Pop-ups driving me nuts !

[xerostar]

Recently I started getting a lot of pop-up ads on every page I visit. They almost cover the whole screen, so reading any news or even typing this becomes almost impossible. Clicking on the "x" to close them or clicking on the scroll bar usually results in even more of the ridiculous attempts to get my attention. They are usually named as "Dragon Branch" ads.

I've got both paid versions of Malwarebytes and Avast but they don't help. A scan will find the offending PUPs responsible but then you have to reboot to complete the cleaning process. No sooner you're back into Google and they are back with a vengeance!

I found the pests reside in this area: C:\users\John\appdata\local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\local storage

https ..etc. If I delete all user data it stops them for a short while. The google settings doesn't work either.

Anybody got a fix for this scourge!

[RichCor]

What browser extensions are you using?

Have you used settings / advanced settings Reset Browser?

Have you made sure your Router and Computer are using either your ISP Issued or Google Public DNS entries?

[Thongkorn]

down load the free pop up blocker it works ,

[wooloomooloo]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

[russ1]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

Nice to see Steve Jobs is alive and well. Not everybody wants a Mac if you are a gamer a Mac is useless.

To the OP download Spybot search and destroy, it usually finds more malware than Malwarebytes. Also do what Richcor says.

Have to tried other browsers are they also infected?

[Digitalbanana]

Has the O/P tried solutions suggested by Google search of Dragon Branch adware removal?

Did the o/p previously install some freeware that infected the system?

I notice Spyhunter adware removal tool pops up as a solution from Google search, but as I haven't had this problem so not tried. Did previously have a similar 555 adware pest that I solved in similar way (Google search) and ended up using several tools inc Adware removal tool to clean my PC. These nuisances usually infect you when downloading freeware installations from spam sites. Avast and Malware don't stop them, nor due to Adblock addons to browsers.

[MJKT2014]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

That'll be like I send the wife out to buy some orange fruit and she comes back with apples. I don't want apples I want oranges. When I want apples I'll ask for them.

[ThaidDown]

For the '555', 'Baidu' , 'Dragon Branch' and similar types of malware a good approach is to remove recently installed but unknown/oddly named programs, run AdwCleaner, run Malwarebytes and then check with Hitmanpro.

Malwaretips site often gives useful info. For specific 'Dragon Branch' removal got to http://malwaretips.com/blogs/ads-by-dragon-branch-removal/

Note... perform at least the first three recommended steps, do not stop after the first one if the problem appears to go away.

No guarantees of course.

[Chicog]

And try resetting your browser.

[JetsetBkk]

For the '555', 'Baidu' , 'Dragon Branch' and similar types of malware a good approach is to remove recently installed but unknown/oddly named programs, run AdwCleaner, run Malwarebytes and then check with Hitmanpro.

Malwaretips site often gives useful info. For specific 'Dragon Branch' removal got to http://malwaretips.com/blogs/ads-by-dragon-branch-removal/

Note... perform at least the first three recommended steps, do not stop after the first one if the problem appears to go away.

No guarantees of course.

And do a "system image" type backup first, just in case the MalwareTips site's tips remove stuff that you actually need, as it did to me once.

[cooked]

Try Googling 'DNS flush' and doing what it says. Worked for me.

[wooloomooloo]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

Nice to see Steve Jobs is alive and well. Not everybody wants a Mac if you are a gamer a Mac is useless.

To the OP download Spybot search and destroy, it usually finds more malware than Malwarebytes. Also do what Richcor says.

Have to tried other browsers are they also infected?

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

That'll be like I send the wife out to buy some orange fruit and she comes back with apples. I don't want apples I want oranges. When I want apples I'll ask for them.

Sounds like most of your internet existence is spent hunting down viruses and malware.

No worries, so was mine. Got to be bit of an expert at it. Then I realised that it didn't have to be like that and I should get back to doing what I bought the computer for and that was, erm, computing.

Totally agree with PC gaming, but the PC really needs to be totally dedicated to that function and not corrupted with everyday internet usage. I was never a PC gamer myself, but do have an Xbox One which is obviously dedicated. You see where I'm coming from.

I now spend my time doing the things that I enjoy. Never clean, never chase down viruses. In fact I enjoy the occasional OS X update as it reminds me of the pain that Windoze updates caused me.

I don't envy your internet existence.

Happy surfing.

[topt]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

Isn't that an oxymoron bearing in mind Apples prices - "once I saved my cash and went for an iMac."

And you are hardly saving money buying all the rest of the kit as well.....................

[wooloomooloo]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

Isn't that an oxymoron bearing in mind Apples prices - "once I saved my cash and went for an iMac."

And you are hardly saving money buying all the rest of the kit as well.....................

You can take or leave my advice at your leisure.

My set up is pretty complete.

I might be playing music over AirPlay and receive a call and the music mutes and I take the call on my iPhone. Or I might ignore the phone and take it over the Mac. Or reply by iMessage or SMS from my Mac.

That's just for starters and I upgrade as and when.

Resale value is high for Apple products so will get a good price for my iMac. I'll purchase a 5K screen next and the outlay is negligible now I'm on the ladder.

If you don't splash out occasionally you'll never have anything nice.

[NeverSure]

Sorry to repeat, but never experienced a recurrence of these problems once I saved my cash and went for an iMac.

I subsequently invested in an Apple Time Capsule, Apple TV, iPad Air and some serious fibre optic broadband and life has been remarkably uncomplicated ever since. I already owned an iPhone.

True internet heaven, I tell thee.

Up to you.

I'm glad that you aren't obnoxious in the way so many people are.

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You have your very own way of being obnoxious.

[phazey]

Sounds like a Chrome extension to me - if you're using Chrome.....

[MAJIC]

What gets me is:no matter what I search for (like on Ebay) the different ads come up exactly,if I search for a holiday or Hotel,there it is,exactly as the ad. I know some web sites earn their money from hits,but has it really got this sophisticated or that much of a nuisance. In order to clear the ad from the user interface line of vision,it's necessary to shut at least one ad down!

What can I do to get rid of this garbage?

[2fishin2]

There is a setting in your browser options to turn off pop ups. Find it and turn it on and do a DNS flush

[xerostar]

As suggested I Googled "Remove Dragon Branch Ads"

I installed SpyHunter4

It found 89 infections by 19 different companies

took 1.5 hours to process 2.1 million files in 179 Gb of disk space

I clicked the button "fix threats"

Then I Was invited to pay US$39.99.

It hadn't mentioned a price until then (sneaky)

Plus with a purchase you are tied into an automatic debit !

So I filled in the form, all credit card details and click purchase

then a note says

"processing network unavailable" !!

It really makes you wonder if this is just another scam like Ad Block?

Now I'm looking for a better solution (cheaper too)

[2fishin2]

AVG free

[2fishin2]

Did you do a DNS flush?

[AlexRRR]

Hitman pro did it for me, free trail period but in the end had to buy it a few months later they hit me again.

As for the Mac man in heaven, I'm 90% Apple too but do keep a windows laptop going for a game, you can rest assured malware will stick it self to your browser one day, happened to me on my iMac after much frustration i paid for a malware removal app and that did the trick.

[Tywais]

Posts removed due to this forum rule:

25) No public discussion is allowed with regard to advertisements or sponsors, or methods of blocking advertisements.

[Digitalbanana]

As suggested I Googled "Remove Dragon Branch Ads" I installed SpyHunter4 It found 89 infections by 19 different companies took 1.5 hours to process 2.1 million files in 179 Gb of disk space I clicked the button "fix threats" Then I Was invited to pay US$39.99. It hadn't mentioned a price until then (sneaky) Plus with a purchase you are tied into an automatic debit ! So I filled in the form, all credit card details and click purchase then a note says "processing network unavailable" !! It really makes you wonder if this is just another scam like Ad Block? Now I'm looking for a better solution (cheaper too)

That sucks on paying. I wouldn't pay a cent. Check out this link, offers TWO solutions, a. Manual (free) or b. Spyhunter (not free?).

http://pc-besthelper.com/how-to-remove-dragon-branch-adware-step-by-step-removal-instructions/

Proviso. I haven't got a PC with the said malware, so haven't tested this myself, but would if I did!

Edited May 15, 2015 by Digitalbanana

[wooloomooloo]

You have your very own way of being obnoxious.

Thanks for the compliment.

[kekalot]

Sounds like most of your internet existence is spent hunting down viruses and malware.

No worries, so was mine. Got to be bit of an expert at it. Then I realised that it didn't have to be like that and I should get back to doing what I bought the computer for and that was, erm, computing.

Totally agree with PC gaming, but the PC really needs to be totally dedicated to that function and not corrupted with everyday internet usage. I was never a PC gamer myself, but do have an Xbox One which is obviously dedicated. You see where I'm coming from.

I now spend my time doing the things that I enjoy. Never clean, never chase down viruses. In fact I enjoy the occasional OS X update as it reminds me of the pain that Windoze updates caused me.

I don't envy your internet existence.

Happy surfing.

i'm sorry to say but the issues came from your lack of technical knowledge, not from the platform.

it's people who install random garbage who end up with popups and all that junk

I installed Chrome/Firefox, AdBlock Plus and AVG Free and absolutely NEVER see any silly popups or trash like this

I did the SAME on a computer I left my dad and his girlfriend more than a year ago and they are both very behind technically (computer illiterate) and it's still working fine and never had popups or junk.. I came back this year and had to fix absolutely nothing..

want to know why? because he doesn't even know how to install "free" software that comes with a lot of junk

users install junk, not windows itself.

and trust me, I do more with my computer than you or other casual users do..

how I know? because you are on a Mac

this post nothing to do with hating on Macs, just sayin'

edit: Original Install Date: 1 December 2012, 1:48:13 PM and this PC has never been compromised.

Edited May 17, 2015 by kekalot

[WorriedNoodle]

These Apple fan boys are almost like malware themselves. Poking their nose in threads offering no help whatsoever.