How do you find a baddie in the directory?

[totallyfixed]

I'm only guessing cos I'm no expert, but I think my computer must be infected with malware. When I click on a site on the web I get redirected to sites like shopkiwi etc. It takes at least 4 or 5 tries before I can get to where I want, after that it normally behaves itself unless I turn the 'puter off and then starts all over again when I switch back on.
I know it's frought with danger messing with the operating system, but are there any obvious signs to look out for in the directory?
The computer is not running slow or anything and nothing else seems to be affected, but I'm worried about buying anything online now, though I'm pretty sure it's not a trojan. Help

 

[rh100]

You could try malwarebytes

download the free version - install and update - then run the full scan and see what it picks up. Make sure you have a full anti virus suite installed aswell.

 

[trustysteed]

SuperAnti-Spyware's pretty good as well, download the free version.

 

[ASC1951]

Kaspersky. Not a free download, but it found and removed a self-loading worm which none of the freebies could shift. Well worth the money IMO.

 

[totallyfixed]

Have tried some of these methods in the past but is there anyone out there who knows their way around a directory? If not I'll try a freebie again and if that doesn't work I guess I'll have to pay a local expert

 

[SavageHoutkop]

who knows their way around a directory?

Not sure what you mean by this. Registry?

Are you running Windows? Which version?
Also Firefox or IE (or something else)?

 

[rh100]

to go looking in the directory's, you really need to know what files you are specifically searching for - the folder structure and registry are huge. Thats why I use anti virus and anti spy ware products - it does that job for you. If you know specifically which virus you have - a web search should bring up detailed results, just don't pay for anything short of proper commercial packages. Hope you can get it sorted.

 

[2Loose]

Malwarebytes and ComboFix...cleaned everything I have ever seen (so far) for free.

 

[totallyfixed]

Not sure what you mean by this. Registry?

Are you running Windows? Which version?
Also Firefox or IE (or something else)?

Sorry, yes registry. Running Windows XP.
Will try the malwarebytes tomorrow and report back
Thanks

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Ah. It's been a while since I've had anything odd on my PC, but I do like Spybot Search and Destroy and also use C-Cleaner to tidy up the registry (not sure it'll find dodgy things though, but it does clean up the registry).

If you are using IE I'd suggest installing Firefox and seeing if the problem still exists as a possible work-around.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I thought this thread was going to be about looking for evil henchmen in the Yellow Pages... I'm very disappointed now, as my plans to take over the world have been scuppered as the hired help have let me down and I can't find replacements.

 

[totallyfixed]

I thought this thread was going to be about looking for evil henchmen in the Yellow Pages... I'm very disappointed now, as my plans to take over the world have been scuppered as the hired help have let me down and I can't find replacements.

Very droll

 

[totallyfixed]

SuperAnti-Spyware's pretty good as well, download the free version.

Many thanks for your suggestion seems to have done the job. Wow, was my computer infected or what, trojans; malware; adware cookie trackers; etc etc. It's just a wonder the thing workrd at all. Thanks again

 

[goo_mason]

Many thanks for your suggestion seems to have done the job. Wow, was my computer infected or what, trojans; malware; adware cookie trackers; etc etc. It's just a wonder the thing workrd at all. Thanks again

You DO have anti-virus and firewall software installed, don't you?

(Mind you, having said that my daughter still manages to infect her laptop with all the protection I've put on it - as a real IT technician has said, you can have all the protection in the world but you just need to click on a dodgy link and you're infected...)

 

[summerdays]

(Mind you, having said that my daughter still manages to infect her laptop with all the protection I've put on it - as a real IT technician has said, you can have all the protection in the world but you just need to click on a dodgy link and you're infected...)

Hmm - my husband happened to catch my daughter closing a warning box ... and she just said - its says that every time but is OK, everything runs fine!!! Luckily this is the second computer which has no important information and is never used for buying things. Every now and again even with the anti-virus and firewall stuff, things get through because children go surfing - and that's with that computer closed down as much as possible.