Plea for help: any techno-savvy folks reading?

[doyle]

Writing this on my dad's PC as my laptop's internet access has given up the ghost.

The good news: I worked out the problems I've been having all week was some sort of spyware screwing up my net connection.

The bad news: in trying to fix it, I've managed to completely wreck the connection. Before I could at least sometimes use MSN and email, now even when I get connected it's just this error message:

The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'mail.exitseraphim.net', Server: 'mail.exitseraphim.net', Protocol: POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

I've done system restore, didn't work. The spyware's gone. Can anybody help?

Comments

[flyergirl.livejournal.com]

A. That could possibly be a problem with your ISP, but if your Dad's computer is fine then that's probably not it. I did a quick search on Google for that error and it sounds like something is blocking the needed ports, possibly Spyware or a hacker.

B. Do you have a firewall? If those settings aren't right it can block connections.

C. Try 1 or both of Ad-Aware or Spybot (beware, make sure if you dl Spybot that you get it from the maker's site. There are apparently hacked copies out there with Spyware on them).

D. DL HijackThis and post your log file. Someone should be able to look at it and see if there is anything malicious affecting your comp.