Question

Hidden Desktop & Taskbar / Have Virus and cant run antivirius programs

Asked by: smokeyhazze

After windows loads, I can not see my desktop icons nor taskbar.  I have some type of virus or Trojan, or malware.  I can no longer open zip files.  Spybot, malwarebytes, housecall, hijackthis, and combobot will not run.  I can install them but they disappear while running.  Explorer.exe will not run in the command prompt under task manager.  I have ran the windows sfc.  My restore points have been erased.  I am able to access all of my programs and files through the New Task button in Task Manager.  

I have deleted Windows AntivirusPro files.  

I there a boot disk to restore and or run an anitvirus removal program outside of windows?  What can be done without me loosing my data and reformatting?  

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Asked On
2009-08-20 at 21:50:37ID24670398
Tags

Windows XP Home

Topics

Anti-Virus

,

Anti-Spyware

,

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
8
Points
500
Comments
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Answers

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2009-08-20 at 21:53:38ID: 25149211

 

by: ddiazpPosted on 2009-08-20 at 21:58:08ID: 25149220

If your PC still has network access, access your C: Drive from a different computer and transfer ONLY the files that you need and KNOW are not infected. You can do this by going Start>Run and type "\\<yourPCIP>\C$" (without the quotes). It will ask you for username & password of your PC, and then your C: contents will show.

Transfer only files needed.

After getting a copy of the files, really, just format the thing. After what you're experiencing it's just better to re-install, sounds like some system files are screwed and again, you're just better off re-installing.

I don't know of anyone that would prefer to fight that battle.

 

by: JeremySBrownPosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:00:06ID: 25149235

You can try taking the hard drive out of the computer completely and putting it into another as slave, and scan the whole drive that way.

 

by: smokeyhazzePosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:10:51ID: 25149260

Ddiazp and JeremySBrown:  I only have this one computer.  I'm starting grad school on Monday and just moved to a new city.  Also I do not have my XP disks with me - didnt think of bringing them with me.  

orangutang:  I am trying to find the download for this on the site. The download link will not prompt me to save the files.  It sends me to a site - see - ftp://ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/livecd/

 

by: gustajimenezPosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:19:12ID: 25149276

I think the best option is to get the files out, via network like ddiazip said or conecting the drive as a slave.

Conecting the drive as a slave could be dangerours but is a good option. The host computer could get infected.

The first thing I would do is to completly disable the autorun in the computer you´ll conect the drive and then don´t double clic on any folder! Get your files out and format the drive. (Do a regular format not a fast)

Running a scan on this drive as a salve, will probably won´t work, because I´m sure the registry is corrupted too and as soon as you put it back and boot from it, the virus will still be there.

To get the files out you can use a Ubuntu Boot CD. (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download), boot from the CD and backup your files to an external hard drive or to a USB key.

I agree with ddiazp, that after this, the best thing to do is to reinstall the os.

good luck

 

by: gustajimenezPosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:20:43ID: 25149279

Sorry for my answer, I was writing while you where answering.

Have you try boting to safe mode and run scans from there?

 

by: smokeyhazzePosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:29:31ID: 25149296

qustajimenez: No prob.... I appreciate the support.  I have the identical problem with safe mode and under Administrator, the existing user names, and a new one I created.   So far... the Dr. Web CureIt,  that orangutang suggested, is running without disappearing nor freezing. I am running the online one.  I am not able to download it to disk and make a boot disk for some reason.  

 

by: orangutangPosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:31:24ID: 25149304

You can try ftp://ftp.drweb.com/pub/drweb/livecd/20090814042001/minDrWebLiveCD-5.0.0.iso
but maybe you can try scanning again in safe mode if you haven't done that.

 

by: pankusareenPosted on 2009-08-20 at 22:39:04ID: 25149315

 

by: anil_kumar137Posted on 2009-08-20 at 23:32:32ID: 25149503

Can also try download RRT_Remove Restriction.exe this will enable all the hiddent folder, taskmanger, registry later can scan.

http://www.brothersoft.com/rrt-(remove-restrictions-tool)-download-60879.html

 

by: pankusareenPosted on 2009-08-21 at 00:31:05ID: 25149706

Desktop Reset tool  
Malware/ Spyware can sometimes infect and change your desktop configuration and registry settings. This tool will reset your desktop back to the windows default settings.
http://pcbutts1.com/downloads/Desktopreset.zip

  • xp-fileassoc.doc
    • 5 KB

    change extension from .doc to .bat (it will reset all xp extension to default)

 

by: HighlanderXPosted on 2009-08-21 at 00:37:06ID: 25149733

As has been said previously, you're better off wiping the hard drive with a format and re-installing Windows.

If you do have a virus which has burried itself into Windows then a simple repair will not get rid of it but rather fix the changes it's made, the Virus will still be sitting there ready to attack again.

 

by: pankusareenPosted on 2009-08-21 at 00:38:08ID: 25149738

leave first two step as u all ready in command promt

And also run a virus scan, anti malware scan and spybot scan

 

by: pankusareenPosted on 2009-08-21 at 00:40:31ID: 25149744

also check this
 Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
 
 Find this key: userint.exe
make sure its value is Userinit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,
If, It is not, than changed value to this value.

 

by: JonveePosted on 2009-08-21 at 04:00:46ID: 25150495


You now have several suggestions to try, we all have our different methods, & personally i believe the safest method of safe file removal is to slave your Hard drive to another computer.

That doesn't seem likely, however, no one appears to have suggested *renaming* Malwarebytes, Hijackthis, or ComboFix !
As Malwarebytes is excellent (and safe), try renaming that one first.

ComboFix does present a slight risk to your system, but it's worth considering if HijackThis finds nothing, particularly if you have no valuable documents on the HD.

If we get nowhere with HijackThis you could rename ComboFix.exe to Combo-Fix.exe or ComboFix5  (as examples), *before* saving it to your desktop.  If you have difficulties downloading it, try downloading to another machine (here you would have to 'borrow' one), then into a USB memory stick (or equivalent).  Rename it and connect to your infected machine.

Before using ComboFix please disable all realtime Anti-virus, Anti-spyware, Shields, etc. that you may have running.   Ideally it should be run in normal mode, although it will work in safe mode.

 

by: JonveePosted on 2009-08-26 at 04:35:16ID: 25186405

smokeyhazze,
As we've not heard from you, were you able to make any progress?  Hopefully you've been able to recover your data, but whatever the case, we would be grateful if you would give us a brief update please ... presume the deadline was last Monday?   If you think anyone here can still help in any way, you've only to ask!

Whatever the result, we do need to close this thread to help Editor, Mods, & all concerned.   Thanks for your time.

 

by: smokeyhazzePosted on 2009-09-02 at 16:32:44ID: 31618703

I tried evey option provided by all of the techs.... the end result was to start all over.  And a lot of things I could not restore or access.  This is an aweful virus! :(

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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