A Computer virgin with good news

moonbeam · 09-29-2005, 12:59 AM

After my last post complaining bitterly about criminals that post malicioius applets on my computer, I have had a win. I was hounded by CoolWWWsearch.com and PS guard and others so much so I couldn't use Outlook Express. I would find them with Spybot and Adaware who would tell me where they were hiding in the registry, but on deleting them they just returned. So I downloaded firefox. The best thing I ever did. Being a Computer Virgin I know little about the finer points of programmes. But what did this computer virgin do in total desperation? She got into the registry address given to me by Spybot and I changed the binary code of that hated coolWWWsearch.com and its never come back and to add to my pleasure all the others nasties have gone too. I dont know why. Maybe when I get updates from Spybot and Adaware the new updates deleted them, I will never know. I can now use Outlook express, and adaware and Spybot both congratulate me on a clean scan. So coolWWW search.com you can go and play with yourself. I killed you!!!!!!

ebackhus · 09-29-2005, 01:06 PM

Sometimes getting down and dirty is what it takes. Just keep in mind that the registry is a dark and scary place and is easy to break. But if you were able to fix your problem manually then I'd say you can move up from being a virgin and hunt with the elders, well done!

elf · 09-29-2005, 02:44 PM

Congrats, if you managed to clear that off by editing your registry, it is safe to say you are no longer a "virgin" that is more complicated than 90% of computer users could do

...now the true test, how long can you stay uninfected? I'm going on 1.5 years uninfected (100% clean) and haven't found a single thing (short of tracking cookies...which don't count) that can infect me.

**Spatcher** · 09-29-2005, 05:56 PM

Congrats moonbeam, we all feel that "high" after killing maladies

Lol elf!! I've been clean since bry "disinfected" me in late April when I joined. Actually, now that I think about it...... I've killed a few spyware traces here and there

~~Leroy77~~ · 09-29-2005, 08:39 PM

Well, I DID have a pretty good uninfected streak going there. Until after a recent internet re-direct when AVG found a trojan mixed in with my Firefox profiles of all places. But I nixed the file and re-installed Firefox just in case and all was joyous again. It actually surprised me after coming up clean so many times.

**RavenMind** · 10-06-2005, 06:00 AM

Congratulations Moonbeam!

Though I would suggest visiting the Security forum before going into the registry. That really should be a last ditch option & CWS is a commonly addressed malady.

moonbeam · 10-14-2005, 05:50 AM

I would like to add, I do realise there could be over a hundred of coolsearch variants and I have had quite

a number of them foisted on me. The particularly nasty that kept replicating itself that I was referring to was, if my memory serves me right, 'coolWWWsearch.leftovers.com'. I also do realise playing about with the registry is fraught with danger. At this point of sheer frustration I was about to delete my hard drive anyway, and the amount of stuff I would have had to download off the H/D first was quite daunting neverthless, if I was going to have to take the extreme steps to delete my H/D. I had little to lose experimenting with altering binary codes, but to my utter surprise it worked, and still I have had no nasties return...................Yippee

09-29-2005, 12:59 AM	#1 (permalink)
moonbeam Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: brisbane Posts: 34 OS: Vista	A Computer virgin with good news After my last post complaining bitterly about criminals that post malicioius applets on my computer, I have had a win. I was hounded by CoolWWWsearch.com and PS guard and others so much so I couldn't use Outlook Express. I would find them with Spybot and Adaware who would tell me where they were hiding in the registry, but on deleting them they just returned. So I downloaded firefox. The best thing I ever did. Being a Computer Virgin I know little about the finer points of programmes. But what did this computer virgin do in total desperation? She got into the registry address given to me by Spybot and I changed the binary code of that hated coolWWWsearch.com and its never come back and to add to my pleasure all the others nasties have gone too. I dont know why. Maybe when I get updates from Spybot and Adaware the new updates deleted them, I will never know. I can now use Outlook express, and adaware and Spybot both congratulate me on a clean scan. So coolWWW search.com you can go and play with yourself. I killed you!!!!!!

09-29-2005, 01:06 PM	#2 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,254 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Sometimes getting down and dirty is what it takes. Just keep in mind that the registry is a dark and scary place and is easy to break. But if you were able to fix your problem manually then I'd say you can move up from being a virgin and hunt with the elders, well done! __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

09-29-2005, 02:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
elf Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Knoxville, TN or Austin, TX depending Posts: 7,038 OS: WinXP Pro SP3 and Windows 7 My System	Congrats, if you managed to clear that off by editing your registry, it is safe to say you are no longer a "virgin" that is more complicated than 90% of computer users could do ...now the true test, how long can you stay uninfected? I'm going on 1.5 years uninfected (100% clean) and haven't found a single thing (short of tracking cookies...which don't count) that can infect me. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! I do not subscribe to threads, so if I stop replying, PM me with a link to your thread so I can find it again.

09-29-2005, 05:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Spatcher Henry Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,484 OS: Mac OSX	Congrats moonbeam, we all feel that "high" after killing maladies Lol elf!! I've been clean since bry "disinfected" me in late April when I joined. Actually, now that I think about it...... I've killed a few spyware traces here and there __________________ JohnThePilot: Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon (a nation without a language is a nation without a heart) John Butler Trio: Go take a step outside, see what's shakin' in the real world - Good Excuse Paul Kelly: Just add a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang - How to Make Gravy

10-14-2005, 05:50 AM	#7 (permalink)
moonbeam Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: brisbane Posts: 34 OS: Vista	Acomputer virgin with good news I would like to add, I do realise there could be over a hundred of coolsearch variants and I have had quite a number of them foisted on me. The particularly nasty that kept replicating itself that I was referring to was, if my memory serves me right, 'coolWWWsearch.leftovers.com'. I also do realise playing about with the registry is fraught with danger. At this point of sheer frustration I was about to delete my hard drive anyway, and the amount of stuff I would have had to download off the H/D first was quite daunting neverthless, if I was going to have to take the extreme steps to delete my H/D. I had little to lose experimenting with altering binary codes, but to my utter surprise it worked, and still I have had no nasties return...................Yippee

09-29-2005, 08:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
~~Leroy77~~ Permanently Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 236 OS: Windows XP Pro/2000 Pro	Well, I DID have a pretty good uninfected streak going there. Until after a recent internet re-direct when AVG found a trojan mixed in with my Firefox profiles of all places. But I nixed the file and re-installed Firefox just in case and all was joyous again. It actually surprised me after coming up clean so many times.

10-06-2005, 06:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
RavenMind Lazy Bum Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Salt Lake Posts: 1,015 OS: XP Home SP3/Vista	Congratulations Moonbeam! Though I would suggest visiting the Security forum before going into the registry. That really should be a last ditch option & CWS is a commonly addressed malady.