today i found out i had (backdoor trojan) on my computer so i followed all instuctions at symantec.com to remove the virus. and i restarted my computer afterwords. now my norton antivirus and norton internet security are both turned off,and they wont turn on! what do i do?

iv also been having problems with my desktop backround being replaced with a message that says i have spyware. even tho iv ran scans on 3 different antispyware programs and and removed them all the backround wont go away.... and yes iv tried changing it >_>.. it changes back.. all this virus/spyware bullsh** it so annoying i swear to god im about ready to throw im computer off the roof of a really tal building!! o ya and my email scanning is turned off... when i open antivirus it says error under email scanning and there isent even a option to turn it back on...

Download Smitfraud Fix
http://siri.urz.free.fr/Fix/SmitfraudFix.exe

Clean:

Reboot your computer in Safe Mode
(before the Windows icon appears, tap the F8 key continually)

Double-click SmitfraudFix.exe

Select 2 and hit Enter to delete infected files.

You will be prompted: Do you want to clean the registry ? answer Y (yes)
and hit Enter in order to remove the Desktop background and clean registry keys associated with the infection.

The tool will now check if wininet.dll is infected. You may be prompted to replace the infected file (if found): Replace infected file ? answer Y (yes) and hit Enter to restore a clean file.

A reboot may be needed to finish the cleaning process. The report can be found at the root of the system drive, usually at C:\rapport.txt

Optional:

To restore Trusted and Restricted site zone, select 3 and hit Enter.
You will be prompted: Restore Trusted Zone ? answer Y (yes) and hit Enter to delete trusted zone.
----------------------------------------------------

Additional Steps:

(Start -Run)
sc stop Messenger
sc config Messenger start= disabled

Locate and Remove in Registry (Start Run Regedit)

[HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1877239962-2024743916-928725530-1189\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru\5603]
" 000"="links.exe"

Restart

Thanks Bobbye, but I already had that stated under Additional Steps.
Doesn't look exactly the same - but it is.

ok well i got the backround to go away 4 good^^..i think............. BUT my antivirus/internet security/email scanning are all disabled and i cant turn them on!! is this a virus??

No

And not only that, I expected it !

You will need to go to Add/Remove programs and remove Norton Internet Security
Now there's a lot in that above sentence (most viewing will probably Know)

So I'm going to post this message, and then edit it, with more details, in a moment, but please go ahead and un-install fully (no question)

what do i do after removing it?.... or is that all... lol....?

OK firstly please make sure NIS fully un-installs
There are 3 parts to NIS in add/remove

Norton Internet Security
Live Update
Live Reg

All 3 can be removed (as long as you don't have other Symantec programs installed (ie Live Update)

Assuming (!) that NIS does not un-install, please download, go here:
http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039?OpenDocument
And select your NIS version, download the tool and run it.

Restart once complete.

NIS and all Norton (Symantec) products in regards to AntiVirus and Firewall (only) are very high resource hungry products, that is they tend to slow down, even the fastest computer.
Not only that, but when your system is infected with a Virus or Trojan/Malware that Norton cannot remove (ie your case scenario) Norton tends to corrupt !!! Which has caused millions of problems everywhere.

My recommendation would be to remove Norton fully, and install the basic free version of AVG --HERE
No I'm not mad, just to prove it here's a graph:


As you can plainly see NIS, does horrible things to a standard system.

How do you feel about this ?

. .

tyrant...the first mistake u did is consulting the symantec website for solution T__T

Norton sucks and it would be better if u follow kimsland suggestion in removing it..

got it to uninstall

ok i completely got rid of norton crap and installed avg. its up to date and installed components are working properly. should i get the avg spyware protector?

the avg spyware protector is also good to install...after that u update

No

And if you have installed it already Update -Scan -Remove Anything Found
Then remove avg spyware protector fully

By the way, how is your system going, ie is it faster.

To really help it along download CCleaner and filly run (you can leave that installed)

If you want to go one step further Download Startup and remove any unwanted startup shortcuts.

Finally after a restart, run Defrag (All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->Defrag)

Please reply back with how it all went, and your feelings on all this.

hi kimsland
u saying avg anti spyware is no good? i have it on my system and it was useful too

Hi apaullo,

They're all good, actually there are better ones than that one.

But they are only required for removing Spyware/Malware and alike

If your system is clean, why have them installed ?
Your response may be resident protection.

But you would need about 5 Spyware programs resident protecting all the time.

Better to run AntiVirus software (that's covered) and Spyware software ONLY when needed.

Otherwise you will slow your system down.

Put it this way I'm not running it, and I'm all over the Web! If I feel there's an issue, I download/Update/Scan/Remove and uninstall again
(they're too resource hungry, and some cause issues, even SpybotsS&D can cause issues)

That's why.

ahhh ok...now i learned somthin new today...

even though they are resource hogs i just let them reside in my system..i didnt think i could actually install then remove when not needed...thanks kims!

Yes, because they also reside inregistry and right click menu