Inactive Smart Defragmenter with Adobe Updater

Hi Guys,

Ok Im not sure if this in the right forum for this to go in but i hope so as i consider it malware.

I had an update warning from what i though was the Adobe Updater for Acrobat Reader etc. I normally have this off but i recently installed Dreamweaver and Adobe CS5 and forgot to turn it back off.

I selected OK to run and install the update but as soon as it had finished Windows Starting Flashing a Warning saying that "Windows cannot detect you Hard Disk Drive"

If appeard to be coming from the Windows 7 Security Alert but there was also another Program installed called "Smart Defragmenter" which i discovered on my desktop that had somehow been downloaded and installed on the PC.

It downloads itself in the temp folder under your username. The exe is not names smart defragmenter but instead a series of random numbers.
I found the quickest way to uninstall was to reboot into safe mode empty the temp data folder. I then did a quick system restore just to make sure

If there is a quicker way to remove please tell me would like to know.

Anyway hope this info is useful.



James

Welcome to TechSpot and thank you for the good description of the problem. We have some preliminary scans we ask members to run for virus and malware removal. But since this is so clear, let's start here instead:

What is the "Smart Defragmenter"

• [Smart Defragmenter is a fake computer defragmenter and optimization program that hijacks your computer and does not allow you to run any executables. Smart Defragmenter pretends to be a computer error repair and optimization program that scans your hard drives and memory for problems.
  
• It is classified as a Rogue Program & Scareware.
• First line of fix:* Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.
• BUT- because of the nature of the program, in order to get Malwarebytes to run at all, you should download and run this:
• Please download and run the tool below named Rkill (courtesy of BleepingComputer.com) which may help allow other programs to run:

Running Rkill
There are 4 different versions. If one of them won't run then download and try to run the other one. Download sites:

1. Rkill.com
2. Rkill.scr
3. Rkill.pif
4. Rkill.exe

• Double-click on the Rkill desktop icon to run the tool.
• If using Vista or Windows 7 right-click on it and choose Run As Administrator.
• A black DOS box will briefly flash and then disappear. This is normal and indicates the tool ran successfully.
• If not, delete the file, then download and use the one provided in Link 2.
• If it does not work, repeat the process and attempt to use one of the remaining links until the tool runs.
• Do not reboot until instructed.
• If the tool does not run from any of the links provided, please let me know.

===================================================
Once you've gotten one of them to run then try to immediately run the following>>>>.

Please download exeHelper by Raktor and save it to your desktop.

• Double-click on exeHelper.com or exeHelper.scr to run the fix tool.
• A black window should pop up, press any key to close once the fix is completed.
• A log file called exehelperlog.txt will be created and should open at the end of the scan)
• A copy of that log will also be saved in the directory where you ran exeHelper.com
• Copy and paste the contents of exehelperlog.txt in your next reply.

Note: If the window shows a message that says "Error deleting file", please re-run the tool again before posting a log and then post the two logs together (they both will be in the one file).
=============================================
Now download and run Malwarebytes:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

• Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from from HERE
• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to
  [o] Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  [o] and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
• then click Finish.
• If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Perform Quick scan, then click Scan.
  * When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When completed, a log will open in Notepad. please attach this log with your reply
  [o] If you accidentally close it, the log file is saved here and will be named like this:
  [o] C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs\mbam-log-date (time).txt

========================
We will chase down the Security Alert to make sure it is coming from this program after I see the Mbam log.

There is a reason for the order of these programs- please follow them. If you would like to read more about the rogue Smart Defragmenter, see HERE.

Important!
Please do not use any other cleaning programs or scans while I'm helping you, unless I direct you to. Do not use a Registry cleaner or make any changes in the Registry.

hi bobbye,

I had succesfully removed the program before you posted a reply. I only posted on here more as info for others about the app as it seemed odd it had come down with the Adobe Updater.
I am howver going to use the advice you have given me here including the apps you suggested for future problems.

Thanks for your time

James