Firewall-Z.A.-almost no connectivity.help?

Hi guys,
I recently installed Z.A.free firewall as I followed M.G`s suggested "keep your computor safe" suggestions.
I found that on any setting but firewall OFF,I could not connect to most sites..always the ol IE.white screen..
This something I hardly had with windows f.w.I then un installed Z.A. and reverted back to windoz f.w.Bad news!!I reloaded Z.A. and switched it off..Now I can occasionally connect to sites.It took me 5 tries to get here..
I also un installed NAV 2006 as its terribly resource hungry,and went with AVG free for now.

Following MG`s spyware cleanup and check procedures,I did all the steps as suggested.CC came up with a load of conflicts and without backing uprolleyes: )I said fix them critters!!Ive noticed funny stuff from this as well..could it be this instead??
After I wiped my previous operating system,I swore I would not delete anything again..Ive done it again......help??please??

xp sp 2.
p4,2.8G
1g ram
wlan connectivity..

 

No connectivity at all? Or just to certain sites?

If it's no connection at all. ZA has a nack for enabling internet lock. Make sure when it's running that the lock on the main program page is unlocked.

If you want my opinion, I have been switching around with AV/Firewalls. Kerio And Avast! are a great setup. AVG is garbage in my opinion. I think you'll find Kerio alot easier to use if you choose the beginner mode during installation.

Staying with Windows Firewall is a bad idea. But it's up to you.

 

Also, By CC you mean CCleaner right? If it is I can assure you it's highly unlikely it deleted anything of critical use to the stability of the OS...Possible, but very very unlikely.

And if I might suggest instead of IE for web surfing download Mozilla FireFox from MG's site. It's Faster, Safer and all around 10x Better than IE. (Do NOT however under any circumstances take under consideration that since you switch browsers try to uninstall IE, Do NOT try to uninstall IE).

But trust me if you switch you'll be happy you did. Use IE only for updating Windows and Online Virus Scans.

 

DC OxO,Thanks for the info...Im rather relieved that you say CCleaner wont delete critical stuff..Ive been worried about that.

I did download Firefox,but found plenty "no shows"on connectivity..Its now hovering in the background.Ill try it again...Will I encounter hassles switching to and fro??Firefox and I.E.?

I checked Z.A. lock feature,always un locked..also now disabled..Ill try your reccomended A.V package..Thanks..

Sometimes I think the old addage of "you get what you pay for"comes to light here..The free versions are not all that great..Ill subscribe to an a.v. when I get the right one..I had NAV 2006..Always been happy with it,but oh so slow....
Thanks again.

 

CCleaner is just a Cache cleaner it doesn't seek out actual system files. unless they are TMP files and or old or not of use to the system.

NAV is a great program yes but as somethings go in this world something that is great always has one flaw, NAV's being a resource hungry bloatware program.

As for the issues partaining to you're Interent...You're system might be corrupt...You haven't went about and personally delete files from the system correct?

That or Malware could be a factor. To be honest there is no real way to be completely safe from Viruses etc...You can only protect as best as possible and move on.

Free AV's are actually proving to be better served than the Payed for predecessors Avast! being one of them, Due to the advancment in heuristics. But one single AV can't find everything...

Here's my setup I find to be VERY effective.

Avast!
Kerio Firewall
Ewido Anti-Malware (This program is AWESOME, Best Anti Trojan and Trojan Remover and has good protection from Spyware and all the others)

Others like SpySweeper they're both very good. I would suggest Either Spysweeper or Ewido with you're setup.

http://www.webroot.com/ -Spysweeper

http://www.ewido.net/en/ Ewido

 

Also if you have suspicious files or you downloaded something in a zipped file.

Go Here to scan it.

And switching from IE to Firefox is easy, it'll just ask you if you want to import you're Cookies and Bookmarks and etc to Firefox.

 

DC 0X0,Thanks for the Ewido stuff..Found 3 malware..
Will go look at the others you mentioned now.
Thanks.

 

Forgot to ask,is the following a real threat or is this scam stuff normally found on some first time scans??

"not.a.virus.PSW.TOOL.WIN32.MAIL.PASS VIEW.130"

Running Kerio FW. Great stuff,thanks..

 

Hmm, well I wouldn't chance it umm it has "PSW" in it mainly mean Password stealer (Ie Keylogger or Trojan) Go to the Malware Removal Forums Read through the Read & Run me Before Posting thread, If you still have issues create a thread and either BJ or chas or Shadow will assist you.


Good luck and safe surfing

 

I am surprised that Lavasoft and Spybot did not pick this up..These are top quality programs..and the new kid on the block picks this up,no probs..I hope it was not a carrot thrown in by Ewido..

Would such a trojan be able to pick up mouse clicks on passwords??

 

Yea,sorry,will go to Malware thread..