Ok, so I have 5 different programs downloaded to combat against spyware (Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D being the most used ones). This is the family computer and they do not want to use FireFox. So I'm looking at the DLLs that are running and there's one associated with TVMedia and one associated with ClearSearch that have become associated with explorer.exe. Whenever I close it, then these DLLs stop running. I can't find a way to kill them otherwise (I'm not real tech savvy). Anybody know a way to kill these (AND ALL OTHERS, DAMNIT!), delete them, and keep them from coming back?
have you tried a program called hijackthis? that and doing a search on google for the names of the dlls usually works for me.
Go to "Start-->Run" and type "regedit", you should click "File-->Export..." and save a backup of your registry. Then collapse that file-tree thingy on the left and just highlight the folder "HKEYCurrentUser" only. You can then look at the top of the box and go to "Edit-->Find...", then type the names of those bastards in that box (TVMedia, ClearSearch). Just delete everything that says anything about those things. Then, press F3 and it'll search for the next instance of that program. Just keep finding them and removing them until there aren't any more. Then go to "Start-->Run" and type "msconfig". Click on the tab on the far right that says startup or something and make sure that program isn't starting up. If it's listed there, uncheck it and click apply. Then restart your computer, that'll put those changes you made into effect. If you changed your startup, a box will pop up at first and say some crap, just check off the little box that says whatever and click yes. Hopefully, with those programs completely out of the registry, they won't run or attempt to run.
I CAN NOT stress this point enough DO NOT....I repeat....DO NOT edit the registry unless you know what you are doing. The registry holds all the information your computer needs to work corrctly....if you screw up editing the registry.......you better know how to reload your entire operating system..
Yeah, but anything named specifically after the spyware you're hunting doesn't belong in your registry anyway. You wouldn't screw up any vital stuff by just deleting that. If you use a bit of caution and a handful of common sense, you won't screw up your registry if you're just searching it for a specific entry like "TVMedia" or "ClearSearch". But if there's an automated way of getting rid of the problem, it's always safer than jacking with the registry.
Hey, thanks a lot, I got rid of ClearSearch, TVMedia, Lycos Sidesearch, WebRebates, WebUpdates, WebTools...the list goes on and on.
hijackthis is a pretty nifty tool, thanks for the heads up. I used it after i ran the regedit to make sure they didn't come back. thanks dugtzu and DallasThomas for the advice.
Best thing to do is do all you cleaning in safe mode and disconnect yourself from the internet. But thing is to update your Adaware, Cwshredder, Spybot(my spybot doens't work anymore for some reason) and use pestpatrol. My system is damn clean now. I've had problem trying to get rid of this about:blank keep on hijacking my IE. But now I uses FIrefox and it's pretty good. Best thing to do is get yourself a popup stopper or one of the anti virus protection software that block some java or crap coming in. The best solution is to stay way the hell away from certain pornsites! Try this IE Hijack Remover V 2.0.4 http://www.software-innovators.com/download/iehijack/setup.exe or go here and download it http://www.software-innovators.com/ie_hijack_remover.asp
