Please, Urgent Help Needed - SpyWare/MalWare Removal Problems

[Ungoliant]

Anyways, sorry for the dramatics, I just need some help with this, and I hear this site is the place to look:

My taskmanager has something wrong with it:

-I cannot access it via ctrl +alt+del,

-I cannot access it by right-clicking onto the taskbar.

-I cannot access it through "run: taskmgr.exe"
When I try to use the run: program, it tells me

"another program is currently using this file"

I have called the tech-support people for my school, and they suggested I get something called "Hijack This v1.99.1" I did that, and I ran it. Now, I have a log file of all the programs it found. I would really like any and all available suggestions on what the spyware/malware in question is, and what I should delete. This is the log file:



Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 12:33:47 PM, on 10/19/2005
Platform: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

Running processes:
C:\Documents and Settings\John E. Dell 2\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis.zip\HijackThis.exe


O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [winupdates] C:\Program Files\winupdates\winupdates.exe /auto


If any one could help, I would really, really appreciate it. It is messing with my other programs as well. I am having trouble running games, I am having difficulty with just about every regular program as a matter of fact. Thanks so much.

-Ungoliant

 

[RealBlackStuff]

You should be locked away!
NO antivirus
NO firewall
NO service packs or updates

Follow these instructions EXACTLY and put HijackThis in e.g C:\Program Files\HJT and NOT in Temp or on the Desktop!.
Read: How to remove Begin2Search/Coolwebsearch and Other Nasties

Then Read: How to post your Hijackthis log-files as an attachment.

 

[Ungoliant]

Thank You

<Proceeds to do best imitation of the Ewoks when they first see C-3P0>

Having read your reply, I flailed myself with a USB cable while I followed your instructions. I completely updated my computer, I installed 3 types of virus protection (one general - AVG, 2x SpyWare Removal - AdAware & SpyBot S&D) Thank you very much for your advice and help. I hope I can ask more intelligent questions in the future. Thanks again.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Well done.
AVG and AdAware + Spybot will do a good job for you.
If you are on broadband, you should also get a software firewall. The XP-one is rubbish.
http://soho.sygate.com

 

[Ungoliant]

Firewall, Game Problems?

As a matter of fact, we already have a firewall. I am on a LAN server, for a couple of Colleges, and the whole network has a pretty decent firewall. The tech people that used to work here sucked royal, heinous azz... so they are no longer working here. We've got some new firm handling our network, and they're amazing. Obviously, spyware and stuff still gets thru, because of file sharing programs, etc. However, we do have a firewall.

Anyways, as I have already stated, I had to completely reinstall Windows XP onto my computer. Before I did so, any game I have ran perfectly on my computer. No problems whatsoever. Now, having completely re-done everything, a game that isn't even all that graphics intensive is running really, really, really slow. (Neverwinter Nights: Platinum Edition) It's not that big on graphics, but I turned down the pixel count anyways. The game still runs like crap, even after all the spyware got removed. Any ideas on how to fix it?

 

[RealBlackStuff]

A hardware firewall from a router in itself is not enough. You should still get a software version!

Since you installed newly, probably your Indexing Service is holding everything back!
Click Start/Run and type services.msc and hit OK
Click on Standard tab, scroll down, STOP the Index service and set the startup type to Disabled.

I don't have any games on my PC, so I am blissfully unaware of what MIGHT hapen.
Check the Games forum.

 

[psychopathic MD]

yea you may want to just go to the system32 folder look for the taskmgr.exe and use the program from http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/