Help please

[Laine]

Today when I turn on my laptop and open firefox browser I started to have advertisements of all kinds, but seems to be mostly to ask to install Google Chrome. I came to GF and at the top where you can select to go to "Forums" and shows like your picture and if you have mail, it is covered by advertisements for games, or what ever.

In post now I or others make there are words I or they type now that look like links, they are blue with underlines. I now keep having new browser windows opening by them selves saying to install things also.

I have did not download anything new. The only sites I was at yesterday was GF, FB and youtube. I clicked on a few videos on a few links poeple posted on FB, but other than that, nothing new.

I also went and deleted anything that was added to my computer yesterday, except 1 program that is a windows update. I was going to try to do system restore, but it says I have no restore points. I have also tried Google Chrome and Explorer and they also have these adds and open new browsers by them selves too.

Please let me know if there is something I can do.
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Most of the new browsers that open are to download new video players or are games, some my virus protections says are dangerous.

 

[dDave]

At least we know it's not a problem with GF, we have a secure private server and definitely do not promote spyware or adware in any way shape or form.

It sounds like you may have some type of adware or spyware on your computer. Gotta love viruses... There are a lot of people out there trying to get your stuff on their computer so you click on it. The internet is the main way that identity theft happens today and viruses are a major part in that. Many viruses aim to simply spam you with ads (as this one seems to) but others can actually hurt your computer, steal your information, etc.

What I recommend is downloading a program called Glary Utilities and running a registry, temporary file, and spyware clean. If that doesn't do it then try AVG Antivirus Free edition. Others at GF may also recommend programs that would work well. (ex. Spybot search and destroy, malwarebytes, etc.)

The fact that it says there are no restore points is a bit concerning. Your computer should set one automatically every time it installs new updates. For example, I installed updates yesterday and I have a restore point on the 22nd of February just before the time I installed updates.

 

[Laine]

I seem to have made Google Chrome work ok, only when I open it do I get adds, but after I close them they do not come back or open new browsers.

I have deleted firefox because I could not even us it because it was so bad. I ran my virus protection and it found 3 threats, but it did not fix the problem. But for now I have google working.

 

[dDave]

That's ok then I guess.

Google Chrome is my preferred browser anyway. One thing you might try is installing an add on called ad-block. I think it may stop the ads from showing up while in Chrome, always a good thing .

 

[Smelnick]

Yah, sounds like adware. In addition to the program that dDave suggested, you can try a program called Ad-Aware. Google 'lavasoft', that's the company that makes the program. If you go to their website, you can find the free version to download. I always found it was good for cleaning up my pc. It also runs in the background and will alert you anytime a website tries to infect your computer.

Make sure you download the program from the lavasoft website. If you just google ad-aware, you end up with pages and pages of fake downloads that are actually just more viruses lol.

 

[Danno]

I'm having advertisement problems too. This ad-aware gets rid of all this Danny?

 

[Smelnick]

It depends on what your computer's infected with. If you pay for the full version I think it does an even better job than the free though. The free version gets a good amount though to the point where it shouldn't mess with your browser too much.

Oh, something else you guys can try too, is check your chrome/firefox plugins. Sometimes the adware adds something in there, so even once you clear it out, it just keeps redownloading itself.

Ultimately, once your computer is infected though, its hard to get every last little niglet of problem. If you're able to restore to a point before the problems, or just format and start your computer from fresh, that's the sure fire way to get it all. Then use the suggested programs to help stop it from happening again.