[MaesterB]

Although I'm sure most of you are aware of this, there are always new people frequenting this board that I'm sure need info for this sort of problem, considering how spyware is getting nowadays.

When you're removing spyware from a Windows install of any type, quite often running software like Spybot or MS Antispyware, within the Windows that actually has the spyware, usually is ineffective. Why? It simply re-infects.

The best way to remove spyware from any machine (and this can be used for virii as well) is to remove said hard drive from your system and connect it up to another system that is not infected, and run software from the uninfected machine on your infected hard drive.

Most spyware removal programs give you the ability to scan specific drives for spyware, which will help eliminate most spyware, but not all of it.

Once you've run the usual tools on it (with the usual being AdAware, MS Antispyware, and Spysweeper) proceed to copy the installation programs of antispyware software to your drive. One piece of software to include is HijackThis. *WARNING* If you're "computer stupid", hijack this has the potential to wreck your OS to the point that it will become unusable. If you're unsure about it, get a friend that might be a little bit more savvy than you.

Put your hard drive back into your system, turn on the computer and try to take your system into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking. If you boot to the latter, you at least have the ability to update the definitions for antispyware programs. If you're running 98 or ME, you'll have to download the definitions from another system, then find a way to put them on to your drive.

If you're running XP, make damn sure you scan all accounts on the system, including the administrator account. Some spyware will lay only in certain accounts, where others will proliferate throughout all accounts.

Once you've run all your scans, your system should be clean.

I've used this process on lots of machines over the last year or so, and have yet to have a problem with spyware coming back once you boot into normal mode.

[ivwshane]

Good advice.

I usually don't need to remove the hard drive but if something were infected that bad that would be a good option (assuming you have another computer).


Scanning every account is very important and I find it crazy that spyware removal programs can't do it for you.


My weapon of choice for spyware removal is adaware (because it's fast) and webroots spysweeper (because it's effective). After sweeping (usually after sweeping several times) I will run a virus scan and for that I prefer using an online virus scanner like housecall.antivirus.com.

[MaesterB]

Unfortunately, being a tech, I've seen WAY too many machines infected to the nuts with spyware/trojans/whatever. We have several systems that just sit there, and their primary purpose is to do just scans. Nothing else. They work very well.

I used to hate Spysweeper, but I've found that it does a real nice job of scanning another drive. Couple it with AdAware and MS Antispyware, and nothing usual gets past that.

[ivwshane]

I haven't tried ms antispyware because I heard it produced alot of false positives, is that still the case? Is it still a beta tool?

[ivwshane]

Originally Posted by MaesterB

Unfortunately, being a tech, I've seen WAY too many machines infected to the nuts with spyware/trojans/whatever. We have several systems that just sit there, and their primary purpose is to do just scans. Nothing else. They work very well.

I used to hate Spysweeper, but I've found that it does a real nice job of scanning another drive. Couple it with AdAware and MS Antispyware, and nothing usual gets past that.

You know what? That might be a great idea for some of the systems I have laying around

That way when friends and relatives want me to "fix" their computer all I have to do is pop it into another system and scan away!

Now I just need to buy another removeable rack.

[Scooby]

I just realized I've been running my computer 3 months now Spy and Ad ware free! Fuck im doing good. The NVIDIA firewall must not be that bad.

I was too lazy to find Norton's Firewall so i just used this.


I mean, I've had reformats that get infected in like a day because I didnt load firewalls.
Thats getting to be a hassle.

[MaesterB]

I ran Adaware, Spybot, MS Antispyware and everything else under the sun while I had my system in the shop.

Clean as a whistle.