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This sure sounds like you have been infected by spybots.
Here is the solution that USAtek has been recommending, which is truly a free program. We do encourage our users to support the developer, but that is entirely your decision and doesn't effect the operation of the program. Here are full steps to run the program. Also, please be sure that if you do not have a virus protection program (which is different than the Spybot Search & Destroy program) you should get one and keep its definitions updated. You should also consider using Avast! Anti-Virus (the free home edition) if you don't use another anti-virus program.
1) Download: start by clicking the Freeware link. Find and click on the Spybot Search & Destroy program there and then click the SAVE button and save it in either a Download folder for future use should you need to reinstall, or on the Desktop (where you can later move 'spybotsd' to a storage folder). When the download completes, click the OPEN button.
2) Installation: if the installation program hasn't started, double-click on the program downloaded in (1) above. Click OK and/or NEXT after picking the display language. Read the welcome instructions and then click NEXT to get to the license agreement area. Click 'I ACCEPT' than NEXT. Click NEXT for all following questions and then click INSTALL and FINISH as asked. (Allow the program to start automatically as the installation is finished.)
3) Running the Program: in the Task Bar to the right of the START button, there will be a new icon in the Quickstart bar (you may have to widen the area by pressing and dragging on the right divider bar so that you can see it). As you move the mouse over the icons, the program name will appear. When you want to start the program in the future, find this new icon, click on it and wait for the program to start.
NOTE: ANY TIME YOU RUN SPYBOT SEARCH AND DESTROY, PLEASE BE SURE YOU HAVE FIRST CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET BEFORE STARTING THE PROGRAM. This will enable the program to search for and automatically download any updates with minimal intervention.
3) For the "Legal stuff" prompt, read the information and then check the "Don't show this message again" if you want, and then click OK.
4) Initial Setup: Create the registry backup when prompted or click Next to skip it. When ready click NEXT to continue. Make sure you are still connected to the Internet and click the SEARCH FOR UPDATES button. Then click DOWNLOAD ALL AVAILABLE UPDATES button to retrieve them. When the Update Progress window is done, continue by clicking the NEXT button. Click the IMMUNIZE THIS SYSTEM button and then click NEXT. Finally, we recommend you read the tuturial and the help file, then you can start using the program.
5) All users should complete this step. Click on the Mode menu and then select Advanced mode. Click YES on the warning message. On the left pane, click on Settings. After that menu has expanded, click the Settings link that appears just below File Sets. In the right pane, scroll down to the "System start" section. We recommend the following items be enabled/checked: AUTOMATICALLY RUN PROGRAM AT SYSTEM STARTUP, RUN CHECK ON PROGRAM START, FIX ALL PROBLEMS ON PROGRAM START.
Next, in the "Web update" section, check SEARCH THE WEB FOR NEW VERSIONS AT EACH PROGRAM START and DOWNLOAD UPDATED INCLUDE FILES IF AVAILABLE ONLINE.
6) Complete this step ONLY if you are a filtered (Family Safe) customer, otherwise skip to Step 7. In the 'Web update' section, put a check in the 'Use proxy to connect to update server' box. Put proxy.usatek.net in the Host field and 8080 in the Port field. If you are an external customer not using USAtek dialup or other direct high speed connection, put your assigned user name and password in the Authentication section after checking the "Proxy server needs login..." box. Then click OK.
7) In the left pane, click 'Spybot S&D' at the top then exit the program.
Close your web browser window and all other windows if any are still open. At this time, if you saved the original download on your Desktop, we recommend you drag the file 'spybotsd' (which is the installer program) to some other storage folder like "My Downloads" if you have one.
8) Start the program using the Quickstart icon, or the program link in the START menu. Let the program run its tests fix any problems. If the program does not start running a check on over 35,000 items, click the "Check for Problems" button. When it is all done, quit the program.
9) Tutorial: If you get stuck, or for a more detailed explanation of how things work, go to the program HELP menu and take the tutorial.
This did not come from us. We never sign generic names to e-mails and we only send attachments if we verbally tell you so during a phone conversation. These viruses are getting very crafty.
What is likely to happen is that it will appear that you can't open the attached file and your mail program will start sending emails.
If you have a virus program, make sure the definitions are up to date and do a thorough scan. If your subscription is expired you'll have to renew it. This is critical for PCs (Macintoshes are immune to these types of viruses and spybots.) If you don't have a virus program, use the free Avast! Anit-Virus downloadable from our Freeware page.
As a short term solution run the virus check from Symantec found here.
You should also scan for Spybots. Read the FAQ on how to do this under Viruses/Spybots.
Go to our home page at USAtek.net and click on the VIRUS NEWS link. It will display information from both Symantec and McAfee.
