Virus Pop-Up Question

You've got malware. Install MalwareBytes and see if it can remove the problem:

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free/

 

I'm sure the Norton support site can help you out, they might even have a fix. But I find that a good Anti Virus or firewall can not detect or get rid of every malware. It's best to have a few lines of defense.

 

They help, but they are not fool proof. Sometimes they take advantage of a weakness in Windows that maybe your PC did not have an update for at the time. Sometimes, it's attached to a file that you clicked on by accident or even a file hosted picture loads.

Sorry to say, but some of the pics people upload on THIS site are loaded with Malware. Most likely stemming from the file uploading site they visit.

 

I found that even with an anti-spyware installed, some malware find a way through. they usually start after a reboot (they boot before the anti-spyware and block it from loading).

- Easiest way to completely clean your system is through Safe Mode, and trying to use System Restore to uninstall any malware by setting the system to an earlier date; this doesn't affect your data.

- Also, still in safe mode, browse to C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Local\Temp (Win7) and clean it (you an safely delete most files in there, those that aren't locked anyway). some legitimate apps put installation files there, but they should remove them after use. So any .exe file you find in there should be erased. Especially if the file name look cryptic or suspicious (names like sxdrgvsrgft.exe are a sign of possible foul play).

- still in safe mode check the following registry keys:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (64-bit systems)
The same bogus file (sxdrgvsrgft.exe) might have an entry in there: delete it. Remember, no app should load from any Temp folder.
Note that, you can potentially cripple your computer by mishandling the registry. so backup first.

If a newbie, you might ask a more advanced user for help on doing these steps. Some malware even disable safe mode.

 

viruses and spyware both can be affected on your computer hard drive and result in pop-up ads and other behavior that drastically slow your computer's performance. If these programs are not removed quickly, they can continue to download more viruses and malware to your system, send viruses to others through your email, and possibly stop your computer from functioning. Fixing a virus-infected computer can be challenging depending on the virus that is causing the pop-ups.