Is My Computer Infected With Spyware?

Wolf_San_Umbreon · Newb Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Posts: 15

I run a Windows Xp version on my computer. Recently, I've been noticing that it takes my computer an unusually long time to start up. The introductory music that one hears when the computer starts is absent. Any program I want to open does not until the icons appear at the far right part of the taskbar at the bottom (they're not there when the computer starts up). When this happens, I hear the music.

Also, when I'm online, I sometimes get this message which says that a certain "LSA Shell" encountered a problem and needs to close with the option of sending an error report. After I close the window, another one pops up and restarts my computer, giving me one minute before it restarts.

Sometimes my computer operates very slowly, and it takes a long time to load webpages.

Could it be that my computer is infected with spyware or a virus?

cherry-chi-hiwatari · Forum Stalker Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 1143

have you got the anti spy-ware stuff ? or any of the anti virus stuff like , ad-aware ect ?
try giving them a whirl and see what comes up . sounds like a virus or spyware , but im not an excpert Rolling eyes

Wolf_San_Umbreon · Newb Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Posts: 15

I don't have any of that, and my Norton AntiVirus program stopped working...

cherry-chi-hiwatari · Forum Stalker Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 1143

oh...i have no idea what you should do without the anti-virus programs . . . .

ill go find out how you get them......

edit: you just download them from various sites off the internet , ill see if i can find some links for you .

http://www.grisoft.com/doc/1

i dont know if thats any help Smile

EN1X · Site Helper Joined: 27 Sep 2004 Posts: 764

Norton AntiVirus sucks, imo.

The best anti virus/spyware programs to use (again, imo) are:

AVG (which Cherry Has just provided the link to)
Spybot Search And Destroy
Ad Aware

I used to have the same problem as you - slow computer, weird messages popping up and such. Then I got these programs. They're reliable and work very well. Since then, my computer has been working a lot faster than it was before. They're good for catching unwanted viruses, spyware, etc.

layzcarter · I used to work here Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3988

I got the hotoffers hjacker thinger.........it sucked ass. This is what it turned my desktop into.
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_matt_ · Has No Life Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Posts: 582

hey, how do you get that virus? i'm... curious. Cool

fallenangel · Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:01 pm Post subject:

I'm sure Gray was very supportive about it...
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layzcarter · I used to work here Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3988

I most likely got it from downloading music, not from searchn porn.

My comp is still all messed. And seeing as how i'm too lazy to look into the problem, and so is ash... he'll probably just end up reformating c drive... again.

This one totally sucked too. I couldn't delete those icons. Well I could, but two minutes later they would pop back up. I kept getting referred to annoying ass pages. And it fucked my display options good. Although I've gotten rid of the icons and the referral issues and start page sh*t.. I still don't have access to my desktop display options. Don't know wtf is up with that.
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Wolf_San_Umbreon · Newb Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Posts: 15

Thanks for giving me the links, I'll be sure to check them out.

Powtaz · Oldbie Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 2132

layz what did those icons do for u, how did u feel?

keautye · Posted: Sun May 15, 2005 2:33 pm Post subject:

If you can find one, download a "firewall" Norton has a good one. If a virus tries to enter your computer, the firewall will destroy it and if it can't it will stop it and send a warning message to sya a virus is trying to get in. You just need to pus on yoyur anti virus to destroy it but most of the time the firewall will do if you havea good onw like mine. Though if you download something on your computer that has a virus on, it won't always work if the virus is strong. Then you need a good anti virus to get rid of it. <_<
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Ryoku · Very bored Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 139

Yeah, thats the golden rule of the net. I'll have to quote you on that some time. ;P

Mountain_Dewroo · Forum Stalker Joined: 05 Jul 2004 Posts: 1274

Layz, For your Own Good, Stop downloading Music.

layzcarter · I used to work here Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 3988

I really should...Ever since then I've been having nothing but problems with this computer. I have to reformat but I've been lazy. I suppose I should do it this upcoming weekend... now my computer freezes like every 5 minutes Smile

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celestina67 · Would like fries with that Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 811

i think mine is infected with spyware too.I get this annoying pop up that tells me to delete spyware and such,plus my com's been running slower than usual and it crashes frequently.damn i need to get an anti-virus software.Can anyone recommend any good programs?

PhunkYMunkY · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 10:03 am Post subject:

[b]QUOTE[/b] (Me)

Anyway. It's probably XP. Get Norton Antivirus if you're unsure if you have a virus or not. Or you can use this which is better than the popular ad-aware- http://www.safer-networking.org/ [/quote]