First and foremost, never…

ever buy an antivirus program that pops up on your computer. Never will a legitimate antivirus program just appear on your screen and say, “Your computer is infected! Buy me!” That will ALWAYS be spyware that does that. So DO NOT fall for it. Buy nothing. Install nothing, and do what I suggest below IMMEDIATELY.

The first thing that you MUST do to fix this issue is to get your computer into Safe Mode. Why? Because as you probably know, if your computer is infected with this threat, you can’t execute any program. It disables the ability to do that. So, get your computer in Safe Mode and you will once again be able to run programs.

How do you get it into Safe Mode? Immediately upon rebooting (restarting) your computer, hit your F8 key (it’s at the top of your keyboard) repeatedly until a black screen with white text appears asking you to choose how you would like to boot up your computer. Choose “Safe Mode with Networking” so you can still access the Internet.

However, to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, there is one possible catch. If you are working with a desktop and you have a USB keyboard, it may or may not allow you to go into Safe Mode. Some USB keyboards will not work until the computer starts to boot up into Windows. So hitting the F8 key repeatedly may or may not register when using a USB keyboard. That’s why it is best to get your hands on an old school PS/2 keyboard (the kind that has a connection that is round with prongs) for this job.

The two programs that will remove this annoying and PINA spyware are the following:

1. Combofix – you can both download and be shown how to use this program with that link
2. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition – this also includes an anti-spyware component, which is what will remove and fix this issue

You will need to install and run ComboFix in Safe Mode with Networking, since you will not be able to do anything with it in regular windows.

When you use Combofix, there is no need to post the results on a website like the instructions on the page that I link to above suggests. Just running it will fix the issue, at least it did for my client. So run that program first.

Then download, install, update, and run AVG, just to be sure. HOWEVER, you’ll need to UNINSTALL your current antivirus program to do that, if you have one installed. You can not have two or more antivirus programs installed on your computer at the same time. They will cancel each other out and you won’t be protected. It could also potentially harm your computer.

If you don’t want to remove your current antivirus program and install and run AVG FREE edition, that’s OK. But I highly suggest you do it if you want this threat to be GONE from your computer.

Good luck!

Los Angeles Computer Repair | Los Angeles Computer Tech | Computer Repair Services

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In any case, the way to remove it is by downloading Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware.

Here are the instructions:

Instructions to Remove XP SecurityCenter Malware

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a. Adult/Porn
b. Gambling/Online Casinos
c. Warez (pirated software or unauthorized keys to software)

2. Avoid opening email and email attachments from people that you don’t know

3. Take caution when downloading something onto your computer from a burned CD or DVD, including programs.

4. Avoid installing pirated software (software one normally pays for) with an unauthorized key (a key that was not purchased)

5. Avoid using Peer to Peer software programs like Limewire or Morpheus (you may think you’re downloading a legitimate file, but it may be a virus)

6. Avoid downloading and installing games and/or screensavers unless they are from very well known websites

These tips do not apply to Macs, as there are no known viruses that have been written for the Mac OS X operating system. Yes, viruses don’t just happen. They are written by not so nice people.

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You can download this free software for free at www.download.com

Here is a video that I made that shows you exactly how to perform a scan on your computer for spyware and malware with Spybot: Search & Destroy 1.5 (the latest version at the time of this post):

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1. Scan your computer for viruses

First and foremost, you want to scan your computer for viruses. Viruses can definitely slow down your computer, and are a major cause of most computer slowdowns.

You first want to check and make sure that your anti-virus program is up-to-date. However, even when it is, it still may not catch everything. I’ve had many a client who have had an anti-virus program on their system made by one of the most popular anti-virus companies out there, and it never found some viruses that I found with another program. And these viruses were causing a major slow down with their systems.

I bet you’re asking “Which program did you use?”. Right? Well, I use AVAST! Home edition. It’s free, updates automatically, and is a very good program. I highly recommend it. You can get it here. Just click on “download” next to the “English” version. And no, I get no kickback for recommending it because it’s a free program!

After you install AVAST!, it will ask you if you want to perform a boot scan (it will scan your computer for viruses before it starts up (i.e. boots up)). You do, but not yet. First, you want to just restart your computer so you can update the virus definitions so the anti-virus program knows about all of the latest viruses before it does its scan.

It should update itself automatically moments after you reboot, if it needs to update at all. The way to do it manually is by RIGHT-clicking on the blue ball with the white “A” on it located in the bottom right corner of your screen where the time is, and selecting UPDATING. Do both updates (iAVS and Program Update).

After you perform the updates, you will need to register with AVAST! so you can get a code that will allow you to use the program for one year. After the 1 year, you’ll just have to re-register (for free) to use it for another year. Go here to register.

When you register, it will email you a registration code. You’ll need that code when you start up AVAST! so you can fully activate it. So, go to your email, open up the email they just sent you, and copy the reg code that they sent you. Then, double click on the blue ball with the white “A” on your desktop, and paste/enter the code into the window that pops up. After you enter the reg code, it will do a memory scan. If it finds viruses here, then you know the viruses are a bit embedded into the system. Most likely, it will ask you to reboot so it can perform a boot scan. You definitely want to do this, so agree to it.

The reason that you want to do a boot scan is so that you can delete the malicious viruses that are running when your computer is on, if there are any. You can’t delete programs if they are running, even if they are running in the background (running in the background = running without your seeing it). So, that is why it is best to do a boot scan.

When you do the scan, when it finds the first virus, if it finds one, just hit the number that correlates to “move all to chest.” You should notice a difference in the speed if your system if it finds anything.

2. Check and rid your system of Spyware and/or Malware

I highly suggest you install three programs onto your system, and use them.

• Ad-aware
• Spybot – Search and Destroy
• SpywareBlaster

Using these programs will also help speed up your computer if your computer has a lot of spyware/malware on it. These programs will also help you get rid of popups if you’re having issues with that as well. However, there have been instances where these programs did not remove all threats, and I’ve had to manually remove them. That gets a little more complicated, so I will not go into removing things manually. You should leave that to a professional.

In any case, these programs usually take care of most, if not all, issues 97% of the time.

Here is how to use them:

Ad-aware
(perform this once a week)

1. 01. Double-click on Ad-aware SE Personal on the desktop
2. 02. Click “Check for updates now” in the bottom right corner
3. 03. Click “Connect”
4. 04. If any updates are found, have them installed OR If no updates are found, then click OK
5. 05. Click “Finish”
6. 06. Click “Start”
7. 07. Make sure “Perform Full System Scan” is checked
8. 08. Click “Next”
9. 09. After it has finished scanning, it will make a sound and a bug will appear. It will also tell you how many “New Critical Objects” have been found.
10. 10. Click “Next”.
11. 11. RIGHT-click on one of the items listed and select “Select All Objects.” This will put a checkmark next to all of the items listed.
12. 12. Click “Next”
13. 13. Click “OK” to remove the objects
14. 14. Close the program
15. 15. DONE!

Spybot: Search and Destroy
(perform this once a week)

1. 01. Double-click on Spybot – Search & Destroy on desktop
2. 02. Click on “Search for Updates”
3. 03. If it finds any updates, then put a check mark next to each one (it will be a green checkmark)
4. 04. Then click on “Download Updates” toward the top right section of the window
5. 05. Once it downloads and installs the updates, click on the “Immunize” button
6. 06. If it tells you to “Please Immunize”, then click OK, and click on “Immunize” toward the top middle of the window
7. 07. Then click on the “Search and Destroy” button in the upper left portion of the window in the navigation bar
8. 08. Click on “Check for Problems”
9. 09. If it finds any, make sure all of the problems are checked and click “Fix Selected Problems”.
10. 10. Click “Yes” to remove all of the problems
11. 11. Click “OK to confirm the removal of the problems
12. 12. Close program
13. 13. DONE!

SpywareBlaster
(perform this once a week)

1. 01. Double-click on SpywareBlaster on desktop
2. 02. Click “Download Latest Protection Updates”
3. 03. Click the “Check for Updates” button
4. 04. If it installs any new updates, then after it finishes, click on “Protection” on the left toward the top in the navigation bar
5. 05. Then click on “Enable All Protection” toward the bottom under “Quick Tasks”
6. 06. Close it by clicking on the red “X” in the upper right corner of the window
7. 07. DONE!

3. Clear the cache (temporary internet file) and cookies in your browser

If you have too many temporary internet files in your cache, then it can slow down your browsing quite a bit. Also, there are some cookies that are not so nice who can also slow down your browsing. Cookies can do a lot of other stuff as well, but that is what the above programs are for. But just so you know, cookies are also a good thing, as they allow websites to remember who you are so you don’t always have to log in when you return to it.

To do this in Internet Explorer, go to the TOOLS menu at the top of the browser, and select Internet Options. Then click on the buttons “Delete Files” and Delete Cookies”. It may take a while to delete all of the files if it’s been a while since you cleared it, so be patient.

You should also set it so that it clears the temporary internet files every time you close the browser. Do this by going to TOOLS>INTERNET OPTIONS>clicking on the ADVANCED tab>and scrolling down to where it says “Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.”

To do this in Mozilla Firefox, go to TOOLS>OPTIONS>PRIVACY>Clear Cache Now & Clear Cookies Now (you may have to click on a Cookies tab and Cache tab after you click on Privacy if you have the latest version of Firefox)

4. Add more RAM to your system

The third thing that you can do to speed up your sytem is to add more RAM to your system. 512MB and up is recommended nowadays. RAM is the memory that a program uses to run. So, the more RAM you have, the more space a program, or many programs, has to run. It’s similar to having 25 people run around in a small living room (128MB RAM) vs. having 25 people run around in a large ball room inside a mansion (512MB of RAM). You can run faster if you have more space in which to run.

Replacing RAM is easier than you think. All it entails is taking off the side of the tower so you can access the motherboard, and inserting the RAM into one of the RAM slots. Don’t forget to pull the white clams apart before you insert it. Also, check to make sure the notches on the RAM chip line up with the notches in the slot. The notches are there to force you to insert it the correct way. Do a search on google for a more in depth set of instructions if you have not done it before.

For laptops, there is usually a small door on the bottom of the laptop that is held in by a screw. All you have to do is unscrew that screw, take out the small door, slip the notebook RAM chip into place so it snaps (sometimes you have to pull up the mechanism that holds the RAM chip before you can insert the RAM chip into it), replace the door and screw, and boot up the computer. Pretty easy. But I suggest you look at a more detailed description of how to do it either in your manual, or online. Make sure you look up your computer, as it may be different than most computers, although it is highly unlikely.

Please replace the RAM at your own risk. If you do not feel comfortable doing it, have a professional do it for you.

5. Replace the processor

You can also speed up your computer by replacing the processor, however this is a tricky operation, so I will not go into it here. Just know that you will be restricted by the motherboard regarding the highest speed you can go up to. Also, you want to make sure that you get the right type of processor for your motherboard.

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So many people are being affected by this latest craze of the marketing industry, but not many people know that they can fix this issue. So, I will divulge the secrets on how to take care of it right here, right now. After you read this article, you will no longer have to deal.

First and foremost, you must download and install the following free programs:

• Ad-aware
• Spybot – Search and Destroy

These programs will scan your computer for the latest spyware, malware, etc., and get rid of it. Not only that, but Spybot will also immunize your Internet Explorer via its IMMUNIZE feature so it does not contract spyware in the future…a very cool option.

I suggest that you scan your computer with these programs once per week. When you peform your scan, make sure you update the program first.

In Ad-aware, when you first start it up, you will see the link “Check for Updates Now.” Click on it. If there is one, then click on “Connect” to download and install it. Do this while booted up normally.

In Spybot, when you open it up, there will be a button entitled, “Search for Updates.” Click on it. If there are any updates, then click on the button “Download Updates.”

After you have performed these updates, run a scan with both programs. You will need to do these scans in SAFE MODE to make sure you get ALL of the spyware. Also, perform these scans ONE AT A TIME. Do not try to save time by doing both scans at once. This can seriously damage your computer.

To get your computer into SAFE MODE, do this:

1. Either reboot your computer if your computer is on, or start up your computer if it is off
2. Immediately start hitting your F8 key repeatedly until you see a black screen with a text menu
3. Use your arrow keys on your keyboard and select SAFE MODE and hit your key on your keyboard
4. The next page should only have one thing listed…your operating system (Windows XP, Windows 2000, etc.)
5. Hit your key on your keyboard with your Operating System highlighted
6. When it boots up, a window will pop up explaining that you are in Safe Mode…click OK

Once in SAFE MODE, open up each program and perform their respective scan. Again, do each scan separately.

With each program, after the scan is complete, make sure all of the items that it has found have a check mark next to them so that the program will get rid of them when you go to the next step (to check them, RIGHT-click on them and select the appropriate option (e.g. “Select All Objects” for Ad-aware).

Perform each scan again to make sure that it found everything, as some spyware has layers to it. When you run the scan and it does not find anything, then you are done. This applies to both programs.

But popups take several forms. The form that most people are familiar with are the popups that one gets when browsing websites. They pop-up right in front of you in a browser window as you are going from one website to another.

However, there is another form of popups. These are popups that pop-up on your computer screen even when you have no programs running! And they don’t look like a website ad. They look like a regular computer window with a text ad.

EXAMPLE:

(click to enlarge)

To rid your computer of these popups, you need to change the setting of a program within Windows 2000/XP called Messenger (and I am NOT talking about MSN Instant Messenger; this is an entirely different program that is part of the Windows 2000/XP operating system). Here is what you need to do:

1. Click on your START button
2. In Windows XP, go to CONTROL PANEL, and in Windows 2000, go to SETTINGS => CONTROL PANEL
3. In Windows XP, if the CONTROL PANEL that just popped up is all blue, then click on “view in classic mode” on the left”; Windows 2000 users don’t need to do this
4. Double-click on ADMINISTRATION TOOLS in CONTROL PANEL
5. Double-click on SYSTEM
6. In the window that pops up, scoll down the list until you see the program called MESSENGER
7. RIGHT-click on it and select PROPERTIES
8. In the middle of the window that pops up, under SERVICE TYPE, select MANUAL from the drop down menu
9. Below that, under Service Status, if it says STARTED, then click on the STOP button below it (make sure no pop-up ads created with this program are open when doing this)
10. Click OK
11. Close the SERVICES window and the ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS windows
12. DONE!

You should no longer receive these annoying popups.

If you would like to hire me to take care of this for you, then contact me.

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