I have just started using ur AV software after letting my subscrption to symtec lapse. Found a couple of viruses . my question is do u have any suggestions re scanning boot up and startup files. Iknow theres prbls there as duplicate prgs are loading on startup and several little spyware prgs appeared . eg msdos exe… logon exe. tinybar exe. any help would be appreciated.
Try something called spybot to get rid of the spyware. There is another free spyware program called adaware that is good too.
You can also try Spywareblaster and Spywareguard.
Go to www.wilders.org to download them.
They are free and what is nice, is that they are EASILY UPDATED. The Blaster kills spyware before they are installed on your machine and Guard stays resident watching entry points.
I use Spybot as my primary, and run Adaware occasionally. It sometimes picks up things Spybot did not.
You will find the same thing with the Blaster and Guard.
Remember…ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL!
bye 
thx for the heads up re spyware and the use of adware and spybot. I have used both of them and found lots of junk. the issue i have is editing the registry, i have never done it before. here is my first attempt to ‘fix’ and repair. do ya think i O verdid it lol :
C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\husband@bfast[2].txt
C2.lop: Tracking cookie or cookie of tracking site (File, nothing done)
C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\husband@www2.lop[1].txt
C2.lop: Tracking cookie or cookie of tracking site (File, nothing done)
C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\husband@lop[1].txt
C2.lop: User settings (Registry key, nothing done)
HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\TrinityAYB
Comet Cursors: DLL use (1 apps) (Registry value, nothing done)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMET.DLL
DoubleClick: Tracking cookie or cookie of tracking site (File, nothing done)
C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\husband@doubleclick[1].txt
Gator: DLL use (1 apps) (Registry value, nothing done)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\CONFLICT.1\IEGator.dll
New.net: Program directory (Directory, nothing done)
C:\Program Files\NewDotNet
SexList: Tracking cookie or cookie of tracking site (File, nothing done)
C:\WINDOWS\Cookies\husband@sexlist[1].txt
Windows Registry: InstallZIP.hlp (Missing helpfile, nothing done)
C:\Program Files\InstallZIP
Windows Registry: nmplace.hlp (Missing helpfile, nothing done)
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\1033\
Windows Registry: pisupprt.hlp (Missing helpfile, nothing done)
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Picture It! Express\1033
Windows Registry: lr2chlp.hlp (Missing helpfile, nothing done)
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\LIVEAD~1\
Windows Registry: artgalry.chm (Missing helpfile, nothing done)
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\1033\
Windows Registry: C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\CONFLICT.1\IEGator.dll (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
IEGator.dll
Windows Registry: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\COMET.DLL (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
COMET.DLL
Windows Registry: C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\ycomp4,0,2,9.dll (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
ycomp4,0,2,9.dll
Windows Registry: C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\SNDbMark.dll (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
SNDbMark.dll
Windows Registry: C:\np32dsw.dll (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
np32dsw.dll
Windows Registry: C:\ShockwavePlugin.class (Missing shared DLL, nothing done)
ShockwavePlugin.class
Windows Registry: Taskbar Display Controls (Startup file does not exist, nothing done)
Windows Registry: ERS2000.exe (Wrong app path, nothing done)
Windows Registry: yourapp.Exe (Wrong app path, nothing done)
C:\Program Files\Dell Computer Corporation\Dell ResourceCD\yourapp.Exe
Windows Registry: Enc2000.exe (Wrong app path, nothing done)
Windows Registry: MsoHtmEd.exe (Wrong app path, nothing done)
Windows Registry: Currently no executables. (Wrong app path, nothing done)
C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Security Driver\Currently no executables.
— Spybot-S&D version: 1.2 —
2003-03-16 Includes\Temporary.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Cookies.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Dialer.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Hijackers.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Keyloggers.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Malware.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\plugin-ignore.ini
2003-03-16 Includes\Security.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Spybots.sbi
2003-03-16 Includes\Tracks.uti
2003-03-16 Includes\Trojans.sbi
Was able to restore reg keys whew
The missing shared dll files and the broken pathways happened when I tried to uninstall the yahoo comp server with the win32 code red on board… the scan doesnt show other files or prgs infected but obviously I need to research further.
but back to my original question…
Even if I upgraded to the pro version of ur fine VS software, It cant be configured to scan the boot and configure. files on w98. is tht right.
Tht seems like a major liability as this puter is used by multiple folks. I am open to suggestions or a good flaming. whichever seems appropiate ;D
Sorry man. I just saw the thread below adressing this topic of scannin boot files in w98. I have checked it to notify my of replies.
and thx for the forum and great advice :-[
There may be some misunderstanding here (from my side as well)…
If you refer to the boot-time scan, it’s not about scanning the boot files - it’s just a scan performed during the boot, i.e. before the operating systems has started (and before any Win32 virus has had a chance to run). It is available on Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 only. However, the scan target is whatever you select - all your hard disks or selected directory.
If you are asking about scanning “the group of files that may be automatically started when you start your computer”, avast! can’t do it (yet - but we were thinking of it some time ago already, so it may appear in the next version…).