Popups Must DIE!!!!!!!!!!111

[TacitBlue]

OK, heres the situation. I accidently used IE to do some seriouse web page surfing. Now I usually use Firefox, but my ISP automatically brings up IE, and it must have slipped my mind. Now I have popups constantly, even when I'M OFFLINE! I've ran Ad-Aware about 20 times, and each time it finds new things, without ever having connected to the net between scans. What can I do? should I buy a ad-ware/spy-ware remover? reformat? Dynamite? Is there a freeware program that can help? all I have for protection is Ad-Aware, and untill now its all I needed. Oh and something called Aurora keeps poping up now, it looks like a program because it has its own little icon and everything.

[_526th_Fireman]

What is that Aurora? Have you opened it up and see what it does. That could be causing all the popups. Especially if you didn't choose to download it but it all of a sudden just showd up.

If it isn't what is

[eno]

Do you use MSN Messenger?

Are the popups grey dialog boxes advertising stuff?

You need to disable one of the processes that runs alongside MSN ....... and I'm damned if I can remember which one it is.

[Politically Incorrect]

Most of the "grey" pop ups are caused by Windows Messenger service (which has nothing to do with MSN or other IMs) this should be disabled anyway, it is basically M$ spyware.
If I recall this service is disabled by default with the SP2 upgrade but I may be wrong, best way to ensure that it is is to go to -control panel/ performance and maint/ administrative tools/services.
Look for "Messenger" and make certain it is disabled.
Again this has nothing to do with MSN or other Instant Messengers.

Another program that I recommend installing is Spyware Blaster, it will help prevent this stuff from getting into your computer, it wont scan and remove what is already there but helping prevent the software from installing is a little more piece of mind.

[TacitBlue]

My messenger service is disabled, and I dont use MSN Instant messenger. Auror appears to be the root of the problem, however I can find it anywhere. If you right click in the aurora window and go to properties, it give a bunch of BS about how it isnt spyware, but it does send information back to its source, and it isnt adware, but it does cause "free advertising" (like thats a good thing ) so basically it is adware and spyware. It also says that if I want to get rid of it, then I need to go to their site and download the uninstaller. Yeah right, like I'm going to download something from these people on purpose. I will try the free scan, and spybot. Thanks guys.

[asda_price]

ASHAMPOO UNINSTALLER  :D

THAT SHOULD UNINSTALL AURORA!!  :D

Great program, I LOVE it!  ;D

I think that you can download a trial from their website, and Ahampoo should be able to get rid of that spyware program.  :)

[4_Series_Scania]

Most of the "grey" pop ups are caused by Windows Messenger service (which has nothing to do with MSN or other IMs) this should be disabled anyway, it is basically M$ spyware.
If I recall this service is disabled by default with the SP2 upgrade but I may be wrong, best way to ensure that it is is to go to -control panel/ performance and maint/ administrative tools/services.
Look for "Messenger" and make certain it is disabled.
Again this has nothing to do with MSN or other Instant Messengers.

Another program that I recommend installing is Spyware Blaster, it will help prevent this stuff from getting into your computer, it wont scan and remove what is already there but helping prevent the software from installing is a little more piece of mind.

Use Start > Run > services.msc

Find the "Messenger" service, right click on it, if it says "Started" click "Stop" goto "Properties" Under the "Startup Type" box, set to "Disabled" click "Apply" Job done.

On my machine, I have the following services killed off also....

Alerter
Error Reporting
Indexing
NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing]
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM
Performance Logs and Alerts
Portable Media Serial Number
Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Remote Registry Service
Smart Card
Smart Card Helper
System Restore Service  * - Only disable if your confident you don't need it!!!!
Uninteruptible Power Supply
Upload Manager
WebClient
Windows Time
WMI Performance Adapter

Hope this helps,

Paul.

[Politically Incorrect]

thanks for the "run" shortcut!! I knew there was one but couldn't remember the command.
Have you looked to see if it is listed in "ADD/REMOVE Prgrams"? If there is a listing there try uninstalling it then go into your registry and delete all the registry keys. (of course if you do this be careful to what it is you remove )

[TacitBlue]

It isnt in add/remove programs. I got spybot, and it found a lot of things. I still have aurora though, and something keeps switching my focus. for instance if Im using FS9, suddenly the sound stops, and the blue bar at the top of the window goes grey as if I had clicked on something outside of the FS window. when this happens, nothing pops up, but it is damned annoying. I think it must be related to this spyware/adware. Later today when Im off work, I will try that Ashampoo thing that Rob suggested.

[_526th_Fireman]

OK, did some research on web and Aurora is a nasty. In tech forums it is being stated that many of the Spayware programs are not detecting Aurora or it's files. It installs  several files on your machine.

Here is a link to a good forum that describes a fix for getting rid of Aurora for good:

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Aurora_P ... 27734.html

Follow their instructions closely and you should be fine.

Good luck TacitBlue.

[TacitBlue]

Thanks! I will try that when I get home.

[TacitBlue]

WOOHOO!! its gone! Thanks again guys! I used that link that Fireman suggested. I just went through the steps untill on of them worked. BTW it was a program called Ewido that did it, it found things that my other ad-ware/spy-ware killers did not. Its a 14 day trial, but I think it would be worth purchasing. Heres a link -  http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

[_526th_Fireman]

That's great news!  ;D

I think it is getting worse out there. It has gotten to the point where you protect as best you can, but have some knowlege as to how you would go about searching the problem down and fixing it. Sooner or later, you will get bit too.

Hang em all I say! I don't have any use for people like that. As far as I am concerned, they are breathing air I could be breathing!  ;D

[TacitBlue]

This is a problem Ive never had to deal with before, believe it or not, so I had no idea what I was doing. I know how to tackle it next time though... hopefully there won't be a next time.

[chomp_rock]

Even though your problem is fixed:
MICROSOFT ANTISPYWARE!!!11 DOWNLOAD IT!!!11 IT IS FREE AND WORKS BETTER THAN ANY SPYWARE/ADWARE KILLER I'VE EVER TRIED!!!1 YOU'D BE DUMB NOT TO USE IT AFTER LEARNING OF ITS EXISTANCE!1!!

Sorry about the yelling, sometimes it takes that to get the point across!