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Blank desktop is back



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 18th 04, 10:47 PM
Sally
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

To those who helped me yesterday...

Not new to computers, I run my Norton AV twice a week
(getting updates first) and have had Ad-Aware 6.0 on my
machine for months. I run Ad-Aware about once a week, too.

However...I sometimes wonder if I'm deleting objects in
Ad-Aware that I shouldn't be deleting...I always delete
what's called malware and data miners, tracking cookies,
and anything else that poses a malicious threat.
Sometimes there are items called "registry keys"
identified as potential threats. Should these NOT be
deleted?

For example, I ran Ad-aware last night after getting my
computer to work again and deleted 41 new objects. The
system shut down fine, but then this morning it was back
to its tricks (blank desktop). I had run a full system AV
scan on Monday (no infections) and plan to do so again
later today when I get back in.

I'm thinking the problem may be my ignorance of what
specific objects may be critical to the system's ability
to run. Any advice on that?

Thanks.
Sally
  #2  
Old June 19th 04, 01:05 AM
Brian A.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

Complete all the suggestions made by Bert and Glen again that you performed and the
ones you do not mention. You say you have Ad-Aware but fail to mention the others
suggested. Spybot S&D will catch some things that AA may not as AA catches some
things that S S&D may not. CWShredder is dedicated to many very nasty Cool Web Search
variants. HijackThis can generate logs which you can post to a forum for further help
on getting rid of the nasties.

I will also suggest that it's also a good idea to have a HOSTS file to block bad
sites, scroll to HOSTS File Manager he
http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Software.htm

Another good app is SpywareBlaster which stops the badboys before they even get a
chance to install:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.


"Sally" wrote in message
...
To those who helped me yesterday...

Not new to computers, I run my Norton AV twice a week
(getting updates first) and have had Ad-Aware 6.0 on my
machine for months. I run Ad-Aware about once a week, too.

However...I sometimes wonder if I'm deleting objects in
Ad-Aware that I shouldn't be deleting...I always delete
what's called malware and data miners, tracking cookies,
and anything else that poses a malicious threat.
Sometimes there are items called "registry keys"
identified as potential threats. Should these NOT be
deleted?

For example, I ran Ad-aware last night after getting my
computer to work again and deleted 41 new objects. The
system shut down fine, but then this morning it was back
to its tricks (blank desktop). I had run a full system AV
scan on Monday (no infections) and plan to do so again
later today when I get back in.

I'm thinking the problem may be my ignorance of what
specific objects may be critical to the system's ability
to run. Any advice on that?

Thanks.
Sally


  #3  
Old June 19th 04, 03:42 AM
LuckyStrike
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

Hey Brian, what do you think of the new GUI for SpywareBlaster? It gets an
*ugh* IMO.

BTW Sally, if you're reading this post, SpywareBlaster as Brian recommended
is a great program (interface notwithstanding), but it is only effective for
things which have *not* yet been installed into your system, and it will
prevent re-installation of them *once you've gotten them removed* from your
system.
--
LuckyStrike

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brian A." GoneFishn@aFarAwayLake wrote in message
...
snip Another good app is SpywareBlaster which stops the badboys before
they even get a
chance to install:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.




  #4  
Old June 19th 04, 03:57 AM
Brian A.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

Never thought about it, I just keep it updated and let it's CLSID list do it's
thing.

--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.


"LuckyStrike" om wrote in message
...
Hey Brian, what do you think of the new GUI for SpywareBlaster? It gets an
*ugh* IMO.

BTW Sally, if you're reading this post, SpywareBlaster as Brian recommended
is a great program (interface notwithstanding), but it is only effective for
things which have *not* yet been installed into your system, and it will
prevent re-installation of them *once you've gotten them removed* from your
system.
--
LuckyStrike

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brian A." GoneFishn@aFarAwayLake wrote in message
...
snip Another good app is SpywareBlaster which stops the badboys before
they even get a
chance to install:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.





  #6  
Old June 19th 04, 06:42 PM
Brian A.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

"LuckyStrike" om wrote in message
...
Not to be presumptuous, but I guess XP-like cotton candy interfaces don't
bother you as much as they do me. ;-)


Now that depends on how far we go with that. The first thing I did when I finally
got my XP Pro up and running was to change everything to Classic View that was
possible.

Program still works fine, but one
cannot see the new items detected as a simple display before adding them to
the "protect" list.


At first I couldn't recall ever seeing them, but now that I think back you could
scroll down thru the list to see what was being added. I only did that once or twice
and from then on trusted it. IMHO I think it's a great program and I don't use a HOST
file. Of course I'm behind a router and have other measures in place.


--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.

  #7  
Old June 19th 04, 07:30 PM
LuckyStrike
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Blank desktop is back

Good move on that Fisher-Price to "Classic View" change. ;-)) Unfortunately
one cannot change SB to a "classic view". :-(
Also, the previous SB setup interface was a bit smaller, and one could just
have the list shown of that which would be newly added; then after adding
them to the protect list they would fall into place among the 1000's of
others. Another thing (not a complaint; merely an observation), was and
still is, that the items are not alphabetically listed, but seem to be
listed as they are added. It would be nice if one wanted to check what was
included if they were alphabetic. Anyway...no big deal really.

Ciao.
--

LuckyStrike

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Brian A." GoneFishn@aFarAwayLake wrote in message
...
"LuckyStrike" om wrote

in message
...
Not to be presumptuous, but I guess XP-like cotton candy interfaces

don't
bother you as much as they do me. ;-)


Now that depends on how far we go with that. The first thing I did when I

finally
got my XP Pro up and running was to change everything to Classic View that

was
possible.

Program still works fine, but one
cannot see the new items detected as a simple display before adding them

to
the "protect" list.


At first I couldn't recall ever seeing them, but now that I think back

you could
scroll down thru the list to see what was being added. I only did that

once or twice
and from then on trusted it. IMHO I think it's a great program and I don't

use a HOST
file. Of course I'm behind a router and have other measures in place.


--
Brian A.

Jack of all trades, Master of none.
One can never truly be a master as there is always more to learn.



 




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