Can't get rid of Virus protector malware
DELL Dimension 3100
Windows XP SP3
The computer is plagued with the Virus protector. I ran avast BART CD which found 539 items that it detected to be malicious. I removed them. When I started up the computer the Virus protector is still there!
According to bleepingcomputer.com it suggested to run Malwarebytes.
The problem is that I can’t run Malwarebytes. The Virus protector will not allow me to gain access to the computer. Not even in safe mode. The only way that I can run Malwarebytes is to take the drive out of the computer place the HD into a hard drive enclosure attach it to a computer that has Malwarebytes installed and run Malwarebytes against that HD enclosure.
If someone knows of an easier way of handling this please let me know!
Thanks!
Windows XP SP3
The computer is plagued with the Virus protector. I ran avast BART CD which found 539 items that it detected to be malicious. I removed them. When I started up the computer the Virus protector is still there!
According to bleepingcomputer.com it suggested to run Malwarebytes.
The problem is that I can’t run Malwarebytes. The Virus protector will not allow me to gain access to the computer. Not even in safe mode. The only way that I can run Malwarebytes is to take the drive out of the computer place the HD into a hard drive enclosure attach it to a computer that has Malwarebytes installed and run Malwarebytes against that HD enclosure.
If someone knows of an easier way of handling this please let me know!
Thanks!
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SOLUTION
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Try creating a Ultimate Boot CD. Boot from that and have Malwarebytes close to hand on a thumb drive.
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ASKER
>>>Update<<<
I have removed the hard drive from the Dell Dimension 3100. I have placed the hard drive into a HD enclosure connected it to another computer that has Malwarebytes installed running Malwarebytes against the HD enclosure.
So far Malwarebytes has found 14 objects infected. I hope Malwarebytes grabbed hold of the >Virus Protector< malware. It has really given me a headache!
Once Malwarebytes completes its scan and since I have it in the HD enclosure I might as well run a few more scanners such as:
Superantispyware
Cureit
Hitman Pro
I’ve already ran AVAST, avast BART CD and AVG rescue CD
Then I will run HijackThis to see if anything nasty is left behind.
I have removed the hard drive from the Dell Dimension 3100. I have placed the hard drive into a HD enclosure connected it to another computer that has Malwarebytes installed running Malwarebytes against the HD enclosure.
So far Malwarebytes has found 14 objects infected. I hope Malwarebytes grabbed hold of the >Virus Protector< malware. It has really given me a headache!
Once Malwarebytes completes its scan and since I have it in the HD enclosure I might as well run a few more scanners such as:
Superantispyware
Cureit
Hitman Pro
I’ve already ran AVAST, avast BART CD and AVG rescue CD
Then I will run HijackThis to see if anything nasty is left behind.
Just get hold of the scanner logfiles in case machine wont boot afterwards, depending on what was removed!
Hitmanpro will have to be ran when drive is back in own system.
Also re run Mbam
Hitmanpro will have to be ran when drive is back in own system.
Also re run Mbam
ASKER
OK after several passes of:
SuperAnitiSpyware
TrojanHunter
Malwarebytes
Spyware Doctor
avast BART CD (updated)
I am able to boot, get to the wallpaper and if I wait long enough I will see the screen saver. But I don't have any Icons on the desktop nor do I have a task-bar. I am so close (I think) to get this OS going again... No more Virus protector I think. It has not reared its ugly head!
How do I restore the Icons and task-bar?
Thanks!
SuperAnitiSpyware
TrojanHunter
Malwarebytes
Spyware Doctor
avast BART CD (updated)
I am able to boot, get to the wallpaper and if I wait long enough I will see the screen saver. But I don't have any Icons on the desktop nor do I have a task-bar. I am so close (I think) to get this OS going again... No more Virus protector I think. It has not reared its ugly head!
How do I restore the Icons and task-bar?
Thanks!
Try Hitmanpro
Can you bring up a run box or task manager?
Also run Exehelper>ignore AV warning on this file>false positive!
http://raktor.net/exeHelper/exeHelper.com
Can you bring up a run box or task manager?
Also run Exehelper>ignore AV warning on this file>false positive!
http://raktor.net/exeHelper/exeHelper.com
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ASKER
I was missing the taskbar and icons on the desktop. I decided to do an XP repair on the operating system. Before I performed an XP repair I tried to use Reimage on the computer but that process failed.
After using XP repair I was able to get the icons, taskbar and for the most part I had a functioning computer. After all of the tugging and pulling spyware, Trojans from that computer took its toll. It's a miracle that the computer comes up at all. Oh by the way I ran Malwarebytes this morning and pulled another 17 infected files from the computer.
Ran Windows updates without any significant problems. All of the updates were installed successfully. I think there were about 57 Windows updates. I am going to run the Bit Defender Rescue CD. Followed by Hitman Pro. The OS stands at XP SP2.
After using XP repair I was able to get the icons, taskbar and for the most part I had a functioning computer. After all of the tugging and pulling spyware, Trojans from that computer took its toll. It's a miracle that the computer comes up at all. Oh by the way I ran Malwarebytes this morning and pulled another 17 infected files from the computer.
Ran Windows updates without any significant problems. All of the updates were installed successfully. I think there were about 57 Windows updates. I am going to run the Bit Defender Rescue CD. Followed by Hitman Pro. The OS stands at XP SP2.
Never had a problem with the combofix.org link (out of the 100's of times I've used it) but that's fine with me.
In addition to the other great suggestions posted; if they all fail, try creating a bootable antivirus CD. If that doesn't fix it, then you've got some serious problems. It's always good to keep on hand at anytime:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25347695/anti-infection-CD-solution.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/Storage/Misc/Creating-a-bootable-CD-USB.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/25347695/anti-infection-CD-solution.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/Storage/Misc/Creating-a-bootable-CD-USB.html
ASKER
Thank you for all your help! After all of the cleaning including using combo fix. I think the machine is well again! What a journey!
ASKER
I never heard of the Cureit software - Thanks!
When I go into >safe mode< I can't get to the prompt. I can't even get the run box. I can't do anything.
My question is: How can I run the cleaners above it Virus protector continues to lock me out even in Safe mode?