How to fix popups, spyware, malware and nuisance programs

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Noonoo, 2 problems please:
When trying to download winsockfix, I get that I must "reconfigure" my browser and get proxy permission. Is there another place to download these fixes?

And, more importantly, I misplaced a message to you as a reply to your reply to kerzatz1. Could you look it over and comment?

Thanks a lot!
-Chuck

Noo has many seemingly 'magic' powers but getting back misplaced replies isn't one of them .. if you can't see what you wrote then neither can she, its lost for good in the ether ! (unless it was via pm which I can't see at all)..

Winsockfix gets a whole load of hits on google if you care to try (I can't second guess your proxy permissions from here & neither will our glorious leader ) - which brings me to the point that Noo's link is for 9x - Infact there are different versions for 95, 98 & 98se, me, & finally w2k & xp .. ! So search on Microfts site for the appropriate one for your o/s - I'll go google all the various alternatives later & check which applies to what .. there's also the fact that the DUN upgrades available for each o/s can mess up if not done in the right order - also something for me/whoever to check ..

Btw please don't be like everybody else does here, it drives me nutz, don't use the 'reply with quote button' on the right (sadly it just says reply ! ) unless you are doing what I just did & refering to that reply & that reply only ... use the 'post reply' button on the left - if you have a specific point for an individual put that in bold with their name & 'veterans' of the site will understand it, as for that person only ..

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We need some 'startup list thingees' too !!to identify 'bad' from 'good' & 'what the bloody hell is that for?' type entries ..

Some I like .. Answers that work.com (& the bloomin' answers do work mostly from there - that's the 'startup task list' - check off your hijackthis logs against it & most especially against any open programs, processes or tasks in windows task manager)

Greatis Startup Application Database

Come on guys crack open your 'favourites' & share !

For Noo : Can you edit up your top post to include the 'good' stuff, I think that was the original plan ?

[NooNoo]

Get me a list of the good stuff, and lists of ok start up stuff would go for miles... not sure that its a good idea...

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Get me a list of the good stuff, and lists of ok start up stuff would go for miles... not sure that its a good idea...

I just meant add some links like I suggested (you'll have some similar ones, I pressume you use for checking on stuff ? Or do you google every one !?!)

Yeah sure I'd like the top post as clear as possible, but the point of this one was to help folks help themselves (isn't it !?!) - well two hours(or whatever) of me googling for stuff for folks - I didn't think was inside that remit !

Both these lists have helped me many times know what the entries in my hijackthis logs were for .. so I was thinking other folks can use those just as easily ..

I just wrote a reply for instance on a thread (the one you just moved into this forum) where if he'd used either of those lists he could have eliminated 80% of his keys & only posted the other few he wasn't sure of .. or that's how I see it

[NooNoo]

I google the ones I don't recognise... I am getting pretty good at knowing them immediately though....

Updated the first thread some...

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Now the tricky bit is to work out what you don't want.

YES !

However there's no definative 'its bad list' - it just grows & grows & grows ... at the risk of labouring the point yet more, without a list of 'known startup applications & processes' you are gonna have your work cut out !

We need to know what shouldn't be there, well that's what we can't identify as 'good/required' ..

You seem to be back to front on this particular aspect .. you probably like me immediately 'know' which ones to be looking at (you say so) but what about them that don't ? With a list like this you can tick off lots of 'strange stuff' knowing what its for & concentrate on the 'unfound' stuff ..

I'll shut up now !

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A point not made on this thread which I believe is important to know/realise ..
(& thanks to geoscomp for pointing it out elsewhere, I hadn't noticed it wasn't made clear here).

If you find yourelf with some virus or other, be aware that you can't of course depend on your installed AV program to clean it up properly as thats potentially compromised, else how did you get the virus ?

Best advice then is to try another program, perhaps an online one to make sure you killed everything, if you have something that can run outside windows to check, so much the better !