windows xp repair virus... [Archive] - SoonerFans.com Message Boards

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:27 PM

running avast and still got this pos virus yesterday...
what a pita....
spybot killed the virus....but still have some nagging issues...
the start menu is still missing...

anyone have a good fix for it?
EVERYTHING i've found online thus far does NOT fix the start menu issue...

The

6/30/2011, 04:28 PM

GKeeper316

6/30/2011, 04:30 PM

just do a system restore back to a point you know your system was working properly.

Fraggle145

6/30/2011, 04:32 PM

Reload windows.

Seriously. You can take it in to get fixed, but you'd be better off saving your dox, and reloading.

This. Save your **** thats important and reformat the mother****er.

DIB

6/30/2011, 04:33 PM

Open DOS prompt
type C:\
press enter
type format c:
press enter
virus gone

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:33 PM

just do a system restore back to a point you know your system was working properly.

do you know this for a fact?
not one place online recommends system restore for this virus...

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:34 PM

This. Save your **** thats important and reformat the mother****er.

i think ultimately this will be the only good solution...
hard to believe not one of the anti-virus/malware packages can fix this....at least not the free ones....

DIB

6/30/2011, 04:36 PM

Have you tried Microsoft Security Essentials?

The

6/30/2011, 04:36 PM

i think ultimately this will be the only good solution...
hard to believe not one of the anti-virus/malware packages can fix this....at least not the free ones....

It burrows deep. Self replicating registry entries.

It's sorta like AIDS.

Entropy63

6/30/2011, 04:38 PM

combofix, download it from bleepingcomputer.com

you're welcome.

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:39 PM

Have you tried Microsoft Security Essentials?

i have it on my win7 machine....seems to work great..
had it on my xp machine but it had issues with the auto-update....and when i tried to update manually...it kept telling me i wasn't connected to the internet...

it let a virus thru so i trashcanned it for avast...

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:41 PM

combofix, download it from bleepingcomputer.com

you're welcome.

you've use this and it worked? on the start menu?

yankee

6/30/2011, 04:42 PM

Pony up and pay for Kaspersky. YWIA.

87sooner

6/30/2011, 04:58 PM

Pony up and pay for Kaspersky. YWIA.

i'm really close to ponying up for a mac..
i've been online for 15 years...never had a virus until a month or two ago...now a second one.....really ticks me off..

badger

6/30/2011, 05:16 PM

Yeah, my work computer's gotten that a few times. It's very clever --- looks just like a real helpful thing, huh? No harm clicking on it.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :mad:

87sooner

6/30/2011, 05:20 PM

Yeah, my work computer's gotten that a few times. It's very clever --- looks just like a real helpful thing, huh? No harm clicking on it.... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :mad:

it's on my kids' pc....no idea how it got infected..
avast kept popping up with warnings and then finally the "xp repair" window popped up and i knew it was a virus...
same pc got a very similar virus a couple months back....makes it look like a legitimate windows tool and then wants you to buy a repair tool...
this one is much more clever and causes more headaches...
and as i said...none of the usual tools are able to fix the problems...

sheepdogs

6/30/2011, 06:38 PM

THIS INFECTION "LIKELY" COMES WITH A ROOTKIT! Unless you know what you are doing, don't just scan or run system restore or any of that stuff because while it may remove the visual symptom (temporarily), it will leave the rootkit. Often it is Alureon. Sometimes more exotic rootkits. The problem is that removal of a rootkit requires specific knowledge and several steps which can only be performed by someone with experience in doing so. Scans with the rootkit running in the background will be pointless. Removal requires tracking down the rootkit files via examining kernel hooks, then using another computer to delete the files off the HD, then replacing any Windows system files which have been altered. Then the system needs to run in an isolated network environment for a little while to make sure it's all clean.

So long story short is that a format and reinstall is the easiest way to deal with this infection unless you are someone or you know someone who can do all the stuff above.

And keep Adobe Reader, Flash, and Java up to date from now on because that's how this fakeav gets in.

GKeeper316

6/30/2011, 06:59 PM

it's on my kids' pc....no idea how it got infected..
avast kept popping up with warnings and then finally the "xp repair" window popped up and i knew it was a virus...
same pc got a very similar virus a couple months back....makes it look like a legitimate windows tool and then wants you to buy a repair tool...
this one is much more clever and causes more headaches...
and as i said...none of the usual tools are able to fix the problems...

ok you have the infamous antivirus system pro. easiest way to get rid of it is to boot in safe mode, run malwarebytes and go into your registry and get rid of anything that says sysguard.exe (it may say something like trojansysguard.exe or something like that, but its the same file). what its doing is hijacking your registry files and redirecting internet traffic to webpages it wants you to go to.

CrimsonKel

6/30/2011, 07:06 PM

Here's an approach you might try. http://redmondmag.com/articles/2011/06/16/malware-removal.aspx

mgsooner

6/30/2011, 11:23 PM

yermom

6/30/2011, 11:29 PM

that.

reinstalling Windows every so often is good for you anyway though

87sooner

7/1/2011, 08:21 AM

How many of these problems can be prevented merely by running Firefox? On my previous machine I got the "Windows FixDisk virus" and it Fd me up good. Took it in and paid $150 to have it cleaned but it was never the same again. I finally gave up and bought a new machine. First thing I did on the new one was install Firefox with the Adblock Plus add-on. It is absolutely like night and day.

i run firefox on my win7 machine...maybe that's why i haven't encountered any problems...
there are however some websites that just won't work properly with firefox...(why is that?)...
some of my kids' game sites don't work with firefox...so they use IE occasionally....

87sooner

7/1/2011, 08:22 AM

that.

reinstalling Windows every so often is good for you anyway though

what is the best/easiest way to back up files before reinstalling?
i have never reinstalled an os before...

The

7/1/2011, 08:25 AM

what is the best/easiest way to back up files before reinstalling?
i have never reinstalled an os before...

Save them to an external HD or USB device.

Get them off the machine.

Reformatting is the nuclear option.

87sooner

7/2/2011, 12:36 PM

is there a program that backs up files or do you just have to drag/drop?

yermom

7/2/2011, 12:39 PM

i've never really bothered with special software for it

just think about the junk you want to keep, and where it actually sits

IM logs, email, application preferences/data, media

87sooner

7/2/2011, 12:54 PM

i bought an external hard drive after my first virus a couple months back and i backed up all the pictures....
i have another pc on the network .....is there a safe way to transfer my files over to this pc without infecting it?

Sooner_Tuf

7/2/2011, 01:17 PM

i'm really close to ponying up for a mac..
i've been online for 15 years...never had a virus until a month or two ago...now a second one.....really ticks me off..

I converted a few years ago and wouldn't go back if they paid me to do so. That said I haven't used Windows 7 and people do seem to like it.

It costs more to acquire the Mac but we are spending less over the life of each computer. Plus we are keeping them longer. Our 2 1/2 year MacBook Pros are all chugging along just fine with no repairs (except for the time I broke a screen) to date.

I suppose our day is coming but we have yet to have a virus of any kind on any of them. We have fewer than two dozen computers total so that is a pretty small sample but half of them are being used by young guys that god only knows what all they do with them.

mgsooner

7/2/2011, 01:21 PM

Mozy

87sooner

7/4/2011, 12:49 PM

I converted a few years ago and wouldn't go back if they paid me to do so. That said I haven't used Windows 7 and people do seem to like it.

It costs more to acquire the Mac but we are spending less over the life of each computer. Plus we are keeping them longer. Our 2 1/2 year MacBook Pros are all chugging along just fine with no repairs (except for the time I broke a screen) to date.

I suppose our day is coming but we have yet to have a virus of any kind on any of them. We have fewer than two dozen computers total so that is a pretty small sample but half of them are being used by young guys that god only knows what all they do with them.

was talking to my brother yesterday....he has an imac...
he said they have an external terabyte drive and the imac automatically backs up data/files a couple times/day via wireless...
now that sounds cool and easy...

yermom

7/4/2011, 02:25 PM

the OSX backup software that's built in is pretty nice (sounds like Time Machine with a Time Capsule)

it's pretty amazing the crap you don't have to look for because it just comes on a Mac

trying to hunt down all the software to make a PC do all the things a Mac (or Linux box) does by default is always a chore when you reinstall

Sooner_Tuf

7/4/2011, 03:00 PM

Yeah I have a network drive array that both my imac and notebook back up to with no input from me. Time Machine is cool in that you don't to replace your entire install (but you can), you can look at older versions of just one file if you wish.

Like everything else Mac it is simpler and more intuitive to use. There is good community support on the web if you have trouble. Of course you can just pickup the phone and call Apple if need be and they will either walk you through it or connect to your computer and fix it, whichever you choose.

For me it has really been a positive experience. Plus I got back a lot of time that I used to spend just messing with the computers.

CrimsonKel

7/4/2011, 04:24 PM

is there a program that backs up files or do you just have to drag/drop?

Here's a link that will tell you about Windows Backup. Windows Backup is built into Windows 7 and is pretty good. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/backup-and-restore

GKeeper316

7/4/2011, 11:25 PM

87sooner

7/5/2011, 10:22 AM

enable file sharing on your network.

i've done that...but i wasn't sure if it's safe...
will my anti-virus on this computer scan each file as i drag/drop them from the infected pc to this pc?

87sooner

7/12/2011, 09:03 AM

ok....i've backed up all my pics and data files...

would it be best to re-install windows xp.....or would system restore be sufficient?

The

7/12/2011, 09:05 AM

ok....i've backed up all my pics and data files...

would it be best to re-install windows xp.....or would system restore be sufficient?

Reinstall. You should really reinstall windows periodically anyway.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 09:12 AM

Reinstall. You should really reinstall windows periodically anyway.

not something i'm looking forward to doing...
i've never installed an os before..

The

7/12/2011, 09:15 AM

not something i'm looking forward to doing...
i've never installed an os before..

It's actually pretty simple. Just takes a little time.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 11:05 AM

what about just using the recovery wizard to restore the computer to the factory settings?

is that the same thing as "system restore"?

The

7/12/2011, 11:08 AM

what about just using the recovery wizard to restore the computer to the factory settings?

is that the same thing as "system restore"?

Yeah, but that isn't totally effective. Clever programs can fool this. The nuclear option is your best option.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 01:31 PM

i decided to try the easy option first...
i restored the pc to factory settings.....and installed ad aware anti virus......
we'll see what happens...
if i run into problems...i can always re-install the os later...

landrun

7/12/2011, 01:37 PM

combofix, download it from bleepingcomputer.com
you're welcome.

Did you try this?

This is your next step if you still have nagging issues.
Boot up in safe mode with network access available.
Download combofix and run it.

If that fails, as far as I know, there is no solution but to format c:\ and start over. :(

87sooner

7/12/2011, 01:54 PM

Did you try this?

This is your next step if you still have nagging issues.
Boot up in safe mode with network access available.
Download combofix and run it.

If that fails, as far as I know, there is no solution but to format c:\ and start over. :(

i did not try combofix...
i don't remember why i decided against it...
maybe i was just tired of downloading stuff that everyone swore worked for them....but none of it worked for me..

restoring to factory settings seemed like the easiest option at the moment...and it seems like it worked fine...
the kids just have to re-install their games...and restore the data files...

sheepdogs

7/12/2011, 02:08 PM

If your virus is a "Rootkit" it will have doctored your "Master Boot Record" which is not detectable by your anti virus software.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 02:12 PM

If your virus is a "Rootkit" it will have doctored your "Master Boot Record" which is not detectable by your anti virus software.

to what effect?

sheepdogs

7/12/2011, 03:01 PM

to what effect?

Any sensitive/private information will be pulled off your computer w/o you knowing it.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 03:03 PM

Any sensitive/private information will be pulled off your computer w/o you knowing it.

"will" be or "can" be?

what about my firewall?

The

7/12/2011, 03:10 PM

"will" be or "can" be?

what about my firewall?

Nobody is stealing your dox. At worst, your PC is part of a "zombie botnet", and is being used to disseminate child pornography and DDOS attack government websites.

And your firewall, like all firewalls, are useless and outdated.

GKeeper316

7/12/2011, 03:16 PM

"will" be or "can" be?

what about my firewall?

a good rootkit will slip past your firewall.

spybot is still good for rootkits, as is avg free.

DIB

7/12/2011, 03:18 PM

I slipped my rootkit past Shamp's mom's firewall, last night.

87sooner

7/12/2011, 03:18 PM

a good rootkit will slip past your firewall.

spybot is still good for rootkits, as is avg free.

pc mag does not rate avg very well for protecting a clean machine...

webroot and ad aware are their top picks.....especially for rootkits...