computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Came up with several. several are simply numbered:

dialer139
dialer142
dialer40

or

user@speed-dialer
cookie:user@speed-dialers


etc..... The properties of these types of files read as a text file that opens with notepad... what is this??? This is where it says it's stored

C:\Documents and Settings\User\Cookies

Should I delete these types of files?

Background on this: I keep getting a search window that pops up WAY too often, like every time I go to a website, every 2 minutes or so while I'm in a web site... I'm trying to find this file or program and nuke it!! Can anyone help??

Mike

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

have you tried spy bot search and destroy or ad aware? those two both work pretty well for getting rid of this type crap

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Mike, I have a cd of Ad Aware if you'd like to try it. Call me and we'll catch up.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy are your friends. Download and run them at least once a week.

And stay off the damn porn sites! :D

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I run spybot at least twice a week... sometimes more. It usually finds several cookies trackers... who knows where those come from. I use two pop up blockers... I never get a pop up, but who's to say they can't still stick something in the hard drive. I also have Norton, fully updated. But I still have this annoying search window poping up!! Can I get Ad Aware as a download somewhere for free??

Mike

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Put Norton Anti virus and firewall on and it won't let this stuff come down anymore. Or load up the newest windows service pack and set it up to block this crap. I highly recommend Norton though, the security on it is much better than what you get with the latest Windows service pack.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

where do I get a firewall?

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

There are a few Dialer Viruses that have been going around the last month. Norton will catch them if you are updated. You still need to get rid of the files though with a Spyware program.

I deal with a few of these problems per week. ( I manage an IT dept. ) The best Spyware removal program i have found is from Yahoo. If you do a search in Google for the Yahoo Toolbar, you will be directed to a site where you can dowload the toolbar right from Yahoo. Incorpaorated in this toolbar is an Anti-Spy program. Run this and it will find much more than Spybot. When you are done running it, you can hide the toolbar by using the View > Toolbars menu.

I run this once a week and usually find 20 - 30 things.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

XP has a firewall built in if you are on XP. You just need to enable it.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

My Norton updates automatically every time I turn on my computer.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I am on XP where do I find this firewall?

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Download Ad aware. It's free from Lavasoft. Dialers are for ads. They slow your puter down. Once you have ad aware, run it, and you'll be amazed how much garbage is on your computer. It usually runs faster too.

Rick

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

go to Control Panel > Network Connections, and right click your internet connection. Click properties, then advanced. There is a check box to enable the Windows firewall.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

running Ad Aware as I type this. Will check out the firewall too.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

www.lavasoftusa.com = adaware

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

O.K. Ad Aware came up with a LOT of files. Do you guys simply delete them all??

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

The firewall was already on.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

dude, listen to a man who does this chit every day. get the yahoo tool and run it. its free. and a 30 second download.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

yes, blow away all the files that you find.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Some of these spyware programs are actually spyware themselves...

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I remove spyware for customers pretty much weekly.

A firewall, while a good investment, will not prevent spyware. It prevent hackers from gaining access to your computer. I recommend a hardware firewall, rather than a software firewall for best protection and convenience. SMC makes some great units at good prices for a home user. I would use a Sonicwall or equivalent for a business.

If the computer is really heavily infected, you may actually have to reformat the drive, and reinstall Windows.

None of the spyware removal tools will clean them all out. You can download and install Ad-aware, Spy Bot Search and Destroy, and Spy Sweeper for free. Download and install all three programs. Update the Spyware definitions for all three.

Reboot your computer in SAFE Mode (press the F8 key while booting after once every second BEFORE Windows starts). Run all three programs until all of the spyware has been removed. Login as each user on the computer, and rerun all three.

Delete all files in the Window\Temp directory, and the Temp directory for each user. You may have to adjust your settings in Windows Explorer to do this to show Hidden files (Tools, Folder Options, View tab, Show all files).

Delete all files in the Temporary Internet Files directory for each user.

Reboot in Normal mode, and run all three again. Login as each user, and rerun all three. Repeat until clean.

I'm personally not crazy about the Yahoo Toolbar idea, unless you really like their toolbar.

Even with all three spyware scanning programs, I would say they get only 90% of the spyware combined on average.

If that still doesn't fix it, you have to get into the Windows Registry. This gets a bit dangerous unless you know what you are deleting (computer can stop running).

Good luck!

Michael

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Yahoo tool bar will put more cookies on your PC than the standard Google tool bar. The Yahoo bar will also send any info out if you happen to have a Yahoo email address. Run the new Ad-Aware SE and download search and destroy, run them atleast weekly, more if you visit the "adult sites".

And yes I do this for a living, I'm the Director of IT for 4 casinos in Vegas and manage over 850 PC's and over 150 Win2K/2003 servers. :drink:

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

you should run adaware.... like everyone else said, and you should also run AVG

www.grisoft.com/

get their free addition, update it all the time, and USE it.... most people don't use the software once they get it... AVG scans the stuff as it enters your computer... Email...ect.

Ernie

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

CWShredder !!! It was the only program that found my hyjacker program and deleated it.

You can get it for free here : http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3019

There is some good stuff on the site : http://www.majorgeeks.com/

Hope this helps, Dave

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I have tried the new Ad aware SE and it will shut down my computer. I have tried re installing and running it in safe mode and the same thing happens. Any suggestions?

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I have to disable my Norton Anti virus when running Ad Aware, otherwise mine locks up and shuts down also.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

I have tried disabling both my panda anti virus and my black ice firewal. Same results.

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

On another similar thread I included links to Spybot, AdAware, ZoneAlarm, and AVG.

Do a search on this site, download them, update them, and run them regularly.

TIP: DON'T EVER REGISTER FOR ANYTHING ( unless you're sure of the source ). If unsure, use an alias email such as [email protected] ( I would hate to see Joe Blow's AOL Inbox ) . . .

Re: computer guys, ran a search on my computer for "dialers"... help?
 

Does it just reboot itself, or is there an error message?

Michael