right now will result in deleted entries of your programs in the next step. Then you will need to reinstall that program. Then click apply, ok, but don¡¦t reboot yet. NOTE: when you reboot, you will see the System Configuration Utility dialog box appear. Just put a checkmark in the box and press ok. NOTE: If you can not open MSCONFIG, TASK MANAGER OR REGEDIT, just move to the next step or download it to your desktop below and then perform the task:

Download MSCONFIG, REGEDIT, and TASK MANAGER to your desktop


Next 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". Make sure your antivirus and firewall are not checked. If you delete your antivirus and firewall entries, you will need to reinstall them so be sure to check them and don¡¦t reboot.

4.) It's time to scan your system

Start off with any Spyware program. Make sure you update it. Make sure all IE, FF, Opera windows are closed. The only program(s) that need to be running are the Spyware scanners and your antivirus. Please do not quarantine anything. Please delete everything.

For Lavasoft Adaware SE 1.6, configure it by following these steps:
Open Adaware, click on Scan Now
Then click on Use Custom Scanning Options, and then click Customize
Click on Scan within archives
Click on Advanced, then click on Move deleted files to the recycle bin
Then click on Tweak, and select Scanning Engine, then select Run Scan as a background process for low CPU usage.
Click on Tweak and choose Write protect system files after repair
Then click on Proceed and select Search for low risk threats
Click next and let it scan.
Make sure you remove every thing is finds. You may need to run this program more than once depending on how bad you are infected.

For Ad-aware Messenger Service Plug-in, just install it. It may as you to reboot, don¡¦t reboot yet. You will run Adaware SE 1.6 again after you reboot. This program is a plug-in for Adaware SE along with the VX2 Cleaner.

For Spybot Search and Destroy 1.4, configure it by following these steps:
Open Spybot, make sure it is updated.
Click on Mode, then select Advanced Mode, select yes at the prompt.
Click on Settings, then scroll down the list to uncheck Create Backup Copies, there are 3 that need to be unchecked.
Then click on Tools and select Resident. Make sure Tea Timer is selected and not Ad-watch.
Then select IE Tweaks and make sure under Miscellaneous Locks that all 3 boxes are checked.
Then scan your system.
Make sure you remove every thing is finds. You may need to run this program more than once depending on how bad you are infected.

For Ewido 4.0, configure it by following these steps:
Open Ewido and make sure it is updated
Click on Scanner, then settings and put a check mark in Scan every file under What to Scan.
Ewido may find items like VNC, RadMin, or any other Remote Control Tools; if you know that those programs are legit, click on ignore and put a checkmark in the box to always perform this option for these types of programs. If it not legit, select remove.
Ewido will take a while to scan your system so be patient as this whole process can take about 15 to 30 minutes depending on the speed of your computer.
Ewido is not free and the updates will expire in 15 days. That means after 15 days you will no longer be able to update the program but you can still use it fully functional after the 15 days. On systems with 512mb memory or less, I would recommend not have it in your taskbar as it will slow your computer down.

For CCleaner, configure it by following these steps:
Open CCleaner
Click on Cleaner and make sure all the boxes are check, select yes to the prompts
Then click Run Cleaner. Put a check mark in the box then scan your system. This may take several passes to complete
After the scan complete, click on the Applications tab and click on Run Cleaner
Then click on Issues, and then click on Scan for Issues
Select yes or no if you want to have your registry backed up.
Then click on Fix Selected Issues.

For Cleanup! Just run it. If you want to run a full system scan, click on Options and select everything you want it to clean. Selecting everything will delete all your favorites so make sure that is what you want.
Then let it scan your system. When it asks you to log off, select no.

For CWShredder, just run it. It will close any IE windows you have open.

For Smith Fraud Fix, configure it by following these steps:
Extract all the archive content.
Search:
Double-click smitfraudfix.cmd
Select 1 and hit Enter to create a report of the infected files. The report can be found at the root of the system drive, usually at C:\rapport.txt
Clean:
Reboot your computer in Safe Mode (before the Windows icon appears, tap the F8 key continually)
Double-click smitfraudfix.cmd
Select 2 and hit Enter to delete infect files.
You will be prompted: Do you want to clean the registry? Answer Y (yes) and hit Enter in order to remove the Desktop background and clean registry keys associated with the infection.
The tool will now check if wininet.dll is infected. You may be prompted to replace the infected file (if found): Replace infected file? Answer Y (yes) and hit Enter to restore a clean file.
A reboot may be needed to finish the cleaning process. The report can be found at the root of the system drive, usually at C:\rapport.txt

For Hijackthis!
1. Open up the Hijackthis Program
2. Click on SCAN at the bottom.
3. Once it's finished click on Save Log and save it as a .txt file. DO NOT FIX ANYTHING!!
4. Paste the log onto the forum. Do not attach it.
5. Always start a new thread. Don¡¦t add on to someone else¡¦s thread but reply to your own thread, don¡¦t start a new one.
6. We are not here 24/7 so we will look at your issues ASAP.
 
I would appretiate if someone cud list out the best softwares in each class.
I have tried ADware SE free edition and webroot spysweeper.
the later works much better
 
Ewido has the best detection ratio but they all catch someone the others dont so it always good to run mulitple scans with different programs
 
warez I like your guide I use a similar one my self for helping people although I did get a smack on the wrist for suggesting vx cleaner and smithfraud in another online forum. As they said it could damage the pc and are only for certain types of spyware and viruses. Do you think there right at all?

Personally I'm a firm believer in running everything even if it might not be on my comp its best to be safe than sorry but that's just me.
 
Well, I run a small side business fixing computers. I have ran those tools on many many computers and never had anything happen. I dont see why they say that. All its going to do is scan your pc and if nothing is there, then it can do anything. Simple as that. Sometimes they tell you to run those programs and it wont find anything so whats the difference? The same thing with msconfig startup entries. They tell you not to disable them or remove them, I dont know why but to this day, I ve never ever had an issue with doing that. So its up to you on what you want to do.
 
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