i clicked on carious ones, downloaded the "free" service, ran the scans naturally they all told me a different story, from 50 bugs that need removing to 5000 then once i hit the remove virus / spybots etc they all asked for a license key. they were all the ones i clicked the links you put. i feel im repeating myself so shant bother to say again.
best free spyware
- Thread starter jefoss
- Start date
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I have used many of the programs shown on Dave's list at different times and most if not all have been freeware - they may ask for a donation but you are not obliged to pay. Those that are classed as Shareware should be either paid for or deleted from your system.
Of the spyware programs I have tried and still use these are all free e.g.
SuperAntiSpyware - Freeware
Ad-Aware Free - not known but suspect free or try
Ad-Aware 2009 8.0.5.0 (non Commercial freeware)
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ad-aware/
Malwarebytes 1.37 (Shareware - you may wish to make a donation)
Spybot Search & Destroy - Is Freeware (although a donation is appreciated by the authors).
So if you are being asked to pay for a licence you are IMO either being hijacked or downloaded a full commercial version of the free software which usually has added features over the free version.
Of the spyware programs I have tried and still use these are all free e.g.
SuperAntiSpyware - Freeware
Ad-Aware Free - not known but suspect free or try
Ad-Aware 2009 8.0.5.0 (non Commercial freeware)
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ad-aware/
Malwarebytes 1.37 (Shareware - you may wish to make a donation)
Spybot Search & Destroy - Is Freeware (although a donation is appreciated by the authors).
So if you are being asked to pay for a licence you are IMO either being hijacked or downloaded a full commercial version of the free software which usually has added features over the free version.
Jefos, if the situation is as you describe, then I am afraid your system has been hijacked by some kind of scammer.
Provided you have a genuine, licenced copy of Windows (not a bootleg or counterfeit version) then Microsoft will send you Windows Defender free of charge, as well as free updates. You can get it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
It is nothing special, but it is absolutely free, including updates, so you might as well have it.
(note that this takes you straight to a Microsoft site, not any kind of intermediary downloader).
I checked on the link DaveM posted, and it takes you to the same place, nothing fishy, so I don't believe he is doing anything wrong..
Please try this and tell me what happens, if you don't mind.
I also use Spybot, which is good and absolutely free, they actually say on their website "As a private customer, you are free to not give us anything for using Spybot-S&D to its fullest extend, but any donation will directly support our teams efforts ", so there is no obligation to pay anything, and it still works if you don't. AdAware is the same. These are all good, well known, free packages.
If you get any payment requests, please note them down and tell us what they say. They will give a clue to what you have been hijacked by.
In the meantime, I recommend you stop abusing Dave M, he is giving you good information.
Provided you have a genuine, licenced copy of Windows (not a bootleg or counterfeit version) then Microsoft will send you Windows Defender free of charge, as well as free updates. You can get it from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
It is nothing special, but it is absolutely free, including updates, so you might as well have it.
(note that this takes you straight to a Microsoft site, not any kind of intermediary downloader).
I checked on the link DaveM posted, and it takes you to the same place, nothing fishy, so I don't believe he is doing anything wrong..
Please try this and tell me what happens, if you don't mind.
I also use Spybot, which is good and absolutely free, they actually say on their website "As a private customer, you are free to not give us anything for using Spybot-S&D to its fullest extend, but any donation will directly support our teams efforts ", so there is no obligation to pay anything, and it still works if you don't. AdAware is the same. These are all good, well known, free packages.
If you get any payment requests, please note them down and tell us what they say. They will give a clue to what you have been hijacked by.
In the meantime, I recommend you stop abusing Dave M, he is giving you good information.
Jefoss,
I can assure you that all the programs on my list are free to download and free to use.
It would appear that you may have a browser hijacker on your computer that is taking you to fraudulent software sites.
The first thing to do is try to remove it with the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool which will already be installed on your computer by Windows updater.
Go to Start -> Run -> type MRT -> OK. Then run a quick or full scan.
See what that turns up.
Then have a further clean out:
1st thing to do is clear out all your temporary files, tool of choice is ATF Cleaner, it is free and you do not have to install it. Download and instructions here
Leave Cookies unticked but select all the others and click Empty the selected.
Then download and save to desktop before installing Malwarebytes AntiMalware
If you have problems installing it due to some malicious software preventing the install of any program that will kill it, right click the icon on the desktop and select 'Rename' and give it another name, anything will do, (DIY.exe) but end the name with .exe
* Double-click mbam-setup.exe (or another name if you had to rename it) and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to the following:
o Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
o Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
* Then click Finish.
If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad. The rogue application should now be gone.
Reboot as required.
If that has cleared out the hijacker then you should be able to click on any item in my list and select a program and install it.
Post back.
dave
I can assure you that all the programs on my list are free to download and free to use.
It would appear that you may have a browser hijacker on your computer that is taking you to fraudulent software sites.
The first thing to do is try to remove it with the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool which will already be installed on your computer by Windows updater.
Go to Start -> Run -> type MRT -> OK. Then run a quick or full scan.
See what that turns up.
Then have a further clean out:
1st thing to do is clear out all your temporary files, tool of choice is ATF Cleaner, it is free and you do not have to install it. Download and instructions here
Leave Cookies unticked but select all the others and click Empty the selected.
Then download and save to desktop before installing Malwarebytes AntiMalware
If you have problems installing it due to some malicious software preventing the install of any program that will kill it, right click the icon on the desktop and select 'Rename' and give it another name, anything will do, (DIY.exe) but end the name with .exe
* Double-click mbam-setup.exe (or another name if you had to rename it) and follow the prompts to install the program.
* At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to the following:
o Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
o Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
* Then click Finish.
If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
* Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.
* When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
* Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
* When completed, a log will open in Notepad. The rogue application should now be gone.
Reboot as required.
If that has cleared out the hijacker then you should be able to click on any item in my list and select a program and install it.
Post back.
dave
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Get cleaned up... Tidy the workspaces.
Browser tidy settings..
CCleaner 2.20.920 - some ideas.
Take control of start up progs etc.. Autoruns from M$ - free - super stuff ! When ticked progs 'run' at start up - Unticked they do not, but are re-tickable - double click on entry to see location in registry...
Take control of start up progs etc..
-p-
Browser tidy settings..
CCleaner 2.20.920 - some ideas.
Take control of start up progs etc.. Autoruns from M$ - free - super stuff ! When ticked progs 'run' at start up - Unticked they do not, but are re-tickable - double click on entry to see location in registry...
Take control of start up progs etc..
-p-
G
Goldberg
You clicked on the wrong download link.
It is when you click on the wrong download link.
It is free - you just did it wrong.
My vote for MBAM. Considered a best of breed at the moment in the industry. The free version will give you an on demand scanner. If you chose to buy (Currently £18.06 inc German VAT @ 19%) it enables their real time scanner.
