If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
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
|
|||
|
|||
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
|
|||
|
|||
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
|
|||
|
|||
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
|
|||
|
|||
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
|
|||
|
|||
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. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
desktop froze | General | 11 | June 13th 04 10:32 AM | |
Desktop | Suzanne | General | 4 | June 12th 04 03:44 PM |
Active Desktop | Dave | General | 3 | June 11th 04 08:44 PM |
Unable to delete apps on desktop | jtc218 | General | 5 | June 8th 04 02:43 AM |
cannot start Back Web:Socket init failed | Gene | General | 3 | June 6th 04 10:35 PM |