Is there a free diffinitive spyware/registry cleaner

bopdude · 23-12-2004, 12:11

As per title, i've been doing some snooping around with various spyware progs and the like after discovering the traces of Xupiter on my system, I've done a system check using Spybot S&D, spywarebalster and the likes, they come back as clean

then I've done scans using spyferret and another prog that i cant think of, they come back with hordes of things 2 of which were critical / servre

So as per question is there a good free cleaner for registry items that are spyware specific and as for spyware, why is stuff still getting through ??

TIA, gotta go out now, check back asap

MadGamer · 23-12-2004, 12:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

As per title, i've been doing some snooping around with various spyware progs and the like after discovering the traces of Xupiter on my system, I've done a system check using Spybot S&D, spywarebalster and the likes, they come back as clean

then I've done scans using spyferret and another prog that i cant think of, they come back with hordes of things 2 of which were critical / servre

So as per question is there a good free cleaner for registry items that are spyware specific and as for spyware, why is stuff still getting through ??

TIA, gotta go out now, check back asap

CCleaner?

bopdude · 23-12-2004, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

CCleaner?

Sorry Wayne, i'm away from the home p.c. at the moment ,( sat in the comcast arms

teesside j/k ) will check it out later

evilind · 01-01-2005, 10:44

Happy New Year to one and all for a start! I also am looking for a free spyware removal tool. This morning I did a Pestscan from the Zonealarm website and it came back with 8 bits of spyware I apparently have!

Thesr range from things li ke an 'unknown' backdoor trojan, I also have a couple of browser hijackers, lop.com ??,backdoor-downloader and tracking cookies thrwn in too! Now I usually us e sites like pc pitstop to check for spyware and they always come up clean. What I would like peoples opinions on is the fact that pestscan can get rid of these things for you but you have to pay and the fact that I all of a sudden have 8 when normally no spyware is detected! Does sound rather dodgy methinks!What does everyone else think and back to my original query,is therea free spyware remover out there? P.S. has anyone used xoffspy or noadware before? Cheers!

MadGamer · 01-01-2005, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by evilind

Happy New Year to one and all for a start! I also am looking for a free spyware removal tool. This morning I did a Pestscan from the Zonealarm website and it came back with 8 bits of spyware I apparently have!

Thesr range from things li ke an 'unknown' backdoor trojan, I also have a couple of browser hijackers, lop.com ??,backdoor-downloader and tracking cookies thrwn in too! Now I usually us e sites like pc pitstop to check for spyware and they always come up clean. What I would like peoples opinions on is the fact that pestscan can get rid of these things for you but you have to pay and the fact that I all of a sudden have 8 when normally no spyware is detected! Does sound rather dodgy methinks!What does everyone else think and back to my original query,is therea free spyware remover out there? P.S. has anyone used xoffspy or noadware before? Cheers!

Ad aware
Spybot S&D
Then download Spywareblaster which then protects you system from spyware/adaware/mailware ever being installed again.

bopdude · 01-01-2005, 11:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

Then download Spywareblaster which then protects you system from spyware/adaware/mailware ever being installed again.

Granted it a good prog, but that statements a little bit

off

it doesn't stop all, but it does stop a lot

It seems like every pay per d/l software will find something new on the scan for free, this is to try and get you to buy it i guess

still I would pay for a product that would get rid of / stop from installing, if only *sigh

MadGamer · 01-01-2005, 12:35

oh and i forgot CCleaner and RegCleaner

iadom · 05-01-2005, 22:10

Just had an e-mail from Zone Alarm asking me to try out their online spyware scanner. I think it should be renamed scareware.

I have Spywareblaster installed.
I did a deep scan with Pest Patrol (paid for version) this deletes or quarantines most things it finds automatically without scheduled scanning.
The same with AdAware, and then with Spybot. The only thing found was a Web Trends Live object found by Spybot. The first two came up clean.

I then ran the online scanner from ZA and it reported 8 objects !!!
I feel that these are either false positives or fairly harmless items flagged up to frighten people into buying their software.

I cannot see anything to worry about in this scan. In fact I think most of them are in Pest Patrols archives of removed pests.

TheBlueRaja · 05-01-2005, 22:33

Im still looking for a good one that integrates with Firefox, most dont and you need to be aware that your cookes in Firefox are still "there" after a spyware scan with just about all Spyware progs at the moment.

Anybody know of any that do help, the only one i have found thats OK so far is Spywareblaster as that is supposed to block cookies in Firefox, but there are apparently issues with it at the moment.

Tezcatlipoca · 05-01-2005, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by iadom

I cannot see anything to worry about in this scan.

Yup. Tracking cookies & playlist entries...hardly anything major...

Quote:

Originally Posted by theblueraja

Im still looking for a good one that integrates with Firefox, most dont and you need to be aware that your cookes in Firefox are still "there" after a spyware scan with just about all Spyware progs at the moment.

Anybody know of any that do help, the only one i have found thats OK so far is Spywareblaster as that is supposed to block cookies in Firefox, but there are apparently issues with it at the moment.

I always clear all my cookies anyway after browsing...no need to keep them, as if I want to keep site logins, I just have FF save the password....

bopdude · 06-01-2005, 02:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by iadom

I have Spywareblaster installed.
I did a deep scan with Pest Patrol (paid for version) this deletes or quarantines most things it finds

I remember a year or so ago I noticed reduced hard drive, I looked everywhere, eventually I traced it to NAV's quarantine folder, if memory serves there was about 3.5 Gig's worth, have you checked yours recently

iadom · 06-01-2005, 10:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

I remember a year or so ago I noticed reduced hard drive, I looked everywhere, eventually I traced it to NAV's quarantine folder, if memory serves there was about 3.5 Gig's worth, have you checked yours recently

I can limit the size of the log in Pest Patrol.

getdownmonkeyman · 08-01-2005, 11:57

Hijack this from available from here: http://www.hijackthis.de/ allows you to view the processes and remove items. Their is a warning though, if you delete a registry/string it is gone!. Helped me remove some spyware a couple of days ago alongside ccleaner.com.

PS I use Ad-Aware as oppsoed to Spybot, just personal preference I guess and great support on their forums.