Solved Download-4-Free Bundle

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Hi all I got a Acer 7720G running win 8.1 32 bit and it would seem I've used download-4-free three times, but I haven't I used it once, when I tried to uninstall it tried to uninstall three items, but even clicking uninstall them all the download-4-free still there wont uninstall


looked it up online and says its a parasite application doing lots of nasty things to my newly installed 8.1 windows, also I've noticed my laptop has slowed down and I had trouble posting here

PS the programme I downloaded was Microsoft Security Essentials that know where to be seen but is in uninstall list
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
PS the programme I downloaded was Microsoft Security Essentials that know where to be seen but is in uninstall list

Do you have a link to that site?
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
Windows should have come with it's own security program installed (Defender). I also notice this on the side of the page:

This offering is not affiliated or endorsed by Microsoft Corporation - official makers of Microsoft Security Essentials 4.5.0216.0

When obtaining software, it's a good idea in any case to make sure it comes from the vendors site, being that if you d/l it from another host site, they may add unwanted extras (toolsbars, viruses, etc.)

Right now you should d/l these 2 programs & run them to weed out any possible malware.

Malwarebytes, the free version will work fine, when installation is complete, be sure to uncheck the box marked "Start free premium trial." Then do a full system scan

https://www.malwarebytes.org/antimalware/

Next run AdwCleaner.

AdwCleaner Download

Be sure to make backups of all important/personal files as some malware can damage operating system files & leave them unusable.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    It's a Dell, Dude.
    CPU
    Intel Caffinated Core Duo
    Motherboard
    Father is bored too.
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia something-or-another
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" HD TV/Monitor/Alternative Dimensional Viewing Portal
    Screen Resolution
    Fuzzy after a couple drinks
    Hard Drives
    2 or 3, depending on if it's a night they're arguing about having a "split personality crisis" because I partitioned the drive.
    Case
    Don't get on my case....man
    Cooling
    Scotch on the rocks on the weekends..
    Keyboard
    Mad Catz Cyborg V7. Or maybe Cyborg Catz Are Mad At V7's??? I know it lights up...far out.
    Mouse
    currently being stalked by the cat...
    Internet Speed
    Never fast enough...
    Browser
    Defeated by Mario...wait...OH...BRowser...
    Antivirus
    Various
Basically Microsoft Security Essentials was good up to Windows 7 and was replaced by Windows Defender that is already built into Windows 8.

Suggest you select a restore point earlier to when you started to play with this.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
If you choose to do a system restore, it would be advisable to go back 2 or 3 points past the point of infection. Some malware embeds itself in the 1st restore point where the infection occurred to survive a restore.

Where Malwarebytes is concerned, you run it from Windows. Same with AdwCleaner.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    It's a Dell, Dude.
    CPU
    Intel Caffinated Core Duo
    Motherboard
    Father is bored too.
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia something-or-another
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" HD TV/Monitor/Alternative Dimensional Viewing Portal
    Screen Resolution
    Fuzzy after a couple drinks
    Hard Drives
    2 or 3, depending on if it's a night they're arguing about having a "split personality crisis" because I partitioned the drive.
    Case
    Don't get on my case....man
    Cooling
    Scotch on the rocks on the weekends..
    Keyboard
    Mad Catz Cyborg V7. Or maybe Cyborg Catz Are Mad At V7's??? I know it lights up...far out.
    Mouse
    currently being stalked by the cat...
    Internet Speed
    Never fast enough...
    Browser
    Defeated by Mario...wait...OH...BRowser...
    Antivirus
    Various
Well..., I ran that link and no, it's not an official link!
It didn't install anything, (to my knowledge at the time), but my machine went 'squirrely' for a few minutes!
System Restore spent a lot of time restoring the Registry so, I don't know; I would take all the precautions you can and stay away from suspicious links!
Best of luck.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 7 Home Premium
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavillion
  • PC2
    Tablet - Windows 10 Home
the only system restore point I got is from two days ago critical update ? think that's when I went from 8 to 8.1
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
When you were looking at the restore points, did you check the Show More Restore Points at the bottom left part of the screen?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
When you were looking at the restore points, did you check the Show More Restore Points at the bottom left part of the screen?

don't get them options even tried to print screen to show u but all programme folders are empty so couldn't use paint
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
This is the screen I am talking about:

Untitled.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
did the system restore it worked but still got the infection or what ever its so scanned with Malwarebytes this program found about eight things currently quarantined but not deleted

Adwcleaner as far as I can tell didn't find much have got log of what it find though


Still got and can not uninstall download-4-free thing
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
How far back did you restore? It's possible you didn't restore back far enough before the point of infection. If you went to the 1st restore point, then go back to the 2nd or 3rd one & see if this yields any results.

Before attempting another restore, please run this tool. There is a possibility of a rootkit, which a system restore does not fix.

TDSSKiller Download

When launching the tool, click the "change parameters" text & click the box next to "Detect TDLFS file system". Then run the scan.

Also, you may wish to boot into safe mode & run Malwarebytes again. As for the infections in quarantine, you may delete those if you wish. As long as they are in quarantine, they are isolated from the OS.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2757-safe-mode-start-windows-8-a.html

If the tool does not find any infection, then restore to a earlier time to see if that fixes it. If not, you have the option of running a refresh or a reset. Please read the tutorials on both of these options.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    It's a Dell, Dude.
    CPU
    Intel Caffinated Core Duo
    Motherboard
    Father is bored too.
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia something-or-another
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" HD TV/Monitor/Alternative Dimensional Viewing Portal
    Screen Resolution
    Fuzzy after a couple drinks
    Hard Drives
    2 or 3, depending on if it's a night they're arguing about having a "split personality crisis" because I partitioned the drive.
    Case
    Don't get on my case....man
    Cooling
    Scotch on the rocks on the weekends..
    Keyboard
    Mad Catz Cyborg V7. Or maybe Cyborg Catz Are Mad At V7's??? I know it lights up...far out.
    Mouse
    currently being stalked by the cat...
    Internet Speed
    Never fast enough...
    Browser
    Defeated by Mario...wait...OH...BRowser...
    Antivirus
    Various
How far back did you restore? It's possible you didn't restore back far enough before the point of infection. If you went to the 1st restore point, then go back to the 2nd or 3rd one & see if this yields any results.

Before attempting another restore, please run this tool. There is a possibility of a rootkit, which a system restore does not fix.

TDSSKiller Download

When launching the tool, click the "change parameters" text & click the box next to "Detect TDLFS file system". Then run the scan.

Also, you may wish to boot into safe mode & run Malwarebytes again. As for the infections in quarantine, you may delete those if you wish. As long as they are in quarantine, they are isolated from the OS.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2757-safe-mode-start-windows-8-a.html

If the tool does not find any infection, then restore to a earlier time to see if that fixes it. If not, you have the option of running a refresh or a reset. Please read the tutorials on both of these options.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

I only had one restore point two days ago and I don't have that option to see earlier ones like post above just nothing there left hand side or anywhere. I haven't got paint anymore so I cant print screen to show u working on that one though, just tried to refresh windows failed both times at about 8%, ill try resetting
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
above that is a photo of screen at system restore even my old 2 restore points gone now had to create that one to get it on screen
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
I booted from installation media and choose troubleshoot, reset, unfortunately reset failed at 3%, then restore my system also failed, left with nothing but reinstall, I booted again from media and this time reset worked I now have a virtually new install of win 8.1 in know time at all !!!, just ran malwarebytes no issues plus know installed programs, so good bye download-4-free, and ill more careful from now on, but I ask u this how do these people sleep at night ? ........ PS thanks every one who helped
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    win 8 pro
but I ask u this how do these people sleep at night ?

With one eye open...LOL

But seriously, glad you got it sorted. Please be sure to mark the thread as solved.

Keeping your PC free of malware requires constant vigilance on your part. Make sure all updates are applied, do regular scans with your Anti Malware & Anti Virus. (Run Malwarebytes regularly, you will need to update the definitions manually unless you pay for the premium package.) Be careful of what software you d/l & where you get it from. For example, Windows Defender as well as the Malicious Software Removal Tool should only be d/l ed from the Microsoft site.

Other programs that can help you keep your PC virus free:

https://www.malwarebytes.org/antiexploit/

If you run Firefox, NoScript can block exploits in the background of a web page from running.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript/

D/L TDSSKiller again & run it regularly to make sure no rootkits invade your system.

And you may want to consider making a system image in case this happens down the road. It's best to keep it on an external Hard Drive/Flash drive. Keep 2 or 3 made at different points in reserve in case you accidentally make one that has malware, that way you have a earlier, clean image to fall back on.

A system image is an exact copy of a drive. By default, a system image only includes the drives required for Windows 8 to run, and also Windows 8 and your system settings, programs, and files. You could also select to include any other drive in the system image as well. When you restore your computer from a system image, it's a complete restoration; you can't choose individual items to restore, and all of your current programs, system settings, and files are replaced with the contents of the system image.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/8956-system-image-create-windows-8-a.html


 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Win 7 32, Win 7 64 Pro, Win 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    It's a Dell, Dude.
    CPU
    Intel Caffinated Core Duo
    Motherboard
    Father is bored too.
    Memory
    4 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia something-or-another
    Monitor(s) Displays
    24" HD TV/Monitor/Alternative Dimensional Viewing Portal
    Screen Resolution
    Fuzzy after a couple drinks
    Hard Drives
    2 or 3, depending on if it's a night they're arguing about having a "split personality crisis" because I partitioned the drive.
    Case
    Don't get on my case....man
    Cooling
    Scotch on the rocks on the weekends..
    Keyboard
    Mad Catz Cyborg V7. Or maybe Cyborg Catz Are Mad At V7's??? I know it lights up...far out.
    Mouse
    currently being stalked by the cat...
    Internet Speed
    Never fast enough...
    Browser
    Defeated by Mario...wait...OH...BRowser...
    Antivirus
    Various
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