I made a mistake

If i could see this thread here before, i wouldn't do such stupid thing! I clicked the adf.ly links!!!!!And right now, my Chrome is so so so slow!! And my homepage is somehow changed to adf.ly and many ads flood the Chrome!!!!!! I did a google "adf.ly" on another laptop and got some pages describing adf.ly issue as mine. Can you show me how to solve this problem?

 

Uninstall Chrome from your computer and start using Mozilla Firefox.

 

Or this is what I did when my step-son's Chrome got infected. I uninstalled it, ran CCleaner, restarted the laptop and installed Chrome again.

 

perhaps not because of the link

 

You just clicked the link and got virus infected without install anything?
If many ads flood the Chrome, your Chrome got infected. But it’s usually happens when installing a program/application.
Try to uninstall the Chrome, download new Chrome and then installed. Hopefully, your problem is solved.

 

Try installing adwcleaner... works like a charm for such issues!

 

Run Kaspersky Rescue disk - free to download. It can be used either via burning it to a CD/DVD, or using the link found here: http://www.ghacks.net/2010/09/02/make-a-bootable-usb-kaspersky-rescue-disk-10/, create a bootable USB if you do not have a CD-ROM drive on your computer.
You boot from the media, run through the scan (after updating - it usually finds the most common wifi-connections, but you might have to connect with a network-cable to get Internet) and you should be fine. You might have to do some manual cleaning of Chrome afterwards, like redo the home page and such, but that are minor inconveniences.
I would also suggest running Malwarebyttes Anti-Malware Kit (the free version is more than good enough).

 

I can't show you how to solve it before I know the issue. It sounds like malware/adware. First run a full scan with anti-virus, then one for adware. I recommend spybot search and destroy, been using it for as long as it has existed, and it works quite fine. You can also do quite an easy check, which might even fix the problem without the other steps: open chrome, go to options-settings-extensions and disable everything if necessary.

I had a similar issue not too long ago. Bought this brand new Alienware computer for quarter of the list price, wondered why the guy sold it for so cheap, but soon found out there was adware or virus in the computer. It kept popping up random ads here and there. I removed the extensions, changed home pages, run virus scans and everything else...in fact, the virus was removed a handful of times but always managed to re-install itself. I finally tracked it to both scheduled events(easy to remove) and recycle bin. The recycle bin was a true pain in the ass as the file was hidden in some folder, backup copy inside it and was invisible until I made a completely thorough check. On the other hand, I think the guy sold the computer so cheap because he was unable to remove it himself.

 

I buy cheap laptops. I Keep all my files in a USB.
When it starts running slow I buy a new Lap top.

Most everything I do on the net I use one of my apple devices that don't seem to to get boogered up.

 

Why the blazingly hell didn't you just do a clean reinstall? Or, better yet, why didn't the SELLER do a clean reinstall before selling the computer? Security? What is that?

 

As I discovered the original windows discs didn't come with the laptop. Also at the point I noticed the issue I already had the computer set up the way I want it. For me the easier solution, or the one with less hassle, was just getting rid of the virus. Doing a clean re-install would also require doing backup copies of all my files. Which, yes, I should do all the time anyways...

 

Okay... first off, all modern laptops come with a built-in factory recovery system. If it's not present, the computer has been modified / reformatted / reinstalled already, using non-original software. Second, having user-files on the same drive as the OS is just not smart. That makes it a lot harder to do a clean install. Just create another partition and keep all user-files and downloads there. Completely seamless if you modify the built-in libraries in Windows.
Problem is that if your computer has been infected, you never know if it's completely clean or not. Granted, you don't really know that even just after installing Windows, but the chances then is pretty slim.

 

I know, that is why simply removing the virus is easier than 'redoing' the whole computer. I prefer cds instead of built-in recovery system for the simple reason that both can fail, the second one with disastrous results. I wasn't sure if all the installed software was available through that method either. It's not a matter which is the better or cleaner solution, but which one is easier and less time consuming. In any case I would have needed to run a full scan after re-install, and repeat the steps I took in the first place.

As for keeping files at the same drive, it doesn't make much difference to me. There is nothing that I cannot afford to completely lose anyways. In any case, I know the options I have and had, I just usually go with the way of least effort in these. Also: if it's not broken, don't fix it. Even if that means holding it together with a piece of gum and some duct tape. My last laptop had a failing hard drive, but instead of buying an new one I just filled part of the drive with downloads that I didn't delete or use: that way the computer wouldn't use the 'broken' parts(no idea how this tehcnically worked, or if there is even any correlation...but it worked in use).