Win 98SE help please

[rosemary999]

i have 2 computers. One is a laptop that i use for work

the other is the desktop with win 98 se . this is used by all else here at r999 towers and it seems to have picked up .............something..........(i didn't do it..honest!)

Our homepage is google and has been for years. Now all we get is 'about:blank' ,without asking , which fills the whole screen and includes 2 spyware pop ups.

HOW DO I STOP IT??????????????

We've tried tools/properties to re set the homepage but it keeps reappearing.

we run spybot and adware 6.0 and they clear out 7/8 'medium risk' items but it seems not permanently.

there is no pop up blocker on this machine. ( is that the answer?)

Also , whatever it is , it has killed my spyware blaster 3.2. ,even if i re install it. I can only use the 2.6.1 version.

Occasionally the computer says that there is no internet connection and we have to click 'try again' even when the laptop is still connected

we run AVG free and it can't find any virus.

i notice on the list of programs 'service assitant uninstall' which won't uninstall

anyone interested?

 

[barjon]

I had something very similar but my Ad-Aware dealt with it. So that's probably not much help since you've presumably run ad-aware, quarantined and deleted?

 

[rossored]

Start the PC in safe mode.

(you do this by hitting F8 after a reboot, before the Win98 log-on screen appears)

Run all the scans again whilst in safe mode, and a full virus scan. Make sure that AdAware is set to do a full scan rather than a smart scan.

If this doesnt solve it, try some of the online scanners mentioned on the stick thread at the top of this forum. PestPatrol is very good imo (always finds stuff that AdAware/Spybot miss) but I think the online scan will only tell you what you have, and not remove it.

 

[ewilcox]

Although this doesn't really help I would seriously consider that this is the time you upgrade to windows xp (pro edition for preference). This _should_ offer better protection against such spyware.

 

[rossored]

Better still, spend £250 and get a brand new Dell machine if its not something ever-so-important. They're banging out Dimension 2400's (celeron cpu) with about 256mb ram for £240 inc VAT and delivery I think.

Dell Website http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/dimen_2400?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

 

[oatman]

Go to PcPitstop http://pcpitstop.ibforums.com/index.php?showforum=25 and read up on HijackThis. Download http://radiosplace.com/ and post your log. Experts will be along to help you. About blank is a nasty hijacker which is difficult to kill.

 

[rosemary999]

very many thanks for the replies and links!!!

Numerous choices!
i followed rossored's advice regarding safe mode last night. Interestingly when i started up today ,AVG spotted a trojan horse and deleted it. It is now also allowing access to yahoo email again. I'd like to know how this thing got on in the first place .
Anyway ,if it screws up again and it probably will, i'll either try oatmans links (thanks for those, i appreciate it)...or get a new hard drive...there isn't much important info to put on.
To be honest i also reckon that the best response to this is a new comp altogether. I phoned Dell last night. Pushy aren't they, its only a celeron. What with repairing the car, holiday and house extention......We'll see how i do today!

 

[rosemary999]

nope , win patol working overtime.

ho hum........


edited. Just for my own satisfaction if no-one else, there has been a confession here during the r999 inquisition. One of my lot clicked OK on a 'you have spyware' pop up and ........BOOM!