Re: Adaware help
 

I have so much crap running on here now, I thought I was protecting myself!

Thanks Felix, I'm just reading the intro info on that page now. ..very internesting! ;)

Re: Adaware help
 

Here's what the first test showed.

Attempting connection to your computer. . .
Shields UP! is now attempting to contact the Hidden Internet Server within your PC. It is likely that no one has told you that your own personal computer may now be functioning as an Internet Server with neither your knowledge nor your permission. And that it may be serving up all or many of your personal files for reading, writing, modification and even deletion by anyone, anywhere, on the Internet!
Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.
Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet.

I do feel reassured.

I just checked all the ports are they are fine as well.

Re: Adaware help
 

This is good. You want all of those test' *not* to be able to gain access. The question noe becomes, where is all of this coming from?

Re: Adaware help
 

yeah, unless it has been there for a while and my new version of Adaware just discovered it..

Re: Adaware help
 

While AdAware is a good progam, it's focus is not on rootkits, Trojans, and other, more malicious, software. Their focus is on the relatively benign realm of,,,,,drum roll please,,,, Advertising Ware. Adware and spyware are not normally out to subvert your PC. AdAware may 'detect' other forms of rogue programs, but not be able to reliably remove them.

The screenshot you provided shows a rootkit and at least one Trojan. I would be concerned about these, and start running my checks. Research the web about the reported bugs you get. I would DEFINITELY get a couple of rootkit detectors and run them on my machine. Rootkits are notoriously hard to detect and remove.

But this may all just be smoke and mirrors, the newer "free" versions of Ad-Aware and Spybot have been prone to false positives in the past. Hope this helps.

Re: Adaware help
 

What ElfBane says and Malwarebytes is excellent. Another good one is SuperAntiSpyware. For online scanners stay away from Trend Micro. Go with ESET's NOD32 free online scanner or BitDefender's free online scanner. Kaspersky's online scanner is a good one but it doesn't clean anymore.

If you feel you have to do more check out these stickies:

http://www.techspot.com/vb/menu28.html

Re: Adaware help
 

I'm curious why you suggest staying away from TrendMicro, Albromor. I've used it for a while and not had ill effects. What do you see that makes the others different and/or better?

Note that I'm not trying to nitpick, defend, or anything like that. I'm trying to make sure I'm educated ;)

Re: Adaware help
 

Albromor,
If you could post a link, just so I am at the right place.


Thanks

Re: Adaware help
 

This link sends our *novice PC* friend to the forum. Would be excellent if he knew what all of those gobbly tech ramblings meant. If you have a specific tool, scanner, or utility in mind, please be a bit more straight with your link. If not, I feel it will not be read, and understood by 'Variol'.

My question is:
The spousal unit's Dell uses the 'canned' MS version of 'Defender', how does it rate to you folks? Her PC is always green @ shields up, and passes the weekly scans conducted by 'Norton'.

Re: Adaware help
 

Defender on Vista is a decent tool, not great, not terrible. Defender on XP is, IMO, unreliable. My experience with Defender on XP machines that I have repaired is that, after a while, it just won't update anymore....if it bothers to even work at all.