| Author |
Message |
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 25 May 2005 12:05
Reply
Hey folks, me again 
I've been having a bit of trouble removing a pesky thing that installed itself without asking 'SurfSideKick.exe' to be exact.
In the process of this computer novice's chase I seem to have lost the ability for my desktop to show three of my icons *one of them being outpost*.
The shortcuts still work, just not the images. Any help, and info on SurfSideKick, is very much appreciated.
QD, at it again.
|
methos
Member
|
# Posted: 25 May 2005 13:51
Reply
Hi Queen 
Seems like you get a rather nasty piece of spyware/adware on your computer. From what I have found on it it not only displays popup/popunder ads but also connects silently to a location and transmits personal information as wells as defends itself against removal or changes to it's components *l*. In short it's a severe pain to get rid of. Unfortunately it doesn't go away with Lavasoft's or Spybot's spyware removal tools. The only way that I have found to get rid of it is to get into the registry. There is a walkthrough at the following site. I will see if I can find an easier way to get rid of it but so far this is the only way I have found.
Linky
Regards
Kyp
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 26 May 2005 10:39
Reply
Hey Kyp.
Thanks sooo much for responding *although I'm now rather worried* 
Here's what I did yesterday.
I found you could uninstall SurfSideKick 3 in the add remove programs section, so I did. Bad move? After that I installed Microsoft antispyware, avg, spybot, and bazooka. This to go with my router firewall, my microsoft firewall, norton virus scan and lavasoft adaware. All the search programs came back clean.
I've followed the instructions on your link and dug around in the system registries, but I can't find *as far as I can tell* any of the files or exes listed.
I also restored my comp to a date before the SSK installed.
Do you think it's gone? Or has it just buried beyond my means to find it?
PS, three of my icons still don't load properly. It takes about an hour, unless theyre my own custom icons.
Much thanks,
QD.
|
methos
Member
|
# Posted: 26 May 2005 14:45
Reply
Queen well it sounds like you covered everything. Odd that your icon are still not coming up. The only thing I can think of is that alot of times you have to disable system restore, clean your system in safe mode, reboot, clean it in regular mode, reboot and re-enable system restore. It's been found that viruses and worms can be brought back if you clean your system without disabling system restore and since this spyware is more like a virus that could be the situation here. I'll keep looking though  .
Kyp
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 26 May 2005 19:36
Reply
Okay, I would have no idea how to do that  and the icons do come back, it just takes a bit of time So far everything seems to be running okay-ish. The ad pop-ups appear to have ceased and constant searches for the SSK files come up blank.
Somewhere out there you'd think there'd be some application to tell you for sure the comp was clean. I get very nervous about virus infections and rogue programs because I really don't know what I'm doing when I have to go into the guts of windows
Queen
|
quincyw
Member
|
# Posted: 27 May 2005 04:39
Reply
Try msconfig. Methinks the thing inserted stuff into your startup which... What's the easiest analogy? The tree will continue to grow unless you dig it up completely. Not too long ago, I was inflicted with a worm and I can kill the symptoms, but it inserted something into my registry to keep coming back no matter how many times I chopped the symptoms.
Do us a favor, Start, Run, msconfig (enter). On the Startup tab, you'll get a bunch of tickboxes, program names and filepaths. Why don't you copy that down and we'll analyse which are probably the bad stuff and we'll advise you what to do. Sound fair?
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 27 May 2005 08:10
Reply
Thanks, Quincy
Btw, the icons seem to be working again. I switched on this morning and they all lit up first time I changed my wallpaper, maybe it was that?
Queen.
|
quincyw
Member
|
# Posted: 27 May 2005 19:42
Reply
The carpserv looks extremely dodgy, as does the ati2mdxx. Notice how there's no pathnames to where the programs are? Please do me a favor, Queenie and do a (hard drive) search on the filenames and find where they are, please.But do not destroy them yet!I want someone else's opinion. Or, you can just google them. Put the filenames into google and it'd probably tell you if it's bad or not.
And the icons (from wallpaper), entirely possible. We Tech Heads always look for the difficult way first.  
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 28 May 2005 08:40
Reply
http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/carpserv.exe.html
http://www.windowsstartup.com/wso/detail.php?id=204
Is this them?
Here's where they are in my comp:
Ati2mdxx C:\Windows\system32 28KB application last modified 16/08/2002
Carpserv C:\SWSetup\Modem 5KB application last modified 15/04/2003
Carpserv C:\Windows\system32 5kb application last modified 15/04/2003
You'll note the modification dates? All are from before I bought the laptop *new* so I figured they are needed system items.
Queen;)
|
quincyw
Member
|
# Posted: 28 May 2005 18:32
Reply
I'd leave it alone then. As for the application date, yes, that's correct, Queeny, given the two links for them. If they're modem add-on/software programs, that was the date they were written, or rather finalised and bundled into the software package you were given. I'd tend to leave them alone.
What about WkUFind? I bring this up because when I installed iMesh, it installed something similar (think it was FindFast or GoSearch or something stupid), which was spyware, transmitting information. And it's in Program Files, too. Where's that located?
Look up the other Program Files programs on this list and google them too. I think they're bad.
|
methos
Member
|
# Posted: 29 May 2005 04:39
Reply
WKuFind is not currently listed as spyware *l*. According to what I have found it is an authentic MS product. Part of MS Picture-It. The only thing it does is searches for updates which I wouldn't allow it to do if it was on my computer. Go to the program and there should be an option to disable automatic updates for it unless it's a program that you use often.
Kyp
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 29 May 2005 08:46
Reply
Just to note, you guys are being brilliant
Yes, Kyp, I have picture it and I do use it now and then. I'll keep an eye on its activities
Quincy, which one's bad? All the rest or were you talking about WkUFind?
Queen.
|
quincyw
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jun 2005 02:43
Reply
Well, Queeny, ideally, you should have "nothing" in your startup tab except the minimum, like antivirus, firewall and Windows' necessities. See all those little icons next to your clock? I have only two when I start my computer. Each little icon makes your computer run slower, chews up resources and... Yeah.
For example, if it were up to me (in other words, I'm not recommending it!, I'd dislodge that paint thing and the Hewlett Packard add on programs and everything else. The Microsoft Office package thingy is one I'd dislodge straight off the bat. It's about as useful to anyone as a third nipple. If I need the program, I'll just open it later and let all the little secondary programs run free when I need it.
Seriously, you should have nothing except the essentials starting up.
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 3 Jun 2005 08:52
Reply
How do I do that?
I have six icons next to my clock, norton, my wireless network icon, my virus and spyware icons and power reminders. In start up on the start menu is that microsoft office, so if I can removed that without deleting it would be good.
I'm all for speeding this three legged horse up
QD
|
micha_bravo
Member
|
# Posted: 25 Jun 2005 04:08
Reply
Well this problem seems to be resolved but all of the talk abooot wallpaper reminded me of an old prank. If you get really bored one day and feel like watching a friend panic, take a snap shot of their desktop and change it into wallpaper, make a new folder on the desktop then drag all the icons into that folder. Then replace the current wallpaper with the new wallpaper you just made... sit back and enjoy the massive confusion when none of the desktop icons are working!
Yes evil lives.
Oh and don't forget to hide the start menu!
|
demonvamp
Member
|
# Posted: 25 Jun 2005 08:43
Reply
lmao @ Micha! I may have to try that on my father in revenge for him constantly coming to me with his computer woes instead of learning anything himself.
Oh, and yes, everything seems fine now *touch wood* thanks everyone who helped. You were greater than great
QD
|
