Removed Virus and having multiple issues

[RenaeB]

Hi All!

So I’ll take it from the top….

I installed a program and got a virus on my computer which in front of my eyes was going through the Command Prompt and adding something so I quickly turned off my computer in hope that this would stop it from infecting my computer more than what it already did.

After I turned it back on I went straight into safe mode to start removing any viruses, ransomware, worms, trojan horses, rootkits, keyloggers, dialers, spyware, adware, malicious BHOs, rogue security software and other malicious programs through the MalwareTips website I always use to remove adware.

I removed a lot of the virus with these multiple scans however some things I noticed were not fixed.

First thing I realised was that I was unable to open some programs which after some research was due to a Hidden Built-In Administrator being on. I don’t remember what I did to fix this however I’m now able to access programs.

Ever since the virus, removing the virus and changing administrator settings I have since run into these issues:

1. Programs on computer keep flickering and ‘not responding’, programs sometimes freeze and stop working. Main programs I have been using are: google chrome, File Explorer, Microsoft applications (word, excel, outlook 2013)

2. Sound on computer not working or showing as item on task bar. Will only work when I play a video on the internet, will not work with anything else. ** See image of task bar settings below

3. Battery percentage not showing on task bar. ** See image of task bar settings below

4. Start-up - onenote will not stop opening no matter what I do.

5. Start-up - Dropbox will not open on start-up, have to manually open to force sync, tried getting it to open on start-up to no success. It use to start before the virus.

Now some of these I have attempted to fix already and nothing has worked. I need my computer to be up and running without any issues so I need to fix my issues as soon as I can, which with me I learn to fix anything on computers off google which takes twice as long.

I’m at the point now where I’m accessing if fixing all these issues is worth it or if I should just wipe the computer (keep my files) and start fresh.

So my questions are:
a) Is it worth me fixing the above issues? If so is there one main issue I can do to fix them all or would it be one at a time?

b) Should I just wipe my computer and if so what pointers can you give that will allow me back into my computer once I have wiped it, notes and step by step’s help as I know how to do some of it but not all (example windows key: I have one on the bottom of my computer would this be the same for windows 10? Can I possibly go back to windows 7 or 8.1?)

c) Get someone else to fix it, which will they be able to and how much roughly would this cost?

d) Screw all of the above and burn the whole computer (at this point it would make me feel better)

 

[Cycloid Torus]

"a) Is it worth me fixing the above issues? If so is there one main issue I can do to fix them all or would it be one at a time?"

You have really bad stuff on that drive. I doubt it is 'CLEAN'.

I gather that the mechanical system is "ok" and that you have upgraded to Windows 10 and that you are happy with that and that you authenticated Windows 10 with Microsoft when you upgraded.

See: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...y/4533f7d1-97d7-400c-bd19-0bbddd128fbf?auth=1

All that being so, I would first obtain a Windows10.iso DVD from a CLEAN machine (not your current machine - it has nasty stuff). Then I would attempt to retrieve a copy of any important files (limit to docs and pix and a backup of your emails & contacts - no .dlls - no programs). Then I would run a 'zero-it-out' routine on my drive to be sure I killed everything. Then I would do a clean install of Windows 10 (including a 'repair disk').

Alternatively, I might spend $50 to replace the hard drive with a new one and do a clean install of Windows 10 and install my other software from a CLEAN source.

I would then keep the old drive until I was prepared to strip it of important files after mounting it in slave mode (non-booting). Or I might take a hammer to it.

 

[RenaeB]

"a) Is it worth me fixing the above issues? If so is there one main issue I can do to fix them all or would it be one at a time?"

You have really bad stuff on that drive. I doubt it is 'CLEAN'.

I gather that the mechanical system is "ok" and that you have upgraded to Windows 10 and that you are happy with that and that you authenticated Windows 10 with Microsoft when you upgraded.

See: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...y/4533f7d1-97d7-400c-bd19-0bbddd128fbf?auth=1

All that being so, I would first obtain a Windows10.iso DVD from a CLEAN machine (not your current machine - it has nasty stuff). Then I would attempt to retrieve a copy of any important files (limit to docs and pix and a backup of your emails & contacts - no .dlls - no programs). Then I would run a 'zero-it-out' routine on my drive to be sure I killed everything. Then I would do a clean install of Windows 10 (including a 'repair disk').

Alternatively, I might spend $50 to replace the hard drive with a new one and do a clean install of Windows 10 and install my other software from a CLEAN source.

I would then keep the old drive until I was prepared to strip it of important files after mounting it in slave mode (non-booting). Or I might take a hammer to it.

Thank you for commenting. I'm now in the process of moving my files off the computer and onto a hard drive to reinstall back on my computer once I've wiped it. I do have a verified version of windows 10 on my computer at the moment and ive managed to get the Product Number from my computer also.

Can you please give me some instructions on how to run a 'Zero-it-out' routine on my computer before wiping? I've started to run some virus scanning programs at the moment if that's what you mean.

Also do you know of any links with some steps of how to wipe my computer, I'm pretty sure its done in the settings however I'm worried I might miss a step and stuff up my computer.

Computer is working fine apart from those issues, would you still recommend replacing the hard drive?

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. There is a continuing risk that you have not fully cleaned the machine.

First step to everything is to get your data files onto safe storage.


Alternative #1: go to the forum on Malware and follow Broni's stringent instruction regime.


Otherwise, you will need a clean Windows 10 ISO DVD (which is created on another system which is known to be clean) and the original installation disks for your programs if you take either #2 or #3.

Alternative #2: replace old HDD with new HDD, get the new HDD working properly, then mount old HDD as a slave drive (no booting capability) and clean the old HDD with a "zero-out utility". I use the 'drive wiper' tool in CCleaner. Windows comes with another.

( https://social.technet.microsoft.co...ow-to-zero-out-hard-disk?forum=w7itproinstall )


Alternative #3: clean up your HDD as best you can, save your data files to DVD or flash drive, reformat your HDD and rebuild Windows 10 and your other programs.


I would not rely on your system to make the ISO for Windows 10 or to format anything which you use to renew your system unless you go through Alternate #1 and get a 'cleaned' result from Broni.