But this thing's tenacious.

They tend to be.

Let the computer guys pull their hair out over it, life's too short.

Then get yourself some imaging software and back your OS drive up once a week so you can get back up and running clean inside 10 minutes in future.

A case of the cure being more effective than the prevention.

For some reason many of these free midi, tabs and lyric sites are notorious.

I had to clean an infection of my brothers work computer once and it took me two straight days clearing it out and by the time I'd done that it had invited all it's mates to come and join in the party and whilst I'd managed to get it clean it was pretty messed up as a result and after he got his important data off it still meant a hard format and a clean OS install at the end of it.

Jonbouy

But this thing's tenacious.

Then get yourself some imaging software and back your OS drive up once a week so you can get back up and running clean inside 10 minutes in future. 

Yeah, what he said.  I changed my anti-virus to Eset and I've had no problems since.

FYI--Fry's has a sale on Eset right now.  

Have you run Malware Bytes on it yet? 

My wife got one of those bothersome things a while back.... They are very easy to pick up.  Most of the original screens that pop up scare people into clicking it because it looks legit. It took me quite a while working with her machine to get it out.... but MalwareBytes was the essential tool.

I ran MWB on my lappy recently because for some reason my security software would not start and run properly. It found 10 bad problems and fixed them. 

I was listening to the Kim Komando show for a few minutes last Sunday morning...... she was talking about malware. Her comment was what I have heard others say who are in the computer geek end of the business. in most cases, people who get these things have clicked, either intentionally or accidentally on the link that allowed the DL to occur. 

Just yesterday..... I got an email which appeared to be from my bank  (BOA) stating that my online banking had been frozen for "safety precautions" since someone attempted to log in to the account incorrectly and used up the number of log in attempts.  I had just had some issues getting my bill pay screen to display properly but I did not bungle the log in. ( I cleared the browser cashe and it displayed properly)

I opted to attempt to log in to my on line banking account from my browser and was able to get in.... the email was a phishing attempt....which I suspected from the start. It had 2 files attached (red flags go up) and I suspect one or both had some sort of malware to capture passwords and log in info. 

I reported it and forwarded it to the bank's internet fraud dept to let them track it down and deal with it. 


But try the Malware Bytes... it's got a free version that I have on my machines and I run it from time to time just for grins...... it worked for me.

+1 for Malware Bytes, I use it alongside AVG 2012.

I have Microsoft Security Essentials and Malware Bytes on my computers...all of them. 

With the exception of the issue with my lappy the other day...quickly resolved by Malware Bytes.....I have not had any malware get in that created problems. Even on my daughter's machines. And they are all over Facebook and other sites.

jamesg1213


+1 for Malware Bytes, I use it alongside AVG 2012.

I have used the F-Secure Suite for 5 years, and the one time that things got interesting, I can tell you that the folks over there got the ability to log in, and fixed it, and the next update of the software, there was a rootkit update ... and I have not had any issues since.
 
The trick on these, however, is making sure that you install Windows, and then the suite, and then the updates/etc.etc ... and I'm not sure that most people know that procedure is critical, so the Firewall has a clean version of the information on the registry.
 
Any time a website tries to enter the registry, it warns me, and I shut down the browser ... if it can not access the registry, it (usually) does not track its information and leaves the computer quickly ... as it knows it can not move forward. Things hiding in your hard drive, used to be an issue 10 years ago, but are not an issue today ... most firewalls can nail those quickly. It's when they get into the registry that you got a problem ... and once it does ... too late!
 
I never had the quality of support and care with the suite as I have had with F-Secure ... but it has to be a clean install right after you install Windows ... in most cases, even here with the requests, it is clear that the majority of the time the procedure is already busted and fixing those is heck ... you pretty much have to reinstall windows ... and I would strat by formatting the hard drive from the Bios ... and start all over ... 3 to 4 hours wasted, but you won't regret the result!

"Then get yourself some imaging software and back your OS drive up once a week so you can get back up and running clean inside 10 minutes in future." ~The Bouy

bapu


"Then get yourself some imaging software and back your OS drive up once a week so you can get back up and running clean inside 10 minutes in future." ~The Bouy

That is a wonderful suggestion, however, it is not always the best solution as it does not necessarily deal with the real issue, if the malware has already made itself into the registry, which the imaging, or the use of the previous save spot, both of which are not a guarantee that this will not happen again.
 
Once again, if the malware is already in the registry, it won't matter if any of these steps get done, as it will come back again when you enlist a procedure, with the browser, or any other procedure that will trigger the event again, which can be an email as well.
 
Unffortunately, nothing replaces the proper procedure, and Bapu will always be the first one to tell you that no one can teach you an Am like he does ... so thinking that a malware is going to behave, is not likely until Bapu says so!

The issue I referenced above.... 10 issues...were all registry entries. Malware bytes found them and made the repairs. 

Everything went to working properly after that.