Member Avatar for goodtaste

I got WinZip (from their site) and it came infected with an adware that I have not been able to get rid of no matter how much advice I follow. Therefore, when I got wind of this site, where one can download stuff to try it out, I decided to first 86 it. Do you guys know a site called
SnapFiles? Found at:
http://www.webattack.com/

Is the stuff they have there safe to download? Or can anyone tell me of a CLEAN place where things will not come loaded with vermin? Is Major Geeks safe?
Thank you very much! ;)

  • 3 Contributors
  • 3 Replies
  • 119 Views
  • 1 Day Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by goodtaste

Dani AI

Generated

Quick summary and practical next steps based on this thread: reported an installer that brought unwanted software, and replies from and point in the right direction for cleanup. Before more manual fixes are tried, it’s worth preventing repeats by validating downloads and testing installers safely.

Always verify an installer’s provenance and integrity before running it. Check that the executable is digitally signed by the vendor (Windows lets you view signature details in file properties) and scan the file or its download URL with a multi‑engine scanner such as VirusTotal (scan the file or paste the link). If the vendor publishes a checksum, compare it to a locally computed hash to detect tampering. On Windows you can compute SHA‑256 like this:

certutil -hashfile "C:\path\to\installer.exe" SHA256

Test unknown installers in an isolated environment. Use a virtual machine (VirtualBox) or a sandboxing tool to run the installer first; this exposes any unwanted changes without risking the main system. If a system does become infected, on‑demand and specialized cleanup tools (for example, reputable anti‑malware scanners) combined with offline rescue scanners can remove many persistent items. When removal is difficult or uncertain, back up personal files and consider a clean OS reinstall from known good media.

Combine approaches: manual inspection and community diagnostics (as mentioned by others in this thread) are useful, but pair them with file verification and sandbox testing to avoid chasing the same infection. Keep software sources to well‑known vendor pages or curated repositories, keep the OS and defenses updated, use a non‑admin daily account, and maintain regular backups so recovery is straightforward if something slips through.

Links for tools and services mentioned: VirusTotal, Malwarebytes, VirtualBox, PortableApps (example of curated portable software).

Recommended Answers

All 3 Replies

Member Avatar for SuperNerd

I myself use CoffeeCup extractor. As far as adware..Go to ADD/Remove Programs and look for it there..If no luck..Go to start, click RUN and type regedit and click OK. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and click the + sign, click on SOFTWARE and look for a program you don't use or know what it is. If you don't know what it is Google it and find out. If you find the Adware in there delete it. Then go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_USERS and do the same. ******WARNING****** If you have never edited a registry or have no idea what I am talking about ask someone to help you.

Member Avatar for goodtaste

Thank you guys! I'll try out your advice.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.