Adware SE- Windows 98

I recently installed Adaware Se on a friends computer who had windows 98 and NEVER had any anti spyware/adware program! They have had the computer since 2001 and never updated their anti virus!! The only notable problem with the computer was that it was obviously slow. So I tried to help them out and dowloaded adaware se. It found over 700! pests! Most of these were cookies. I deleted the files. Here is the problem (if this is one). When you are online now, the speed is definetly enhanced. However the person uses aol and dial up. It takes forever now to actually dial up. There was a message saying the access phone number is no longer working, but it will still connect on the same number at times. Also aol tries to load an update, but in the middle of downloading it, the 'illegal operation' error pops up and stops the download. I am wondering if these problems are really because of Adaware SE. Either it deleted something it shouldn't have, or maybe it 'awoke' a dormant pest? Now I'm thinking that I may have downloaded it with IE still running (don't really remember). Does what I am describing sound like a problem caused by the Adaware program itself or is it simply the access numbers, or just aol?? Again, when the computer does get online (this can take a very long time), it definetly seems faster. Is this just an aol problem or could I have hurt this computer somehow by running Adaware SE??

 

The person uses aol 8.0. I thought the message indicated to manually choose the new numbers. Is it just a matter of updating to 9.0 (if there is 9.0 available now)? I'm not sure because I have XP and cable modem dial up, so I am not familiar with aol standard dial up on '98. I just want to make sure running Adaware did not harm the computer bc I have read some people say it deleted 'critical files'. I don't think it did because when you are online it definetly seems faster than before. So do you think it is safe to say this is simply an aol update issue?

 

Thanks for your help. I asked Adaware to delete all the files, but I think it automaticaly quarantined them because I remember it having the same number of 'quarantined' items as 'items deleted'.I won't be back there for a few weeks and the person with the computer is completely computer illiterate. So in your opinion Adaware shouldn't have caused any damage to this computer and it is quite unlikley it deleted something vital? I just got nervous when I read certain reviews saying it had. Butthen again they could be biased reveiws bc most of the opinions on Adaware have been quite good. Thanks again.

 

This may sound like a stupid question, but could running Adaware actually 'wake' dormant pests? It just seems odd that all this would happen after I download and scan adaware. The person says that they can't get on the internet at all now. However they still haven't changed the access numbers or downloaded the latest version of AOL.

Thanks again.

 

When I deleted the items, I'm pretty sure it quarantined them. If the access numbers and/or the new version of aol does not work, should the quarantined items be restored? I distinctly remember 'deleting' the items and Adaware said 'deleting items' but then it said 'quarantining' and all the items I checked were in a quarantined file. Is it safe to assume that if in the worst case scenario that something vital was deleted, that simply restoring the quarantined items should solve the problem? Why wouldthey not be deletedif a checked 'delete' items and Adaware said 'deleting items' but then say 'quarantining' and have files in a quarantined folder.

 

I use AdAware SE on W98SE daily. No problems with AdAware. I heartily recommend it.

Also you should download, install and run these 3 daily.

Cleanup! http://www.stevengould.org/
EmpTemp http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=1575
and CrapCleaner aka CCleaner http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4191

These are free, don't conflict with each other, and get rid of all the miscellaneous crap you collect EVERY Internet session. You will be surprised how much crap you collect each session. Bazza

 

My 2 cents would be to restore all the spyware and see what happens. If it goes back to the way it was before, fast connect, but slow browsing, then you'll have some additional information. If it's still slow to connect, and slow browsing, then ;you'll know it wasn't the spyware. In either case, I would then remove all the spyware to quarantine when you are done with this "test". I'm sure there will be a way to fix the connection without all the spyware.

 

Well, real weird. Apparently today the person logged on and it dialed right up, went online with no problems and the internet was superfast after they changed the access nubers! Then a few hours later when the person tried to log on again, they could not get on at all, and they tried (apparently) for an hour and a half. Somebody told me that because the computer works intermittingly, nothing vital was deleted and it is likely that they just need to update AOL. So, should the first step be to update aol? Then see if there are still problems? And what is a broken LSP???? And is that easy to repair??????
Thanks for your help. I was just trying to help this person. I wasn't trying to cause additional problems.

 

And since there are times the computer does go online with no problems, does that mean the LSP is not broken and this is just a matter of updating aol?