Unusual "spirited" setup with Chrome and Mozilla
Unusual "spirited" setup with Chrome and Mozilla
Hey there. I logged into W10 and was checking my email when my Chrome crashed. I was surprised because it kept stopping again and I got a bit nervous. After a short while, I saw Mozilla Firefox and another Chrome icon in the taskbar—my brain started shouting "malware." I ran Malwarebytes, which returned over 180 results. I’m not sure where those ads came from. After trying it a few times, I also looked for suspicious folders on my system, but couldn’t remove either Mozilla or the new Chrome. I even uninstalled the Chrome I had, but maybe the adware was still there. Malwarebytes and Avast didn’t find anything now. From what I found, it was adware trying to redirect me to a fake Amazon site with bad ads (though nothing actually happened). I’m wondering if I downloaded an image or gave permission to an app I shouldn’t have. Should I reinstall Windows 10? What do you think? Thanks for your help.
That’s an honest concern. Have you accessed questionable content or visited unsafe sites recently?
The only items I’ve downloaded are Popcorn Time and a key from Kinguin (paid). I haven’t checked YouTube or Facebook for malware links. On C: there were 2506 results—wow! I’m considering upgrading to Malwarebytes Advanced just to be safe. Chrome seems stable right now. What do you think? Should I go ahead with the removal?
Ensure admin access on your machine and verify the presence of any updates. Review Task Scheduler and Startup entries for suspicious entries. Confirm the location is correct and that the files appear valid without executing them (use certification details from the property panel or process info). Perform a clean installation. Back up your data, run a malware scan, and remove any threats. Restore Windows using a fresh install. Remember, viruses/malware can alter system files to create security vulnerabilities or inject malicious code. Malwarebytes, Avast, and similar antivirus tools only detect infections—they don’t repair modified files. After a clean install, re-scan your backup with all current files before moving or installing anything. Once everything is verified, reinstall the system.
I understand you're facing a tough issue with your computer. It sounds like you've tried cleaning up malware and ads, but nothing seems to work. You also mentioned having DayGlo files and needing help with a Windows reinstall, which isn't something I can guide on directly. If you need advice on backing up data or removing those files, let me know and I can suggest steps. Otherwise, consider reaching out to a tech support service for further assistance.
You’re dealing with W10? It seems from GoodBytes’ advice that if the system files are damaged, you should reformat your hard drives instead of just reinstalling W10 through the settings menu. Yes, you’ll need a DVD containing an OS image, but that’s quite manageable. Just insert the DVD, run POST, skip UEFI, and pick the correct boot drive from the installation screen—provided you have a valid Windows 8 or newer activation key. Malwarebytes or other antivirus tools might only mask the problem, not fully eliminate it (depending on the malware involved).