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Computer Gurus......HELP?

PhatBasstard

PhatBasstard

Spector Dissector
Feb 3, 2002
8,191
3,010
Tacoma WA
#1
I get home from the gig last night and my 6 year old (who is usually pretty computer savy), in the proccess of playing games at one of his sites (cartoon network, etc.) has inadvertantly installed something called "Internet Optimizer".

As far as I can tell it's just an advertizing program that allows all these new pop-ups to appear as never before. It also kind of messed up my browser settings which I have managed to fix.

The problem is it won't let me delete it. Everytime I try (and I've tried from several approaches) I get the message:
"Error deleting file or folder"
Cannot delete optimize.exe : Access is denied.
Make sure the disk is not full or write protected
and that the file is not currently in use.

I've been able to delete certain components of it but not what appear to be the two main program files.

Any suggestions?
 
#2
Did you try killing it with Task Manager? Then delete?

You could also try Bazooka. You can download it over at CNET. I found IO on a buddies 'puter as well. Bazooka was the only thing that killed it for me.

Warning....Bazooka makes you manually edit your reg.

-Mike
 
#3
MJ5150 said:
Did you try killing it with Task Manager? Then delete?

You could also try Bazooka. You can download it over at CNET. I found IO on a buddies 'puter as well. Bazooka was the only thing that killed it for me.

Warning....Bazooka makes you manually edit your reg.

-Mike
Click to expand...
Task Manager is not showing it.
As a matter of fact, I haven't seen a pop-up in a couple of hours.
Maybe I "wounded" it. I still don't like the fact I can't delete it.
Maybe a System Restore back to a point before my kid installed it (it's listed as "Created 6:32pm. June 6") yesterday?
 
#5
Melf said:
Since you apparently have Windows XP, do a system restore.

Or try downloaded Adaware at Invalid Link Removed .
Click to expand...
Is the Adaware different, better than Spybot?
I have Spybot and it got rid of some weird stuff but the progam is still there.

I'm in the middle of a "Disk De-frag" so I will have to wait until that finishes before running the System Restore.
 
#7
I like Adaware better than Spybot. However, now that I am using Bazooka, I doubt I will use either of those other two anymore.

If the program is not showing in TM, there is a good chance you "wounded" it. I know what you mean about wanting to remove all traces from your system though. Spyware is like a starfish....cut off one leg, and it just grows back. :D

-Mike
 
#10
PhatBasstard said:
Is the Adaware different, better than Spybot?
I have Spybot and it got rid of some weird stuff but the progam is still there.

I'm in the middle of a "Disk De-frag" so I will have to wait until that finishes before running the System Restore.
Click to expand...

Adaware works great along with SpyBot. I've found that usually Adaware gets whatever Spybot doesn't, and vice versa.

I second kilwm's advice. Don't use internet explorer, get Mozilla.

www.mozilla.com
 
#12
Thanks Guys, I think I got rid of it.

After my De-frag finally ended (I think I was long overdue considering how long it took. My computer is now running much faster BTW.:) )
I did a System Restore to about 3 days ago and the program is now nowhere to be found.

:D
 
#15
Petebass said:
I use Adaware and I find it's excellent for this sort of thing. It very rarely misses anything. If it does, my Norton Internet Security catches it when I fo a full system scan once a week.
Click to expand...
Oh, I almost forgot,
This was another thing this program did: It somehow turned off my Anti-Virus software and the minute I re-engaged it 4 little bugs had to be killed.
 
#16
PhatBasstard said:
Oh, I almost forgot,
This was another thing this program did: It somehow turned off my Anti-Virus software and the minute I re-engaged it 4 little bugs had to be killed.
Click to expand...
Whoa that's nasty. Luckily I've never seen that. Though I did have one that neither Adaware or Norton could get rid of. I went to semantec's website and they recomended running the scan while in safe mode. It worked.
 
#17
Well,

Almost 24 hours later and everything's fine.
No bugs and my computer is running great.
Actually more than great. Apparently that De-Frag was long overdue.

I ran another full scan and Spybot, just to be sure, and they both came up "nada".
 
#18
PhatBasstard said:
Well,

Almost 24 hours later and everything's fine.
No bugs and my computer is running great.
Actually more than great. Apparently that De-Frag was long overdue.

I ran another full scan and Spybot, just to be sure, and they both came up "nada".
Click to expand...

Good deal. Glad I could contribute to helping you out.
 
#20
that is simple.. just find the file in the download manager, reveal it in the finder, and delete it. make sure that no other programs are running, you can see that in your little finder menu. now just plop it in the trash, and delete away. Dont worry about it being in other places, that is the good thing about macs... programs go exactley where they would logically go, and with only a few exceptions, where you put them.

yeah, glad i could solve your problem.
slicks :hiding: ;)
 

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