Optimus wrote:
Thanks Tailseh! I installed a trial firewall that came with my computer yesterday and so far it is working wonders. The uploads have ceased, and I've got three months to get myself a full antivirus. I dont want to use the trial ones too much. Anyways thanks for the help. While I'm waiting to get an antivirus im gonna do some reading up on worms to try and find a bit more about them.
Another smaller problem though. My cookies and temporary internet files seem to be deleting everyday, that is, whenever I get on the internet I'm always logged out of neopets, ppt and other places. Is there a way to prolong the cookies and tmp files so that i can stay logged into neopets and other site?
Optimus, if you're still around - I just got to reading this very good topic!
Hmm, I've never heard of anything that auto-deletes cookies and temp files with the exception of maybe Norton Ghost (called something like that) - part of Norton security. Is your homepage changing? Asking in light of the fact you did have bad stuff on your computer. Is Norton the a/v you've got now? But even that shouldn't be doing that ... it should do it after you log out, not while you're on a site. Almost sounds like a timing out thing, which is too frustrating for me. Did you install SP2? that thing is pure evil! I installed it and uninstalled the next day, too many problems, too much not working.
You've got hijackthis ... that's a good thing - but I won't touch anything after scanning with that - I'm not that savvy. Get Spybot Search and Destroy - official site is:
http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html Also definitely get spywareblaster. I think there's a link to them on the spybot site. I have CWShredder which saved my puter from a hijacker once (from flamingtext) and ad-aware is my "back up", along with McAfee a/v and I did d/l stinger which is a free stand alone (looks more specifically for certain virus/trojans, etc. - will get rid of mydoom, things like that) you can get from the McAfee site.
Personally, I do go to setting and delete cookies and temp after any site I visit as part of my safe surfing. Also have cookie handling set up a bit differently than some people I know. Go to your internet settings. Click Privacy, then Advanced. Put a checkmark next to Override Automatic Cookie Handling. First Party Cookies - select Accept. Third Party Cookies - select Block. Put a checkmark next to Always Allow Session Cookies.
You may be surprised at the number of privacy reports that appear in the lower right hand corner of your IE screen - and where some of them come from. Especially if you do get spywareblaster.