adware issues

[KurtCav337]

here's the deal:

I built the computer I'm currently using. I'm running windows xp. Somehow I picked up some adware and I can't seem to get rid of it. I generally run crap cleaner and AVG free and neither of these have taken care of the problem. I therefore tried to use ad-aware and spybot. Both pick up on threats, I click to take care of them, they say successful but I keep having the same issues.

On start up I always get 1-3 run.dll errors now. I have traced the problem back to the index.dat file in my cookies folder but I don't know what to do from here. Whenever I have chrome open I get pop-ups every 10-20 min or so. Do I need to reformat?

I have everything backed up to an external. I just don't feel like reconfiguring all my settings if I don't have to. I have had vista and xp laptops before but I was always able to get rid of my problems with avg or ad-aware.

Thanks.

Kurt

p.s. buy a mac doesn't count as a solution I'll be going triple boot to xp, osx, and win7 rc as soon as I can.

[t-rent]

I've encountered, on rare occassions, where some spyware just can't be removed, or it just breaks too many things when it is removed resulting in a format/reinstall.

Here at work I have had great success use a program called Malware Bytes. Download the free trial version and make sure it update it to the latest def's. This program has been able to remove stuff that other's failed at.

The trick to removing spyware/adware is to boot into safe mode then run the scanning program. To boot into safe mode hit F8 before you see the Windows loading screen and choose Safe Mode.

Safe Mode will stop the spyware from loading which makes it easier for the scanning programs to remove it.

[Fiend540]

I second malware, it's a really good program

[KurtCav337]

well, chris. I did exactly what you suggested and the damn thing found 21 "infections". No more pop-ups, no more errors at start up, and no more .exe files running when I try to shut down.

THANK YOU!

[t-rent]

Anytime. I'm glad it fixed it!

[leftcoaster]

good info .. thanks