Problems!! Help Me Please

[Lauranne]

I got a problem...
And sorry, i really don't know where to place it!

It was time for a virus scan with my 2 good virus scans (cuz i do it regular)
And it had a small amount of low risks viruses and they can be deleted.

But now i was starting up the computer,
and there came a message that i am the dupe of piraterysoftware.
So they (windows) say i got illegal software!
I have this computer so much years and never had a problem with software.
I buyed it in a shop i bet it won't give me false software so i was going to search.

I found 1 small clue: Above the message there stands Windows XP Professional. But i got windows Home Edition, i'm 10000% sure of that!

So there is a Professional software on the PC and i don't know why cuz i didn't install someting last time and downloaded nothing.

I try a lot things on the Microsoft website on a URL they gave me to help problems with illegal software.... But ofcourse that won't work.

I really don't know what to do.
Msn (now its live messenger) isn't working too and i am SURE that its not a virus!

PLEASE HELP ME QUICK!!!

SO HERE IN SHORT

Windows give me a message that i got illegal windows professional software

The point is that i dont got windows XP professional but Home Edition
And i have not download something.

[tamlin]

Hi Lauranne,

It sounds very much like you've got a malware/spyware infection on your computer. This is software that gets downloaded and installed by certain unscrupulous websites - one of the symptoms is to pop up these kinds of messages telling that you have got a virus or some other form of unwanted software, and giving you the option to get rid of it by installing the highly suspect applications that they are trying to distribute.

Get yourself a reputable spyware scanning application, and give your computer a good scan. Two of the best are Spybot Search & Destroy (The home of Spybot-S&D!) and AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/..._personal.php). Both are free to download and are fairly easy to use.

I've had a fair bit of experience with ridding computers of spyware, so
let us know how you get on or if you're still having difficulties.

[Phoenix Wynde]

I don't know anything regarding the message you have, but sounds either like someone hacked your PC and is messing with you or you really do have illegal software on your PC.

Something you could try, and this is just a suggestion not a guaranteed solution, back up all your documents on whichever medium you so choose and then perform a Destructive System Recovery. This, of course, will format everything on your hard disk partition and return the PC to factory settings.

It's also a good idea to keep your PC updated with updates from microsoft.com. Upon doing so for the first time, they'll require you to validate your copy of Windows. This means you'll have to install a file from them directly. After your copy of Windows has been validated, you should have no issues downloading updates.

Another thing to keep in mind, ALL virus software you run on your PC has a weekness, doesn't matter if it's considered the best in the world. Viruses are created by people daily, thus the reason for the updates with your program.

It'd be a good idea to have more than one virus program on your PC for use. What one doesn't catch, it's a good possiblitiy the other will.

You can obtain a 30 day trial version of Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2007 directly from trendmicro.com and you can also obtain a free copy of Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Plus from lavasoft.com. The full version of Ad-Aware comes with Ad-Watch, a program that monitors your PC for things such as registry modifications and blocks most cookies automatically.

Of course, that's only two programs you can use. The internet is host to a slew of them. Do some research and find which one best serves your needs.

I certainly hope I've been able to assist in some way. Best of blessings to you.

[Phoenix Wynde]

Two of the best are Spybot Search & Destroy (The home of Spybot-S&D!) and AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/..._personal.php). Both are free to download and are fairly easy to use.

Tamlin, SpyBot puts adds into your PC to block other people's adds. They pretty much monitor you while keeping others away from that. It's also known to cause slowdown and erros.

[notjustgraphics]

Originally Posted by dewdman

Tamlin, SpyBot puts adds into your PC to block other people's adds. They pretty much monitor you while keeping others away from that. It's also known to cause slowdown and erros.

SpyBot does no such thing!

In fact it is highly recommend by almost every reputable magazine in the industry.

Perhaps you are confusing SpyBot with some other SPY?????? program but Spybot and Adaware are both very safe and reliable anti-spyware programs.

That said, Spybot is not absolutely perfect... but no single program is, thus the recommendation for both Adaware and Spybot!

Mike.

[Lauranne]

I got norton antivirus and spyXoft, spyXoft is for spyware and saved my PC couple of times so i have got a spyware detector..

I scanned my PC couple of times but no results..

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by dewdman

Tamlin, SpyBot puts adds into your PC to block other people's adds. They pretty much monitor you while keeping others away from that. It's also known to cause slowdown and erros.

I don't know where you got that information from. Spybot S&D is one of the most highly recommended spyware removal tools - check out some of the computer security sites if you don't believe me. Of course, one package probably won't pick up every instance of spyware, which is why I run Spybot and AdAware in tandem, but Spybot certainly doesn't install anything to the detriment of your machine, and neither does it cause "slowdown and errors".

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by Lauranne

I got norton antivirus and spyXoft, spyXoft is for spyware and saved my PC couple of times so i have got a spyware detector..

I scanned my PC couple of times but no results..

Does the message come up every time you start up the computer? If so, you could start by downloading HijackThis from Merijn.org

Run it and click on the Scan button. When the scan is complete, click the Save Log button. Don't attempt to fix anything at this point. Let me know when you've got the log file.

[Phoenix Wynde]

I read some information a couple years ago regarding the SpyBot program. An article had stated that Spybot puts ads into your PC to block other forms of adware. These same ads are monitored by the company who makes SpyBot.

The article also stated that SpyBot also caused slowdown and errors. And if I remember correctly, there's something stated about it in the terms of service or agreement you click on before installing the program about how SpyBot installs their own form of adware, can be manipulated at any time without the user's consent.

It's something along those lines. I'll have to see if I can locate the article. And I never said SpyBot was unsafe, I was simply pointing out how they operate. I certainly wouldn't want adware in my PC to block other adware and be monitored by it.

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by dewdman

The article also stated that SpyBot also caused slowdown and errors. And if I remember correctly, there's something stated about it in the terms of service or agreement you click on before installing the program about how SpyBot installs their own form of adware, can be manipulated at any time without the user's consent.

I think you've maybe confused this with some other application. There's no mention in the Spybot TOS about it installing its own adware. There are lots of untrustworthy bogus anti-spyware applications with very similar names doing the rounds that do do that sort of thing - here's a list of some of them: http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_...e.htm#products
but you'll see that Spybot isn't one of them.

[Chamenas]

If someone has somehow gotten a hold of your windows version, or the key for it, and they register it then it will make your version look like the pirated version. In addition I heard Microsoft had a problem with this awhile back, where they would "catch" pirated software, but it wasn't pirated.

[Bub]

Does the message say Windows Genuine Advantage? If so, then you most likely have a pirated version of Windows.

If you've run a windows update lately, you may have downloaded the Genuine Advantage software which pops up that message.

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by Bub

Does the message say Windows Genuine Advantage? If so, then you most likely have a pirated version of Windows.

If you've run a windows update lately, you may have downloaded the Genuine Advantage software which pops up that message.

I think you're probably along the right lines there, although just because WGA pops up that message doesn't automatically mean that your copy of Windows is pirated. WGA is notoriously buggy - there's a forum here that discusses many of the issues: Speak to us at Microsoft!

[Taipan]

I've used Spybot coupled with AdAware for a few years now, without any significant problems.

They both seem to find something that the other has missed.

Lots of malware/spyware/phishing infections are very clever in their actual appearance at looking official eg. eBay phishing emails etc

I'd thoroughly recommend the two programs mentioned, and see if it appears after you have installed, updated definitions, and run them.

Good luck.

[Bub]

I work at my University fixing computer problems. We have a mass license from Microsoft for XP yet people's computer still have the WGA problem. I know it can be buggy. We have a University wide fix for the problem, so I'm not able to give it to anyone.

Also, if she bought it from a "shop," they probably only bought one copy of Windows and installed it on many machines to save money. I read somewhere that if this is the case and you can prove that they included a non-genuine version of Windows with your machine that Microsoft will give you a legit copy for turning them in.