My computer got infected with virus yesterday.
The problem is my Task manager and registry got disabled, cannot access the properties menu from desktop after right clicking and control panel has disappeared also. These are the problems I have noticed so far dunno if there are more.

Basically i got the Task Manager and registry editor working again by changing values in the registry keys. The desktop and control panel is still a problem.

Anyway i have installed AVG anti virus program yesterday and done the scan, deleted the 5 trojans or so found. I have a version of spyware Doctor on my computer already. I did a scan from that and it found malware etc apprx 150 or so which i also got it to delete.
After coming upon this forum, I decided to install AVG Anti-Spyware program and check through that as well. Running it at the moment, so far round 18 infected object but all cookies.

I have downloaded the hijackThis.exe, still yet to run it.

I no i should be formatting my computer, but it would be a huge inconvenience at this time and I also dont have storage device to backup my files yet either. Il try and arrange for one soon and do a backup and possibly reformat this computer which should solve my problems.

But in the meantime, oh and this is soo annoying and a huge inconvenience when i could be spending time on my research im sitting here downloading programs trying to get rid of these infections
Scanning takes a long time as I have many software installed for my research purposes and studies on top of that my computer space is getting quite full so i want to keep downloads to a minimal.

I would appreciate any help on how to fix the control panel and desktop issues and getting rid of the infections from the computer.

I think my problem is similar to a previous posters "Vishal" but i did not want to post on his thread to keep it clean.

By the way i skipped step 3. I did try but then stupid me refreshed the page by mistake after 2 hours and it started from scratch. Since i only have a certain internet quota allocated to broadband access else it will go to dial up I do not want to waste it on that online scanner. Hope thats ok.

Thanks for any help.
Also I have found helpful feedback so far from what i have read round here.

Hello and welcome to Techspot.

Very Important: Before deciding whether you should clean or reformat your system, go and read this thread HERE and decide what it is you want to do.

If after reading the above, you wish to clean your system, do the following.

Go and read the Viruses/Spyware/Malware, preliminary removal instructions. Follow all the instructions exactly.

Post fresh HJT, AVG Antispyware and Combofix logs as attachments into this thread, only after doing the above.

Also, let me know the results of the AVG Antirootkit scan.

Regards Howard :wave: :wave:

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

hi, thanx for the quick reply. I have downloaded all the programs mentioned and currently am doing the scans for them one by one and deleting things.

Even though i have not done scans from all the recommended programs yet. I see that my control panel and desktop properties are working again. The Task manager and registry editor is also fine as i mentioned before....so my problems has been fixed

However, I would rather be safe then sorry and get rid of any hidden virus/malware possiblities on this computer So i would go through each and every step on that link you provided.

I did have some confusions in the steps specified they are listed below:

* In step 13 - You specified to scan with the antivirus program and I did do that. However when i ran the program through safe mode it also said "Resident shield not loaded" and to activate it I think. Since it was not specified in the steps I dint bother to do that and well I dont think it affected the scanning. Not sure if I need to do the scan again with that on?

* In step 14 says to - "Run Ad-Aware personal se. Click start, uncheck scan for negligible risk entries. "
When running this program I could not see anywhere that I could uncheck scan for neglible risk entries. Where is this? Was that a typo on your part?

Also all the programs mentioned to be scanned in step 14, are they to be done in safe mode similar to step 13?. Cause the last line in this step says reboot to normal mode to hide the PS protected files...

Hmmm Ok while i type this, the Ad Aware scanning process caused an error :s and just closed. I will run it again and get back to you if I have problems running the full scan.

Also to mention When i ran the AVG root scan earliar it found nothing.

Thanks,

Just do the Virus scan from normal mode. That should solve that problem.

No, it wasn`t a typ`o`, but since Aaware is now in a new version, it`s possible that option is no longer available. In other words, don`t worry about it.

Steps 13 and 14 are indeed to be performed from safe mode. Obviously, for whatever reason, you can`t perform the virus scan from safe mode. Feel free to do the virus scan from normal mode.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

hi,

I have followed all the steps and attaching the 3 files as mentioned here.

Also to mention that the AVG Anti-root scan found nothing.

I saved the report from scan from AVG Antispyware. And I just did that scan today 12 Sept. Abit confused as to why the date on the report is for 11 Sept. Weird. Anyway when i did the scan it was fine, there were only 2 tracking cookies which I put in quarantine. So i think should be ok. Let me know if i need to redo the scan.

Thanks for your help

All your log files are clean.

Unless, you`re still having problems, you should be good to go.

Turn off system restore.(XP/ME only) See how HERE.

Now, turn system restore back on. This will have deleted all your old restore points and any nasties that are in them. It will also have created a new, clean restore point.

If you have any further virus/spyware problems, please post in this thread.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

koool, thanx ......yes my problem has beeen fixed. Il do what you mentioned when i get home.

A question though, from the programs that i downloaded to clean up the virus spyware, which one of them can i delete/uninstall (i.e which do i not need anymore)??

Also I would like to turn some of the software from starting automatically when i load the computer. As this makes the computer slow when i start it everytime and i have to wait until everything is load.
So I would rather load them manually.

The programs are MSN, Yahoo, AVG virus scanner and anti-spyware.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out

If you intend to keep Symantec/Norton, then uninstall AVG.

Personally, I recommend you keep AVG and ditch Norton. This will help to speed your system up no end. If you follow my advice you will need to run this Symantec/Norton removal tool.

After getting rid of Norton, you would need to install another firewall programme.

Feel free to uninstall AVG Antispyware.

See below for a list of recommended programmes.

AVG free or Avast antivirus programmes.

Zonealarm, Kerio or Comodo free firewall programmes.

Spybot Search & Destroy.

Ad-Aware se personal.

Spyware Blaster.

AVG Antispyware.

Ccleaner.

See this thread HERE for info on speeding up your system.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

hi Howard,

Because my system was getting quite full. I deleted Visual Studio developmnt software from my computer and the norton software using add/remove programs after i posted the logs here yesterday.

My version of norton was old and Also my virus definitions had expired. I will keep the AVG anti-virus program.

Hmm might download the free version of zonealarm for my firewall.

The list you have given below
---------------
AVG free or Avast antivirus programmes.

Zonealarm, Kerio or Comodo free firewall programmes.

Spybot Search & Destroy.

Ad-Aware se personal.

Spyware Blaster.

AVG Antispyware.

Ccleaner.
----------------

Should i consider keeping them. OR delete them, not sure what you meant?

thankx

Personally, I`d keep them, but it`s up to you.

If you`re going to get rid of any, then AVG Antispyware would be the one I`d choose. In fact, the way I use it is to install, update and scan with it, then once I`ve finished, I uninstall it, until the next time I want to use it.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

I wanted to ask about this one. I have taken a screen shot. The very first time I scanned with AVG antivirus in safe mode when I had the problem of control panel and things not working, The scanner found this file as infected then. At that time I had quarantined and then deleted this file. After which when i checked my computer, things were fine. Everything was working again.

Now everytime i run the anti-virus scanner, this keeps coming of reading that particular file error. I thought I had deleted the file, so why is it still in the system and showing as an reading in terms of reading the object by the scanner?

Thanks,

I must admit, that`s a little odd.

Go HERE and update your Java. Then, go to add remove programmes in your control panel and uninstall your old version of Java.

Download the attached Hosts file, unzip it and place it in the following directory.

C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc

If it asks you if you want to replace your current Hosts file, click yes.

Reboot your system and see if that helps.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

i dunno if this has happend due to that virus earliar or some file has been damaged. But i was able to print before. Printer was working fine.

However I am not able to print anymore. I have reinstalled the printer again and the drivers as well. But it is still not working. I cannot figure it out whether the printer has actually stuffed or it is the software on my comp for it.

The printer button for putting more paper keeps flicking. And when that does stuff as i switch the power of for a while. Then try to print a document, the document goes a quarter into the printer and then it says error with printing and the printer light start flickering again that it needs more paper. But the paper is there. This is really anoying.

The only thing I can suggest, is you try your printer on another computer and see if you still have the same problem.

If you do, then it`s a printer problem.

Did replacing the hosts file solve the AVG notification?

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.

The printer does not work with the other computer cause it has Vista Op system so driver compatibility probs etc. It did work for a while then stopped again some time ago, im assuming after new updates were installed or something.

Anyway might just get a new printer lol

As for the AVG notification, I did as you recommended. It did not prompt me that I am replacing the host file in the directory. And when i looked there was no file there to begin with :s.
I do still get the AVG notification when i run the virus scan, however now the notification says that particular file has been changed rather than reading error. M assuming thats a good thing?

I have attached the screenshot.

Thanks,

Yes, that`s fine mate.

Regards Howard

This thread is for the use of simran only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.