[Barefoot]

I recently downloaded a computer program from the Internet called Fix Cleaner (I was trying to find a solution to a computer problem I was having and this promised a free fix.) OK, I fell for it. It didn't fix my problem, and now it persists in sticking around and popping up all the time and trying to sell me stuff. By now, you can tell that I do NOT know my way around computers.
How do I uninstall Fix Cleaner? When I go to "Uninstall Programs" and click on Fix leaner, and on "uninstall", I get the message "preparing to remove". Then I get a message "Do you want to allow the following program to update software on this computer?" And this question is coming from a program called Slimware Utilities Inc. There are two boxes I can click, and if I click on No, it just takes me back to the control panel. I'm afraid to click on Yes because I think the program will not get embedded deeper. Fix Cleaner is 45.7 MB, and so is Slimware Utilities. They obviously were downloaded as a package and I can't get rid of Fix Cleaner without Slimware Utilities popping up. Slimware Utilities Inc. does not show up as a program so I can't uninstall it.

Yikes, what have I done? And before you tell me to never, ever download free programs from the Internet, I have now learned my lesson!!

[PylutDood]

"Restoring" the system to an earlier time before you downloaded the program.

It's a tool called "System Restore" and it can be accessed from the tools menu.

You may need to back up other newly created files first depending on what system your using. It will prompt you to do so or it may just do it itself.

Hope this helps
Dave

[cybermuda]

Firstly, back up any important data you have on your computer - on to a CD or memory stick. That way, if the worst happens while trying to uninstall, you will at least be able to reconfigure your computer

You may have to then bite the bullet and click on "Yes" - a lot of programs ask this when uninstalling so it may not be malicious


Once you have successfully uninstalled, I suggest you download CCleaner and run that - it is a free and well-behaved program that I have used on several computers over the years and does a good clean up job

[Bogie Shooter]

I did a Google search on your problem software.......and almost was tricked into downloading it myself. Them folks are dangerous!

[uujudy]

Originally Posted by cybermuda

. . . I suggest you download CCleaner and run that - it is a free and well-behaved program that I have used on several computers over the years and does a good clean up job

Bare, the webmaster for our Thursday watercolor class visited us last week and highly recommended CCleaner or Cleanup. I haven't downloaded either of them yet, but maybe they'll help me remove the d***ed Ask dot com that mysteriously installed itself as my search engine.

[salpal]

Bare,

Did you completely unload/exit FixCleaner before trying to uninstall it? According to answers.microsoft.com that has to be done first.

[schotzyb]

I agree on System Restore. If you know the exact day you downloaded those programs then do a system restore to a few days prior to that day and you should be fine.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by PylutDood

"Restoring" the system to an earlier time before you downloaded the program. It's a tool called "System Restore" and it can be accessed from the tools menu. You may need to back up other newly created files first depending on what system your using. It will prompt you to do so or it may just do it itself. Hope this helps Dave

YAY, thank you Dave, I restored my system to the beginning of August and FixCleaner is gone, I hope forever. I didn't back anything up because I don't know how. But I don't use my computer for anything other than e-mail, TOTV and internet shopping, so I thought I'd be OK.

Originally Posted by cybermuda

Once you have successfully uninstalled, I suggest you download CCleaner and run that - it is a free and well-behaved program that I have used on several computers over the years and does a good clean up job

Thanks for the suggestion Cybermuda and uuJudy ...where or how would I find CCleaner?

------------------------------

Another question .... from time to time I get messages from the little gnome that lives inside my computer. Messages like "Windows wants to update your computer" or "Java wants to update your computer". Is it safe to accept these updates?

[red tail]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

YAY, thank you Dave, I restored my system to the beginning of August and FixCleaner is gone, I hope forever. I didn't back anything up because I don't know how. But I don't use my computer for anything other than e-mail, TOTV and internet shopping, so I thought I'd be OK.



Thanks for the suggestion Cybermuda and uuJudy ...where or how would I find CCleaner?

------------------------------

Another question .... from time to time I get messages from the little gnome that lives inside my computer. Messages like "Windows wants to update your computer" or "Java wants to update your computer". Is it safe to accept these updates?

yes and yes

[rjm1cc]

[QUOTE=Barefoot;380334]YAY, : I didn't back anything up because I don't know how. But I don't use my computer for anything

On windows 7 and probably Vista and XE go to the lower left hand corner and click on the windows logo. In the search box type backup. You should see something like back up your computer. Read the help fields. This will let you make a recover disk for the computer or back up t a remote drive.
Look at making a bookable backup disk. If your computer will not work you would use this.

[aljetmet]

Barefoot,

Glad to see system restore worked for you. Based on how you use your PC, it should have worked. I have little success as I am a heaver user creating lot's of large files it has hardly worked for me.

[cybermuda]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

where or how would I find CCleaner?

:

http://www.piriform.com/Ccleaner/download

scroll down and click on "Download from Piriform.com"

[collie1228]

I've used Ccleaner for a few years now and I swear by it. It's a quick scan and seems to speed up my computer after the scan. I generally run it once a week. Excellent free software package.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by cybermuda

http://www.piriform.com/Ccleaner/download

scroll down and click on "Download from Piriform.com"

OK, thank you Cybermuda, I just clicked on the link provided and downloaded Ccleaner per instructions. I asked it to run, and it is saying "This process will permanently delete files from your system." Do I dare proceed? How does it know what to delete? Can I trust it?

I know the same amount about computers that I know about quantum physics.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

OK, thank you Cybermuda, I just clicked on the link provided and downloaded Ccleaner per instructions. I asked it to run, and it is saying "This process will permanently delete files from your system." Do I dare proceed? How does it know what to delete? Can I trust it?

I know the same amount about computers that I know about quantum physics.

I've used CCleaner for years and always allow it to delete the files it discovers. I've not had any problems subsequent to doing that, so I believe it doesn't include files that are important to the system.

Another valuable part of CCleaner is the startup tab under Tools. Often installed programs put a line in the startup routine that load something when the computer is turned on. These programs add up and can slow down the computer startup. CCleaner allows me to determine which files will load on startup. In your case, it may be important to check to see if the rogue program has inserted a line in the startup routine that will automatically download and run it again. Since the system restore to an earlier date seems to have solved the problem, that possibility is lessened, but still worth checking.