Spyware......It won't go away

[Fishyfanatic]

For the past several months my Norton Anti-Virus has been popping up a file every morning. I have the program set to scan every day at 4:00 AM. It keeps bringing back a file called reg.dat Threat Name Adware.Look2Me. How can I get rid of this? I try to delete it but the Norton program always says Delete Failed.

[fishfreek]

Locate the file. Boot into safe mode or boot into commandline mode. Navigte to the file and delete it. If that does not work in safe mode right click the file and see if it has some form of write protection enabled. If it does disable it and remove the file.

If you want to be tripple safe the file is not used for something else rename the file to something like reg.dat.bad and boot the [acronym:82053b24fd="Power compact fluorescent"]PC[/acronym:82053b24fd]. If everything operates normal for a period of time then remove it.

[Fishyfanatic]

ok, you lost me at Locate the file. I don't know anything about the technical parts of a [acronym:3282903dfd="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:3282903dfd]. I can setup a computer and navigate around within windows without problems. But when you say Boot into safe mode or commandline mode.......no clue what you are talking about.

[Todd2]

Download Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware. Install them and then run them. Then run them in safe mode. To boot into safe mode tap F2 or DEL and then it should say something like boot normal, safe mode, and some other things. Just select safe mode and then run the programs. After you run the programs restart your computer like you normally do. [acronym:dfdeb9654a="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:dfdeb9654a].

[Fishyfanatic]

I have Ad-Aware. It didn't pick it up. I'll try downloading the Spybot Search and Destroy. Thanks.

[shawmutt]

Safe mode is run by pressing F8 on startup.

Download Adaware

Install it on your system, but do not run it. Restart your computer. When the computer turns off and starts to reboot (all the messages on a black screen) press and hold F8. Options will appear on your screen, you want to highlight "safe mode with networking" and press [ENTER]. Your system will then boot to windows under safe mode. It may pop up a window saying "windows is running in safe mode, etc. etc." just click Yes.

Open up adaware and click on "check for updates now." Click "connect" and then "OK" when the window pops up. Click "finish" when the update completes. Click "start" and make sure "perform full system scan" is ticked. Click next. It will go through your computer and find all spyware--it may take a few minutes. Once the scan is complete, right click anywhere on the checklist given and click "select all" and then click "next". Restart your computer and you should be good.

Step 2. Download Firefox. It's much better against spyware and with the IE skin you won't even know the difference.

Step 3. For the love of God get rid of Norton. That program is right up there with AOhell. That program has my ire since it gave me a huge virus problem that took me hours to fix. The only way I fixed it was uninstalling the crap, and it did not get reinstalled. Try AVG Free.

[acronym:3e13a8587b="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:3e13a8587b] I keep on adding steps.

Step 4. Go to Microsoft's website and make sure all your critical updates are done--even if you have automatic updates.

[Fishyfanatic]

I've tried Firefox before and wasn't impressed. It caused more problems than anything with not opening pages and causing errors. I'm going to keep Norton, never had a problem with it. I got a virus several years ago with McAfee, but never have with Norton. Plus, I have it paid for until September of 2006.

I have all critical updates, just did that yesterday.

Ad-Aware has been installed on my computer since I first got it last September. Am I supposed to uninstall then re-install? I'll try downloading the other program now and starting it up in Safe Mode and running.

[shawmutt]

If it's already installed, just follow the rest of the steps.

[Felf]

spyware doctor is better than spybot. the free version doesnt have many options but it gets the job done. idk if it matters but mcafee uses a lot less resources than norton so consider it in the future.

[PaulPaul]

run your antivirus scan in safe mode also helps