This is so timely. I just had an issue with Malware this morning and the information is most useful to me.
Carol

I see people are still posting links to the best anti-virus. That is fine but if you have windows 10 you already windows defender built in the operating system. Its basic but free.

Most important to me is using something like malwarebytes to monitor in the background and block those bad sites

There are many programs out there that say they have the best but really there is no such thing as a perfect antivirus program.

I have also used SUPERAntiSpyware in the past and it is fine. Malwarebytes has upgraded their software with a newer version .

I can also tell you that viruses and malware can trash windows even after you get one clean. You have to make sure before you run any program that it is very important to back up your system. A must

It also makes a difference on which operating system you are running. There is one program available to users called Combofix but it will not run on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. It will work on windows Vista, XP, 7 and windows 8.0.

I usually start in this order downloaded from bleeping computers
RoqueKiller
JRTCleaner
Adwcleaner.
Combofix on all except Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Just like any program make sure you back up before running.


Now is when I would download malwarebytes and cross your fingers

There are two programs I also use. Ccleaner by piriform and TFC by oldtimer. Use them both.
If by chance you happen to get all these programs I mentioned to run without problems then head over and download Sophos Virus Removal Tool Google is your friend. install the small program, update it and let it scan. Cheers

I am so embarrassed! I am on a med that sometimes messes with my memory and I got busy and forgot I posted here. Watch out for those anticholinergics.

I use Fire Fox and have Ublock which works better than Ghostry for me.

I read Bleeping Computer but some of the answers are too complicated for my paltry computer skills. I do have Windows Defender on my Windows 7 but its turned off because I have Avast. I can also get some form of Norton through my IP but have not done it.

It is possible I got a bad Flash Player update but am not sure.

I try to keep the cache. cookies, and temp files cleaned every day and defrag when needed too, I do need to do the last again.

What is happening is that Malwarebytes looks like it is skipping parts of the scan, tonight it jumped from around 1500 objects up to 25,000! It did this once before and I think eventually updated and found a bunch of PUPs. It is not scanning enough objects either, the total scan number is lower than it has been in the past and that happened before as well. I don't know if that could be sick computer not keeping up with scan speed.

It might be a browser hijacker because tonight I got redirected to sales sites when I tried to search something.

Or it could be software. It says 'Build 7601 This Copy Of Windows Is Not genuine' which is either an update error I read about or due to the shop using one copy of Windows on multiple used computers. I know someone else who has this and they told him they were licensed and it was genuine but occasionally one will do this. They reformatted his for free but wanted money.

It was running ok but I accidentally asked for help from Windows, I thought it was the help menu. lol They were not happy and send me pop ups saying I need genuine Windows and I don't get any updates besides security.

I was going to take mine in but.....I think closed the screen on a pistachio nut shell and I may I have ruptured liquid crystals or something. It could be bad screen or graphics card (?) but I heard a crunch just before I got a narrow, black line. It started about an inch long and keeps elongating. it is near the bottom and not too intrusive yet but I am trying to save to get a new pc.

So I am just trying to keep body and soul together until I can get a new one.

Thank you so much for the answers, still more side effects for me Mrs D, huh.

judi

Judi, quoting from you:

"It might be a browser hijacker because tonight I got redirected to sales sites when I tried to search something."

"They were not happy and send me pop ups saying I need genuine Windows and I don't get any updates besides security."

Both of these sound like PUPs to me. Microsoft will never send an owner of a genuine version of Windows anything like the latter.

I suggest that, in order, you:

(1) Download the latest version of Malwarebytes but don't install it.

(2) Go off-line.

(3) Delete your current version of Malwarebytes.

(4) Install the new version of Malwarebytes and run it.

(5) Go back on-line.

With luck this should sort things for you .

Thanks Kiwi, I will try that. I did see something about that Malwarebytes can do that if it is not restarted after previous scans or something but need to look further.

I don't think the Microsoft issue is a PUP, they don't think I have genuine Windows and I get directed to the real Microsoft site to purchase a copy.

Threeputt I spent the evening perusing Bleeping computer, its is different than what I thought. But I could not find where to download Roquekiller on the site.

Thanks again,

judi

You can get the free version here. Just don't put any check marks in the boxes when it gets though scanning.. If someone is found bad there will be a check mark already in the box
RogueKiller Anti-Malware Free Download - Official Website
let me know if it finds anything

I use eset as my main security software with Malwarebytes as a backup

I finally got it done, downloaded and ran Roguekiller and it found 8 PUPS and 2PUMs. I was going to post the list but it was very long and repetetive, does that mean they were in many places all over the computer? I am not sure they were all malicious but removed them anyhow.

The PUMs were in Chrome, Rocket Search? I thought that was ok? I thought there was something wrong with that browser though because the last time I used it it locked up hard and I was afraid I was going to get a message saying send $500 to Bulgaria and we will unlock your computer. That may have been the time it was so messed up afterwards Windows would not boot. .

Does anyone know what the below is? I thought it was Microsoft Fixit I used when my updates failed, not sure but it looks like that is still on my computer. Can I search the path or will I 'get' whatever it is again?

I had a bunch of things in my picture gallery.

Threeput did you mean not check the boxes to remove? I didn't notice any other boxes and did check those. If I deleted something useful I guess I will find out. Thank you for recommending Roguekiller, I have been going nuts running Avast and Malwarebytes over and over and coming up empty.

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions, I do appreciate them.

Off to test drive my poor, fried computer.


Suspicious.Path Services (X64) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Services 0230671466799804mcinstcleanup C:\Windows\TEMP\023067~1.EXE -cleanup -nolog Deleted