I have been cleaning up following a spyware problem, with the help of someone on this forum named Tomk (see our thread: http://forums.whatthetech.com/Antivirus_XP...rs_t95607.html). We've pretty much cleared everything up except I still can not access certain websites, including this one. Basically any site that would serve helpful to me in ridding me of the spyware issues is unaccessible. Every program I had to download, I did so wth another computer and a flashdrive. Everytime I've been on WhatTheTech, it's also been on another computer. I wouldn't mind so much, except Tomk tried to have me do an internet scan, but I can't access any of the sites he suggested. I also can't update some of my newly installed helpful programs because they can't access their sites. The only other site I haven't been able to access, non-tech related, is my bank's site.

So, I'm wondering if there is any way of finding what's doing this and fixing it. I guess it's not showing up on any kind of scans I'm doing (again, look at my thread with Tomk's help). The problem is the same on all browsers I've tried (Firefox, IE, Chromeo).

IT may also have something to do with the fact that I've begun getting Spyware popups again through my browser, despite my computer otherwise seeming to be clean. They don't seem too harmful yet, as I shut the windows/tabs immediately, but I fear these popups could eventually restart the whole spyware problems I began with.

Thanks very much in advance for any help or suggestions.

What exactly is the problem with accessing the sites? Does the page just load forever, or does it come up with a "could not connect" error, describe the error a bit better please.

Also, do you have anti-virus software currently? And what type of internet connection do you have/how fast is it?

Hi filmcynic,

You are posting on two forums Microsoft Windows and Browsers Internet and email without clearance for TomK over on HJT forum per my quote below:
kind regards,

OK, I guess I'm cleared now.

The error messages are the kind that say "Failed to Connect. Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at ....."

I do now have Avira's free antivirus software and also am using WinPatrol and SpywareBlaster, all of them at Tomk's request. WinPatrol has so far occasionally alerted me of things trying to come through my Internet Exporer, which isn't my default browser.

I use cable internet, but I don't know how fast.

Hi filmcynic,

Good to see Tomk has cleared you system of Malware. Thanks for posting here for assistance.

If Firefox is your problem, uninstall it and reinstall to see if that helps you.

Does the same error occur when using IE?

kind regards,

It's not just Firefox. As I mentioned before, the same thing happens with all the same sites on IE and Chrome. And I even installed Chrome after clearing the computer of the other signs of virus/spyware, so I don't know what that could mean.

I still do get occasional spyware attempt popups and alerts from WinPatrol about things trying to come through, so it's possible that I still have something on my computer that nobody is seeing.

filmcynic,

I've been going back over your logs and I think I may be on track of a malware problem I missed.

Please remove uTorrent and then post a new ComboFix scan (per earlier instructions) back in the malware thread.

Thanks,

Ooops. I didn't mean to reprint. I wasn't seeing my last post.

Anyway, I deleted uTorrent, which I didn't know I even had. But it seemed to only be a folder with no files inside.

I'll post a log in a minute. I have to reacquire Combofix.





This post has been edited by filmcynic: Oct 8 2008, 04:14 PM