I'm using my computer at school to look for some answers because I can no longer get online on my home PC. If anyone can give me some tips, I'd greatly appreciate it.

I have Windows XP at home; I've been dealing with many spyware (I think) related issues. Someone told me that I could download Ad-aware for free and it does a good job of deleting spyware etc.

So I found it, downloaded it, and it seemed to work a couple of times, but the last time I was on the internet, I suspected I had been infected again so I ran Ad-aware again, and after deleting the files it found, I now have some sort of network configuration problem (though my home PC isn't networked) and I can't get on the internet.

Like I said, I'm not on the troubled computer at the moment, so I don't have the exact error messages, but I'd love it if anyone can give me advice...

Adaware should have quarintined the files it removed so try restoring them back.

Sure enough, restoring the quarantined files fixed the problem, but now I have to choose (apparently) between having unwelcome and/or damaging files on my computer and being able to access the internet. So now what?

I would suggest running Spy-bot along with adaware ,get spybot from link below also check the links below for the best way to setup ad-aware ans spybot .and get hijackthis and post a log here in this thread
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Might I suggest Ad-Aware and Spybot & Hijackthis .

Download the latest version of Ad-Aware at ADAWARE


Setup Ad-Aware !
After installing AAW, and before running the program, update reference files by using the bottom right button in the program, labeled "Check for Updates."

Launch the program, and click on the Gear at the top of the start screen.

Click the "Scanning" button.
Under Drives & Folders, select "Scan within Archives".
Click "Click here to select Drives + folders" and select your installed hard drives.

Under Memory & Registry, select all options.
Click the "Advanced" button.
Under "Log-file detail", select all options.
Click the "Tweaks" button.

Under "Scanning Engine", select the following:
"Include additional Ad-aware settings in logfile" and
"Unload recognized processes during scanning."
Under "Cleaning Engine", select the following:
"Let Windows remove files in use after reboot."
Click on 'Proceed' to save these Preferences.
Please make sure that you activate IN-DEPTH scanning before you proceed

Download SPYBOT

After installing Spybot S&D, update it by using the "Update" button on the left panel of the program. Search for updates and download anything it finds

How to setup Ad-Aware and Spy-Bot S&D /link not working
http://www.zerosrealm.com/scanning.php

And after that, please do the following:


Download 'Hijack This!'.HERE

Unzip (extract) it to a folder of its own.Like c:\HJT\hijackthis.exe , Then Doubleclick HijackThis.exe (in the new folder), and hit "Scan".
When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button.
Press that, then Ctrl-A to Select All, and copy its contents here. for hijackthis,most of what it lists will be harmless or even essential, don't fix anything yet.



reboot computer and post a new hijackthis log

Also, as a safeguard, download LSPfix from here
If you lose your internet connection, start LSPfix, check the 'I know what I'm doing' box, then click Finish.