i have a problem with my laptop. my first evidence was that the wallpaper changed to a message about a virus alert. i have been a computer user and hobby programmer since the apple ii days so i recognized this right away as a problem. i soon realized that i had shortcuts on my desktop for error cleaner, privacy protector, and spyware & malware protection also. i recognized these from a friend's description from a problem he had a year ago. i then noticed that where my traybar clock should indicate am or pm the text virus alert! was present. i didn't realize that text could even be changed. i also started getting fake dialog boxes popping up warning me of a virus threat and wanting me to install the recommended software to fix it. i knew better than that so i closed those using alt-f4 as much as i could. i also had internet explorer windows popping up and trying to load pages from a risking looking url. i turned off my wireless adapter's antenna so i wouldn't be on the internet. apparently the virus had started working on broadcasting before i noticed this because a little later my isp called to let me know i had a virus and that he had shutdown my connection temporarily. i told him i knew and that i had disconnected the offending machine from the internet already. he wished me luck and told me he would turn my connection back on so i could use another computer to troubleshoot the problem. i downloaded avg 8.0 and ran it twice. the first time it found a couple of files and and number of registry entries it didn't like. at this time i didn't realize that i was going to be asking for your help so i didn't record what the names of the items found were. if you know that avg creates a log and where it might be i can certainly forward it. the second time avg ran it didn't find anything it labeled a threat. this didn't seem to have any affect on getting rid of the virus.
i then googled on the error cleaner, privacy protector, spyware & malware protection and found a thread recommending the use of sdfix.exe. i downloaded it and followed its intructions. when it told me to open a command prompt, i discovered that many of my start menu items had disappeared including run and command prompt. when i opened run dialog by typing windows key-r and typed cmd.exe enter the command prompt opened containing a message that my administrator had disabled my command prompt. as i am my administrator i knew this was another trick of the virus. after a little research i found that sdfix.exe had a registry script to fix this. i ran it and then my command line started to work. i resumed with the instructions from sdfix and after and hour or so thought i had the problem fixed. twenty minutes or so after that i discovered that the virus was back with all symptoms except for the wallpaper change.
i just remembered that there is a white x in a red circle flashing in my tray bar about half the time. it pops up a ballon every so often telling me i have a virus and asking me to accept its help getting rid of it.
i have read some of the thread in this forum and already done the 8 step and it seem working for me given that all the issue has gone but for precaution i attach my logs here
i then googled on the error cleaner, privacy protector, spyware & malware protection and found a thread recommending the use of sdfix.exe. i downloaded it and followed its intructions. when it told me to open a command prompt, i discovered that many of my start menu items had disappeared including run and command prompt. when i opened run dialog by typing windows key-r and typed cmd.exe enter the command prompt opened containing a message that my administrator had disabled my command prompt. as i am my administrator i knew this was another trick of the virus. after a little research i found that sdfix.exe had a registry script to fix this. i ran it and then my command line started to work. i resumed with the instructions from sdfix and after and hour or so thought i had the problem fixed. twenty minutes or so after that i discovered that the virus was back with all symptoms except for the wallpaper change.
i just remembered that there is a white x in a red circle flashing in my tray bar about half the time. it pops up a ballon every so often telling me i have a virus and asking me to accept its help getting rid of it.
i have read some of the thread in this forum and already done the 8 step and it seem working for me given that all the issue has gone but for precaution i attach my logs here
