Hey comp . . .

Milo

How do I find out if stuff might be running in the background on my laptop? I have done a quick scan with Micro security essentials, and nothing nefarious, but looking at my usage data, things seem very high lately.

So how do I find out if something is amiss?

GTA Poker

Cuttlraltdellete

Adurrrrttdurrtttdadurrrrrribembakbary

DrTyore

CTRL+ALT+DEL

Processes.. google anything suspicious.

Mark

Bfillmaff

delete system32

edit.. (on a serious note though- you can run a program called "hijack this" and then post the resulting log file here)

compuease

First shot, as I have said many times before.. Malwarebytes.

Free version is fine..

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

wildbill7145

compuease;387423 wroteFirst shot, as I have said many times before.. Malwarebytes.

Free version is fine..

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

Comp's bang on here. Keep this updated, run it weekly. At least.

compuease

wildbill7145;387424 wroteComp's bang on here. Keep this updated, run it weekly. At least.

Two others I can suggest, good old Super Anti-Spyware,

SUPERAntiSpyware - Downloads

as well as this Adware removal tool to cleanup browser malware.

Adware Removal Tool Download - Tech Support AllTech Support All

I hadn't really used SuperAnti-Spyware for a few years but it's later versions seem much better than a couple of years ago.

Once you have removed all the malware with these tools, suggest you run ccleaner registry cleanup to delete all the dead links in the system registry.
Can make quite a significant difference in performance.

https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

Make sure you stick with the free versions and resist the tricks to install the "trial" versions as you will be bugged afterwards to pay.

wildbill7145

We should just make this thread a sticky, or make a new one and sticky that. This comes up reasonably frequently on here.

Maybe not with a thread title like 'hey Comp' or everyone's just going to be asking for life advice in it. Not that it would be a bad thing or anything if you know what I mean.

wildbill7145

GTA Poker;387414 wroteCuttlraltdellete

Adurrrrttdurrtttdadurrrrrribembakbary

This is slowly (or less slowly) getting less funny.

Sorry man. It is what it is.

GTA Poker

Ibeembbaerrytoo

Aduerrr

wildbill7145

Wow, I just ran the piriform cc cleaner. Thing said it got rid of over 3Gb of stuff. I was a little nervous about this part, but reset and it seems to have made quite a significant difference in start up speed and performance.

Thanks Comp.

Milo

Did it delete all your pass words, too? Did for me. Only 560mB for me.

wildbill7145

Milo;387434 wroteDid it delete all your pass words, too? Did for me. Only 560mB for me.

Doesn't appear so. I noticed the list of things that it was going to get rid of and I'm pretty sure I remember 'internet passwords' wasn't ticked. I only noticed it because it was the only category that wasn't check marked.

Milo

All good.

compuease

Milo;387447 wroteAll good.

Come on, don't leave us hanging. What fixed it?

wildbill7145

compuease;387456 wroteCome on, don't leave us hanging. What fixed it?

I think he meant that the registry cleaner didn't erase his saved passwords.

Milo

Just wanted to double check some things as it seems that ever since I upgraded the modem, etc. with my provider, my usage has increased as well. Moreso than I can account for . . .

Yesterday was 6 gB for example, but I was only on for an hour or two. Must just be the flitting back and forth between pages, I guess. My network is passworded so it's not like someone is "borrowing" my bandwidth.

pkrfce9

Milo;387468 wrote Yesterday was 6 gB

If people wonder how much porn is too much, this.

Bfillmaff

^4k resolution titties tho

compuease

Milo;387468 wrote
Yesterday was 6 gB for example, but I was only on for an hour or two. Must just be the flitting back and forth between pages, I guess. My network is passworded so it's not like someone is "borrowing" my bandwidth.

6GB in one day is very high, for sure someone on your network is streaming videos or downloading quite a bit.