lexplore sucks on the teat of DU..what can I do about it?

[patdem]

Okay here goes. I have not asked cause you all seem to talk to each other..you know the geeks and the geekiers..I am a NON geek so I go to 'AlertSpy' and pay what was it $19.95 or $29.95 6-8 months ago and whenever they ask if I want to update they come back with 'no update avilable'..I may be STUPID when it comes to software..but I KNOW spyware is updated daily..for the attempt to detect spyware NOT to update tells me I wasted my money. I also have Zone Alarm Pro...don't remember how much that cost either, but their last demand for me to reload has me more dissapointed now than I was before.

Anyway..I googled lexplore and PC mag's article about how it is a SOBOL worm or something sent me to Housecall6.5..and I did the scan and they found lotsa stuff....a lot of HCLU, HCLA, HC.....whatever...then I remembered I had 'Hijack This'..so I ran it..and all the HC stuff I deleted...well seems I could not then get on the internet...I could connect just fine..but there was no web page to see...either from PeoplePC...or when I did the 'RED FINGER'...So I had to delete PeoplePC...and reinstall...and reboot...

Which brings me here.

AND WHAT IS THE FIRST THING I SEE WHEN CONNECTING TO DU......lexplore!

How the HELL can I get rid of this menace?

Edit to say: In case you think my calling you a geek is an insult...make me a geek..I WANNA BE A GEEK!..IF ONLY I WERE A GEEK!

[Berserker]

1. First of all

you don't have to buy a good spyware cleaner when there are great spyware cleaners for free.

Here are two I recommend:
Spybot S&D....http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Ad-Aware SE....http://www.majorgeeks.com/download506.html

Dowload both programs and when you start them up make sure you have them check for updates. Also with Spybot S&D make sure you use the Immunize feature.

Here is another great program:
Spywareblaster 3.5.1...http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

Here is a very good and free anti-virus program called AVG.
http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html

Please download and run these programs and post back.

I'm sorry to hear that you downloaded and used Hijackthis without professional help. It will delete anything you tell it to as you have found out. It is one of the best programs on the internet if used properly.

[DavidMS]

2. Couple of things

Firstly....

Go to your ad/remove programs dialog. Google everything that you don't reconize that you put there. Remove everything that appears to be spyware. If you have any questions, check a few sites.

Secondly...

Get a Copy of Spybot, Adaware, MS-anti-spyware, Mcafee Stinger and AVG anti-virus. Install/Run these in the order they are presented below.

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/
http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html
http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

All of them will remove malware (if present).

After that you should have signifigantly fewer issues.

The First item (singer) will remove most malware.

I used to do this regulary for customers at a small IT company in NoVA. Not the most elegant solution, but it works.

Also run Firefox or Opera as your web browser. They are less commonly targets of spyware/malware.