What Does This Mean??

Question

EVERYTIME I open Windows, I get a big message in the right-hand corner that says. "This software is not genuine windows", then it tells me to click on to address the issue. Whether I do or NOT, a large yellow banner across the top of the page (my carrier is "Earthlink") says "This page (the Earthlink home page??) may be a scam. Proceed with caution". I ignore it, figuring it's a sales pitch, then go ahead and type in the address I mean to go to. Then the banner goes away. This has happened since I went onto a couple of sites like Spybot to try to rid my computer of any errors that are slowing down my computer (by the way, according to this site, I have 90+errors, most unfixable without installing software). What's the deal?!

Answer 1

Sounds lile you have been to some sounds alike sites and put some nasty stuff on your systems.
Use these links as they actually belong to the "goodguy" software manufactures.

Free Anti-Spyware Programs
There are quite a few free anti-spyware programs available! I suggest that users should use at least 3 different products to regularly scan their systems.
Spybot Search and Destroy is an excellent program for scanning for and removing spyware. The resident modules can be a bit buggy, but the extra included tools such as startup manger are great! http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Adaware is another good scanner and removal tool but it has no resident abilities at all in the free version. http://free.lavasoft.com
Ewido is fairly new as a free spyware scanner, but it comes from the people who brought us AVG, so I expect good things: http://free.grisoft.com
Microsoft has their free scanner avalable for download although many advise that this tool is a bit permissive of questionable programs and add ons! Defender does offer a couple of options the others do not have such as scheduled scan. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
The Yahoo toolbar includes an Spyware scanner that work ok. Yahoo does not advise this but you can run this program outside the toolbar by simply creating a shortcut to the exe file found in the yahoo directory under program files. http://toolbar.yahoo.com/
Once you have your system cleaned up of all the spyware, then you should protect yourself against new infestations. Spyware Blaster does a very good job and does not use up any system resourses in doing so. http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Free Anti-Virus Programs
AVG has a good personal use Anti-Virus product available at: http://free.grisoft.com
Avast Antivirus, also for non-commercial use is available at: http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Both these products include active background scanning modules!
Bitdefender has an excellent scanner and removal tool but does not have any active background protection in the free version that is available at: http://www.bitdefender.com/site/Main/view/Download-Free-Products.html

Answer 2

If your copy of Windows is legal and you have a product Key, and registered it during initial set up, you have an infection on your computer.

A couple of months ago Microsoft started installing a program on computers, through Updates, that tells you and Microsoft if you copy of Windows is legal. Recently scammers have started copying this to scam you. Run your AV and AS programs to find it.

You can also go here and follow the procedure and run the programs she lists.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/IE/community/columns/bugbusting.mspx

Answer 3

It is a scam. You've got a virus, and you need a professional to get rid of it. And don't load any more software on to fix it. Some of the stuff you've been using already may be the source of your virus.

Answer 4

Where did you get your version of Windows? If you are sure it's legit, then I would download Windows Defender.
It's free from Microsoft. Click on the link below to go to Microsoft website.

Answer 5

Try posting a topic at the following link. This is far to complex of a question to be answered with one reply.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum56.html

Answer 6

Try downloading and running a program called "Ad-Aware"--I never liked Spybot.

Answer 7

Scroll down to 3 and choose an option.....I would suggest by phone. The likelihood of your computer crashing is there and leaving you no option to e-mail.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/support/default.mspx

Answer 8

There are so many free online protections. Yahoo online protection is free. Also Microsoft has free virus scanning, etc. Just go to their website but please don't pay any others because their products are only good for one year.

Answer 9

i had that too .!!!. it ended up that whoever had my computer last entered a fake copy of windows cause they didnt want to pay for it cause its like150.00. U need to have some one clean out ur pc or else it can freeze ur whole computer.

Answer 10

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Computer Slow

Download and then run startup.exe (FREEWARE) at:

http://www.mlin.net/startupcpl.shtml......

Can't live without it and windows...

Then disable and/or uninstall whatever u don't need.

Other things to try:

1 - Disk Cleanup (removal of temp files, cookies, etc.)
2 - Defrag
3 - Registry Cleanup (CAN BE VERY RISKY!)

ALL ELSE FAILS - RELOAD YOUR O/S (WINDOWS) AND THEN REINSTALL ALL OTHER PROGRAMS YOU NEED/USE!

Joe...

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Computer Virus/Spyware/Adware/Malware/etc

All FREE...

Download and then run Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic at:

http://www.free-av.com/

Download and then run Spybot - Search & Destroy at:

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/

Download and then run Ad-Aware SE Personal at:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Joe...

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