Achtung

I'd say just close it every time. Some pop-ups are inevitable, even with all the spyware and popblockers and stuff. I just sigh and click the little box, or else right click it in the menu at the bottom and close it that way. Same way with all those emails asking how I could possibly turn down this v!agra or that p0rn. I just roll my eyes and delete.

 

I wouldn't download it. Achtung is German for "ATTENTION" I believe.

I'd run your spyware removal program too.

Carl

 

i recommend downloading mozilla firefox for your main browser and keep internet explorer on the backburner. it stops all popups and has lots of other cool features.

 

Agree, I found these instructions on how to manually remove the possible ad-ware you got on your machine. I normally use Ad-Aware from lavaSoft with an up to date search engine, but there have been a few new ones recently that it doesn't handle yet. I copied and pasted this from a newsgroup I subscribe to, see if it helps, remember if you are using XP you need to disable "Restore".


I had to remove them myself. I found the following files, which were not
detected by the most recent updates for Spybot S&D, and were also not
immunized against by the most recent updates for SpywareBlaster.

pup.exe
over.exe
7vgav.exe
indstrf.exe

All of them list in the properties as being registered to Tmax corp,
which is an ad-firm in England. I flamed those f*****s something good
in an email I sent to them.

Here's what I had to do. I found pup.exe and over.exe in my program
files. I deleted them. I found 7vgav.exe and indstrf.exe in my
c:\windows\system32 folder. I deleted them as well. NOTE: In order to
delete those two files, you have to do ctrl/alt/del and go to the
processes tab. You will see both processes running, 7vgave.exe and
indstrf.exe, so right-click on them and click "end process." If you
don't do that, you'll get an error about them being in use when you try
to delete them. After ending the process, you can delete them no
problem.

I also went into my registry to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

The registry keys located there show you what programs are being run
when you boot your system. You will see keys for both 7vgav and
indstrf, so right-click them and delete them.

After that, I rebooted my pc and rechecked everything. Nothing had come
back, so I think I got it all. My browser isn't giving me pop-up ads
anymore either. I searched the registry for both pup.exe and over.exe
but didn't find any of them. I think I'm clean now.

 

Here are a couple of programs that can fix your problem with out going in and manually "tweaking" the registery. I saw a reference to spybot S&D-but no further info or links.

first: Hijack this. It is very fast and will show you whats running in the background, as well as giving you an option to delete it and make a backup file.

http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

second: Spybot search and destroy. Takes several minutes to run. Automaticaly shows spyware/tracking cookies as well as browser hijacks(some of these leave your homepage the same and change the tool bar a bit-going between this and hi-jack this can be very helpful and educational). It does have a feature to update as well as to block all known adware and hijacks(you do need to stay current on the updates and use the immunize function). It gives you an option to select what you want to remove as well as making a backup.
Very important to familiarize yourself with the read file. If you remove something and don't have a backup- It's gone. You might have trouble with the download-some of the d/l sites are overtaxed/overlimit-just keep trying.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp

If you are unsure about your anti-virus. Try AVG, it's free, very comprehensive and provides timely updates.

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

If you need a GOOD firewall. Try Zone Alarm. The free edition is all you would need for home use. Also provides free updates.

http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp




If you ever get in over your head-try this site(it's the OGF of computers!).

http://discussions.virtualdr.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=22

Just register and go to the page with your operating system. Ask for help or advice. You will be suprized how quick you get competent replies from people all over the world.

As you can see-I love freeware proggies but these are the best of their type around-freeware or not!

britt

 

All very good suggestions, unfortunatly new spy/ad wares are coming out quicker then those companies can update everything. I don't know if they caught on to this one yet or to a new variation of the Vx2.BetterInternet (a pain in the rear) but as of last week they where not. Sometimes removing these things manually is the only option unless you are willing to wait for the ad/spy ware removal companies to catch up.

AVG I am a big fan off, I use it myself, but it sometimes does have problems removing virus's all though it is good about letting you know it is there (McAfee and Symantec are the same way). Really you will not do too much damage to your registry by removing a few items from the "Run" sections. Those are pretty much areas where you put anything you want to start up everytime. This is normally where most virus's, Trojans and ad/spy wares put themselves. You can remove all of the files, but when you start back up it executes another program that recreates or downloads them all again. Sneaky suckers, and I can tell you more and more everyday these new ad ware programs are becoming worse and worse, they are nothing to laugh at anymore.