Weird windows task and Zestyfind.com seem to be slowing down my computer.
All of a sudden, my Thinkpad is running slow. When I use alt tab to switch tabs, I see a brand new ICON that looks like a stack of 5 gold coins with a 6th coin in front. Kind of like this
===
=== /----\
=== / \
===\ /
=== \---/
The task does not show as a task manager application. For instance, alt tab shows 5 tasks, but task manager only shows 4 applications. Also, alt-tab almost always shows the selected task's name, but not for this particular task.
Also, there have suddenly been pop ups windows that say
HOME PAGE
Would you like to set your Home Page to http://www.zestyfind.com/?
I have scanned my computer with with Norton 2003 and Housecall, no viruses found.
The only thing unusual I was doing when this happened was my semiannual housekeeping in which i deleted about 2000 files.
Seems unlikely to have caused this.
rberke
Before I start downloading adaware and other spyware detectors, I wonder if anyone has seen this weirdness?
===
=== /----\
=== / \
===\ /
=== \---/
The task does not show as a task manager application. For instance, alt tab shows 5 tasks, but task manager only shows 4 applications. Also, alt-tab almost always shows the selected task's name, but not for this particular task.
Also, there have suddenly been pop ups windows that say
HOME PAGE
Would you like to set your Home Page to http://www.zestyfind.com/?
I have scanned my computer with with Norton 2003 and Housecall, no viruses found.
The only thing unusual I was doing when this happened was my semiannual housekeeping in which i deleted about 2000 files.
Seems unlikely to have caused this.
rberke
Before I start downloading adaware and other spyware detectors, I wonder if anyone has seen this weirdness?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
rberke,
zestyfind is a search website. It got downloaded with some other software that you downloaded. It could be a plugin. Let use a BHO scanner to remove it.
Get BHOCaptor from Spywareinfo download page
http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php
Run it and see if it identifies zestyfind.
If no joy, you will have to remove it manually. Do a search for zestyfind in system.ini, win.ini, autoexec.bat, and config.sys. Also, do a search for zestyfind in your registry.
zestyfind is a search website. It got downloaded with some other software that you downloaded. It could be a plugin. Let use a BHO scanner to remove it.
Get BHOCaptor from Spywareinfo download page
http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads.php
Run it and see if it identifies zestyfind.
If no joy, you will have to remove it manually. Do a search for zestyfind in system.ini, win.ini, autoexec.bat, and config.sys. Also, do a search for zestyfind in your registry.
ASKER
no, bhocaptor only showed 3 objects, adobe, norton antivirus and something else.
I got spybot s&D from http://security.kolla.de/ and cleaned up everything red, but is still see the coins.
Strangely enough, spybots main screen has a "donations" button that has a stack of 6 coins that is EXACTLY the same as my weird 6 coins task.
I'll buy Lavasoft and try again.
I got spybot s&D from http://security.kolla.de/ and cleaned up everything red, but is still see the coins.
Strangely enough, spybots main screen has a "donations" button that has a stack of 6 coins that is EXACTLY the same as my weird 6 coins task.
I'll buy Lavasoft and try again.
ASKER
lavasoft no longer has a demo version.
I feel this is a popup problem anyway because i keep getting adds, so I bought a popup stopper popbegone.
It does not stop THESE popups, so it appears to be a waste of money.
Any suggestions?
I feel this is a popup problem anyway because i keep getting adds, so I bought a popup stopper popbegone.
It does not stop THESE popups, so it appears to be a waste of money.
Any suggestions?
rberke,
If Spybot S&D did not find zestyfind, Adaware is not going to. But Adaware is free from the link I provided.
Popup stopper stops popups from the Internet. But if the popup is in your computer, popup stopper will not stop it.
You will have to remove it manually. Follow the instructions that I provided above.
If Spybot S&D did not find zestyfind, Adaware is not going to. But Adaware is free from the link I provided.
Popup stopper stops popups from the Internet. But if the popup is in your computer, popup stopper will not stop it.
You will have to remove it manually. Follow the instructions that I provided above.
adaware does have a free version still. you need to click on the "download" link under support on the left side of the page
ASKER
I notice that the "6 coins" appear on alt-tab sporadically about every 5 to 10 minutes. Perhaps a timer?? Also, the 6 coins frequently takes me to http://yesup.com/popunder.htm.
I searched the registry for zestyfind and yesup, but there were no hits so I could not manually delete anything.
I then ran the free Adaware. (The first few free Adaware downloads links were broken, but patience led me to one that worked.)
I installed Adawares most recent reference file, then scaned. Adaware found about a half dozen objects that were "missed" be spybot s&r. (Or maybe the objects were added after I ran spybot??). Several were listed as Malware. I've deleted them all, and its been a half hour since the 6coins appeared. It will take several hours before I am convinced, and then I'll award points.
ASKER
Haven't seen the 6 coins since I ran Adaware 4 hours ago. So, it appears that ad-aware solved the problem which spybot S&R did not.
war1, thanks for the help (and an honorable mention to josephCo)
war1, thanks for the help (and an honorable mention to josephCo)
rberke, you are welcome! :)
ASKER
I'm hoping someone can say they have specifically seen the 6 coins icon themselves.