Genealogy Chat

I seem to have a virus called Spy-Axe. I cannot remove it and all my virus protections do not move it.. Some detect it but cannot remove. Any help appreciated

Go to google, type in Spy-Axe, the top result gives you Spy-Axe removal from free scanner

Its Spyware. If you google Spy axe there is a couple of free removal sites you can download to get rid of it. Shirley

Thanks for the reply Shirley. The trouble is I have been on some of those sites but although they detect it they cannot remove it. Still need help Thanks

I.ve got a couple on my pc too that Norton & spy bouncer detect. Norton cant remove it ,& altho Spy Bouncer does!!! they come back ,so are deeply embedded into a file, without knowing which file & waht not delete its a tricky one. If you really feel uneasy with it being there then guess its a visit from your local pc doctor ,if you have one, or. pc world do a doctoring service for about £50 but you have to take the pc to them. I.m not worrying too much about the two I have on my pc. shirley

Hello, Try downloading Spybot Search and Destroy and see if that will shift it. http://www.safer-networking(.)org/en/download/index(.)html (remove brackets) If Spybot doesn't work, you could also try A-Squared or Lavasoft Adaware. If you put these names into Google they should give you the relevant info. These programmes are all FREE. Cheers, Horatia

Another thought. Once you have a clean machine, download Spyware Blaster to keep spyware and adaware from installing onto your PC. It runs in the background and all you have to do is update it from time to time. http://www(.)javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html Remove Brackets. This programme is Free but don't forget to manually update it from time to time. Cheers, Horatia

Thank you to all who have written buy I have tried all you have suggested either before or since. This is a particularly nasty virus with a constant pop-up purporting to be spy=ware. All the programmes find it but are incapable of destroying it. Though my Pc knowledge is limited I usually can eliminate virus. Any more help appreciated, esp. if you have had this problem Cheers

Have you tried adaware?

John. The standard spyware tools are Ad-Aware,Spybot and Microsofts Anti-spyware. There are many others out there but many of them are the opposite of what they say and are actually spyware installers! So avoid running others. You can run all of the above first but if no success try this http://www.ewido.net/en/ This is a new kid on the block ( I know I am contradicting my own advice but this has been recommended in the press and on many forums as a 'good guy') Some report that it will remove Spy-Axe though I am not infected so can't confirm. You should try the on-line scan first (it cleaned a few objects from mine) or download the free package (it disables some advanced features after a month but still works). Bob

Thanks to all of you for trying to help. No luck so far I am afraid. It appears to be a fairly new virus. Yes you can remove it from the control panel but it stays there popping up and when you restart it automatically re-loads. Robert I have tried ewid. it was recommended on a search engine but you have to scan in safe-mode to get rid of spy-axe and now I can't seem to get into safe-mode!!!!!!!!! Ewido detects but won't eliminate it. Help!!!!

John, Ok. There is an absolute whiz of a Techie on the forums of Handbag. His user name is Taka. He will get you to use something called Hijack This which analyses what you have installed on your PC. He will then ask you to post the log onto the website. You may have something else on your PC in addition to Spy Axe which is stopping you cleaning your PC. He will then talk you through cleaning your PC. He is reputable. He has helped me and lots of others on Handbag. There aren't many people prepared to talk someone through a Hijack This Log and help users repair their PC - Taka will. http://forums(.)handbag(.)com/ However, he has to be on the board so why don' t you post a Can You Help Me Taka? on the Technology Forum. As an after thought. Have you updated all the spyware removal programmes you have been using? They are useless unless you download the latest definitions. Have you updated your Anti Virus Programme? Again, unless you have the latest updates you may as well not bother. I agree with the previous poster about the validity of some antispyware software; but I can assure you that in addition to the ones he names, A-Squared and Spyware Blaster are OK. A-Squared can be downloaded from here: http://www(.)emsisoft(.)com/en/software/free/ REMOVE BRACKETS Just put Javacool in Google and it should take you to the product Spyware Blaster (for a clean machine only). It protects rather than cleans. Javacoolsoftware makes the well known and trustworthy Spyware Blaster!!! There ARE rogue products out there that copy legitimate products and I think Spyware Blaster suffers from that problem, but the page I have posted is AOK ONLY INSTALL SPYWARE BLASTER WHEN YOUR PC IS CLEAN. Cheers, Horatia

If no luck, using Hi-Jack is often the only resort for some issues. DO NOT download it and try to use it alone. It is not an auto cleaner. It identifies areas of the 'registry' used by malware. There are lots of security forums where it is the standard tool. Didn't know handbag had one Horatia! I didn't mean to suggest that there arn't other good ones, just that there are lots of nasties out there. Bob

Sorry Robert, not sure what you mean. Horatio........... have registered for the site but have been waiting for a long time for it to say I am ok to log-in. I have wasted nearly a whole day on this. Cheers

Hi John..... Responded via e-mail! Judy : )