Spyware-adware removal help needed (yet another vanity)

March 8, 2008 | processing please hold

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I've been searching for a free download version of adware/spyware removal. The sites I find says free but after turning a couple of pages on the site, dollar signs are always at the end of the article.

Is there a truly FREE download, no bait and switch?

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Any help would be appreciated. Off topic, comic responses are okay, I need a laugh or two.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Adware SE Personal version and Spy Bot Search and destroy.....both free

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I think we had a thread just recently....

[Soaring Feather]

http://snapfiles.com/

[ShadowAce]

[FReepapalooza]

To my knowledge, Spybot is still free. Of, course they’d like you to sign up for more bells and whistles, but the basic program is free. Sometimes they make it hard to find the “free” button, for obvious reasons.

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Thank you. I’ll check it out.

[Bernard]

Spybot is still free, although they will try to sell you a purchased copy. Go to download.com and search for spyware or adware.

[Domandred]

Spyware: www.lavasoft.com search for their free version of ad-aware. If it’s not from lavasoft it’s not the real thing.

Anti-virus: free.grisoft.com and download the free version of AVG. So good I’ve many times thought about actually buying their commercial version.

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I can’t even find my own post on FR in the last few days. I typed in tech support in the upper right hand corner and checked threads. I saw nothing that could help me.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Look thru this thread ...others on the malware keyword list....:

Trojan Horses & Computer Help

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Spybot S&D

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Thank you. I’ll go to the sites suggested and bookmark them.

[SledgeCS]

I use Ad-Aware and SpyWareBlaster myself and really like the combo.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

try the malware keyword list....and read thru some of the threads on recent changes to FreeRepublic ...for the new ways to do the old searchs etc....lots and lots of discussion...

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Of, course they’d like you to sign up for more bells and whistles, but the basic program is free. Sometimes they make it hard to find the “free” button, for obvious reasons.

That seems to be the ones I found, they want money. I'm not a bells and whistle kinda gal, just the spyware/adware removal kind. :)

[jdm]

SuperAntiSpyware or Malwarebytes.

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I went to lavasoft and clicked on the free home version. It wasn’t, I’ll go back and see what I missed concerning the free part.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Here's a thread regarding the FR changes:

Who keeps tinkering with FR?(Yes this is a VANITY)

[HAL9000]

After all the time and money wasted trying to protect Windows computers, it’s a better deal to just buy a Mac and quit worrying about it.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

hijackthis

But you better know what you are doing.

past the log file to hijackthis.de for analysis (can download from there as well.)

[Zuben Elgenubi]

You guys are getting slow. Up to 20 posts before the Mac attack.

[TommyDale]

SpyBot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Adware SE Personal
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007/3000-8022_4-10045910.html

Run them in that order, SpyBot first, Adware second.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

This thread might be more useful...since the author of the changes started it:

Recent Changes to Free Republic
Posted on 03/06/2008 7:53:34 PM PST by John Robinson

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Thank you. Bookmarked.

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Thanks. I’m an old dog and these new tricks on FR are killing me. Lol

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Thank you. Going into my NEW tech support folder.

[HAL9000]

You guys are getting slow. Up to 20 posts before the Mac attack.

No, it's our current strategy on spyware threads. We wait until twenty or so anti-spyware product suggestions have been posted, then we strike.

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Thank you very much. I’ll find the fix———eventually. :)

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Thank you, I’ll start using the keyword search I guess. I liked the older version of FR. Gone but not forgotten. *sigh*

[Zuben Elgenubi]

We wait until twenty or so anti-spyware product suggestions have been posted, then we strike.

Please tell me, you don't have that automatic iPod notification as the thread approaches 20 posts? That Jobs is just a genius.

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I bookmarked your second link. The first one popped up with a $29.95 fee. It it was free and I just didn’t see that, let me know please.

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I promise, if you send me the money for a new Mac, I’ll run out today and buy it. I can start a Nigerian account if that helps at all. :)

[goldstategop]

SpywareBlaster 4.0. New version fully compatible with Windows Vista.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!.....

Back on Topic....

from that first link at #17.....

***************************

Purchase
Professional
Version Now

Only $29.95

[HAL9000]

That’s not a bad idea. Right now, I’m experimenting with a new web browser designed for Macs to surf Free Republic. It’s called the “FRowser”. It could do the automatic notifications. We’ll pass your suggestion over to R&D.

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hijackthis

But you better know what you are doing.

I saw hijackthis. It has a trojan remover as well. I don't know what I'm doing so that leaves me out. Layman's terms only for me, broken down for even the simple minded when it comes to instructions on computers.

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I don’t have windows vista. I have the XP.

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Thank you, I’ll remember them in that order.

[JerseyHighlander]

While Freepers will step forward and help you out, you should go venture off to a dedicated forum for questions like this.
Here is a somewhat comprehensive list that you can definitely trust the source of.

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic405.html

[Domandred]

yea the free version is difficult to find.

found the link for you, I know I said 'if it's not from lavasoft' but following the correct links lead to download.com

Ad-Aware 2007

[AFPhys]

On my Win XP Boxes, I have used Spybot S&D, SpyBlaster, and the anti-virus program AVG concurrently, and they have been willing to play well together. They use different protection strategies that I have found suit me just fine. If you wish to pay for the non-free version, you can get advanced features for each, but I've found this very adequate. In addition, by using AVG, I've been able to uninstall Symantic anti virus which is a major speed improvement for any computer that I've witnessed. Oh... and all this assumes that you have some type of hardware firewall/router between your computer and the internet. It took me only about an evening to download and install and do scans with all of these (after uninstalling Symantic) and a good part of that time was locating and verifying good links for these products.

This combo are highly likely to accomplish what you need. Hopefully, you don't have any really nasty stuff on the computer that these won't handle. If you do, they will flag it at least in almost all cases, and let you know what has infected you. At times, really nasty stuff requires special treatment... with worst case things ... well, let's not depress you... get back to us if the worst case occurs.

Of course, the best virus protection I have found is to use Linux as I typically do, because of the wealth of bundled or easily available software, especially OpenOffice, GIMP, Stellarium, and many, many games and educational programs, and the apparent lack of ANY real virus or spyware problems with EMail or surfing. I recommend Fedora for desktops and Ubuntu or Mint for laptops as of this hour, but others favor other flavors.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

It’s called the “FRowser”

Yowser, the FRowser! If there is one thing that would make me switch to Macs, it would be the FRowser browser.

[Domandred]

Edit someone beat me

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Who ever keeps tinker with FR, may they develop a mild case of bursitis in their fingers, see it that slows them down any.

[Sub-Driver]

I use Adware from Lavasoft and Spyware Doctor ($). I found you need both - neither doesn’t fully clean. Run daily...

Also get a copy of CCleaner (free). It’ll get rid of excess files and clean up your registry. Make sure you check the cookies you want to keep (like the FR).

Also install Windows Defender from the Msoft site. Not sure if it really does much but hell it’s free and runs in the background.

I believe Adware has real time protection - but that at an additional cost.

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Rudy, I shoulda known he was behind it. Lolol

[SUSSA]

Adware SE Personal version and Spy Bot Search and destroy.....both free

Spyware Terminator is also free. I'd suggest running at least two of the three.

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I saw that. I didn’t bookmark that site. However, if we win the lottery tonight, I just might buy it. That and an Alien computer. :-)

[kingu]

Why go out and buy new hardware when you can simply install Ubuntu?