As to could we have removed it, honestly I have no idea. It would have depended on how far the thing had dug itself in. It is true that the 64 bit tools are limited, but removal is still possible.
As for to how you got it, you know better than I would, you just have to think back. Did you open an e-mail that you should have deleted? Open a website that you should have known not to? Downloaded a program that you knew wad been hacked or cracked? If you think back, chances are there is something that you did about the time the problem started that would make you embarrassed to admit in hindsight. It could have been something as innocent as turning off your firewall so that you could send an IM, or allowing something connection that you should have not. Do you still have UAC turned on?
Below is the standard speech I give to users when we get their systems cleaned. I think everything is applicable to both 32 and 64 bit systems. Also if you go to this thread,
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=2333.0 , we have a list of software that you can use, and I believe that there is an indication on most of it, it it will run on a 64 bit OS.
Cleaning out Temporary Files etc. There are several different products that you can use for this. You can go thru the Internet Options in the windows Control Panel. There are several programs that also do the job better than windows does it, in my opinion. There is
System Security Suite,
EasyCleaner,
Ccleaner. Also sometimes other program sometimes do it as well as what you originally got it for like ZoneAlarm Security Suite. Just make sure to keep them updated and use them regularly.
Make your Internet Explorer more secure - This can be done by following these simple instructions: (unless you are using ZoneAlarm Security Suite or something similar, then you would secure the browser thru the firewall). There are some good basic instructions for that
here.
Use a different browser other than IE (most exploits are pointed towards IE). One of them is
Firefox.
It is also worth trying
Thunderbird for controlling spam in your e-mail.
Always use an UPDATED anti-virus program Make sure you update this at least weekly, if not more often. This is one thing that may save you more than anything else.
Run malware scanners. Three free ones are
Spybot Search and Destroy, and
AdAware and
Malwarebytes' Anti-MalwareAlways use a firewall. Any firewall is better than none, and you should pick a firewall that you will use, as even the best firewall is worthless if you turn it off.
Learn how to use your firewall Only programs that need it should have access to the net. But these are specific to the firewall you use, so you will need to learn how. Several firewalls have support forums here. My page will help you with ZoneAlarm if that is what you choose.
Never run two Antivirus programs or two Firewalls at the same time. They can interfere with each other and cause problems. Some people swear that more protection is provided, but the reverse is true. They tend to argue amongst themselves and end up leaving holes. Now I have more than 1 AV installed on my computer, and I keep them up to date. I only run one at a time, but each program has weakness's, so I keep a backup in case my computer starts acting up.
MOST IMPORTANT : Windows and IE, and whatever other software that you have that connects to the net, needs to be kept updated. The reason is, these programs connect to the net, and if there is an internal security problem, you have already told your firewall to allow the communication, and thus you will have allowed a hole. UPDATES are important. I suggest that you make sure that Windows Updates and the updates for your antivirus and antimalware programs are set for automatic updates. I also suggest running
Secunia PSI. It will monitor the software you have installed and let you know when something needs to be updated.
Don't ever use P2P or filesharing software Even the safest P2P file sharing programs that do not contain bundled spyware, still expose you to risks because of the very nature of the P2P file sharing process. By default, most P2P file sharing programs are configured to automatically launch at startup. They are also configured to allow other P2P users on the same network open access to a shared directory on your computer. The reason for this is simple. File sharing relies on its members giving and gaining unfettered access to computers across the P2P network. However, this practice can make you vulnerable to data and identity theft. Even if you change those risky default settings to a safer configuration, the act of downloading files from an anonymous source greatly increases your exposure to infection. That is because the files you are downloading may actually contain a disguised threat. Many very malicious worms and trojans, such as the Storm Worm, target and spread across P2P files sharing networks because of their known vulnerabilities.
Before using any malware detection / removal software Check with
Rogue/Suspect Spyware List and
Rogue Applications List That way you will know if the program you are looking at is on the up and up. If you want to know how it stacks up against other programs check out
SpywareWarriorWe have a good guide here at
Spyware Hammer on how to prevent Malware in the Future. You might want to peruse this and follow the recommendations in there.
PLEASE READ IT AND FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT YOURSELF.
Let us know if you have any more problems, either new or old.
Have a good time surfing the net, but stay safe.
If you have no more problems, let me know and I will mark this as resolved. Or if you have more questions, ask away, that is why I am here.
