getting rid of 'adserver plus'

[mrswoman]

Hello, I'm a 59 year old Irishwoman who uses the computer mostly for doing online learning courses and email although I have obviously viewed and downloaded infected material because of the problems I'm now having with these pop ups. I'm unsure of using any forum - and not that great with computers either -but I did spend many hours two days ago reading the info on the malware removal forum and tried to follow faithfully what I was asked to do.
As such I have ended up with various reports and got rid of nothing - like it said - but on restarting one of the ads re-appeared in the email section and then I reinstated windows firewall (I only have basic free protection) and for the rest of the day nothing!; until today when going into bookmarks and clicking on your forum, it popped up again. My main worry is that being a novice I wont understand what is being asked of me.
What should I do now please? and where should I go to post next. I have a feeling it's now about posting those logs - eeek!

[Kestrel13!]

Top o' the mornin' to you!

I have a feeling it's now about posting those logs - eeek!

Yes please. Attach those and I can see what's what.

[mrswoman]

Hello Kestrel 13. Thank you very much for replying.It is a beautiful morning too. I have spent the last hour putting together the logs in 'Documents'. I couldn't find all of them to begin with!
I do hope these are what is requiredUnfortunately I dont know how to attach the 'hitmanpro.xml' file since it is invalid. Is there another way of sending it?

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

Top o' the mornin' to you!
Yes please. Attach those and I can see what's what.

I already sent three logs this morning and explained that I couldn't post the 'hitmanpro.xml' log because it was an invalid file but now I have converted it to a text document and hope you find this useful.

Many thanks again.

[Kestrel13!]

Hope you are enjoying the weekend.


Uninstall the below.

• Coupish
• J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 4
• Java(TM) 6 Update 31

Please disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware programs while we do the following (re-enable when you are finished):

Run C:\MGtools\analyse.exe by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator). This is really HijackThis (select Do a system scan only) and select the following lines but DO NOT CLICK FIX until you exit all browser sessions including the one you are reading in right now:

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://toolbar.inbox.com/search/disp...b_id&%language

After clicking Fix exit HJT.


Reboot your machine and install the most current and up to date version of Java available here at the below link:

Java Runtime 6


I want you to run TDSSKiller so refer to the below for how to do so.

TDSSkiller - How to run

What problems remain?

[mrswoman]

Hello Kestrel13,
And I thought I was doing so well! I did as requested and eventually downloaded theTDSSKiller zip file but couldn't open it - so found one I could. Two unsigned files found but I cant send you the log because I cant find it. I can SEE the report but have no idea where it is lurking to forward it to you.
HELP?

[Kestrel13!]

Hi there. Can you tell me what problems remain?

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

Hi there. Can you tell me what problems remain?

Hello Kestrel 13

I wasn't asked to restart after running TDSSKiller so I looked for the log and got back as quickly as I could to the forum with the previous answer.

The 'adserverplus' ads still come randomly - when I just clicked on the 'threads' column a while ago it appeared and elsewhere sometimes after clicking on an email or going to Bookmarks - is this what you want to know

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

Hi there. Can you tell me what problems remain?

Hello again,

I've found the log from TDSSKiller. Here it is.

[Kestrel13!]

Which browser does this occur in please? Firefox, Internet Explorer..?

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

Which browser does this occur in please? Firefox, Internet Explorer..?

Hello Kestrel 13,

It occurs in Firefox; I rarely, if ever, use Internet explorer these days.

[Kestrel13!]

We are going to be uninstalling your old version of FireFox and installing the new version. So do the below to save bookmarks:

• Run FireFox and click Bookmarks.
• Then select Organize Bootmarks.
• Then on the next window click File and then select Export. Save the bookmarks.html file to your Desktop for later use in importing.

Now download and save the installer for the current version of FireFox but DO NOT install it yet. Get it here: Mozilla FireFox

You will need exit FireFox now and use Internet Explorer to continue with the below until we reinstall FireFox.

Start by uninstalling FireFox and then reboot. Do not skip the reboot.
After reboot, delete the below folders:

• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
• C:\users\UserAccount\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox

where UserAccount is the actual user account name being used.

Now reinstall FireFox from the file previously downloaded.
Import your bookmarks file. (similar process to exporting).

[mrswoman]

Hello again,

Yes I did all that; I deleted Mozilla Firefox from program files and Mozilla\Firefox (sorry I should only have deleted Firefox) from the user account.
I suppose I'll have to see how it runs now - or is there anything else I should do? Thanks for all the help so far.

[Kestrel13!]

I should have had you use a third party uninstaller but yes, see what gives when you start the browser up. Let me know.

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

I should have had you use a third party uninstaller but yes, see what gives when you start the browser up. Let me know.

Hello Kestrel 13,

I have had no further problems with 'adserverplus' but plenty with Firefox itself. it is slow to process and often comes up with 'server not found' ( it has been doing that a lot these last two weeks but hardly ever before). The windows don't configure well on the screen and every single time I quit I get the message 'Firefox had a problem and crashed' and tells me a report will be sent.

Do I uninstall and then re-install it?

Also, I cant turn Windows defender on.

(I wonder how many times a day you sigh when you read this stuff????) - and - er - thank you in advance.

[Kestrel13!]

Do I uninstall and then re-install it?

Well we just did that so I don't know if that is going to help you any. You might be better off asking about this in the software forum. Are other browsers behaving ok?

Also, I cant turn Windows defender on.

Why, what error message do you get when you try?

(I wonder how many times a day you sigh when you read this stuff????) - and - er - thank you in advance.

It doesn't make me sigh, I just thrive on it

[mrswoman]

Originally Posted by Kestrel13!

Well we just did that so I don't know if that is going to help you any. You might be better off asking about this in the software forum. Are other browsers behaving ok?

Why, what error message do you get when you try?

It doesn't make me sigh, I just thrive on it

Hello Kestrel 13, back again to tell you what's what. I started using Internet Explorer for a while and then back to Firefox, which I didn't reinstall. The problems with 'adserverplus' do seem to have disappeared as well as the constant warning 'Firefox had a problem and crashed. A report will be sent' etc. As for Window's defender, each time I tried turning it on I received 'Security Centre cant turn on Window's Defender, please try again later.'

This morning though I decided to get rid of Microsoft Security Essentials and download the Comodo antivirus and firewall security software mentioned in the 'How to protect yourself from malware' forum; this way I wouldnt be doubling up on them. Window's Defender was actively enabled as soon as I did this though - is that ok? Should I ask in another forum?

By the way, are the 4 downloaded tools (Roguekiller, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Hitmanpro and MG tools) of any more use to me?

Finally, I've just realised now that I didnt do step 6 'Toggle System Restore' at the end of the malware removal guide. Should I do it now and reinstall Comodo afterwards?

Thank you

[Kestrel13!]

Windows Defender should be ok to run alongside comodo but you can always ask in software forum to be sure.

If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:

1. We recommend you keep SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for scanning/removal of malware. Unless you purchase them, they provide no protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.
2. If we had you use ComboFix, uninstall ComboFix (This uninstall will only work as written if you installed ComboFix on your Desktop like we requested.)
   • Click START then RUN and enter the below into the run box and then click OK. Note the quotes are required
   • "%userprofile%\Desktop\combofix" /uninstall
     • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /uninstall, it must be there.
     • This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.
3. Go back to step 6 of the READ ME and renable your Disk Emulation software with Defogger if you had disabled it.
4. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
5. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
6. If running Vista, it is time to make sure you have reenabled UAC by double clicking on the C:\MGtools\enableUAC.reg file and allowing it to be added to the registry.
7. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
8. Goto the C:\MGtools folder and find the MGclean.bat file. Double click on this file to run this cleanup program that will remove files and folders
   related to MGtools and some other items from our cleaning procedures.
9. If you are running Win 7, Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
   • Refer to the cleaning procedures pointed to by step 7 of the READ ME
     for your Window version and see the instructions to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
   • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
10. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!

[mrswoman]

Many thanks for everything Kestrel13. I think all is well now. You're a flying wizard.
I shall look into these forums frequently.

Ta Ra

[Kestrel13!]

You are *most* welcome! Safe surfing!