Redirect / Fake Anti-Spyware / Pop-up Issue. Help appreciated! - Page 2

[jholland1964]

A JavaRa log? Honestly have never seen one, sure post it.

[jholland1964]

Reason I asked is that the error you got can happen when old java remains.

[_Jen_]

Sorry it's so long!

. . . actually, i don't think that's right. please hold.

ETA: I was 99% sure I had a log. I can't locate it now. But I'll run the program again to double-check if Java components are all gone.

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Report follows after line.

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The JavaRa removal process was started on Tue Jun 21 18:42:17 2011

Found and removed: CLSID\{CAFEEFAC-0014-0002-FFFF-ABCDEFFEDCBA}

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Finished reporting.

JavaRa 1.16 Removal Log.

Report follows after line.

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The JavaRa removal process was started on Tue Jun 21 22:22:53 2011

Found and removed: C:\Documents and Settings\Pirates Only\Application Data\Sun\Java\jre1.6.0_21

Found and removed: Software\JavaSoft\Java Update

Found and removed: Software\JavaSoft\Java Runtime Environment\1.6.0_21

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Finished reporting.

____________________

Going to be trying to install Java again.

[_Jen_]

I still had that same error. :(

[jholland1964]

Try this JavaMSIFix.exe

[_Jen_]

"You have successfully installed Java." Thank you. :D

[jholland1964]

Very good! Now you DO need to update the system. Especially now when you know it is clean. That is a key requirement before doing major system updates and right now today you can be pretty certain that is the case.
An out of date system is a very easy way to end up with major infections. You of course have been running, even though you say you don't use it, IE6, current version is IE8 and I would also advise that you do take that also.
You need to use IE to go to Windows Updates.

[_Jen_]

Installed and updated. :)

[jholland1964]

Installed and updated. :)

All of the Windows Updates including SP3? How could you get all that downloaded and installed in this short of time? SP3 alone would take a very long time to download. It has only been 35 minutes since you got the Java installed.

[_Jen_]

I'm sorry for the confusion. I downloaded SP3 before that. Umm, let me check my post... Three hours ago, when I started my post with, 'Your suspicion was correct!', that was after I downloaded SP3. I installed all the other updates after that, that I could. After I installed SP3, I fixed Java, and then updated my version Internet Explorer and did those updates.

[jholland1964]

:D Sorry about that! Yes I did read that, then the "java thing" came up and I completely forgot.
Now a couple things you need to do. One is to remove the tools used here as they won't be needed anymore.
To do this follow these instructions:

Please download OTC by OldTimer: http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/OTC.exe
Save it to your Desktop.
Double click OTC.exe.
Click the CleanUp! button.
If you are prompted to Reboot during the cleanup, select Yes. The tool will delete itself once it finishes.

Next add this protection program:
SpywareBlaster by Javacool. I wouldn't run a computer without it.
Prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, dialers, browser hijackers, and other potentially unwanted programs. It can also block spyware/tracking cookies in IE, Mozilla Firefox, Netscape, and many other browsers, and restrict the actions of spyware/ad/tracking sites.
Simply download, install, update, enable all protection and close the program. Doesn't run in the background to there is no interference with any other security programs. Manually check for updates every couple weeks.When there are updates simply download, install, enable all protection and close it out.

Keep MBA-M on there, update at least once a week and run a Quick Scan. If the Quick Scan finds something then remove of course, immediately update again and run a Full Scan just to be safe.

You also should look into replacing the Power Supply as Rik noted earlier. They are not expensive and have been known to cause some real problems on eMachines.

If you feel all is fixed then you can mark the thread closed.

[_Jen_]

Okay, everything that should have been downloaded, deleted and/or updated has been.

I'll certainly look into the Power Supply Unit. After having gone through all this trouble (within the past years, too), I certainly wouldn't want my computer to one day give up on me. ;)

Thank you very much for all your help, and to everyone else who offered help/advice, as well. I appreciate it a lot and couldn't have fixed my computer without the guidance.

[Tex_tech]

A note for others with a similar problem: Turn off System Restore and delete restore points. Download and install a current version of MalwareBytes. BOOT INTO SAFE MODE and run the malwarebytes. These type of malware will hide in the restore point and reinstall themselves. Once system is clean, restart system restore and create a good restore point.

[jholland1964]

A note for others with a similar problem: Turn off System Restore and delete restore points. Download and install a current version of MalwareBytes. BOOT INTO SAFE MODE and run the malwarebytes. These type of malware will hide in the restore point and reinstall themselves. Once system is clean, restart system restore and create a good restore point.

Have to disagree about turning off System Restore. System Restore cannot reinfect a computer unless it is used. System Restore should be left alone prior to cleaning. Should something happen during clean up which would require its usage it is better to have even an infected restore point than NO restore point. Once the computer is clean then System Restore should be reset which will clean out all old points and begin with a new clean one.
Malwarebytes' WILL clean out infected restore points during it's run if any exist.

[Tex_tech]

I will defer to you on that. The problem I had with a fake antivirus infection was that I was unable to even run malwarebytes until I followed my previous procedure. I had to run an un-updated copy in safe mode, reboot into regular mode where I could then update and run malwarebytes again. VERY nasty infection. I admit that removal of restore points is a last-ditch effort before wiping the whole machine.

[jholland1964]

Nothing in System Restore would stop MBA-M from running because nothing works "out of or from" System Restore. System Restore is locked up until you open it and use it.
Infection processes that were actually running are what caused the inability to run MBA-M. You were able to run MBA-M in Safe Mode because the infection processes were obviously set to run as soon as the computer booted up in Normal mode but not set to run if the computer was booted to Safe Mode. System Restore had nothing to do with it.
In cases like that infection processes must be stopped prior to the run of MBA-M, either via Task manager, if you can tell what these processes might be, or using rkill to stop the running process.Then MBA-M should have been able to run, even in normal mode. Since you could run MBA-M in safe mode the preferred thing to have done at that time would have been Safe Mode with Networking which would boot to safe mode but also allowed you an internet connection and you could have updated MBA-M in safe mode and run it.

[_Jen_]

Um, thanks for the suggestion! :D In any case, my problem's solved, but I know that a lot of these infections are also on case-by-case basis - or so I'm told, and I'm naive enough to believe what it is that I'm told. At least, I've read that you're not supposed to follow general advice.

In any case, I would, personally, have a hard time turning off System Restore because I've had a lot of problems with it in the past (due to the age of my computer) and I wouldn't want to make any changes I'd regret.

[jholland1964]

Jen, please read the responses I gave to Tex Tech. His advice was WRONG, no matter what the infection happens to be. So ignore what he said.

[_Jen_]

Okay. Thanks. :) Admittedly, I only replied to remind that my thread was solved. ;) I was surprised when I woke up to a few e-mails saying I had new replies, no offense of course. I don't mind.