Steps to Remove Apropos Spyware
The symptoms of Apropos spyware are:
blank device manager
emtpy device manager
modem doesn't work
blank Network connections
emtpy Network connections
blank Printers and Faxes menu
empty printers and Faxes menu
These symptoms can also be the symptoms of a couple of other problems that we will detail in this guide.This spyware is also known as spyware.apropos.c and spyware.apropos.b. More likely you have the .c variant as it is a current problem. The description of spyware.apropos.c is a spyware that installs several programs that link to Web sites and then it sends information. It utilizes rootkit techniques to hide its presence on compromised computers.
Affected Operating Systems:
Windows XP Home Edition
Windows XP Professional Edition
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows NT
Windows ME
Windows 98
Step 1
Backup any important data. Imaging your drive would be wise. (removing spyware and viruses MAY cause data loss!!!)
A great program for backing up your entire drive is
Acronis True Image 11.0 Trial
If you haven't already completed Step 2-7, do so now.
Step 2
Follow the
Tutorial for SpySweeper
Step 3
Follow the
Tutorial for Ad-Aware
Step 4
Follow the
Tutorial for Spybot
Step 5
Follow the
Tutorial for Microsoft Windows Defender
Step 6
Follow the
Tutorial for Ewido Security Suite
Step 7
Run Online Virus Scanner
Trend Micro then after it is finished. Reboot
Step 8
Reenable Plug and Play Service
There is a good chance this may be your problem, if this makes your blank Device Manager become populated, then you are done and this was your fix.
Step 9
You must be logged on as a local administrator before you begin:
1. Go to "Start", "Run", and enter "regedt32" then click "ok"
2. Maximize the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" window.
3. Scroll down to "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum"
4. With "Enum" selected click the "Security", "Permissions" menu.
Note: At this point you will probably notice there are no permissions on this key.
5. Click "Add".
6. Add the group "Everyone" and the user "SYSTEM".
7. Select "Everyone" and check "Read" ONLY!
8. Select "SYSTEM" and check "Full Control" and make sure "Read" is checked as well.
9. Click the "Advanced" button at the bottom of the window.
10. On the Advanced window check "Replace permissions entries on all child objects..."
11. Click "OK"
12. On the window giving the warning click "Yes"
13. Close out of REGEDT32 and reboot
If Device manager is no longer blank/empty, then this fixed your problem and you are done!
Step 10
Download the repair tool,
Apropos Fix. You will save this and then extract it to a location of your choice. This tool MUST be run in
Safemode. You will then run the "RunThis.bat" file in whatever folder you extracted this to.
Step 11
Download and install newest version of
Firefox (a replacement for Internet Explorer). Firefox has a much better track record as far as security goes. It is updated more often and there are less attacks against Firefox. The odds of you getting spyware again after using Firefox are MUCH less likely. Which is due to Firefox not supporting ActiveX and less attacks being developed against the browser itself.
Download Firefox from the link below!
Step 12
Get yourself a virusscanner! We recommend NOD32 if you need JUST a virus scanner and if you need a firewall AND a virusscanner we highly recommend Kaspersky. NEVER run more than one firewall or virus scanner at a time.
Please Email us if you find errors in our Tutorials or have problems.
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