Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

[Junk Parts]

Been having my problems of late with this Junkyard PC. For a time I was trying out some different Operating Systems on it such as Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Vista, and Windows 7. It did its worst with Vista, and its best with Linux Mint. Now I have gone back to its "Native" OS which is Windows Xp Home with Linux Mint installed on the back end. Here is the issue. I keep getting infected with auto dialers, auto spamers or some such crapola. The search engines such as Google, and Yahoo keep telling me that I look like a robot or that my PC is making too many request while online, and makes me confirm that I'm human...ect. My normal install has always been to Delete partition/ make new ntsf partition. Install windows home. Install system drivers. Install Sp2, and Sp3. Turn auto updates off. Install anti spyware. Install Aol. Install the rest of my crap. Turn auto updates back on and let it do its thing. I don't use and anti virus progie because it slows this POS down so much that I might as well be using a 486. Oh this POS is a Dell 4550 2.4P4, 1 gig of ram, Wd 60 gig 7200rpm ATA 133 hd on DSL. What I used in the past and it worked out well was Window washer backed up by Ad-Aware SE Pro and Vopt as a defragger. Now with the new problem I tried Spyblaster and dumped the Ad-Aware SE Pro. The Spyblasted caught a few things that were getting by the Ad-Aware progie so my thinking was that everything was good now.....Not! My PC was still slow, and websites still didn't think that I was human. Next I tried AVG Free 30 day full version. It caught a pile of crap on this thing and removed same....I was now "clean" but still slow because of the AVG running in the background. I uninstalled the AVG but left the virus vault intact. The PC went right back to doing the same old crap online that it was doing before. Next I did a clean install of windows again with system drivers, Sp2, and Sp3. I went right to Windows update with Internet Explorer and got every windows update first then I put the rest of my stuff on the system. I think the system is working right so far, and no websites are saying that I am a robot now. What "free" spy-ware blocker, and scan would you all recommend? Somebody has put some badassed code out there, and its got my number bigtime! I don't go to any questionable websites at all. I don't open unknown emails or click on any stupid crap while online. I do however report violations of TOS on AOL. Could somebody tell that I reported them and then personaly hack me because of it??? I know, I'm a dunbass....but I have to ask....

[ratdude747]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

try comodo free for antivirus with google chrome for a browser. runs fine on my dad's celeron 550mhz laptop.

edit- chrome is the fastest browser for xp+. opera is second if you are not running 2k/98. same goes for comodo- xp+, no 2k/98. avira antivir free does 2k, but its adware (a bit annoying).

avg is bloated.

not clicking on crap is not enough. what if you slip? my dad NEVER clicked on crap, and he got infected.

its like the pull-out method. it isn't foolproof and is simply not safe.

[Junk Parts]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

I you CAN make yourself "Pull Out" you are a better man than I.....LOL

[seanc]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Here's what I suggest:
Fresh install of XP Home with SP3 and all updates.
Install Avira antivirus free and disable its ads http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-the-Po...-Avira-Antivir
Install Superantispyware and Malwarebytes - they don't monitor your PC, you'll have to run them manually every so often.
Ban yourself from Internet Explorer - set Program Access and Defaults to not show it and set the default browser to something such as Firefox.
Use Firefox or something else to browse the web. While I know Firefox isn't the fastest browser, it has many useful addons you can install and the interface is relatively standard, much like Internet Explorer before 7 and 8 mangled it.
Foxit reader for reading PDFs, it's a bit faster than Adobe.

You should be good from there. I'm not sure if AOL is a magnet for web browsing nasties, I've never used it. Out of pure curiosity, why do you use it?

Adaware is well past being anything remotely useful now, suitable replacements are suggested above.

I assume you have a good firewall? Is it hardware or software? If you use Windows Firewall then you have no hope.

With regards to slowness, what state is that hard drive in? I'm assuming it's getting on a bit now (being 60GB), how about running Speedfan, doing the online analysis and posting the permanent link (at the bottom of the results) here?

[washu]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Since your XP CD doesn't have SP2 there is a chance you are getting hit remotely before you update. Make sure when you install that you stay offline (pull your network cable if you have to) until SP2 is installed and the firewall is on. Once that is done any remote automated worms can't get in. Despite what others say, the Windows firewall in SP2+ is fine and does block incoming connections properly. Outgoing software firewalls just slow down your PC and don't stop anything.

If you install alot you might want to slipstream SP2 onto your XP CD. Lots of guides online. DON'T slipstream SP3, your install key won't work anymore.

The best "anti-spyware" is already built into Windows. It's called a "Limited Account". Make an admin user for installing stuff and ONLY for installing stuff. Make sure that account has a good password and DON'T give it to anyone else who might install crap or use it to browse the web. Run your day to day stuff in a Limited Account and 99% of spyware is dead in the water. If it can't install it can't work. Back up your docs/favorites/etc regularly so that if the off chance something does install into your user profile you can just reboot and delete it. The best part is that there is nothing running all the time slowing down your PC.

We have 1500 people at my work all running Limited Accounts. Tones off stuff gets by the shitty corporate required Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware. If the users were admin the PCs would be hosed even with the Anti-whatever crap. However since the crap can't install the machines are fine. A simple profile delete and it's as if it never happened.

[toastygoodness]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

if you're worried about bloat, try MSE for your general anti-malware...

HIPS you can use comodo internet security.

both are free.

[Junk Parts]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Washu it would be nice to slipstream the service pack 2 into my original Xp Home CD. Now you say Sp3 will mess up the Xp install key. My CD is OEM Dell so I don't have to put any key in at all when installing on my Dell. Would Sp3 still mess up this install process? I do see one pit fall. My Sp2 disk from Microsoft Auto boots. The Sp3 disk that I downloaded from microsoft does not auto boot. I have to click the sp3 exe file to boot the sp3 disk install.

[washu]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

I don't know if a slipstreamed SP3 works on an OEM SLP disk like your Dell one. I've never tried as we are still on SP2 at work (not my call).

If don't mind potentially wasting a CDR and your time give it a shot. Here is one guide I've used, but there are lots out there. It explains how to keep it autobooting.

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/Windo...ce_Pack_3.html

[Junk Parts]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Thanks for the info. For now I'm going with Avira Free, and Super Anti Spyware. FireFox 3.5 is the new browser. Avira found two things, and removed them. The Super Anti Spyware found 17 things which I removed. The PC is faster, and it isn't hanging up on web page loads now.

[seanc]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Glad to here it's working out for you, give Malwarebytes a run, it picks up things that Super antispyware misses.

Washu, are you sure SP3 messes up product key installations?
I'm have Windows Deployment Services handing out images of XP Home and Pro at work. When the time comes to enter a product key, I can either enter a key or hit next for 30 days without a key (something SP3 introduced). Not had a problem yet.

Before I implemented WDS, I was running slipstreamed discs with SP3 with no problems, apart from the ones slipstreaming introduces - aka playing with all of the customisation settings :P

[washu]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

I did a bit more reading on the issue and from what I've seen it might be restricted to VLK versions and not affect OEM/Retail keys. I used a few VLK CDs when I was testing it. I'll give it a try sometime with a non-VLK disk and see what happens.

[seanc]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

Ah fair enough. The only time I come across VLKs in my current line is when the software isn't legal otherwise, it's all OEM or Retail.

[Junk Parts]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

All I have to say is "Dead-O-Alive"...

[Junk Parts]

Re: Auto Dialers, Spam ...ect

I have that Avira on the system and I like it. Installed the patch to kill its adware too. I must have did it wrong because I'm still getting nag screens to buy the product. Put the patch in again this morning to see if this would fix it. I have not had a nag screen yet but the day is still young.