At Ducktoes, we use optimization tools up the ying-yang. One we dream about in our sleep is Auslogics Boost Speed. According to recent reviews, Auslogics speeds up computers by 15 to 20%. The reviewers used PC Mark to measure before and after results. And guess what all? Each computer lost over 20 lbs. and could fit into their old skinny jeans. Nah, Ms. Ducktoes has been going to Weight Watchers too long, and has skinny jeans on the brain, but the computers did lose the dead weight of needed tweaks and adjustments Microsoft failed to implement for speed. They ran 15 to 20% faster. Check it out here.

Before and After with PC Mark

Also AVG has recently partnered with Auslogics and incorporated Boost Speed into its PC Tools. Read about that here in a press release with PR Web. If you get PC Tools with AVG, you can use it once for free. According to AVG’s top programmers, the optimizations are also quite safe.

CNET Reviews Editors give Auslogics Boost Speed five stars. That’s the highest rating.

If you bring your computer in to Ducktoes, we’ll run all the optimizations for you. Then you’ll have to buy your computer a new pair of jeans. Or we can do this remotely for you, the optimizations, and, lol, even the shopping. Call 403-483-0105.

Here’s how to do it.
1. Download Process Explorer from Sysinternals on the Microsoft site.
2. After you’ve saved it to your computer, run it. You’ll have to extract it first. Below is what the unzip tool Winrar looks like. Click the “Extract” button.

3. Run the program.

Ms. Ducktoes did it! I beat the dreaded Virut without reformatting. This is how I did it.

1. The Dr. Web Cureit Live CD I spoke of in the last post didn’t work. At the beginning of the scan, it stopped everytime. So instead:
2. I created an Ultimate Boot CD for Windows. I downloaded the image from the UBCD website and burned it to cd. There are detailed instructions on the site on how to do this.
3. I booted off the cd and went on the Internet through the UBCD interface. I downloaded Dr. Web Cureit to the Ram drive.
4. Then from the “Run” option off the start menu I browsed to the B: Ram drive and opened cureit.exe.
5. Dr. Web Cureit started. I had to stop the Express scan and run the Custom scan and select the C drive or the C and D drives since I had more than one hard drive. Otherwise Dr. Web Cureit just scanned the CD.
6. I cured the files instead of deleting them. The Virut virus changes the system files and your computer system needs them.
7. I scanned a three times this way.
8. I rebooted but the computer wouldn’t start. So I did a “repair install” with my Windows Xp cd.
9. After the Repair Install, it booted, but after the logon, the logon kept returning. I couldn’t get past it.
10. So I booted off the UBCD and replaced the Userinit.exe file in the System32/dllcache folder. I found another copy of it in the 1386 folder and copied and pasted. You can search using the Windows Explorer on the UBCD disk.
11. Then I ran regedit (still off UBCD) and searched for userinit. I found the registry keys related to userinit. One of them was set for the logon to repeat over and over, so I changed it from “1″ to “0″.
12. Then I rebooted and the computer started and the logon didn’t repeat!!
13. Immediately I went into Safe Mode and started running virus scans like crazy. I ran Malwarebytes, AVG, SuperAntiSpyware and Dr. Web Cureit again. And found more trojans and viruses.
14. After all the scans ran clean. I rebooted.
15. The Virut was removed!!! And I didn’t reformat.

If you have spyware or just want to manage and repair your computer better, this is the blog for you. Ducktoes Calgary Computer Repair is in Calgary, Alberta Canada. For a start you might try this post. Or read this tutorial about how to speed up your computer. And don’t forget to say hi or leave a comment.

A botnet uses spyware and malware to lure you into being one of its zombie computers. And then uses your computer for spamming, storing credit card numbers and other personal data such as passwords and account numbers, distributing illegal types of porn, and creating a its own captive and huge search and advertising network. If you are part of that type of botnet, you can’t search on Google or Yahoo or other legitimate search site, you are captive to that botnet’s search engine and their dedicated services and ads.

Also as a zombie your computer will be strange and slow. You’ll be forced to use a bogus search engine and ads you don’t want. It will seem as if something has taken over your computer. It has. A botnet!

Here’s a free tool RuBotted from Trend Micro that will remove your computer from the botnet, and the botnet from your computer.

Ms. Ducktoes used it on a computer that was so slow it took 20 minutes to boot. And found and removed a botnet from Russia caused by Windows XP Antivirus 2008!

So try it out and let me know if you discover a botnet on your computer. Click here to leave a comment. Ms. Ducktoes wants to hear from you.

Sometimes spyware gets so bad, it’s hard to do anything. You can’t go online and download Malwarebytes or Spybot or any anti-spyware (see this post), because your browser–that is, your Internet Explorer or Firefox–is hijacked and redirected and won’t let you go anywhere of use and certainly won’t let you download anything. So you take the next step, and reboot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking by tapping F8 as the computer restarts. But sometimes even in Safe Mode, the malware keeps you from downloading anti-spyware or, if you manage to download it, running it. So now you face reformatting your hard drive and losing all your data and the programs, at least the programs you’ve lost your disks to, or never had disks for in the first place.

What do you do now? You take the computer to a tech who nine times out of ten will recommend reformatting. Or you find a tech like Ms. Ducktoes who will fight the malware without reformatting. Ask your tech if he or she will do this. Ask if he will use Malwarebytes or SuperAntispyware or Spyware Doctor with Antivirus.

Or…you can do this.
1. Go to the computer store and buy a device that lets your hard drive to another computer by USB. It’s called a USB to IDE/Sata Adapter and costs from $25 to $35 dollars.

2. Find another Windows computer either your own or a friend’s or relative’s. Download and update Malwarebytes and AVG and SuperAntispyware and Spybot to that second computer. (You have many choices, just make sure you use Malwarebytes and AVG among them.)

3. Turn off the power to badly infected computer and unattach the cables. Open up the case of the and remove the hard drive. Some cases will have large buttons to push–like Dell– others will have screws. Remove the case.

Make sure your computer is turned off and unplugged before you do this.

4. The hard drive will have a wide-band white/gray cable attached to it and a four-prong power cable.

Here is the power cable. You can see a bit of the ribbon cable in back of it.

5. Remove the cables. (Take a digital photo with your camera or cell phone if you think you may forget how they are attached.

What a ribbon cable looks like

5. You’ll probably have to unscrew the hard drive from the where it is attached to the case.

6. After removed, attach the hard drive to the right (same size) IDE/SATA adapter and plug in the power.

Here the hard drive is attached to the adapter.

7. Connect USB cable to the USB port of the second computer.

Plug the USB cable into the USB port of the second computer.

The computer should recognize that new hardware has been attached. If you go into My Computer, you’ll see it as a USB mass storage device and listed as a letter such as E, F, G, or H, depending on how many cd/dvd and hard drives are on that computer.

You'll see this alert "Found New Hardware" in the right-hand corner of your computer screen.

This window will appear on your desktop. Choose the "Open folder to view files" option.

Your hard drive is attached!

7. Now run the anti-spyware and anti-virus programs one at a time. If you can, do a custom scan and single out the attached hard drive. Let each anti-spyware run and then remove or quarantine the viruses.

This is the AVG interface. It allows you to pick the hard drive you want to scan. Here E and F are selected.

8. If you have enough skill, go into the desktop of that drive (the one that is connected by USB) and copy and paste the Malwarebytes installer to the desktop of your user. Find the All Users desktop folder and drag the MBAM installer icon into the window.

Drag Mbam icon into the "All Users" desktop folder.

Then you can run it later when you reattach the hard drive in its own computer.

9. Unattach the hard drive from the USB and put it back into its own case. Reattach the cables all the way so they fit snuggly. Start up the computer. You should now be able to go into Safe Mode with Networking and download the anti-spyware and run it. You still will have a lot of spyware to contend with but now you have more of an edge. If you put the Malwarebytes icon (Mbam) on the desktop you can click on it and run it. Make sure that you update it.

Good luck and let Ms. Ducktoes know how it goes. Please feel free to comment and make suggestions.

See this post for more detailed information on how to download and run the anti-spyware.

People often think that if they have an antivirus software such as Norton they are safe against malware. This is a dangerous misconception that creates a lot of work (and $!!!) for techies like Ms. Ducktoes.

Most anti-virus programs fight only viruses and provide very poor protection for the increasingly dangerous and sophisticated malware and spyware on the web.

It never hurts to have more than one antispyware. Thousands of malware and spyware are developed for the first time or re-versioned everyday (to elude detection) and no one antispyware can catch it all.

If you want real time, effective protection that just runs automatically on your computer without effort or knowledge on your part, then buy Spyware Doctor. Otherwise you need to run many antispyware and learn how to use them.

Below are the best ones for you to try:

• MalwarebytesAntiMalware – Malwarebytes removes most malware quite effectively. Many techs now use it as their first defence against difficult spyware.

My son at university called and asked how he could remove some bad malware that his antivirus and anti-spyware couldn’t catch or remove. His computer was so bad he was thinking of reformating his drive. I told him to try Malwarebytes, and it fixed the problem.

I’ve used it against a bad case of Windows XP AntiVirus 2008. I had to use it in combination with other anti-spyware applications, but it did most of the work.

• Dr. Web CureIt

This is a feisty little program that got rid of some potent meanies on clients’ machines. I encountered it in my search to find effective anti-spyware solutions for some of the BAD malware out there. It seemed quite useful against Windows XP Antivirus 2008/2009. Dr. Web Cureit is created by a Russian company and is endorsed by the Ministry of the Defence of the Russian Federation. Now there’s an endorsement most antispywares can’t claim.

• SuperAntiSpyware

Whoa. This one really caught a lot on the spyware tests I put it through.

Antivirus Tools

AVG 8 Free for Personal Use
Avast!

If you are one of the millions of people whose computers are infested with the nasty malware Windows Antivirus XP 2008/2009, don’t despair. It’s hard to remove but can be done. I’ve fixed it in four computers now. I tried many different things, but I had the greatest success with SD Fix and Malwarebytes.

Download SD Fix by clicking here. Then you’ll need to reboot into Safe Mode by restarting your computer. As the computer starts up, tap the F8 key several times. If you tap it at the right time, you’ll a screen with several options will appear. One will be Safe Mode. Choose Safe Mode. Next, after a list of drivers is displayed in black and white on your screen, you’ll be asked if you want to go into Safe Mode (Y) or if you want to use System Recovery (N). Pick Y for Safe Mode.

After Windows has started. Go to My Computer and find the C: drive. Double-click it, so it will open. Look for a folder called SD Fix. Inside SD Fix will be a file called RunThis.bat. Click on it. It will run a program to clean up the Trojans. Type Y to begin. SD Fix will delete all the spyware or trojans it comes across. Then you’ll be asked to type any key to restart the computer. Do it, type a key.

Your computer will reboot. As it does, it will finish cleaning up the malware it has found.

Next download Malwarebytes. Update it and run it. It is pretty straight-forward.

You may have to run the above two programs several times to finally get rid of this nasty of all nasties.

If, after removal you find you’re missing your screensaver tab, you can go to my this post to fix it. To see if you’re missing your screensaver tab, go to Control Panel, Display. One of the tabs should be Screensaver.

If you were unfortunate enough to buy this rogue antispyware, you need to call your bank and get a new credit card number. Also you should stop payment on your purchase.

If you want help, and your computer still has the ability go on the Internet. I can fix your computer remotely. Call 403-483-0105 during the day (Mountain Standard Time.)

Many, many people are coming to this blog site looking for a fix for the Hallmark card virus. So it’s not a hoax!!! (The hoax part is that the virus will wipe out your hard drive. It doesn’t. But it does make a mess.) The e-mails going out purport to be a link to Hallmark card, read more here (see this post), and if you click that link, you’ll get a direct download of a virus.

If you already have the Hallmark Card virus, there is a fix, or several of them. Usually, normal virus software will remove it. Here are some free anti-virus software that will do the trick. Make sure your software is updated first, after you install and before you run the scan. Without virus definitions, it’s impossible to catch anything.

First to get rid of the virus use one on these antivirus software:

AVG 8 Free for Personal Use
Avast!
Dr. Web CureIt

Then use this antispyware:
SuperAntiSpyware

Virus software is not enough. You’ll also need an excellent anti-spyware tool. Call me at 403-483-0105, if you have any questions. (Please, not in the middle of the night in Canada, however!)

Now if your computer is so bad already it won’t allow you to download anything, you’ll need to go into safe mode.
1. Restart your computer and tap the F8 key repeatedly. Soon you’ll get to a screen that has many different options.

2. Pick the one (use your up and down arrows to move) that says Safe Mode with Networking.

3. A long list of drivers will scroll down the screen. Then you’ll be given and option of Yes or No. Pick Yes, you do want to go into Safe Mode.

4. Now open your browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. And type in http://ducktoes.com/blog. Find this post Hallmark Card Fix. And click this link to download Malwarebytes Antispyware.

5. Run and update the program. Make sure you update it first. If your computer (actually the virus or malware) won’t let you update it, run it anyway. Do the quick scan first. Remove the malware it finds and restart the computer and then run it again. If you can update it on the second time, update it and run it again, this time do the full scan.

Then go to the top of this blog post and install one of the antiviruses and the SuperAntispyware.

Good luck and let me know what works or doesn’t for you. Also let me know if it’s hard to download the antispyware. How bad is the virus? Click here to comment.

If, after you’ve removed viruses or spyware, (especially after a bout of Windows XP Anti-Virus 2008 or 2009) you’re missing the Screensaver tab from the Display Properties of your computer’s Control Panel, then here is the fix. Download it here: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/reg…

Run it and when it asks if you want to add information to the registry click Yes.

This is Part Five of a five part series about how to speed up your computer. Here are the other four posts.

Why should you clean the registry? The registry is a listing of all the settings and options in Windows. They are listed in the form of “keys”. When the registry gets cluttered with unfunctional and useless keys the computer still has to refer to and process them and this slows booting, running applications and going on-line. To fix this and speed things up, you can delete or edit the keys manually, which is tedious and risky, since changing the registry is a good way of messing up the computer completely, if you don’t know what you’re doing.

There is a free registry cleaner called EasyCleaner by Tony Arts. It works well. If you use it, please leave the creator/owner a donation. You should use EasyCleaner as part of your regular computer maintenance routine.

The best registry tool is jv16 PowerTools by Macecraft. The trial of 30 days is not limited but gives you access to the full version. In some computers, it is the tool that makes the most significant difference in speed. Use both the Registry Cleaner and the Registry Compacter components.

Ducktoes to the rescue!!

The photo on the page shows a browser overloaded with toolbars. If you have unwanted toolbars on your browser window then that is one indication you have spyware. See here how to get rid of it.
Or if you live in Calgary, Ducktoes can help.