Have I got a Virus & if so how can I remove it free!?

Question

My computor runs slow at times, ok at others, occasionally a box pops up and says internet explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. I can click straight back on to internet and everythings fine again. Also my clock time alters irrationally. I have done quite a few system restores and had to reset the time afterwards but a week or so later its wrong. I'm on Telewest Broadband and have PC Guard set on Scheduled Scan and it doesn't report a problem, but if i run a manual virus scan it only gets to 80% complete and won't go any furthur. It won't report a problem and the only link that does anything on the page is 'back' which i eventually have to press and abort the scan. I've tried a few virus scans from various sites, they all seem to tell you you've got 200 spyware, 10 viruses etc, and this is free to this point, they then want money off you to get rid of them. Back to the question, is it a virus? and is there anywhere i can remove it FREE.

Answer 1

Hello Gray,

This problem you are having sounds to be like a Hijack and maybe something that normal Spyware/Antivirus tools cannot remove, but please try the following, all free:

The first thing you should do is make back up copies of all your important files - photos, financial data etc; things you could not get again if lost. Use a CD burner if you have one. If not, buy a removable USB memory stick.

Clean up your computer: click on start/all programs/accessories/system tools/disk cleanup, click ok when the list appears and this will clean up some of your system.

Next Click start/all programs/accessories/system tools/disk defragmenter, click on analyze and you will get either a message saying you do not need to defragment in which case click close, or you do need to defragment in which case click ok/defragment. This sorts all the computer's files and may take some time.

Do you have an antivirus?
If not, download AVG antivirus from Grisoft:

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/...

Click file avg71free then save. Once downloaded open program and install and then run a full scan to check for viruses.

Do you have a firewall?
If not, download Zone Alarm from here:

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/sku_list_za.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=dbtopnav_zass

This will make your computer virtually invisible to potential hackers and stop your personal details being stolen.

Please download Spybot - Search and Destroy from Here:

http://www.spybot.com/

And do a full system scan. This will find and delete any infections on your computer.

If you are still infected, it means we're getting to the serious stuff, so download Ewido from here:

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

Save it to your desktop.
Open the program. Top left of the screen is the Resident Shield option with a tick and "active". Click on Change State. The tick should change to a red exclamation mark with the word "Inactive". This is to stop problems with the registry when scanning. Do not run the scan yet.

Close Ewido and reboot (restart) your system, and boot up in Safe Mode. To do this, keep tapping F8 as your system is starting. You should get a black menu screen with several options. Select Safe Mode and press enter.

Windows will open but will look very different as you know it, your desktop background will have disappeared, many functions will not be accessable including the internet and your desktop icons will have been moved or look different. THIS IS NORMAL.

Click on the Ewido icon on your desktop and run a full scan.
At the end of the scan, follow the instructions and save the scan report to your desktop. Reboot your computer and start in normal mode (restart computer as normal).

Now, go here:

http://www.kaspersky.com/service?chapter=161739400

Click on Kapersky Online Scanner and follow the instructions. This scan will not delete infections but will inform you if you have them. Make sure you save the scan report.

Your system should be a lot cleaner after running the AVG, Spybot and Ewido scans, but if the Kaspersky scan indicates something then it will most likely be a Hijack, which can be a serious threat.

In that case: I use a site called xpforum, which helps with problems like this. Everything I have told you, I learnt from the people at this site. They are very helpful and efficient.
I suggest you post your question there and let the experts help you.

Go here:

http://www.xpforum.co.uk/forums/index.ph...

Don't forget to give as much information as possible ie what windows you are using (98, ME, XP), Service Pack etc. Give all the details as you have written them in your original question, and also give the results of your Ewido and Kaspersky scans. The experts there will help you, as they have me. Your system should be bug free within a few days.

Good luck with it, and don't forget to back-up your files ;)

Answer 2

You must be new - check out the following site download.com - here you will find AVG free virus program; spyware programs free and a lot more.
Beware of any program which say you have loads of spy's & virus then ask for money to remove them - if the program is any good it would remove them for free for a limited time so that you can see if the program is any good before buying.

Answer 3

I use AVG free edition, downloadable from the web. That's a good anti-virus program.

Answer 4

goto www.ewido.net and run the free version.
Here are some others to try.
Spybots search and Destroy http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10122137.html?tag=pao
adaware se> http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
http://www.webroot.com/land/freescan.php
a-squared Free> http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_frame.asp
http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/
X -Cleaner Micro Edition scan http://www.spywareguide.com/onlinescan.php
http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Spywareguard too.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/

Answer 5

download agv its free and run a scan also download ad-aware se personal its free to and run a scan.....

Answer 6

down load avgfree and do a scan

Answer 7

go to this site and it had hundreds of free donwloads for pc etc
http://filehippo.com/

Answer 8

ad ward its free

Answer 9

try the Yahoo toolbar

Answer 10

try avg1 i use it it seems pretty good
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

hope all is ok
danny