Sonora Communications, Inc.

Do you think you have spyware or a virus infecting your PC? 

Are you getting pop-up advertisements on your screen?

This is a real e-mail exchange:

> Is there any spy ware installed on this new computer?  Last week I
> checked my home email and opened a <XYZ Company> sale email and once
> it opened, I started getting all sorts of pop-ups.  Now when I go to
> Google I get pop-ups; on occasion, they pop up while I’m working… what
> can we do?

Yes, you are probably infected!

Here are generic recommendations, though they won't help you at the moment:

1) don't run with administrative privileges - if you run with admin privileges, you are at the mercy of any and all malware
2) don't buy software that makes you run with administrative privileges - like several of the packages you use  ;-)
3) pay the piper - if you run with admin privileges, expect downtime, inconvenience and the cost of fixing more than your fair share of problems

I apologize for sounding like a broken record, but YOU ASKED! ;-)

Do you need me to come out and take a look?

Making Repairs 

We have found over the years that fixing an infected PC is sometimes not possible and much more often not economically feasible. 

What I mean is, not possible without a complete re-installation of Windows!  And to do a good job of re-installation usually takes a trained technician at least a couple of hours...depending on the details, of course.  You have to research the components, download the latest drivers, etc.  Then you get into the time-consuming part: re-installing all the necessary applications and making the user productive again.  It can take days!

Possible Steps

• go to Add/Remove Programs and uninstall anything that looks like malware
  • malware will often not uninstall cleanly, or may not even show up in the list
• uninstall all your old antivirus, anti-malware and add-on firewall or security software
  • if it's junk, don't reinstall it either
    
    • the built-in Windows firewall works fine and is easier to support
  • we don't recommend "Internet Security Suites" with firewalls and such
    • too problematic
    • your PC already has a firewall - why install another one - it's just something else to go wrong
• run an on-line scan from one or more of the free on-line tools
  • I have used Housecall by Trend Micro and Ewido
• install or re-install the latest antivirus/anti-malware software
  • we like (and sell) AVG
    • there is a free version for non-commercial use
    • it does a good job on both viruses and malware
    • it doesn't cause problems
    • it's easy to use and to keep up to date
• run a full scan

If That Doesn't Work

• cry
• live with it, if you can
• lament that you wasted the last few hours trying to fix it
• reinstall Windows as you probably should have done in the first place
• switch to Linux as a better alternative