any of you computer experts care to help out? Virus/Malware/Spyware problem

[hesitation_x]

So I found this funny vid in the net. I tried to post a link to this vid so that my friends can watch it and when I clicked on the link myself to test it out, windows started popping up one after another with no limit. At one point, 3 windows would pop up at once, then the popping up would die out for a few more seconds, only to continue doing so later. Note that they weren't tabs, but seperate, completely new windows. I thought my only resolution was to restart the system, which I did. When I boot my pc back up, first thing I realized is that the font style changed. Next, I'm not too sure about this, but the music that I play on my iTunes doesn't feel like it sounds the same. Anyone knows how to change it back to how it was, besides pulling off a "System Restore"?

 

[hesitation_x]

I'm on a Windows Vista btw. A Dell XPS M1530, to be more specific.

 

[Formaldehyde]

You have been infected. Get and use good anti-virus software if that's not completely oxymoronic.

I use Trend Micro. It isn't exactly good, but it isn't exactly bad either.

 

[eastsidebagel]

Methinks that this is the wrong section for this kind of question.
Newbie, eh?
Welcome to the forums!

 

[Catharsis]

What eastsidebagel means is, you might have more luck asking in the Computer Talk subforum here. But the mods will probably move this thread to CT anyway, soon.

You don't get to call people newbies, ESB.

 

[hesitation_x]

ah yes, thank you ESB.

 

[Aramazd]

You probably got infected. Hopefully it won't prevent you from downloading an antivirus. I recommend HijackThis. It's complicated to use so you will want to post your log on a forumlike this one.

This should be in computer talk, but everyone there looks at OT occasionally, so no big deal, moving it would just be a formality.

 

[Padma]

Moderator Action: Thread moved. Posts deleted. Now c'mon, people, help the guy instead of spamming.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[GoodGame]

Sounds like some adware installed with your tacit approval when you were video web-surfing. I notice attempts which are blocked by security software at times. Basically some malware is tied to internet links and will attempt to load (I believe in IE).

The advice below should probably be generally applicable. Follow that up by turning up the protection on your internet security suite, or getting a better one. I recommend Kaspersky.

This is pretty good advice (http://www.windowsbbs.com/windows-95...-stutters.html), though your hard drive maker might have a diagnostic program to determine if the drive has damage

Quote:
Configure CleanMgr to max settings and run
Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sageset:1
The above need only be ran once (these settings will be remembered as the default until another sageset is ran).

It will present a menu select all except compress, then

Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sagerun:1
As long as /sageset above has been ran on this computer from now on the /sagerun is the only thing that needs to run.

Step 2. (most likely the problem)

Spyware and adware removal

SpyBot http://security.kolla.de/index.php?l...&page=download
Run this twice delete all it finds, always run this before AdAware

AdAware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/downloads.html
Delete all it finds

Step 3.

Startup control panel

You can play with what processes the computer loads on start-up using: MSCONFIG in the runtime window. Examine the processes vs. ones in an online search, such as processlibrary.com to see if they are suspcious or not---such as trojans or adware. You can also do the same in Windows Task Manager to see if any processes being loaded are unwanted.

EDIT: This will probably wipe some of your browser memories---at least the short-term http drop down and cookies (passwords and usernames in passwords). Your favorites shouldn't be affected. It's probably the most effective way, though you could try removing unwanted stuff line by line, it's tedious, and a lot of times malware/adware has disquised names anyway.