Very Stubborn Virus/Spyware

[Eatatnite]

I know i have something bad on my computer, because when i open any web browser, i get some extra 1s open with ads on them.  When i go a few pages later, i get some more, and so on, and so forth.  Also, my computers a tad slower than usual.  Avast won't pick this up, so i installed lavasoft ad-aware, and that doesn't find anything either!  I found something installed in my control panel, and it told me to go download this uninstall at their site, and i was like, OK ur spyware, but ill go download ur uninstall. Finally i did it, all it did was make itself disappear, or invisible, or something, and put an easy virus on my computer, which avast quickly killed.
Anyone know what i should do?

[FreewheelinFrank]

Hi Eatatnite,

What was the name of the spyware program?

Go to Start>Control Panel>Add/Remove Programs. Look for programs you don't recognise and do a Google search- if they are reported as adware/spyware, remove them.

A common cause of this problem is Messenger Plus! In Add/Remove Programs, you can remove the 'sponsor' component responsible for ads.

Other examples of entries in Add/Remove are FunWeb and MyWebSearch: things which look like games or search products- look at anyhting you find like this very carefully.

After that, try a boot time scan with avast!? Right click the scanner screen, select 'schedule a boot time scan' and reboot when requested.

Then run the usual free adware/spyware scanners?

AVG Anti-Spyware (Requires Win2k/XP)
a-Squared Free
Ad-Aware
Spybot Search & Destroy

Download, install and update all the programs. Disconnect from the internet (pull the plug) before running scans in Safe Mode if possible.

[Eatatnite]

Well, you see, going to control anel, and whatnot, is how i found it and installed the "uninstall" because it wouldnt go away iteself, it was called, outerinfo.  When I tried to uninstall, and it gave me that message, the name was Yazzle.
Ive tried to many boot-time scans to count.
Finally, ad-aware IS a free spyware cleaner, and the best one iv'e ever had, at that.

[FreewheelinFrank]

This is a 'free' game. This game is ad supported. You must install extra components, such as Surfsidekick, to use this software.

http://www.spywareguide.com/spydet_2355_yazzle_sudoku.html

Downloads and displays advertisements. This has been known to install without user consent by way of active X installation.

The installer they provide does not uninstall surfsidekick completely. After uninstallation, you will be asked to reboot. The next time you open up a browser a file called sskrepairinstall.exe will run and reinstall the application. The .exe is then deleted by SurfSideKick.

http://www.spywareguide.com/spydet_1128_surfsidekick.html

See here for removal instructions:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic9549.html

Ad-Aware is very good, but no one scanner picks up everything: I'd certainly recommend scans with AVG Anti-Spyware and Spybot Search & Destroy after following the removal instructions in the link above.

[Lisandro]

Ad-Aware is very good, but no one scanner picks up everything: I'd certainly recommend scans with AVG Anti-Spyware and Spybot Search & Destroy after following the removal instructions in the link above.

Fully agree, avgas is among the best on detection.

[Eatatnite]

None of this is working, I've tried everything, the popups persist!

[Lisandro]

None of this is working, I've tried everything, the popups persist!

If a virus is replicant (coming and coming again), you should:

1) Disable System Restore on Windows ME or Windows XP. System Restore cannot be disabled on Windows 9x and it's not available in Windows 2k. After boot you can enable System Restore again.

2) Clean your temporary files. You can use [ur=http://www.stevengould.org/downloads/cleanup/]CleanUp[/url] or the Windows Advanced Care features for that.

3) Schedule a boot time scanning with avast. Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning. Select for scanning archives. Boot. Other option is scanning in SafeMode (repeatedly press F8 while booting).

4) It will be good if you download, install, update and run other trojan remover tools: a-squared and/or Free AVG Antispyware (trojan removers). Some users recommend SUPERantispyware or Spyware Terminator.

5) Use the immunization of SpywareBlaster or, which is better, the Windows Advanced Care features of spyware/adware cleaning and removal.

[DavidR]

None of this is working, I've tried everything, the popups persist!

Probably time to use HiJackThis then to see what is running on your system.

Program & Tutorial - Also useful as a diagnostic tool - Download HiJackThis.zip HJT has now been sold to Trend Micro inc. but the 1.99.1 version should still be available here or at one of the download sites. - HJT Information HiJackThis Tutorial 1 or HiJackThis Tutorial 2

Ignore any 023 reference to avast processes, this is a hiccup in the HJT 1.99.1 (especially missing file entry for avast), post the contents of the log file here, split over two posts if too large.

[FreewheelinFrank]

You may also need to look for Deluxe Communications in Add/Remove:

http://www.pchell.com/support/surfsidekick.shtml

Post a HijackThis! log as David suggests.