Good malware/adware, etc scanner.

My friends laptop has really bad malware pop-ups, google links don't go to the intended website etc. Can some one recommend a good free piece of software to scan and remove these problems?

 

Backup and clean install, then use programs like Avast, AVG, Spybot S&D, or Kaspersky.

 

She doens't want it formatted as she is not brilliant with comoputers and will never get everything get set back up the way she has it and i don't have time to install literally every last bit of software she currently has installed.

 

Anyone can format.. it is very intimidating, but actually quite easy. Formatting and installing takes only a few hours and is much more effective than trying to get every last virus off the computer. Backing up can take a while though.. but if she has an external hard drive just have her back up her documents and music.

This and this are really all you need to get her computer back and running again.

Before you do anything, mark down what programs that don't seem to be virus related, and that she actually uses just in case something really bad happens.

If you really don't think this is possible for you and her to do.. then I would recommend trying to do a system restore to a point she thinks is before the malware related incidents started occurring.

If you go to the earliest point and there are still pop-ups.. and you STILL don't feel like formatting, then get Ad-Aware 2007, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Avast! Home edition, go into safe mode, and run the scans.

 

It can take more time to scan and get rid of malware than it does to clean install and reinstall programs/drivers. Still, if you still want to do it the hard way, just skip step 1.

 

ad aware 2007

 

I'd first try and run a good number of AV programs to see if the problem can be removed that way. As above, Ad Aware 2007 is a good place to start but I would couple that with CCleaner, Spybot Search and Destroy and AVG. If the problem isn't removed then, do a clean install (format the computer) and be more careful on the new setup! Installing Mozilla Firefox as the default web browser is always a great help as it isn't as prone to pop-ups and other annoyances as Internet Explorer.

 

I would also recommend going through the 'uninstall programs' section and uninstall anything not recognized. If you click yes to some of those question that pop up on websites, it may install programs on ure HD that scanner won't recognize

 

Yup i second Firefox, haven't touched IE a single time since my clean install
Spy-bot S&D is very good also. Anyone tried SpywareBlaster here?




EDIT: Well you could also run ''msconfig'' to choice startup programs.

 

I third Firefox, and also recommend Spybot, with ad aware 2007. Also Johnny i haven't tried spyware blaster since my xp install but it's pretty good i'd say.

 

You could try Comodo BOClean, it's free and runs real time.

 

I think comodo doesn't make anything good besides firewalls but at least it works for vista including 64bit.

 

I don't know, I haven't tried BOClean. Have you?

 

No, i don't trust any of comodo's apps that aren't firewalls i said. The last time i installed their antivirus on my xp install my machine slowed down horribly.