Gator-Alexa-Web3000 showed up!

[Fred_T]

Ad-Aware v5.82 detected Gator, Alexa and Web3000. The question is how should I go about removing this crap from my PC?

I assume I can try to remove Gator and Alexa with Ad-Aware. From what I’ve read, Web3000 is complicated to remove. I don’t recall any warning that Web3000 was being installed nor can I relate it to anything in *Add/Remove Programs*. Also there is no *winsock32.dll* file on my PC so maybe I have an even bigger problem. Tried Ad-Search and trying SpyChecker now. (I want to clean up this mess first then I’m going to get very angry!). (OS Windows 98 and MSIE5.5/sp2)

Started extended registry scan
===============================
Gator key:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{21ffb6c0-0da1-11d5-a9d5-00500413153c}\
(Ignored)
Gator key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\gator.com\
(Ignored)
Alexa key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\internet explorer\extensions\{c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a}\
(Ignored)
Web3000 key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\stashedgef
(Ignored)
Gator key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\stashedgef
(Ignored)
Web3000 key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\stashedgmg
(Ignored)
Gator key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\stashedgmg
(Ignored)

Registry scan result:
Suspicious keys found :7

Started folder scan
====================
Now processing drive (C), 6 remaining.
Gator folder:C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\fsg_tmp

Scanning finished
==================
Suspicious modules found:0
Suspicious keys found :7
Suspicious folders found:1
Suspicious files found:0
=========================
Components ignored:8
Total components found:0

[Jooske]

Fredinho,
first of all calm down before you do anything in an angy state please.
Thought you maybe used Netscape, which immediately installs lot of crap. With removing Alexa completely NS did not work at all anymore.
Gathor... you might have installed yourself or did that come with some other too?
Take your time, remove, reboot, scan again.
Good luck and keep us informed here.

[Fred_T]

Hi Jooske,

Yes, of course. My first priority is to clean up the invasive mess on my PC and as I wrote, there will be time to be angry later (i.e., a new recruit in the fight against invasion of privacy).

Clarifications re my original post: I don't have winsock32.dll but I do have winsock.dll if that makes any difference. Also I haven't received any error messages from Windows 98. And I'm using Outlook Express.

Haven't got the foggiest notion where the *crap* came from but I'm still looking. I'll proceed now with Ad-Aware to remove Gator and Alexa. Re: Web3000 -- there are warnings about losing Windows system files if Ad-Aware is used to remove Web3000 BEFORE removing the Web3000 host software. Honestly, I'm in unfamiliar territory and need to go slow.

Always appreciate your input, Jooskie and will let you know what happens. Thank you.

[Pieter_Arntz]

I found something nice to read for you, Fredinho: http://accs-net.com/smallfish/web3000.htm

Good luck,

Pieter

[Jooske]

On my win98se no winsock32.dll either. Does this help?

[Fred_T]

{QUOTE-> quoting: Pieter_Arntz link=board=21;threadid=1909;start=0#13821 date=1024431480]
I found something nice to read for you, Fredinho: http://accs-net.com/smallfish/web3000.htm

Good luck,

Pieter
<-QUOTE}

Thanks Pieter -- excellent info!

Fredinho

[Detox]

Good luck with the cleaning mate, and welcome to the forum! You came to the right place!

[Fred_T]

Thanks Detox -- Your kind words make me feel right at home! (Also, I recognize a number of folks from other forums who post here.)

Fredinho

[spy1]

Fredinho - To the best of my knowledge, AA doesn't any longer cause problems if you use it to remove the Web3000 stuff.

To be on the safe side, if you can find a Web3000 entry in Add/Remove Programs, then un-install it from there first - if it's not there, just let AA handle it.

Make sure you let AA back up whatever you remove with it in case you do have problems. (And, if you're worried about that, then just let it remove one thing at a time. Make sure everything still works, re-scan with AA and remove the next thing, etc. That way, if you run into problems, you'll know exactly what to go back and undo).

HTH Pete

[Fred_T]

HTH Pete (Spy 1),

Got it...I'll start right now! Curious though, nothing obvious in Add/Remove programs...all good upright programs. Will post back later to let you know how it goes.

Thank you much!

Fredinho

[spy1]

You're quite welcome. Pete

[Fred_T]

Hey Pete...your guidance was right on the mark.

So far, I'm clean again and my most important programs are working properly. Will check minor programs and run Ad-Aware again tomorrow to see if any of that crap comes back.

I appreciate the help you and others give to all of us.

Fredinho

P.S. - Jooske, I'll start to work up my rage against spyware AFTER the World Cup, OK? LOL!