Hi everyone;
So why is AdAware closing? I don't know. But some programs deliberately disable onboard scanners or can evade them. Perhaps such a program is doing this to AdAware.
BearShare benign? Plenty of people would disagree. Google it. I do know from first hand experience that it can come bundled with loads of other stuff. I've cleaned many machines with it. I once cleaned up a machine of all malware but the owner wouldn't let me remove it. Upon rebooting and connnecting to the internet (high speed), programs re-installed and it was popup city. Right back to square one.
As for Xolox the jury is not in. But the fact is that it is P2P and it was detected along side of bearshare as a potential problem. There might be a reason for this.
To troubleshoot the machines suspected problems such as trojans and malware I would first uninstall all P2P programs as well as known spyware/adware from add/remove programs in the Control Panel.
The next thing I always do is run a full system scan with an antivirus program. Delete all found problems. I have found AVG to be very good but it can't always delete some trojans. How they got on the computer may not be the fault of AVG. They may have been allowed by the user and P2P programs. This usually seems to be the case. Reboot.
Next install, update and run Spybot S&D and AdAware. Reboot.
If prompted let them run at the next startup. Reboot.
Check add/remove programs in the Control Panel.
If anything comes back run Spybot and AdAware again from Safe Mode. Reboot.
Next I run an online virus scan (and pest scan now) and removal program from Trend-Micro called housecall. Reboot.
Next I repeat all of the above steps to see if any problems come back. Remember to check add/remove programs from the control Panel.
If anything else comes back detected it usually is because a program that comes bundled with problems has not yet been removed first.
Sometimes however a DOS detection program and removal method is needed for 95 98 and ME. For that I usually use F-Prot as I am a big fan of free.
Reboot and run run all of the above programs again. Preferably in safe-mode where applicable. Reboot and run all scans again following the above steps.
Keep in mind that when troubleshooting Trojans you should disable and re-enable System Restore to clean them from hiding in the Restore files. (ME and XP) No "PROGRAM" can fix this. It's just a step that needs to be done. All restore points will be lost. Reboot.
More manual detection and removal steps may be needed to clean a system infected with malware. In my opinion using P2P and/or not having decent protection is asking for a problem that can only be fixed by a reinstall or a lot of time, patience and research.
For the record, I have been able to clean every system but sometimes it has taken weeks. Pay a tech and your "free" files are not so free after all if your issue was caused by P2P.
Reboot-run the programs-reboot-etc.
If the problems still come back ask yourself if you have uninstalled the root program problem.
Reboot-run the programs-reboot-etc.
For your information I use these programs for protection and removal.
Mcafee antivirus.
SpywareBlaster.
Sygate Personal firewall.
AdAware.
SpyBot.
SpGuard.
I also use a huge Host file and have optimized my Internet Explorer browsers settings to be more secure than the default settings. But that's another story.
My point is that the issue may lie at the beginning of your post.
P2P and bundled programs.
It may take some doing to undo the damage manually.
The problem may not be with AdAware it may be with crapware.
Uninstall the so called benign ware.
Methodically go through the cleanup proccesses.
Uninstall and reinstall AdAware.
Update it.
Run it.
Repeat all of the above steps over and over and over.
Charge your customer by the hour.
Perhaps a few thousand dollars.
Or format and reinstall everything.
Protection or free files.
Choose.
XpUser4Real
I'm with you. Tried and true programs.
Just my opinion put to the test over and over.
RandyL
