Is there any other options besides reformatting?

**BCWWF** · 12-11-2003, 10:59 PM

My computer has just become totally ****ed through spyware etc. When I start it up there are at least 10 warnings about random programs not working or being corrupt or missing or what not. A friend of mine said something about erasing my master boot log, what is that, what will it do? Can anyone give me an alternative to reformatting?

**Vega** · 12-11-2003, 11:03 PM

1) Run Disk Cleanup
2) Go to IE > Options and delete all files and cookies
3) Run scandisk if your running an old enough version of windows to have it
4) download a virus checker and check for viruses
5) DL a spyware detector and check for spyware
6) Defrag
7) Download all windows updates except driver updates.

**BCWWF** · 12-11-2003, 11:34 PM

Where do I get windows updates etc? BTW thank you very much already

**Silent** · 12-12-2003, 12:01 AM

I think it's http://www.windowsupdate.com

**The Snake** · 12-16-2003, 06:33 PM

There's alot of stuff out there in the adware category that if you're trying to remove it should be done in safe mode.
if you cntrl alt del and look at the applications and stuff running see if
"msbb" as one of things running. That is one of the worst ones and it puts itself in a bunch of different places, so even if you end the tast it will restart the process from elsewhere. One of the best manual removal sites for Adware is Pchell.com They have all kinds of links telling how to manually remove adware and other things. I use them to get rid of all the stupid stuff that kids install on the computers @ the school i work for.

12-16-2003, 08:18 PM

Yeah I routinely just press ctrl+alt+del and look all the programs running. If I see any that I know aren't part of my normal computer's programs, I close it and find the source of it and just delete it. Plus I regularly run Spybot... my PC hasn't had spyware problems in ages

**Bad Company** · 12-18-2003, 09:05 PM

I would run ad-aware to help get rid of the spyware, and also System mechanic (available from www.iolo.com) and run a registry clean through this.
It should get ya PC back to usable order.

**The Comet Kid** · 03-25-2004, 11:25 AM

Sometimes if you delete spyware, the program that it came in will stop running. Most programs you can just find a different one without spyware that works the same.

12-11-2003, 10:59 PM	#1
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	Is there any other options besides reformatting? My computer has just become totally ****ed through spyware etc. When I start it up there are at least 10 warnings about random programs not working or being corrupt or missing or what not. A friend of mine said something about erasing my master boot log, what is that, what will it do? Can anyone give me an alternative to reformatting? Dont Mess With Kids

12-11-2003, 11:03 PM	#2
Vega Only Sane Person Here Posts: 17,983	1) Run Disk Cleanup 2) Go to IE > Options and delete all files and cookies 3) Run scandisk if your running an old enough version of windows to have it 4) download a virus checker and check for viruses 5) DL a spyware detector and check for spyware 6) Defrag 7) Download all windows updates except driver updates.

12-11-2003, 11:34 PM	#3
BCWWF The People's Member Posts: 18,092	Where do I get windows updates etc? BTW thank you very much already

12-12-2003, 12:01 AM	#4
Silent Posts: 10,880	I think it's http://www.windowsupdate.com

12-16-2003, 06:33 PM	#5
The Snake WHO? Posts: 189	There's alot of stuff out there in the adware category that if you're trying to remove it should be done in safe mode. if you cntrl alt del and look at the applications and stuff running see if "msbb" as one of things running. That is one of the worst ones and it puts itself in a bunch of different places, so even if you end the tast it will restart the process from elsewhere. One of the best manual removal sites for Adware is Pchell.com They have all kinds of links telling how to manually remove adware and other things. I use them to get rid of all the stupid stuff that kids install on the computers @ the school i work for.

12-16-2003, 08:18 PM	#6
road doggy dogg Guest Posts: n/a	Yeah I routinely just press ctrl+alt+del and look all the programs running. If I see any that I know aren't part of my normal computer's programs, I close it and find the source of it and just delete it. Plus I regularly run Spybot... my PC hasn't had spyware problems in ages

12-18-2003, 09:05 PM	#7
Bad Company Mad Posts: 26,227	I would run ad-aware to help get rid of the spyware, and also System mechanic (available from www.iolo.com) and run a registry clean through this. It should get ya PC back to usable order.

03-25-2004, 11:25 AM	#8
The Comet Kid Posts: 123	Sometimes if you delete spyware, the program that it came in will stop running. Most programs you can just find a different one without spyware that works the same.