Computer virus...dammit

Hijack this is fantastic at looking for spyware etc! I use'd to use it alot

I put this in another thread, but i have been using VIPRE for a few days and i'm happy (30 day trial). Look for Sunbelt VIPRE on google and give it a go.

No issues with hogging CPU and memory! (so far!)

Just my two cents

It's Snake Pliskin said:

This is the week of computer problems for me.
I cannot connect to the internet with browsers Firefox and IE. Both browsers are blank and fail to load up. There is just a blank screen.

Considering both browsers don't work I am assuming it is a browser hijack type of problem. The computer has internet connectivity because programs update etc. I've run scans but nothing.
I've also noticed the memory running a little higher than before the problem started. It is vista OS.
Any ideas?

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Snake, have you run a system error scan or just virus type scans?

I sometimes have audio and display problems and most times I fix it by running file system scan and or 'Boot Time Defragmentation' in Diskeeper.

It's Snake Pliskin said:

I cannot connect to the internet with browsers Firefox and IE. Both browsers are blank and fail to load up. There is just a blank screen.

Click to expand...

there was a bit of malware floating around a month or so ago that would set a proxy for internet traffic to loopback in the browser.

under ie check tools - internet options - connections tab - LAN settings and make sure "use proxy for lan" is unticked. if it fixes it do the same in firefox.

this security hole was patched out so make sure you're up to date with your windows updates.

can you open task manager btw? if not you may well have the malware so there's some processes you'll have to kill and services to take out of msconfig / startup

Thanks for the replies Whiskers and Disarray.

Considering both browsers were not working and there was connectivity along with increased memory being used I thought the best option was a system restore. I now have two working browsers and lower memory being used.

Hijack this is only of use if a browser can be used to download it with. I've used it before and would have if I could have. Thanks.

I don't know if this would work with Vista or Windows 7, but with Windows XP, when I have encountered corrupted systems problems attributed to malware, rather than do a full system install/restore I have used the system "restore to an earlier point" option.
"Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", "System Restore".

Restoring to an earlier version dated prior to the time the problem surfaced usualy works.

Problem as follows. Can anyone help?

System is a few years old, nothing fancy and running Windows XP.

Had a Rootkit virus today and this now seems to have been removed by anti-virus software. That's the good bit.

The bad part is that there is nothing left visible in terms of documents or programs. It all appears to be gone, the whole lot. The folders are literally empty and the desktop is a black page with nothing on it apart from the bar at the bottom.

Despite the above however, I'm posting this using the computer in question. I started Internet Explorer via Windows Update and going to the Windows Update home page. That launched IE, and from there I can brows the internet just fine.

Now, the favourites in IE has been cleared as has the history. And yet once I started typing www.aussiestockforums... there it was - the history started appearing and it even logged me straight in when I went to the site.

So in short, I can't see ANY programs, files, browsing history or anything else and yet I'm using one right now. It still seems to be there, but just not visible by normal means. click on "Start" and I get a completely blank page popping up with not even the standard options there.

Now, I'm thinking that there's some damage / loss of some Windows files but that data saved on the computer might still be there. I do backups, but I did create some rather useful files over the past couple of weeks and let's just say I haven't backed them up so I'd rather recover files etc if at all possible.

What to do now? Any suggestions? As I said, I'm using the seemingly "empty" computer right now so it can't be completely dead even though it appears to be "on the surface".

Anyone have any good ideas? Another thing to mention is that I did try a manual windows update to see what happened - it comes up with an error message saying that I need to be logged in as an adminstrator (which I am) and doesn't let me go any further.

Edit: I can't do the System Restore thing as in the post from nulla nulla because I can't actually get into "Accessories", "System Tools" etc. There's literally nothing at all in "Programs" (and yet I'm using IE right now...).

Another one - "Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator". Hmm... This is stand alone machine not a network, and I am the administrator and sure haven't diabled Task Manager (and I have no idea how to do so anyway).

Help...

Buy a mac.

gg

While I was reading your post Smurf I was thinking maybe a System Restore might help but saw you couldn't select it through Windows.

You can try using this method. When windows boots keep pressing F8 to get to the safe mode selection. The information on how to to that is on the same page I linked in case you have troubles.

Hopefully you might get some results from that.

Just curious what anti-virus program do you have & is it up to date?

Garpal Gumnut said:

Buy a mac.

gg

Click to expand...

+100

Moved to a mac 3 years ago. Never had a virus since and I don't use any antivirus s/w. I still have a windows pc that I use for e-tax. I just hate turning to on.

Smurf I think you've probably got corrupted files in your Win XP, so you may need to reinstall it. You'll need the supplied installation CD.

Exhaust the alternatives first. For System Restore, that's a great suggestion by chrislp above - Safe Mode start, then at the Command Prompt, enter C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

Have a read of this article - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978788
How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP

Sup smurf. I saw something like this a while ago and a piece of malware had corrupted / hijacked the explorer.exe shell. Given your symptoms i think this is what happened.

Google "virus corrupt explorer" and check some of the forum postings from people who appear to be suffering similar symptoms. I can't help more atm i am afraid because i'm out and about

I had that a few months ago Smurf, I had to redo my whole computer, it was in need of a clean out anyway.

Thankfully my computer guy could save all my things and has saved them on another drive

Good luck

Check C: Drive, all your stuff should be in there. Locate the C :\Documents and Settings\<ur username> folder and snoop around.
It may just have corrupted ur login profile so thats why you see nothing

Good luck

Once you've fixed the problem, ditch IE and change to Firefox. Much better security.

McLovin said:

Once you've fixed the problem, ditch IE and change to Firefox. Much better security.

Click to expand...

+1
or, counting all my 'puters where I ditched IE in favour of Firefox: +4

Does not sound like a conventional spyware/adware sort of problem - and then again it may very well be. It could also be a hardware problem, but lets analyze it.

If you are able to get into the windows start up, your hardware may not be the issue - however it freezes there. First you were able to get into safe mode (safe mode only loads the necessary devices barring networking devices). From that point XP had worked for a few weeks.

It sounds to me like it is software and not hardware however not barring the possibility of a corupted sector in the hard drive. Hard faults in HD's render them useless, and not semi-operational. Though software issues pertaining to your OS (Operating System) may very well lead to such a failure in booting.

I reccomend a full format of the hard drive coupled wth a fresh install if windows. If this does not solve the problem, then it is most likely hardware, though I am rather in doubt of that being the case.

There have been instances of troublesom trojans deleting and replacing themselves as windows system files. Anti-Virus programs pick the system file up as a virus, and you delete it accordingly. Then you will find windows no longer boots, as an important file has been switched. The remedy for this is, yes you guessed it - a format and a fresh install.

The format is requiered to wipe the hard drive of any troublesom software.

Please back-up all important files via safe-mode before doing this as YOU WILL LOSE ALL YOUR DATA.

Try the recommendation above "Tapping F8" as you boot up. It should give you a list of boot options. Try the "boot last known working version", if that doesn't work try the "safe" boot option and do the "restore from earlier version". Good luck.

Attention Members.
I've seen lots of fake emails from financial institutions, the Tax Office, even telcos.
This is a new one. Looks authentic enough, but you can bet your bottom Dollar it's a fraud:

Dear Member,

We have recently noticed many attacks to our database and this
requires us to rebuild our system integrity. We regularly screen our
members account information to reduce FRAUD & ID Theft.

This security measure is intended to help protect our NAB(National Australia Bank) members
and their accounts. We are sorry for any inconvenience. However, failure in
reviewing and updating your account information will result in your account suspension.
You are requested to visit our website and fill in the required information.


To continue click here, and follow the steps.


Please do not reply to this message. For any inquiries, contact Member Services.

Copyright © 2013 NAB Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL and Australian credit licence 233714.. All rights reserved.

Click to expand...

I have a similar one forwarded to NAB's hoax line. Seems the crims won't give up - although I don't have a NAB account.

Can someone tell me how to get rid of a popup virus?

On any web page i visit, it underlines certain words, creating a hyperlink to "work from home and make $$"-style websites. If you hover anywhere near the hyperlinked word, a popup appaers.

Have scanned with AVG - nothing showing. Thanks.

Is it a virus are annoying embedded advertising on the site? A few sites do that.