Virus or internet setting problem?

[Lippy]

Brother is having recent problem with Windows XP;

Cannot download or upload from/to internet.
AVG scan says everything OK.
Explorer selections just bring up more and more ad sites, without actually bringing you to selected site - it sometimes takes a few tries before reaching it.
No problems getting online and to sites with "guest" account, which is set as non-administrator, however, cannot up/download from this acct.

Please help, advise, suggest, thanks in advance, Lippy.

 

[Bobbye]

Please follow the instructions here for malware cleaning. When through, attach the logs. You may want to switch over to the Security Forum for this:

https://www.techspot.com/vb/post645589-1.html

 

[Lippy]

Unable to download...any other suggestions? What if we backed up data, then reinstalled XP...would that be a solution?

 

[gbhall]

Download to a friends computer and install from a CD/USB plug.

Yes you could reinstall XP, but to be safe you would need a full format, and would have to install everything you own all over again, download all the Windows service packs/patches all over again, yet your backup data could still be infected and the infection could spread again.

identifying the threat and where it is hidden is a better approach in the long run, and may not take as long either.

 

[Bobbye]

What if we backed up data, then reinstalled XP...would that be a solution?

identifying the threat and where it is hidden is a better approach in the long run,

It is refreshing to hear someone else say what I have thought all along> users need to learn how to troubleshoot. Reinstalling/reformatting every time there is a problem gives no experience on how to deal with problems. Many are easily solved- if the right information is given.

As to

AVG scan says everything OK.

Yesterday I reviewed logs from someone who had the McAfee Security Suite on the system. McAfee didn't find anything, but the logs showed a very bad Vundo and Virtumonde infection along with a few other 'minor' infections!

 

[Lippy]

Thanks to everyone for their input. Due to the fact that we could not download anything (as mentioned in original post), it made it difficult to utilize any program that could have possibly helped. AVG could not even recognize the problem, let alone offer a solution. Norton had been previously installed, but failed to catch several viruses previously and had been removed after subscription ended. Needless to say, and despite offers of advice, all data was backed up and XP has been reinstalled. I'm sure there is no "perfect" program to catch all the viruses, adware, malware, spyware, etc. all of the time. If there is, I'm sure we'd all like to hear about it. Thanks again everyone for your time and efforts.

 

[Bobbye]

Thank you for the update. Sounds like there was no choice but to reinstall. Please have the AV and spyware/adware program scan the files as you do not know which were infected when you backed up.