# The Daily Spyware Gripe **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 24, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300 "2004-08-24T17:39:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/1 "2004-08-24T17:39:24Z")
I ran SpybotSD recently and cleared up a lot of junk. Unfortunately, whenever my computer starts up now, it gives me an error message. This message says it’s looking for a file in some folder called ‘WildTangent,’ but can’t find it. I assume it has been removed by Spybot. How can I stop it from trying to find its lost brother, though? ---
**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:** [August 24, 2004, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/2 "2004-08-24T17:54:27Z")
There’s probably a registry entry left. Hijackthis will let you see what might be causing the problem. Make a note of exactly what the message says, then download and run hijackthis. Click on 'Scan" and look for the entry you wrote down. Put a check mark beside it and click on “Fix checked.” ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/3 "2004-08-24T18:59:46Z")
Up at the top of this page is a sticky post with a link to the spyware forums. I highly recomend these guys. I had a bad hijacker that was fricken Jason Voorhees it came back after being deleted so many times. I posted a hijack this log and an about blaster log and someone who knows what he is doing gave me easy to follow, step by step instructions on what to do. After doing that they follow up with with another look at my logs to make sure I was clean. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/4 "2004-08-24T19:44:08Z")
You can also run MSConfig (Start \> Run \> type “msconfig” \> OK) to see if you’ve got a lingering entry under the Startup tab. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/5 "2004-08-24T20:04:01Z")
WildTangent is on my computer… it’s software that came with my video card. Restore it (if you haven’t deleted the backup already). It’s not spyware. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/6 "2004-08-24T20:09:12Z")
[Look Here](http://www.spyany.com/program/article_spw_rm_WildTangent.html) WildTangent is a plugin for online gaming similar to Macromedia’s flash. It is used for 3D online and offline games that play in the web browser. The program will share your name, address, email address, phone number, and other information. Collects system configuration information such as your computer’s CPU speed, video card configuration, and DirectX version. Collects product usage information such as the number of product launches and time spent using a product. WildTangent can retrieve and install additional software. It will deliver advertisments to your computer when you are playing the game. It explains which keys you need to remove : HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run In the right pane, find and delete the following entries ( if they exists): wcmdmgr wt gamechannel ddcm ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-daily-spyware-gripe/261300/7 "2004-08-24T20:10:08Z")
Correction: not with my video card, with my HP PC. > [@](#): > > from [http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/wildtangent/index.phtmlOverview](http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/library/wildtangent/index.phtmlOverview) > WildTangent is an online gaming plugin bundle from [Wildtangent.com](http://Wildtangent.com), containing the WildTangent Web Driver, WildTangent Multiplayer Library, WildTangent Updater and WildTangent GameChannel. WildTangent is downloaded as a standard setup .exe file or installed by an activeX control from the vendor’s web site. WildTangent is also bundled with Games from WildTangent and some WinAmp plugins. Some Internet Service providers such as Verizon and Bellsouth install the WildTangent software. Some desktops from HP comes with WildTangent installed. AOL Instant Messenger 5.5 bundled WildTangent Multiplayer Library, Updater and WebDriver without any notice in the End User License Agreement.