i need trusted anti-spyware programs

[deadbydesign]

i postedon here a long time ago when i was haunted by about:blank and other spyware/adware problems. you helped me to completely rid my computer of spyware. my computer has crashed twice since then (once because my older brother ignorantly loaded AOL onto my computer). the only anti spyware program i have right now is adaware...i forgot all of the other ones i was reffered to by this site. i just dont want to download a faulty program that will further screw up my computer. i forgot one of the registry keys that keeps turning up in the scans, but the other one is DyFuCA. there are usually only two that come up everytime (i scan at least once a week) and that is one of them..and the other is always the same. someone link me to a legit site where i can get HJT and i will post a log.

i also have a question...does anyone know what ActiveX is? default file name is "C:\WINDOWS\DOW...\QDOQ_AS2.DLL*". i found it under the folder "downloaded program files" and it says the status is "damaged"..

anyways, any help that anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance

[crunchie]

That active X can safely be deleted. It will be reinstalled the next time needed.

Your Adaware version may be out of date, so please do the folowing;

1. Download and install Ad-Aware SE, keeping the default options. However, some of the settings will need to be changed before your first scan

2.Close ALL windows except Ad-Aware SE

3. Click on the‘world’ icon at the top right of the Ad-Aware SE window and let AdAware SE update the reference list for the adware and malware.

4. Once the update is finished click on the ‘Gear’ icon (second from the left at the top of the window) to access the preferences/settings window

1) In the ‘General’ window make sure the following are selected in green:
*Automatically save log-file
*Automatically quarantine objects prior to removal
*Safe Mode (always request confirmation)

Under Definitions:
*Prompt to udate outdated definitions - set the number of days

2) Click on the ‘Scanning’ button on the left and select in green :

Under Driver, Folders & Files:
*Scan Within Archives

Under Select drives & folders to scan -
*choose all hard drives

Under Memory & Registry: all green
*Scan Active Processes
*Scan Registry
*Deep Scan Registry
*Scan my IE favorites for banned URL’s
*Scan my Hosts file

3) Click on the ‘Advanced’ button on the left and select in green:

Under Shell Integration:
*Move deleted files to recycle bin

Under Logfile Detail Level: (all green)
*include addtional object information
*DESELECT - include negligible objects information
*include environment information

Under Alternate Data Streams:
*Don't log streams smaller than 0 bytes
*Don't log ADS with the following names: CA_INOCULATEIT

4) Click the ‘Tweak’ button and select in green:

Under the ‘Scanning Engine’:
*Unload recognized processes during scanning
*Scan registry for all users instead of current user only

Under the ‘Cleaning Engine’:
*Let Windows remove files in use at next reboot

Under the Log Files:
*Include basic Ad-aware SE settings in logfile
*Include additional Ad-aware SE settings in logfile
*Please do not check or make green: Include Module list in logfile

5. Click on ‘Proceed’ to save the settings.

6. Click ‘Start’

*Choose:'Perform Full System Scan'
*DESELECT "Search for negligible risk entries", as negligible risk entries (MRU's) are not considered to be a threat.

7. Click ‘Next’ and Ad-Aware SE will scan your hard drive(s) with the options you have selected and clean automatically.

8. If Ad-Aware SE finds bad entries, you will receive a list of what it found in the window

9. Save the log file when it asks and then click ‘finish’

10. REBOOT to complete the removal of what Ad-Aware SE found

Download & instal Spybot S&D 1.3 from here. Update it before scanning.
After the scan is complete, have spybot fix everything marked RED.
On the page that first opens when you start Spybot there is an option to immunise, you should do this. In the immunise section there is also a link to download Spywareblaster. This program will prevent the install of bad activex controls that it has knowledge of. Download that & you can keep it updated by selecting the same link that you use to download it. Reboot

Download HijackThis selfextracting zip version from here. Once downloaded, double click on the file & it will install into it's own, permanent folder.
Start HJT & press the "Do a system scan and save a log file" button. When the scan is finished a window will pop up giving you the option of where to save it. Save it to desktop where it is easy to access. Open the log file and copy the entire contents of the file & paste it into the body of your post. DO NOT FIX ANYTHING YET. Most of what is there is necessary for the running of your system.