Using AVG and Getting Trojans On Computer

Hi Jeannie,

Norton is the last thing you install on your computer before you throw it away and get a new one.

Sorry I can't recommend a good one, the last time I tried that it turned out to be a fiasco.

Don't know why, it just did...:rolleyes:




(But PC Tools has worked great for all my computers for years. Just don't tell anybody )

Just went through that myself. It's a royal pain.

Run these - in order

Malwarebytes
TDSSKiller (gets root installations)

Then uninstall and re-install AVG. If you run AVG it may not find all the remaining files. If you uninstall and then reinstall - AVG will catch the files during the installation process and you can delete them one by one.

I also ran Spybot but my tech said spybot found a virus that was re-installing itself and had previously been removed by malwarebytes and only malwarebytes should be necessary.

The TDSSKiller is free and simple to use (just google it) - takes only a couple minutes and the darned thing is a miracle worker to clean up any crapola in the root.

Good luck - if you're like me, you'll may need a couple cusswords to get through it.

kay

(I'm a non-techie who can follow directions! This is just what worked for a horrible trojan I had recently).

Thanks Bill and Kay. I am off to try the ones you mentioned Kay.

Microsoft came out with Security Essentials 2 at the beginning of the year, and it actually seems pretty good. I'm not a big fan of Microsoft, but this one seems to do a good job, and it's receiving decent reviews. Plus it's free, so you can't beat the price.

AVG didn't do that well for me. I've only had a Trojan once, and that was when AVG was in charge.

It was a very serious threat. I was fortunate I noticed something was wrong early enough to stop it. It was a downloader trojan and after I got rid of it, I googled the name and found stories of computers that could not be used after it finished with them.

What got rid of it for me was Avast. If you download and install it, you have the option of a 'boot time scan.' It puts the computer through a restart, and half way through, it stops the restart and does a full scan when nothing else is moving.

I have used MSE, (Microsoft Security Essentials) already recommended, and liked it better than AVG. But now I'm back to Avast. Any time there seems to be a problem it is just nice to have that boot time scan. Avast mentions that it finds some root kits in those boot time scans.

I know someone who had a few problems with his computer. MSE had been crippled by one of the malwares on it, and you couldn't even open it (MSE). Windows Defender had also been knocked out. He is 83, and not at all computer savy.

I tried downloading Avast, with his computer and the browser went to a fake Avast site. The download process was different and I had to OK a program that I knew wasn't good.

I cancelled instead, went home and installed FF on a usb key, came back and used that to download Avast to his computer. Did the boot time scan and it found 10 files that were infected. They were all just files that were installed by malware, so pressing 1 deleted each of them.

Next time I saw him he said the puter was running much better.

Basic Avast is free, but they are persistent with their upsells. It can be difficult to get to the free download page.

I just switched back to Avast. I used it before trying AVG and while I liked AVG for the most part I did end up dealing with a trojan. It could have been a fluke, but having Avast again makes me feel a bit better.

What Kay said. You have to stop (anything) from running before you can kill it. Also, many virus programs come in through IE. Solution is simple, don't use it. There are really good alternative browsers available now. (This coming from a guy who once took a computer out in the yard and shot it with a 12 gauge. Scared the crap out of the neighbors.)

Thomas