Trouble Killing Adware...

[The Fifth Horseman]

Okay, so I've been given the task of cleaning this old pile of **** of all adware, spyware and the like. Registry cleanup etc done, but still I have issues with two pieces of adware that the anti-virus program failed to remove.

They called "adware.look2me.f11", and reside in C:\windows\system\uklmon.dll and dcwox.dll. I cannot remove these two files.

So, I'm asking you a question: What, apart from a complete HDD reformatt and system reinstallation, I can do?

[Yamcha]

Edit the registry but dont ask me how to do this...

[DeathDude]

Have you tried using some programs like spybot, Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, or even ms antispy?

Since you have look2me you can try using this look2me remover program as well you can get it here
http://www.atribune.org/downloads/l2mfix.exe

if those don't work, you could always head to some of the forums like caslecops or spywareinfo and post a hijackthis log, to see if it can be removed via that route.

[auhsor]

Well if the above fails, I suggest trying out Spybot Search & Destroy. Use this as well as Adaware fairly regularly and your system should be free from all the junk.

Also you tend to get alot less spyware with using a browser other than Internet Explorer I've found. I scan every month or so with Adaware and SS&D and they only really get a couple of tracking cookies. So yeah use Firefox too... or Opera, just not IE.

[Ferna182]

have you tried the hijacker?

[Mats]

The best is to use specially designed adware remover, but if you know where the file is, you could try booting your computer up in fail-safe mode and delete the file that way.


///MJ

[The Fifth Horseman]

Ad-Aware, Spybot and look2me remover all tried, and promptly failed.

[DeathDude]

Another program that might work, is called Webroot's Spy Sweeper, it runs on a 30 day trial but it will remove spyware/adaware during that period and you can update the program, see if that helps.

Otherwise you might want to download hijackthis and post a log over at one of the forums at spywareinfo or castlecops and see if it can be removed via that route,

[Caged]

I recognized the Look2Me parasite immediately and can sympathyze with you as it is a truely nasty bug to try to get rid of. However, i have found your solution as I have been compiling my database.

BE WARNED!!!!

Have not had time to analyze this one and see if its safe or not. Use at you own risk. I am attaching the file because its only 14K but if you would rather download from another website, here is the addy from major geeks where i downloaded it.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4166.html

[The Fifth Horseman]

I didn't try that one, but the Majorgeeks site had a link to an official remover. Worked like a charm after used, now completed an anti-virus scan with 100% success ratio. :ok: Thanks.

[Dreadlord]

If nothing else works I go into the adware folder, rename all the files, open the files with txt documents, change all the code/misc crap inside, then move all files across the PC, a day later I can delete them.

It's stupid but it works.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Well, here it was much harder. See, Look2me has hooked itself into critical system DLL's, which could not be deleted just like that.