For you computer oriented types, a question.
And,,, it is a slow Friday.

In the past several days, I keep getting a single pop up ad which is attributed to something called "Aurora Adware". Usually only one ad which for the most part is trying to get me to download a program to eliminate exactly what Aurora adware is doing.

I use a program called Xoftspy to get rid of such things, and I do NOT want to get in to a debate about which , of the various programs that are out there, is the best. This one works for me and I am happy with it.

However, the question at hand is that I am running that program now three times a day and "Aurora Adware" is on their hit list at least three times and often more every time I run the program. Has anyone else been infected with the Aurora adware thingie or do I have a specific problem???

It is really not a big problem as it is not a cascading thing such as almost shut down my PC back in January.

A slow Friday it is. Any input would be appreciated.
Bill

 

I run the common programs, sometimes one will pick up something the others miss. sounds like it is on the start up and thats why it keeps coming back. someone will tell you how to take care of it cus. I'm a puter dummy.

 

I use Xoftspy also and think it does a great job ..but i do suspect it picks up serveral false postives

 

Download spyware blaster and block all that stuff from your computer.

 

i have spyware blaster and lavasoft adware with every mcafee there is and have had no major problems in a long time...oh oh...here we go..zap!

 

i got it last week lol fought with it for about a day do u have windows XP sp2? thats what fixed it for me... it wont go away is comes in through an open port in IE... SP@ fixed it for me and spy bot and ad-aware helped... but i spent a while going through registry to delete it.. but try installed SP2 that worked for me

 

Ya know, I just started to get the same AURORA things poppin up today. Its still there after running Microsoft Antispyware and AdAware SE. What the heck?? Just typing this, I got three pop ups. I think I'll be reinstalling xp pro.

 

it souds like the AURORA adware is stuck in your registry.you need to try another adware removal program. i too use Xoftspy but i also use ad-aware and spybot search and destroy. they each find different things that the other missed. one program just isn't enough.

Xoftspy is a very good program but nothing is perfect. try using ad-aware and/or spybot search and destroy, they are both free, and you will see some other stuff on your system that was missed by Xoftspy.

if you are using windows xp you should run your adware removal programs, make sure they are all updated. then do this...my computer icon (right click) ---> properties ---> system restore ---> disable system restore on all drives.

reboot your computer and then turn system restore back on, then reboot your computer again. make sure you do a hard restart both times (shut the computer down and leave off for about 30 seconds). just remember that any restore points that you might have made in the past will be deleted by doing this that is why you need to restart the second time to create a fresh restore point.

 

I didn't see a 100% complete listing of stuff that I normally use on a daily basis (I'm a network admin and a computer tech), so I figured I'd throw in my two cents.

1). Make sure that all of your spyware, adware, and virus checker programs are updated.
2). Turn System Restore OFF for all drives it is monitoring.
3). Reboot your PC and enter safe mode by tapping F8 repeatedly until you get the option to go into safe mode.
4.) Once in safe mode, I'd open a "My Computer" folder, and I'd click on 'Tools' and then 'Folder Options'. Then, click on 'View' and make sure that "Show hidden files and folders' is checked and "Hide protected operating system files" is NOT checked. Apply and OK.
5.) Once that's done, I would delete any and all files in the following locations:

C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Temp
C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Cookies
C:\Windows\Temp

You'll need to repeat the first three for EACH username that has an account on the computer. Spyware, adware and viruses love to live in these folders. Much of the time, they can't be deleted while in 'regular' Windows because the program is active, and is using files in these folders.

I'd then run any and all adware programs.

If worse comes to worst, you can also download a program called HiJack This, run a scan and save as log, and post the log here, and I, as well as any other computer tech, can look at it and tell you how to proceed from there.

As far as adware in the registry, they usually reside in one of these two keys:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

Just as an update to this old thread, I finally got rid of Aurora this week.
I mentioned I use Xoftspy as my adware eliminator and it gets rid of tons of stuff but could not seem to get rid of Aurora. I called them the other day and thay said just keep re-booting and re-running the program and see what happens.
Lo and behold, the same Aurora "object" as they call it, kept coming up again and again and I kept telling the program to quarantine it. After 8 cleaning operations it was not found any more and I have not had a problem since.

Most of you may know how this occurred but if not, just a tip. Keep re-running your spyware program even if it only shows one object until it shows nothing if that makes any sense.

My mistake was that I would run a scan and it would come up with "X" amount of "objects" to be removed. I would do that and one could not be removed as it was still "running" and I was told to reboot and remove that one item. I did that and figured all was well only to find I had the same problem. Only thing I can figure is that Aurora kept installing itself multiple times and I was only eliminating the latest one. Since kicking it out altogether, it has not come back.
Bill

 

cool beans. I've taken a bit more of a proactive approach, I purchased and installed Norton Internet Security three years ago when I bought this computer. That cost me about $70 I think (can't remember) and then another $40 when I upgraded to the newest version last year. There are some drawbacks (it won't allow some potentially harmful programs to run) but I don't have to run around naked waiting for something to infect my computer so I can try and clean it out at the end of the week.
I also run Ad-Aware SE (from Lavasoft) once in a while and it cleans out the tracking cookies, etc. that I pick up whenever I disable the NIS in order to view a particular page.