Freeware Worth Using

[BB_One]

Look at your email..the solution is there.

Seems you are/were not alone with this problem.

Issue is that the registration code has been created with NULL caracters in it, rendering regedit inoperative as it ignores anything with NULLS in it. Unknowned to me (learn some every day), and apparently becoming more and more exploited by worms,spywares and the likes.

[Snafu]

Thanks for the email. Will try smitRem.exe first in safe mode and see what happens. If all else fails then I can always try running the remaining steps

(btw - hijackthis log is clean - this is only a remnant in the registry)

Not sure how you fixed Smitfraud/PSGuard,there are still remnants.
Download and run the below fixes, and then post back the logs created , please.

1.Download smitRem.exe and save the file to your desktop......Do NOT run it yet, ....run it later in Safe Mode.


2.
Download the trial version of Ewido Security Suite from here:http://www.ewido.net/en/download/
When installing,... under "Additional Options"..uncheck "Install Background Guard" and "Install scan via context menu".

Launch Ewido (there should be an icon on your desktop... doubleclick it). The program will now go to the main screen. You will need to update ewido to the latest definition files.

On the left hand side of the main screen click "Update" and then click on "Start Update".
If you have problems with the updater, you can use this link to manually update ewido:http://www.ewido.net/en/download/updates/
.....Do NOT run Ewido yet, ....run it later in Safe Mode.

3.
Download Ad-aware SE Personal 1.06 , ......and Update Ad-Aware SE.
Do NOT run it yet, ....run it later in Safe Mode.

4.
Download CleanUp
....when it opens click "Cleanup!", ..we need to cleanout your Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders.
Smitrem will clean them this time, but keep it for regular cleanup of Temp files,etc.

5.
REBOOT INTO SAFE MODE...--> How to reboot to Safe Mode -->(reboot and tap F8 immediately after BIOS screen ( the Bios screen is the first black and white screen you see)....choose Safe Mode from menu)


6.
Once in Safe mode, run Smitrem.exe,...Run the smitRem.exe tool you downloaded earlier. Follow the prompts on the screen to extract to a new folder.Open the new folder and double-click on RunThis.bat Wait for the tool to complete and disk cleanup to finish.

The tool will create a log named smitfiles.txt in the root of your drive, eg: Local Disk C: or partition where your operating system is installed. Please post that log along with all others requested in your next reply.

then run Ewido.........

then run Adaware SE 1.06

Reboot and post back a new HijackThis log, and Ewido log,and Smitrem.txt log, please.

[Magicky]

Two sites for "Ultimate" booters:
1) http://www.startdisk.com/Web1/ubd/ubd.htm
2) http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

#2 pulled my bacon outta the fire when I got a little too agressive with regedit once *ahem*. And it's free, where as #1 may have fees. I dunno if it does, I was just told about it by my 74 year young neighbor (who, BTW, is my golf hero, he just shot 74 on his 74th birthday). The Ultimate Bot CD handles any OS out there and has morer bells and whistles than I know what to do with...
Magicky

[sodface]

bump for a couple of additions to the first post...

[Snafu]

BTW - the advice given by BB worked- of course

I also turned off system restore when running these suite of programs.

[sodface]

I don't know how I missed this one:

Iso Recorder

Free windows power toy that gives you a "Burn Image to CD" menu option when you right-click an .iso image, which launches a simple .iso burning window.

Works great.

[Cheech]

I really like this tool Freemeter

Anybody using this?

[sodface]

I really like this tool Freemeter

Anybody using this?

Just checked it out.. small executable too, which is nice to see.

Updated post 1.

[flexkill]

I don't know if this has been posted, but incase not....ZipGenius is a great program for compressing and unzipping files.

[Hawk]

www.winiso.com Killer Application. . . . . .

[Moop]

I've always liked http://www.ccleaner.com/

[sodface]

@flex and Moop - thanks gents, post 1 updated. I'm trying ccleaner out now.

@Hawk - Winiso is good, I agree, but it costs, and I haven't found much I can't do with other utilities like daemon tools etc.

//edit

ccleaner is done:

CLEANING COMPLETE - (9.925 secs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1,599.1MB removed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That much garbage would have maxed out my first hard drive.

[Cheech]

Gotta love Putty as well

[sodface]

Gotta love Putty as well

How'd I forget that one?? I use it everyday!

[Hawk]

Gotta love Putty as well

Putty & WinSCP. . . .