Re: DANGEROUS WEBSITE: www.driverguide.com

[Li'l Abner]

jw@myplace.com wrote in news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:

> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from this
> site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the driver.
> When you try to install the download, you go thru the normal process
> of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if you want their
> toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not installing from the
> download. You must be online and it downloads the driver, and STILL
> installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used to track your usage. They
> claim this is how they pay for their site. Whether this is true or
> not, your computer is infected with spyware. DO NOT use this website.

Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find drivers
there over the years. I've never had any such side effects. I think they
have some kind of software you can download to detect devices on your
computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never installed that. I usually know
what driver I'm looking for and it's always for some other computer than my
own.

Unless this is something that has just started real recently.

--
--- Everybody has a right to my opinion. ---

[Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries]

Li'l Abner wrote:
> jw@myplace.com wrote in
> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>
>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from this
>> site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the driver.
>> When you try to install the download, you go thru the normal process
>> of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if you want their
>> toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not installing from the
>> download. You must be online and it downloads the driver, and STILL
>> installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used to track your usage.
>> They claim this is how they pay for their site. Whether this is
>> true or not, your computer is infected with spyware. DO NOT use
>> this website.
>
> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects. I
> think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
> always for some other computer than my own.
>
> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.

The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal Info":

http://members.driverguide.com/index...__zugo_removal

"We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM), your using
that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site free and we thank you
for that! We also respect your decision if you choose to remove the toolbar
and restore your previous settings. This document will help you do that. If
you have any further problems, let us know."

I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it (and
indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just installed the
DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't get a toolbar. I
expect that must be reserved for those who download the free version of the
DriverGuide Toolkit rather than the paid version.

The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being encouraged
to download will break my computer. All in all, I really think it's better
to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the manufacturer when possible.

[Dave Cohen]

On 3/11/2011 8:23 AM, Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries wrote:
> Li'l Abner wrote:
>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>
>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from this
>>> site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the driver.
>>> When you try to install the download, you go thru the normal process
>>> of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if you want their
>>> toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not installing from the
>>> download. You must be online and it downloads the driver, and STILL
>>> installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used to track your usage.
>>> They claim this is how they pay for their site. Whether this is
>>> true or not, your computer is infected with spyware. DO NOT use
>>> this website.
>>
>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects. I
>> think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
>> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
>> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
>> always for some other computer than my own.
>>
>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>
> The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal Info":
>
> http://members.driverguide.com/index...__zugo_removal
>
> "We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM), your using
> that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site free and we thank you
> for that! We also respect your decision if you choose to remove the toolbar
> and restore your previous settings. This document will help you do that. If
> you have any further problems, let us know."
>
> I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it (and
> indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just installed the
> DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't get a toolbar. I
> expect that must be reserved for those who download the free version of the
> DriverGuide Toolkit rather than the paid version.
>
> The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being encouraged
> to download will break my computer. All in all, I really think it's better
> to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the manufacturer when possible.
>
>
>
>
Well yes, don't we all. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't always see
fit to support devices from one machine update to the next. My PaperPort
Scanner for win98 cannot be used with winxp. So I got a flatbed OneTouch
7300usb but there is no support for that in Windows 7. Pity, their
products are good but I'll not get another product from Visioneer.

[Dustin]

"Li'l Abner" <blvstk@dogpatch.com> wrote in
news:Xns9EA5A5C6D5E1butter@wefb973cbe498:

> jw@myplace.com wrote in
> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>
>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not installing
>> from the download. You must be online and it downloads the driver,
>> and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used to track your
>> usage. They claim this is how they pay for their site. Whether
>> this is true or not, your computer is infected with spyware. DO
>> NOT use this website.
>
> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects.
> I think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
> always for some other computer than my own.
>
> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>

If your looking for drivers you might want to give this a try:

http://drp.su/download.htm#

I've burned it to dvd-r after installing additional driverpacks and
I've been able to use it to fresh load systems, update my own drivers,
etc; All without having to use the internet. It supports that too,
should it fail to find something you need. However, in most cases; you
don't have to hunt for any drivers anymore if you use this little
puppy.

It supports windows XP,Vista and Windows 7. I first used it to
downgrade an Acer laptop from windows 7 to Windows XP Professional
edition; after checking Acer's website and finding no drivers which
would work reliably under windows XP. Acer doesn't want you to
downgrade ya see.

It does use an executable to attach to a torrent swarm to give you the
entire package, the executable is clean; although slightly annoying.


--
If today was your last day... and tomorrow was too late...
could you say goodbye to yesterday?

[Dustin]

"Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries" <rhondaleakirk@earthling.net> wrote in
news:ild7oj$ldu$1@news.albasani.net:

> Li'l Abner wrote:
>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>
>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not
>>> installing from the download. You must be online and it downloads
>>> the driver, and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used
>>> to track your usage. They claim this is how they pay for their
>>> site. Whether this is true or not, your computer is infected with
>>> spyware. DO NOT use this website.
>>
>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects.
>> I think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
>> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
>> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
>> always for some other computer than my own.
>>
>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>
> The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal
> Info":
>
> http://members.driverguide.com/index...e=docs__help__
> zugo_removal
>
> "We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM),
> your using that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site
> free and we thank you for that! We also respect your decision if you
> choose to remove the toolbar and restore your previous settings.
> This document will help you do that. If you have any further
> problems, let us know."
>
> I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it
> (and indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just
> installed the DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't
> get a toolbar. I expect that must be reserved for those who download
> the free version of the DriverGuide Toolkit rather than the paid
> version.
>
> The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being
> encouraged to download will break my computer. All in all, I really
> think it's better to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the
> manufacturer when possible.
>
>
>
>
>

I've used driverguide off/on for years, Had my own account when it was
still completely free if you'd just signup. I never had any real
problems, one infected driver once; but I don't blame them for it. User
contributions always carry that risk.


--
If today was your last day... and tomorrow was too late...
could you say goodbye to yesterday?

[Dustin]

Dave Cohen <user@example.net> wrote in
news:ildh69$lp7$1@news.eternal-september.org:

> On 3/11/2011 8:23 AM, Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries wrote:
>> Li'l Abner wrote:
>>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>>
>>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>>>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>>>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>>>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>>>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not
>>>> installing from the download. You must be online and it
>>>> downloads the driver, and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar,
>>>> which is used to track your usage. They claim this is how they
>>>> pay for their site. Whether this is true or not, your computer
>>>> is infected with spyware. DO NOT use this website.
>>>
>>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side
>>> effects. I think they have some kind of software you can download
>>> to detect devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I
>>> never installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for
>>> and it's always for some other computer than my own.
>>>
>>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>>
>> The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal
>> Info":
>>
>> http://members.driverguide.com/index...ge=docs__help_
>> _zugo_removal
>>
>> "We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM),
>> your using that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site
>> free and we thank you for that! We also respect your decision if
>> you choose to remove the toolbar and restore your previous
>> settings. This document will help you do that. If you have any
>> further problems, let us know."
>>
>> I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it
>> (and indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just
>> installed the DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't
>> get a toolbar. I expect that must be reserved for those who
>> download the free version of the DriverGuide Toolkit rather than
>> the paid version.
>>
>> The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being
>> encouraged to download will break my computer. All in all, I really
>> think it's better to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the
>> manufacturer when possible.
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Well yes, don't we all. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't always
> see fit to support devices from one machine update to the next. My
> PaperPort Scanner for win98 cannot be used with winxp. So I got a
> flatbed OneTouch 7300usb but there is no support for that in Windows
> 7. Pity, their products are good but I'll not get another product
> from Visioneer.
>

Dave,

Before giving up on some older hardware; Give the driver collection i
mentioned a try:

http://drp.su/download.htm#


--
If today was your last day... and tomorrow was too late...
could you say goodbye to yesterday?

[Li'l Abner]

Dustin <bughunter.dustin@gmail.com> wrote in
news:Xns9EA611D1BED21HHI2948AJD832@no:

> http://drp.su/download.htm#

I wind up hung here http://mewnlite.com/hung.jpg
It got that far and has been stopped there for about 25 minues.


--
--- Everybody has a right to my opinion. ---

[Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries]

Dustin wrote:
> "Rhonda Lea Kirk Fries" <rhondaleakirk@earthling.net> wrote in
> news:ild7oj$ldu$1@news.albasani.net:
>
>> Li'l Abner wrote:
>>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>>
>>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>>>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>>>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>>>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>>>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not
>>>> installing from the download. You must be online and it downloads
>>>> the driver, and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used
>>>> to track your usage. They claim this is how they pay for their
>>>> site. Whether this is true or not, your computer is infected with
>>>> spyware. DO NOT use this website.
>>>
>>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects.
>>> I think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
>>> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
>>> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
>>> always for some other computer than my own.
>>>
>>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>>
>> The bottom of the home page has the following link "Toolbar Removal
>> Info":
>>
>> http://members.driverguide.com/index...e=docs__help__
>> zugo_removal
>>
>> "We thank you for trying the Search Toolbar (powered by Bing TM),
>> your using that toolbar has given us the ability to keep our site
>> free and we thank you for that! We also respect your decision if you
>> choose to remove the toolbar and restore your previous settings.
>> This document will help you do that. If you have any further
>> problems, let us know."
>>
>> I don't use the site, but I've never seen anyone complain about it
>> (and indeed, I've seen people I trust rave about it), so I just
>> installed the DriverScan (not the DriverGuide Toolkit) and I didn't
>> get a toolbar. I expect that must be reserved for those who download
>> the free version of the DriverGuide Toolkit rather than the paid
>> version.
>>
>> The only problem I can see is that some of the drivers I am being
>> encouraged to download will break my computer. All in all, I really
>> think it's better to obtain drivers for specific hardware from the
>> manufacturer when possible.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> I've used driverguide off/on for years, Had my own account when it was
> still completely free if you'd just signup. I never had any real
> problems, one infected driver once; but I don't blame them for it.
> User contributions always carry that risk.

Some of the drivers shown by the scan are the wrong drivers for my computer.
If I download and install them, certain things will not work.

Even at that, this site was recommended in the old Microsoft usenet groups
pretty regularly as well as by Fred Langa, so it seems clear that the
original post is a little over the top, especially considering how easy the
toolbar is to remove.

(I'm not all that thrilled with software that installs "bonus software" but
unless people want to start paying for "free" utilities, I don't see that
developers have much other choice given that most folks don't donate.)

[Li'l Abner]

Dustin <bughunter.dustin@gmail.com> wrote in
news:Xns9EA611863A79HHI2948AJD832@no:

> "Li'l Abner" <blvstk@dogpatch.com> wrote in
> news:Xns9EA5A5C6D5E1butter@wefb973cbe498:
>
>> jw@myplace.com wrote in
>> news:a0den690lmu40l7ojncvetvhf25ft3adk6@4ax.com:
>>
>>> If you need drivers for your computer, DO NOT download them from
>>> this site. www.driverguide.com. You think you're downloading the
>>> driver. When you try to install the download, you go thru the
>>> normal process of accepting the terms, etc. Then it asks you if
>>> you want their toolbar. I clicked "NO". But you're not installing
>>> from the download. You must be online and it downloads the driver,
>>> and STILL installs the ****ing toolbar, which is used to track your
>>> usage. They claim this is how they pay for their site. Whether
>>> this is true or not, your computer is infected with spyware. DO
>>> NOT use this website.
>>
>> Hmm. I have a paid membership. I have found a lot of hard to find
>> drivers there over the years. I've never had any such side effects.
>> I think they have some kind of software you can download to detect
>> devices on your computer. Maybe that's what does it. I never
>> installed that. I usually know what driver I'm looking for and it's
>> always for some other computer than my own.
>>
>> Unless this is something that has just started real recently.
>>
>
> If your looking for drivers you might want to give this a try:
>
> http://drp.su/download.htm#
>
> I've burned it to dvd-r after installing additional driverpacks and
> I've been able to use it to fresh load systems, update my own drivers,
> etc; All without having to use the internet. It supports that too,
> should it fail to find something you need. However, in most cases; you
> don't have to hunt for any drivers anymore if you use this little
> puppy.
>
> It supports windows XP,Vista and Windows 7. I first used it to
> downgrade an Acer laptop from windows 7 to Windows XP Professional
> edition; after checking Acer's website and finding no drivers which
> would work reliably under windows XP. Acer doesn't want you to
> downgrade ya see.
>
> It does use an executable to attach to a torrent swarm to give you the
> entire package, the executable is clean; although slightly annoying.

Well, seeing as it was you, I went ahead and downloaded the link, and
when I ran the file, it started running a torrent down in the right hand
corner of my screen. It said it was download xxx of 3.2Gb. It went up
about a quarter of the way and then stalled so I just quit paying
attention to it. Malwarebytes was going nuts blocking IP's so I turned
that feature off.

This morning when I got up the download had completed. When I went to
close the torrent, it wanted to know if I wanted to install it as my
torrent client. I said NO, but it was still running in my system tray. I
closed it. Then I turned the IP blocking back on in MBAM and right away
it starts blocking IP's again. Then I look in Rask Manager I see a file
called "T2E.exe" running. I killed that and hunted it down. It was in my
Local Settings/temp folder. I deleleted it. I went into msconfig and sure
enough it had added itself to my startup group. Got rid of that!

And now MBAM is *still* popping up blocked IP's. so apparently it has
installed something rlse that's phoning home... or somewhere. And
whatever the 3.2Gb file that it was supposed to be downloading (the one
with the drivers) is nowhere to be found. I'm not sure what the name of
it was supposed to be so that makes it kind of hard to search for. But I
do remember choosing a place for it to download to, and it isn't there.

MBAM has blocked at least half a dozen IP's while I've been writing this
post. All different IP's and all incoming. I usually only see that happen
once every couple of days at most.

What did I get myself in to?

--
--- Everybody has a right to my opinion. ---

[Whoever]

On 3/12/2011 11:53 AM, Li'l Abner wrote:
>
> This morning when I got up the download had completed. When I went to
> close the torrent, it wanted to know if I wanted to install it as my
> torrent client. I said NO, but it was still running in my system tray. I
> closed it. Then I turned the IP blocking back on in MBAM and right away
> it starts blocking IP's again. Then I look in Rask Manager I see a file
> called "T2E.exe" running. I killed that and hunted it down. It was in my
> Local Settings/temp folder. I deleleted it. I went into msconfig and sure
> enough it had added itself to my startup group. Got rid of that!
>
> And now MBAM is *still* popping up blocked IP's. so apparently it has
> installed something rlse that's phoning home... or somewhere. And
> whatever the 3.2Gb file that it was supposed to be downloading (the one
> with the drivers) is nowhere to be found. I'm not sure what the name of
> it was supposed to be so that makes it kind of hard to search for. But I
> do remember choosing a place for it to download to, and it isn't there.



While MBAM did want to block a number of IP addresses here as well,
the rest of my experience was different. The torrent downloaded into a
DRPSu10.6 Final folder in My Documents. When it finished, I shut it
down, told it not to be the default torrent client, exited using the
tray icon, deleted the T2E exceptions in the Windows Firewall and
deleted the initial program. I scanned the downloaded files in My Docs
with MBAM and NOD32, burned them to DVD and then deleted them as well.
Everything went fairly smoothly. Nothing still hanging on here, no
blocked IP's from MBAM, nothing extra running in Task Manager and
nothing added to the Startup menu.





--
Are we having fun yet?