PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: nilsatis on April 25, 2010, 17:21
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I have a problem on my laptop, firstly, the Internet just closes down, no warning just shuts off, I have been getting pop up ads on pages opening up on their own, and when I use google and search I do not get my search I get adverts.
I have run Malwarebytes and it found nothing, Avast found some stuff and I got rid, but the big worry is Spybot, when it searches it finds Zango(?) but halfway through the scan my laptop keeps shutting down before I can do anything, I have looked in programmes and cannot see any Zango stuff, any help??
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Get hold of a copy of Super AntiSpyware, boot into safe mode and try scanning from there.
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The free version of PrevX may also be useful by the same method.
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Superantispyware cleaned most of it up, but the search is still going to adverts, I tried a free version of PrevX but they want money to fix problem.
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It might be quickest to bite the bullet and do a clean installation. :(
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dont know if this is the cause but might be worth looking at.In google home page click Search Settings near top right corner,then SafeSearch Filtering section have a look to see what is selected in there.mine is set on the middle radio button of Use moderate filtering(filter explicit images only-default behaviour). It may have been changed by accident.This is mainly to block sexual content but it may be worth a try.
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Good lateral thinking, Baz. :)
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it could be something daft like that Rik.every now and again something changes my google settings back to the part that suggests what you are searching for,I hate it ;D
dont know why it happens either :dunno:
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Gremlins. ;)
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aye,pesky things :laugh: :laugh:
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Cheers guys, but no it was set to moderate, the problem is that when I search on google it goes to the results of the search but will not open when I click the page I want it opens Ask Jeeves or some other search engine, Im also getting new windows opening up with Ask Jeeves.
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What browser are you using?
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IE
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what are you searching for too
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IE has a drop down box in top right hand corner where you can select which search engine to use.have you tried that
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You could try HijackThis (http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/), and see if you can remove Zango that way.
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Thanks Simon, I have just tried that but it didnt make much sense to me.
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Have you looked in Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs? According to what comes up on Google, Zango is usually found there, and can be uninstalled. For a fuller uninstallation and clean up, you might want to look at Revo Uninstaller (http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html). The free version should hopefully do the job, but the Pro version is more comprehensive.
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When you get a popup run the Task Manager (ctrl/alt/del at the same time), then look at whats running, if you see a file just saying an alphabetic letter then .exe, eg A.exe B.exe then I think its the same as I had once. Not sure if it was showing in applications or processes so check them both.
I think it was something lurking in the C/windows/Temp folder. Do a search for it as it was about 12 months ago when I had it and if you find the folder you may find 7 or 8 similar files, I had from A to H I think, delete them all and you should be OK.
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Tried all of that and its still playing up.
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We could spend days and weeks guessing. It's looking like a format may be the easiest option.
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Sorry Simon.
Would formatting wipe everything??
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A format wipes the MBR, so technically all the data is still there but the computer doesnt know how to find it, its a bit like ripping the index out of a book.
You will have to reinstall your OS and other programs and the virus or other nasty wont be able to infect it again.
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Ok folks thanks for your help, how do i go about formatting, idiots guide please.
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I haven't done a clean install for a while, so I'll leave the instructions to Sandra, rather than send you off in the wrong direction. Alternatively, assuming XP, there's instructions here:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_installation_of_windows_xp.htm
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Sorry Simon.
Would formatting wipe everything??
No need to apologise. :) It's just that with this sort of problem, you could be going round in circles for ages, as some spyware makes itself extremely difficult to remove, and at the end of the day, if you backup your data, format, and reinstall Windows, you should end up with a nice clean system, which will run faster too. :) Just follow the instructions, but make sure you back up all your important data first, including address books, bookmarks / favourites, as well as your music / pictures / documents, and also be sure that you have driver CDs for any hardware that needs them.
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Hijak this should get rid of it
There may also be a program called Media Gateway, remove it as well
But it does sound like something else besides Zango
This program Combofix will get rid of whatever it is I have used it myself as a last resort to a compleat reinstall
Just follow the directions
http://u.nu/7w2x8
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Thanks Dave but that looks very complicated, I tried Hijackthis but again without knowing what to mess with I didnt use it.
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These things may look complicated, but if you follow the instructions carefully, step by step, you should be OK.
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Thanks Dave but that looks very complicated, I tried Hijackthis but again without knowing what to mess with I didnt use it.
Combofix is not as complicated as it sounds and its about the only one that will get rid of some things
As long as you follow the step by step instructions it may save doing a compleat reinstall
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If you decide to do a clean install and dont understand anything from Rik's link, let us know which OS you are using and we will post detailed instructions.
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Thanks guys Combofix appears to have done the trick :thumbs:
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That's great. We'll have to remember that one. :)