Hello! I have a computer that is running Windows 98 SE. Unfortunately it seems to have been invaded with some sort of spyware or trojan. I have installed Adaware SE, and Spybot..when I run the scans I remove all that is found, but still have pop-ups. I have AVG anti-virus which several times a day informs me that their is a virus called downloader.small but it fixed it by "healing." I have run Hijack and here is my log:

this Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 6:42:54 PM, on 11/5/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGSERV9.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\DESKTOP\HIJACK THIS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADSGONE\ADSGONE.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...ie&ar=iesearch
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...ie&ar=iesearch
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...r=6&ar=msnhome
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...ie&ar=iesearch
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,SearchAssistant = http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchasst.htm
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,CustomizeSearch = http://ie.search.msn.com/{SUB_RFC1766}/srchasst/srchcust.htm
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir...ie&ar=iesearch
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd={SUB_PRD}&clcid={SUB_CLSID}&pver={SU B_PVER}&ar=home
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\COMPANION\INSTALLS\CPN\YCOMP5_5_7_0.D LL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG6\avgcc32.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Avgserv9.exe] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG6\Avgserv9.exe
O4 - Startup: AdsGone 2004.lnk = C:\Program Files\AdsGone\adsgone.exe
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\AIM\AIM.EXE
O9 - Extra button: AdsGone - {ECC5777A-6E88-BFCE-13CE-81F134789E7B} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADSGONE\ADSGONE (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &AdsGone Settings - {ECC5777A-6E88-BFCE-13CE-81F134789E7B} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADSGONE\ADSGONE (file missing)
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99F7-4BB4-88D8-FA1D4F56A2AB} (YInstStarter Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yaho...st20040510.cab
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab

I would appreciate any help you can offer. Thank you! Tracker

Thats a clean log, could you possibly tell me the location of the trojan AVG is detecting/

Thanks Owen,
The AVG antivirus is locating the "downloader.small" virus (trojan) in C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\09276TMZ. I have spotted that file in the temp files along with several others. I hope this is what you were looking for. Thanks again! Tracker

Boot into Safe Mode.

Go to C:\WINDOWS\Temporary Internet Files and once in the folder click Edit> Select All. Then hit the delete key to get rid of the entire contents of the folder. Leave the folder itself intact though.

Reboot and see how it goes.

Hello again,
I did reboot into safe mode and delete all of the contents from that temp internet folder and then rebooted. Unfortunately the same thing continues to happen..pop-ups from ad2revenue, free browser plug-ins, freeze screen savers... I am really confused as to where these even have come from. I have 2 other computers that are running the same programs (adaware, spyhunter, and adsgone 2004) and they do now have any of these issues. Thank you for your help. Tracker

Uninstall SpyHunter, SpyHunter is actually in Ad-awares database. I suggest you download some of this software for protection and see if your problems still continue, if they do, post back and we'll have another shot:

Preventing it returning

After your problem has been resolved on the forum, it is an absoulute MUST to do the following steps to prevent the problem returning. Click on the link to get access to the software or webpage that I'm referring to.

1. Visit Windows Update
Pay a visit to Windows Update and scan for and download ALL Critical Updates and Service Packs. New updates are usually released monthly so check back to Windows Update every month.

2. Download Antivirus Software-
If you haven't already got Antivirus software, you should download and install AVG Antivirus. It is freeware and is updated nearly every 2 days (sometimes more frequently if there are a lot of new viruses) and in my opinion, is better than some Antivirus software such as Norton. Antivirus software will prevent viruses infecting your system and it is important that you update it every two days or every week at the most.

3. Download a Firewall-
If you haven't already got a firewall, it is Very important that you download one. Firewalls will prevent unauthorised access to your computer and stop data leaking out of your computer. You may think that it won't happen to you, but Hackers don't care who you are, what you do, where you live or what you had for tea last Sunday on your holiday in the Lake District, they want your data. Firewalls will keep these sneaks out and one of the best is Sygate Personal Firewall, which happens to be freeware.

4. Spyware Scanners-
It is important that as well as having real time spyware protection, you have a spyware scanning application. If you have not already been told to download one earlier in this thread, it is a good idea to download Spybot Search And Destroy and Ad-aware. They are both spyware scanners and will search for a remove spyware. It is recommended that you have both, because one will pick up entries that the other misses. It is even a good idea to download these if you have other programs such as ASE, Spysweeper, Pest Patrol, etc, because one spyware scanner will not pick up everything. Please remember to update your spyware scanners weekly/fortnightly.

5. Prevent Spyware slipping through Internet Explorer-
Quite a lot of spyware slips through Internet Explorer if your settings are not tight enough. Spyware Blaster will help you prevent spyware slipping through and installing tracking cookies. Simply run it via Start> Programs> Spyware Blaster and click Enable All Protection and it will protect you. It doesn't even have to be open! Remember to update weekly/fortnightly.

6. Constant Spyware Protection-
It is important to have constant spyware protection. Spyware Guard works like an antivirus program but detects Spyware instead. It will constantly protect your system. Check for updates monthly.

All Of these steps are very important and it is HIGHLY recommended that you download all of the programs mentioned for your own safety. Remember to Update everything (including Windows using Windows Update)! It is also a good idea to perform weekly/fortnightly scans with Spybot S&D, Ad-aware and your antivirus software.

And last of all, please remember, that common sense is your greatest tool. Without it, spyware and other related Malware would rule!

Good morning Owen,
So far the attempts have been ineffective...but I am beginning to believe there is something much more serious (possible harware issues) going on inside the system. I did all from your last post and let the system run after reboot..no pop-ups for several hours, but I noticed that the screensaver was not running and when I attempted to open any application nothing happened. The system sat on the desktop. When I tried using the "open" feature I had warnings telling me that the system was seriously low on resources and asked if I wanted to close ads gone 2004, which I did and then when I finally could access a program another warning that my resources were very low and when I checked I was running at 23%. Almost appears that many apps are running in the background blindly, but nothing that I can find in msconfig startup. Maybe some of the components within the system are getting old and not functioning properly. Regards, Tracker.

Thats highly probable, it does sound like a hardware problem, perhaps something wrong with the RAM. This is not my department I'm afraid and I recommend you post your problem in one of our hardware forums. Tell them owen has checked the log for nasties and that I have said your system is running at bare minimum. Someone should help you out.

Thank you for all of your help Owen. Take care! Tracker