help me i'm being invaded by pornopopups!

I've been invaded by pornopopups! they are getting into everything except my soup. I tried downloading internet scrubbers but they don't help much. I'm thinking it's a spyware program i inadvertantly downloaded. Someone suggested "Spybot Search" but each time i attempt a download I'm getting a k-razy message that says "the plug in did not initialize properly". What's causing that and how do I get around it.
Thanks from a newbie.

 

You should try this
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=506

Ad aware 6.181 it should do the trick for ya. And Welcome to the board

 

hey bluesman, thanks for the tip but i couldn't download it because i keep getting a screen that tells me "the plug in did not initialize properly". What am i ever gonna do?????

 

It looks to me that some spyware/adware program installed itself as a plug-in to your browser. It now detects an refuses to download any spyware removing software.
There are a couple of possible solutions:

• Try to download Ad-aware or Spybot using some other browser (Opera).
• For downloading use FTP client instead of browser.
• Try to find the name of that adware pest. What program or screensaver did you install lately? Then you can either uninstall it using Add/Remove Programs (plus clean the Registry), or search the net (using Google) for removal instructions.

 

Hi CLEMMO. From your START menu, go to PROGRAMS and then STARTUP. See whats listed in the startup menu for programs. You may have something loading in at startup, that you shouldn't. Also, you can do an CRTL ALT DEL to bring up the task manager dialogue box, and see if any off color programs are running. You can end the process for it there, then try to get the Ad-Aware downloaded. But also your browser could be the problem as well. But we really need more info, to get to the root of the problem. What O/S are you using ? If you're using 95 or 98, you can let us know what's running in the Task Manager, and we can probrably determine the trouble program. If you have XP though, the programs will be to numerous to list. So post your operating system, and tell us exactly what your doing when the pop-ups appear, or if they just appear without you doing anything on the computer. The more info you can give us, the more we can zoom in on the problem.

 

guys,
Many thanks for tryng to help me. My OS is Windows 98. This beast is a Dell Dimension XPS R350MHz PentiumII and it just turned 5 years old.
The following are listed in the start-up menu for programs:
Iomega Icons
Iomega Quik Sync
Iomega Start-up option
Iomegaware
Norton System Doctor SE
The Task Master is running the following:
Explorer
Atrack
Lexplore
Realplay
Win32US
Nsde32
Lamapp
Quik Sync
Stimon
Bargains
Qttask
Winlogon
Imgicon
One last thing I noticed of late. The mouse is sluggish and the icon seems out of sync. I have to shut the computer down and then restart it to get the mouse to behave as it normally did.
Thanks,
Clemmo

 

In my last sentence I refer to the icon. I meant to say cursor. my apologies.

 

Hi Clemmo. I see a few odd things running in the task manager.
A process called "BARGAINS". Do you have any idea what that may be?
Also......."QTtask". < That is for the QuickTime player, and seems to be indicating that a "task" is running with it. A lot of porn clips are in the QuickTime format. (Not that I'd know personally. hehe). Try Highlighting and then clicking End task, for both the BARGAINS, and the QTtask. Then try to download the AdAware program from Bluesmans post. There's a chance the problem could be a virus too. Do you have Anti-Virus software? And if so, have you done a scan with it?

 

thanks brian,
will do what you advise and get back to you with the results.

 

If what's suggested here still doesn't work, try downloading HijackThis 1.95 and post the HiJack log file here.

 

Clemmo. Maxwell posted another good possibility. But it would be helpful if you let us know, when the pop-ups appear. Like if they pop up randomly, or when you open a program, or use your browser etc. That way we can narrow it down, as to where the problem is better. Like if they just pop up when you use your browser, then it's probrably a browser hijack, like Maxwell is thinking.

 

Clemmo, you have a lot of processes running that do nothing but slow down your system!
Not required at startup are all iomega items (Disk Icons, Startup Options, iomegaware, QuickSync), Stimon, RealPlay, QTtask.
You can disable them in respective programs or run msconfig.
I don't know what the following stand for: Lexplore, imgicon, Atrack (tha last one seems suspicious to me).

Bargains.exe is BargainsBuddy adware/trackware. You can find instructions for manual removal here:
http://www.safersite.com/PestInfo/B/BargainBuddy.asp

 

Lexplore is spyware topic here.

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winme/t1057003472


Only thing I could find about "Atrack" is that it might be "Audio Tracker".

 

The ATRACK process is a legit one. It's the Norton Alert Tracker, and should be running, as he has Nortons.
The IMGICON, is part of the IOMEGA ware. It has to do with mouse cursor software. Not sure if the IOMEGA ware was a user installed item, or if it came with the Dell Dimenson though.
There DOES seem to be a lot of processes associated with that software, but it's legit software. I think the questionable processes are the BARGAINS, and LEXPLORE. Unless of course he has a Lexmark printer. Then theres the possibility that it's a LEX process. :-/

 

Hello all,
First I would like to thank everyone for their help in my situation.I truly appreciate it.
Now to the progress (or lack thereof): I took Brian's suggestion and highlighted the questionable items in my Task Manager. I struck the "End" task but nothing happened. They would not disappear.
Each and every time I try to download Adware my efforts are thwarted with the same "Plug in failed to initialize" message. Most anoying.
As to my printer, I'm using an HP LaserJet 6L
Weird thing alert! Whenever I start the computer, two programs mysteriously manifest themselves and load. I have no idea how they attached themselves to my machine. But the should be no big surprise by now. One is "Internet WasherPro" and the other is "liberECO". After they finish their start-up and reside on my desk top I right click on them and exit. It removes them till I stat the computer again and then they reappear.
I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easier doing what they did to HAL in the movie 2001. Just strip the silly thing back to its very beginning and reload everyhting.
Trying to put a lid on the frustration.
Clemmo

 

Clemmo,

Found this in regards to internet washer pro. You may want to give it a shot.


-=-=-=-=-=--=-
Okay, well if the uninstaller won't work. Goto: Start | Run | explorer.exe (enter) ..then go into Program Files ..and look for "Windows & Internet Washer" ..you can delete that whole folder manually and delete the icons for it out of the menu. There are some entries for it in the registry. The version I just downloaded also had a key at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\eWasher <--- You can open "regedit.exe" and then delete that folder ==> "eWasher"

It does put some CLSID(Class Identifiers) strings (alphanumeric strings representing objects) throughout your registry, you can leave these entries..if you really wanted to delete *everything* you can download a registry cleaner to get rid of the little bits left by it in the registry..it's not needed though. Hope this helps. You can open the registry editor by going to: Start | Run | regedit.exe (enter)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Found this to remove liberECO.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Uninstalling Ecommerce Dialer trojan horse

download the uninstall-tool:

http://econnect.libereco.net/uninstall/uninstall.exe


run the uninstall.exe
then delete the destop icon and the Icon in the system tray in the lower right hand corner manually.
reboot your computer
To delete the dialer manually:

Run regedit.exe
Find HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mircosoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
On the right hand side, are all the programs that starts automatically. (You will see the path for the program as well, delete the entry out of the regestry and please make sure to delete it also from your harddrive)
Delete links out of the start menu and from the desktop.
Please check here HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, too if the dialer still stays on.

If this still doesn't work, please check if there is a rdve.exe on your computer. If there is, please go ahead like this: After using the uninstall program, re-start windows in MS-DOS mode. Then go to the directory which had that program (rdve.exe) and delete it. Now please turn back to the Windows Mode it should be gone then.

You will also want to change your internet options settings to disallow ActiveX Controls to be downloaded automatically.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

I think you really need to isolate many of the progs starting up. The best ever in my opinion is Startman which used to be available on PCForrest site now apparently defucnt. However it was still available here
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/startman.html
Give it a go and weed out everything suspicious or not req'd and then fire up your browser and try to download either of the spyware progs. Out here in Australia both are fairly freely available on the cds accompanying PC mags - that also may be a possiblilty in your country. Good luck my friend.
Robert

 

Hello All,
I'm here to report that progress is being made. Hooray! I managed to finally download Ad-aware and it quarantined a boatload of suspicious looking programs. I sent off into oblivion and the old bugger seems to be running a tad smoother and quicker as a result of it all. As yet (fingers are crossed) I've not been bombarded with pornopopups. I am gong to take Robert's suggestion and download Startman. It can't hurt.
Again, many thanks for your help and majorgeeks is now on my "favorites" listing.
Clemmo

 

I'm sure you're getting some feeling of satisfaction after all that! Yes only load a minimum of programs at startup, as you can always load them when you need the program!

 

Good to hear it's coming along CLEMMO. Now you know, the best medicine for your Personal Confuser......umm, I mean Computer, is regular visits to the MajorGeeks message board !!

 

Once you've completed your scans with both AdAware and SpyBot S&D you could install SpywareBlaster to prevent them coming back: http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2859

 

hey maxwell, thanks for the contribution. Appreciate it. I had a problem with it though. When I went to download SpyBlaster it went thru its paces pretty well until I tried to open it. I received two windows, the first:
A required .DLL file, MSVBVM60.DLL was not found
the second:
Error: Unable to execute file
c\programfiles\spywareblaster\spywareblaster.exe
Create Process failed; code 1157
one of the library files needed to run this application can not be found.
What went wrong??

 

G'day clemmo .

If you are getting the "required .DLL file, MSVBVM60.DLL was not found" message, then you need to download and install the latest MS run-time installer. It will install the missing file and
allow you to use SpywareBlaster without any problems.

This is mentioned on Javacools (creator) website where you download SpywareBlaster. At the bottom of the download page, under "Common User Issues/Missing Files", you will find the link for the required MS run-time installer.
Go here: http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html


Regards,
Jade.