Curse

Tarun · Oct 11, 2006, 12:19 AM // 00:19

Run SpywareBlaster, CCleaner, CWShredder, Ad-Aware, Spybot, AVG Anti-Spyware (formerly ewido) and then post a HijackThis log.

Also do a boot-time scan of your drives with Avast.

Tentigers · Oct 11, 2006, 06:23 AM // 06:23

I have read this entire post, and maybe I missed it, but the first thing you should do is delete ALL of your restore points BEFORE you run a scan. I also suggest going to Trend Micro website, they have a free scanner and its HYPER accurate. ITs a ALL in ONE scanner, scans for viruses, malware, and security problems. If you do all this and it cleans your system and then it returns again, that means its imbedded in your registry. You may succeed in removing the virus itself, but if its registry key is left behind, it can regenerate the virus (ie redownload it). If this happens again, then I agree, do a low level format of the drive, then do a regular format on the drive, then reinstall the OS

Malice Black · Oct 11, 2006, 06:57 PM // 18:57

Delete restore points..how? I'm a computer noob, if you don't explain it in plain English I'll get lost.

Bane of Worlds · Oct 11, 2006, 08:37 PM // 20:37

click on the start menu, click control panel, then click on the system icon if in classic window view or click on performance and maintenance then click on system, look for a system restore tab, check the turn off system restore on all drives,click on apply, and and hit on yes.

EternalTempest · Oct 11, 2006, 08:48 PM // 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Admins Bane

Delete restore points..how? I'm a computer noob, if you don't explain it in plain English I'll get lost.

Windows XP backs up system files automatically or when there is new software installed. The problem is if you machine gets a virus and it's not caught. System Restore will back it up as well. So you can clean up your system.. but there still may be a copy of it on the computer.

It's fine but if you use system restore to bring back your pc like it use to be.. complete with undetected virus... it brings it back as well.

Tarun · Oct 11, 2006, 10:18 PM // 22:18

You don't delete your restore points until your system is clean. This way you have something to fall back on, even if infected or semi-infected.

Once clean, you first create a new point and label it Clean System, then you can use the Disk Cleanup > More Options tab and clean the System Restore by removing all except the last known good point.

Mushroom · Oct 12, 2006, 03:48 PM // 15:48

I would suggest something that may seem more drastic, but is probably the best full solution.

Backup your data, and do a full wipe and reload. For a lot of virus and trojans, that is really the only way to really get rid of them. It sounds like you have multiple "dropper trojans" running in the background.

The problem with most of them is that they come out almost daily. It takes 3-14 days for the AV companies to discover them and write a removal. The problem is that by the time they find one, you have 2-5 newer versions already in your system that it can't detect yet.

It sounds like this is the circle you are in. You find some, and remove them. But since you are still infected with newer versions, it happens all over again.

Probably 75% of the computers that come into my shop are infected with virus and other malware. And it truely is an epidemic. And so far, every system that came in with P2P software (including Torrent, Kazaa, Limewire, etc) has had multiple infections. And the same goes for people that use the gambling sites. PartyPoker inserts multiple trojans and spyware when you use it, and other gambling sites are even worse.

Backup your data, then do a complete wipe and reload of your OS. Install all the updates, and a good antivirus (Norton, AVG, or Avast). And install multiple spyware programs and run them regularly. I install AdAware, SpyBot, and Microsoft Defender on every system I build or reload.

And stay away from what I call the "Dark Alleys of the Internet". That includes peer-to-peer file trading, gambling, hacker sites, and porn sites (other then the more "legitimate" ones like Playboy). This is where most trojans and malware tends to come from.

DigitalForm · Oct 12, 2006, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mushroom

I would suggest something that may seem more drastic, but is probably the best full solution.

Backup your data, and do a full wipe and reload. For a lot of virus and trojans, that is really the only way to really get rid of them. It sounds like you have multiple "dropper trojans" running in the background.

The problem with most of them is that they come out almost daily. It takes 3-14 days for the AV companies to discover them and write a removal. The problem is that by the time they find one, you have 2-5 newer versions already in your system that it can't detect yet.

It sounds like this is the circle you are in. You find some, and remove them. But since you are still infected with newer versions, it happens all over again.

Probably 75% of the computers that come into my shop are infected with virus and other malware. And it truely is an epidemic. And so far, every system that came in with P2P software (including Torrent, Kazaa, Limewire, etc) has had multiple infections. And the same goes for people that use the gambling sites. PartyPoker inserts multiple trojans and spyware when you use it, and other gambling sites are even worse.

Backup your data, then do a complete wipe and reload of your OS. Install all the updates, and a good antivirus (Norton, AVG, or Avast). And install multiple spyware programs and run them regularly. I install AdAware, SpyBot, and Microsoft Defender on every system I build or reload.

And stay away from what I call the "Dark Alleys of the Internet". That includes peer-to-peer file trading, gambling, hacker sites, and porn sites (other then the more "legitimate" ones like Playboy). This is where most trojans and malware tends to come from.

I agree that most of the computers I have to fix have been infected through file sharing programs or porn. If you are gonna do it, don't do it on your main computer. This is a reason you should back up your files regularily.

Reinstalling the OS is a sure thing to get rid of it, and it is sometimes quicker than fighting with the spyware and viruses on multiple reboots and safe mode/msconfig. Although, you will lose ALL your files unless you have a separate partition that isn't infected (if you end up learning how to do partitions). If it isn't a business computer this is how I set up people in the beginning. After this they can do whatever they want to it (buy different anti-virus/spyware removal if that floats their boat).

AVG Free for an anti-virus
Mozilla Firefox for a web browser
Zonealarm Free for a firewall
Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy for anti-spyware