Trying to clean virus from old WinMe machine

[jim.mar]

A friend asked me to help him clean out possible virus' and malware from his old 2000 machine.  It is running Windows Me .  I have tries to download free versions of AVG or Avast and Malware unsuccessfully.   The message I get from AVG is that it needs a later version of Windows.  I have cleaned out all of the Norton, Juno, and AOL software that I can find.   Still no luck.  Can anyone help me here??   

[patio]

AVG FREE ver. 7.5 will run on WinME...
Check majorgeeks for availibility.

[jim.mar]

Patio:  Thanks for the come back.   I have tried what you suggested but...Not having any luck.  I checked Google and it gave me some sites to check and some websites say that AVG 7.5 will run on Me but when I try to download it, it is either unavailable or try to have me download a later version .   Thanks again for reading.  I appreciate the effort.

[Keithuk]

Well I would suggest you try Avast! Home Edition 4.8.1368 its the last version that runs on Win9x/ME, I use it on my WinME.

Now the problem you will have is after it installs if you have a virus running then it could effect Avast. If it does install then it does a restart it will do a full virus scan before Windows starts up thats a better way of catching it. Because its an old virus checker it won't update the virus definitions/database until Windows starts and you have a web connection.

It pot luck but you have nothing to loose have you?   

[Computer_Commando]

Well I would suggest you try Avast! Home Edition 4.8.1368 its the last version that runs on Win9x/ME, I use it on my WinME...

This thread is over 1 month old, but you have made excellent suggestions. I use Avast on my remaining Win98SE machine.  FileHippo is the best place for older versions.

[Keithuk]

Yes it maybe over a month old but he hasn't been back to comfirm what he's tried. It will be useful for anyone else in the same situation.

Oh I forgot to mension Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware doesn't work with Win9x/ME if thats what he was thinking about. 

[jim.mar]

Thank you Kiethuk and Computer_Commando: for your replies.  Sorry I have been unavailable for a while.   I un-installed every thing that I could on my friends machine, defragged it, cleaned out some suspicious looking stuff in the registery (tied to Norton and aol)  and gave it back to him.   It was working pretty well.   I think the main thing that helped was getting rid of Norton AV.  However, he ended up giving the machine to an orphanage in Mexico and buying a laptop with Windows 7.  Now he has a whole new set of problems to deal with and I won't be able to help him.  I am totally ignorant of Win 7.         However, I do appreciate your inputs, sorry i took so long responding.   This forum has pulled my fat out of the fire many times in the past   Thanks again
PS,  you are right about Malwarebytes,   It didn't work.....