The Mother Board

[Strider]

Guys,

As always, I appreciate any advice you folks throw out so I hope you have some advice for this one.

Recently I started getting 'XP 2012' scareware pop-ups and can't get rid of it.

I tried doing a system restore to an earlier point and that didn't work. Next I tried going into 'safe mode' and running Spybot, which finds things that I then remove but that doesn't seem to help. In fact, the scareware icon even shows up in the tool tray while I'm in safe mode.

AVG doesn't run in 'safe mode' so that's of limited value. Windows 'Security Essentials' doesn't find it regardless of when I run that.

If I can't remove this can I buy another IDE HDD and reload Win XP? There is nothing on the current 37GB HDD that I really need but I am concerned about the XP product key still working six or seven years after I built this box.

Again, I really appreciate any help you guys can offer.

In the meantime I am going to Newegg to see if they still offer older HDD's since I have a 486 board.....


Thanks,
Strider

[fussnfeathers]

Best thing to do is reformat and reinstall XP (on a 486??!??!). Your key will still work. As to finding a new HDD, you'll be in the long-dead AT standard. Best you'll be able to do is dig through EBay for an old system with a good drive. Good luck!
_________________
Mine go to 11

[Strider]

Thanks for the advice. What I meant by '486' is that my CPU is a 486 Northwood.

I believe those use IDE drives but I will check in a bit. I have learned that you can use an adapter to connect a SATA HDD to an IDE system.

If I do that, and buy a SATA HDD, then I will be one step towards a new box.

For the time being I am going to try to tough it out since HDD's are currently soooo expensive.

Still looking for a way to remove the 'Scareware' though.....


Strider

[Strider]

Folks,

This thing is amazing..........

Suddenly my mute button will no longer stay muted, no matter what I do.

Still looking for any advice on how to get rid of this thing.

It does seem to be in check for the moment, but that probably won't last, and the icon is still in the tool tray.



Strider

[Mr T]

To get rid of.....

1) Go to internet properties and delete all your cookies etc....
2) Go to filehippo.com and download
A)CrapCleaner
B)Malwarebytes AntiMalware
C)MS Security Essentials (for XP)
3) Install A+B and update....
4)Reboot and boot into SAFE MODE.
5) Run Malwarebytes _ It should pick any nasty up and prompt you to delete them. If it can't delete any, it will tell you where it is (usually a hidden folder so you have to unhide all your hidden folders) so you can navigate to it and delete it.
6) Once done, reboot into normal mode, delete any AV you have and install MS Security Essentials, update it and run a full system scan.
7) Run CrapCleaner, to remove any debris and use the the registry fix tool as well..

The three programs are free and work well. Malwarebytes will come up with a 'trial version', say no and it will still work.

If the above doesn't work, reformat and use your XP key, it will be fine.

On a side note, download JAVA and Flash, latest versions, these exploits can and do use them to attack, the latest versions of JAVA and Flash plug these holes...
_________________
I have been programming on computers since the ZX81.
I am an apprentice trained Electronics Engineer with qualifications to back it up.
I have been repairing computers since 1996.
Yet to some people I still know nothing...

[Strider]

Mr. T,

As always, thanks for the advice. I think I have done everything you suggested and have even gone so far as to boot into safe mode and logged on as administrator, in addition to logging on as myself, and tried to run those same programs but it didn't work any better. This is one amazing bug..........

There was one AV .....and I forget which one.......that quarantined and/or removed everything but one issue but I didn't think to go poking about looking for that myself. It was weird to see that it was 'allowed' but I'm not sure I would have known how to find the entity that was allowed, but if I can find that again I may be back asking for more help.

Usually I update at least one of my programs every day and run it but I have messed up somehow.

As I said in an earlier post, I may just get another HDD.....when the prices come back down.......and reload XP onto that, but I will have to get an IDE to SATA connector. That will just be one less component to buy when I build a new box.

It never occurred to me to get rid of all of my AV software after the bug is gone and then reload it, which is what I assume you are saying . What does that do?

Thanks for all the advice.




Strider

[Mr T]

I always assume ( from experience) most people buy an AV or use AVG,Avast etc.. MS SE is by far the best at the moment and is free...
_________________
I have been programming on computers since the ZX81.
I am an apprentice trained Electronics Engineer with qualifications to back it up.
I have been repairing computers since 1996.
Yet to some people I still know nothing...

[Strider]

Mr. T,

I have hit a new wrinkle in this mess. When I go into safe mode and try to run MS SE it runs for a while and then just stops.............

Also, when I try to run safe mode as an administrator I get a pop up asking what program I want to use to open whatever I'm trying to run. This includes CCleaner, AVG, and MS SE.

Weird, but I will keep trying.




Strider

[evasive]

A bit of Googling found me this:
http://deletemalware.blogspot.com/2011/06/remove-xp-antispyware-2012-xp-internet.html

@Strider: does this look familiar?
_________________
We hate rut, but we fear change.



System error, strike any user to continue...

[Strider]

evasive,

Thanks for the information. That is indeed the beast, and if I ever find the author he/she is going to have a baaaaaaad day.

Removal looks like a major task but I may attempt it later this week.

Otherwise I might just get a new SATA HDD and a SATA/IDE connector and reinstall XP on that.

Thanks again and have a Merry Christmas.




Strider