You may have to do the scans in safe mode to get rid of all the junk. Or run msconfig and disable all items under the Startup tab, re-boot and scan.

Go into Control Panel, Add & Remove Programs and uninstall any toolbars, NewDotCom, WildTangent, anything else that looks like adware, spyware or malware to you. Google it first if you are unsure. All of this will likely not remove it all anyway as much of it will reinstall itself at next boot (that's why you disable everything in the start-up settings.

Download and run a little app called CWShredder from Trend Micro.

If your feeling really confident, tech-wise, use a program called HijackThis.

Then, if you had a large infestation, you'll likely want to do a full format of the boot drive (it's the only way to get rid of some of this shit) and reinstall of the OS. Removal of a large amount of this stuff leaves your registry and other parts of Windows looking like swiss cheese and it ends up pretty error-prone.

When you reinstall remember to unplug your modem. They can get in (especially that little nasty, the Sasser worm it takes about 5 seconds to find you and burrow in) while you are reinstalling and vulnerable as a newborn babe. Get your firewall and anti-virus up and running before you reconnect and update Windows and your AV programs.


VIGILANCE!!!