Pop UP Ads

[stormcrow]

Just thought I would throw this out there to get everyone's attention.

Been having problem big time with pop up ads on my computer. Downloaded lavasoft ad aware and spy bot to help solve the problem - it did help but still had the problem

Anyway, if I turned my computer on and let it set there, about five ads would pop up.

Resolution - Big Time - Remove internet explorer. Once this was done, no more pop up ads. You have to do a file search for "Internet Explorer" and remove all the programs.

If the program can't be removed, open the file up with MS word and delete it's contents, save and then delete.

Internet explorer is vulnerable to pop up ads. and until Internet explorer comes up with a way to solve this problem, it won't go away.

It's that simple. No more pop up ads.

Mozilla is an alternative web brouser to use.

I know this message will be moved to OT, but hopefully the word will get out - Remove internet explorer and your pop up ad problem will be history.

Steve

"A Porsche does more then just go fast in a straight line"

[id10t]

Format, reinstall, *dont* use IE for anything but windowsupdate.microsoft.com, use a hardware router/firewall, have all service packs and patches applied before even connecting to a network that has another windows machine on it, use good antivirus (mcafee or norton) and keep it updated weekly (or every boot), be sure to run the automatic windows update daemon, try to avoid using P2P but if you must use a open source client (that has ports to other platforms as well as windows, like mac and linux), and *don't let anyone you aren't married to use the darn thing - computers are cheap, get their own*. That last part includes kids, especially teenagers.

Or, if you aren't tied to a particular windows-only application get a Mac or install Linux (or just use a live cd like ubutnu or knoppix).

[stormcrow]

I don't disagree with what you say, but I don't have a hardware router, firewall installed and I downloaded the service pack 2 from microsoft yesterday and my pop up ads came back.

I can't emphasize enough that Internet Explorer is the main cause of the problem. Why - because 90% of the computre users use IE and that is who these ads target.

Try what I recommend and your porblem will go away.

Steve

"A Porsche does more then just go fast in a straight line"

[MysticLlama]

I see this a lot, but on the other hand, I don't have any virus scanner or adware utilities installed on any of my home machines and I never have any problems like these.

Maybe I just don't visit as many "shady" websites as everyone else?

[CamB]

Yeah - don't go to dodgy websites! Or use Kazaa, etc.

I use Firefox, and not only haven't seen popups for ages, but I block a lot of the ads too (there is a plug in) so don't see many ads.

I also run Ad-Aware, Spybot and the new Windows one (which seems to work pretty well - I guess they have the inside running). Make sure you are getting the updates regularly (before you run it) for these three.

[928ram]

I run WinXP SP2 and IE. Never see pop-ups plus IE throws up a bar warning you that an attempt was made. Not that I a big pro-MS person, but it works just fine.

[Neilk]

Get Microsoft's AntiSpyware from here.
Even though it's a beta, it's rock stable and will get rid of just about any spyware.

[Steve Carlton]

I switched to Firefox a few months ago and that cured the problem. Until recently. I'm getting an occasional pop-up. Have they figured out how to generate them on Firefox? Been wondering...

[Steve Carlton]

Any recommendations for antispyware for those running Firefox?

[Neilk]

Microsoft's antispyware works with Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It doesn't matter what browser you use.

[Stanley]

I use Firefox and I never see any pop ups. I do run ad-aware, spybot and the new Microsoft one about once a week. The first time I ran the Microsoft one it picked up quite a few things the others missed.

If you are still getting pop ups with Firefox try going the add/remove programs in the windows control panel and see if you have any suspicious looking programs. They are usually around .2 MB or so.

[RoninLB]

fwiw. I have no prob with IE on ME. I run Norton and Ad-Aware.

I tried using Spybot and it always corupted my disc. I'd have to run a "through" scan to fix the Spybot prob. I wish I could solve the prob. I tried removing and reloading Spybot Search and Destroy 3x.

I also have a good clean-out article from 2600 if anyone needs a scan. It mentioned that some syyware/whatever type prob imbed in various places and will replicate if the whole package isn't removed at the same time. It tells where to find it.

Does anyone know a decent hardware router for my single home machine. I don't know anything about them.

tia

[id10t]

The really scary part for those of you with a high speed connection (or even dialup) is that it takes on average about 5 minutes for a computer to get hit wtih one of the worms that are running around. Thats right, take it out of the box, plug it in, turn it on, do *nothing* and you are infected before you've gotten a cup of coffee.

[RickM]

Theh Google popup blocker works perfectly. It even catches pop-uip with firefoix.

[Halm]

I make my living consulting on MS infrastructure. Here are a couple of observations. First, people that write ads and spyware have a motivation: Money. They can make cash from their code. count on them to proliferate at an even faster rate than viruses. Thus it is not "if" but when these folks will find work arounds for all popup blockers etc. on all browsers.

Second, I have been using Firefox for a long time as my general browser. It is great for 80% of the sites I go to. But the other 20% are optimized for IE and that is not (IMHO) going to change. You will need IE.

IE on XP with SP2 works great on popups. Right click the IE desktop icon and go to Properties. Select the Privacy tab. At the bottom, make sure Block Pop Ups is checked. You can then allow certain sites to use popups from the Setting button.

HTH

[bryanthompson]

I wish Mozilla would update Camino a little more... I use Camino becuase it loads faster than Firefox, but they let it slip since they are focusing on the other programs. There are some popups that get through camino... University of Phoenix has one that gets through, and there are a few popups on Drudge that get through.

[LeRoux Strydom]

Originally posted by 928ram
I run WinXP SP2 and IE. Never see pop-ups plus IE throws up a bar warning you that an attempt was made. Not that I a big pro-MS person, but it works just fine.

Amen, brother! Plus the MS anti-spyware beta runs so unobtrusively in the background, I hardly know its there.

LeRoux

[Don Ro]

Originally posted by RoninLB
fwiw. I have no prob with IE on ME. I run Norton and Ad-Aware.

I tried using Spybot and it always corupted my disc. I'd have to run a "through" scan to fix the Spybot prob. I wish I could solve the prob. I tried removing and reloading Spybot Search and Destroy 3x.

I also have a good clean-out article from 2600 if anyone needs a scan. It mentioned that some syyware/whatever type prob imbed in various places and will replicate if the whole package isn't removed at the same time. It tells where to find it.

Does anyone know a decent hardware router for my single home machine. I don't know anything about them.

tia

WinME w/IE here, as well.
.
I don't have an answer for your hardware router question, sorry - I'm just north of being a cyber-Doof.
.
I'm interested in your scan of "...a good clean-out article from 2600...." Will you be posting it here or emailing it to those of us who are enquiring?
.
Thanks in advance for that, Ron.
.

[84porsche]

Originally posted by Neilk
Microsoft's antispyware works with Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It doesn't matter what browser you use.

This creation or whatever Microsoft did to create it is absolutely incredible. It saved my machine more than once and it literally cleans everything that could and would be a problem. I will probably buy it when the full version is released. I think the Beta version is up in July.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by Don Ro

I'm interested in your scan of "...a good clean-out article from 2600...."

it's 5 pages of about 500kb each. Do a pelican e-mail to me and we'll try sending the whole folder. If a prob I'll send pages indivudally. My e-mail is in "profile". Return to this thread and give your impression of it. btw 2600 is a quarterly mag.

put "spyware" in subject header