# Gator Spyware refuses to leave **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301 "2004-02-09T17:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/1 "2004-02-09T17:58:26Z")
I have a bunch of Gator files on my computer, which seem to be spyware. I can’t delete them - they give me a “disk full or protected” error when I try to dump them in the Recycle bin, and my AdAware software can’t scrub them out either. Anybody know how to get these off your computer? They are spyware files, not something I need to run my Windows 98 OS, right? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/2 "2004-02-09T18:10:08Z")
I would try first downloading and running [Spybot Search and Destroy.](http://www.safer-networking.org/) It’s like AdAware, but can find things it misses. I run both just to be safe. Secondly, you probably can’t delete them because they are currently in use. After running Spybot, it will probably give you a message saying not all componats could be removed, and ask you if you want to run on startup, click yes, and reboot. It will run before anything else loads on your PC (aside from Windows.) This will hopefully remove Gator. Oh, you also might want to run msconfig and check what programs are running at startup (go to start-\> run, type msconfig, click the startup tab.) If any of those either say gator, or are located in the same directory, uncheck them so they don’t run. Hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/3 "2004-02-09T18:10:49Z")
Mustn’t call Gator products “spyware.” Gator gets upset and sends out nasty lawyers. 10/22/03 [article from CNet.com](http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5095051.html) > [@](#): > > In an effort to improve its corporate reputation, adware company Gator has launched a legal offensive to divorce its name from the hated term “spyware”–and so far its strategy is paying off. > In response to a libel lawsuit, an antispyware company has settled with Gator and pulled Web pages critical of the company, its practices and its software. And other spyware foes are getting the message. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/4 "2004-02-09T21:23:03Z")
Try this link: [http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php](http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php) It’s a free service that will scan your machine and delete all spyware (And it does ask your permission before deleting anything). When I was infected with Gator, nothing seemed to work except running that scan, and that scan works like a charm! Haven’t had a problem since. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/5 "2004-02-10T01:17:52Z")
Along those lines, a friend suggested [pcpitstop.com](http://pcpitstop.com) to me and although I haven’t tried it yet (I’m a bit leery), I did look at their site and they mentioned the Gator lawsuit. I do have AdAware and use it. Is pcpitstop good or bad? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/6 "2004-02-10T04:44:05Z")
> [@Papermache Prince](#): > > Mustn’t call Gator products “spyware.” Gator gets upset and sends out nasty lawyers. 10/22/03 [article from CNet.com](http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-5095051.html) And it’s no longer Gator. Now it’s something like Claria. Just a heads-up. ---
**Author:** ![tuvazeock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@tuvazeock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuvazeock)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/7 "2004-02-10T05:14:55Z")
Are you using Kazaa? Gator comes packaged with kazaa and can cause a number of probs, aside from just being annoying. My ISP has a “fix” for when kazaa/gator is installed on a windows machine and corrupts the winsock file. Making it impossible to go online… this happens when you use something like Adaware to remove gator… it pulls something else out messing up winsock. There can also be login problems on some networked apps. If you plan on getting rid of Kazaa Gator… also look for things like Commonname and [new.net](http://new.net). kazaa lite is a good answer to Kazaa Gator 😉 Not that I dissagree with free services advertising to you, but do they have to be so pushy about it? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/8 "2004-02-10T20:35:00Z")
Okay, I downloaded and ran Spybot, and it seems to have worked. Gator doesn’t want to be called Spyware? Then maybe they shouldn’t produce products that download themselves onto peoples’ computers and not allow them to remove them when discovered. If it quacks like a duck… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/9 "2004-02-10T21:05:05Z")
Yeah, but Gator argues that the users **agreed** to install the software. It’s right there in the user agreement, about 50 paragraphs in, written in complicated legal terminology and technical terms the average user can’t even begin to understand. But they agreed to it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/10 "2004-02-10T21:43:17Z")
> [@tuvazeock](#): > > Are you using Kazaa? Gator comes packaged with kazaa and can cause a number of probs, aside from just being annoying. My ISP has a “fix” for when kazaa/gator is installed on a windows machine and corrupts the winsock file. Making it impossible to go online… this happens when you use something like Adaware to remove gator… it pulls something else out messing up winsock. There can also be login problems on some networked apps. > > If you plan on getting rid of Kazaa Gator… also look for things like Commonname and [new.net](http://new.net). > > kazaa lite is a good answer to Kazaa Gator 😉 Not that I dissagree with free services advertising to you, but do they have to be so pushy about it? IIRC (and correct me if I’m wrong) but the plug was pulled on KaZaA Lite a while ago because it infringed on the copywrites of KaZaA, go figure. ---
**Author:** ![cmurdough](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@cmurdough](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmurdough)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/11 "2004-02-11T13:51:45Z")
Experts questioned by CNN, this past weekend, recommended Spybot Search & Destroy. I’ve used it on two computers at home and four computers at work and it’s great! It’s also free, though you can donate via PayPal if you like. I’m so pleased with the results that I am going to donate, if only to help ascertain that updates remain free. Also, when you search for SpyBot on Google, the first result is for SpyKiller, and the second result is for Spy Hunter. I believe the third result is SpyBot Search & Destroy. Download the file “spybotsd12,” and the two updates “spybotsd\_includes” and “spybotsd\_tools.” With the updates, SpyBot will search for and allow you to remove over 12,000 adware/spyware/hijacker programs and immunize your computer against over 500 others. My fiance’s computer was riddled so badly with spyware and adware that she had lost control of her browser. I Googled every single running process in Windows Task Manager and deleted all the files for each that came up in a Windows search. This did not solve the problems but SpyBot S&D did, so I’m singing its praises, this week. > **[Home - Spybot Anti-Malware and Antivirus](https://www.safer-networking.org/?page=download)** > > Spybot offers a unique technology for your security. Far beyond antivirus Spybot searches and destroys unwanted software and protects your privacy. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz\_The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f17d59/32.png) [@Fritz\_The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz_The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gator-spyware-refuses-to-leave/228301/12 "2004-02-12T00:27:11Z")
It helps to install [SpywareBlaster](http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) and [Spywareguard](http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html). I use them and rarely get any thing on my machine.