All files in MY DOCUMENTS wiped out! Please help!

Yesterday all files/documents in My Documents with titles D - Z were simply gone. If they were listed on My Recent Documents I could open them, otherwise no. Later, after setting up a new file within My Documents and transfering all files within MD to that one new sub-file, the remainder of the files were gone too once I closed My Documents and reopened it. Since I had run CCleaner, I had no files in My Recent Documents to know if I could still get to any that way.

Running search for malicious code I got the following: C;\system volume information\_restore{7df627cf-a4c9-4043-8a27-12cc60e378a4}\rp638\a0034215.exe I assume that this means that damage was done and then the malware set this restore point to keep itself alive, but I really don't know.

snapfiles.com/freeware/system/fwdatarecovery.html seems to see the lost files and could recover them, but if I recover them to the My Documents folder they will simply be erased again.

How can I fix this problem so that files placed in My Documents STAY there? Professional, financial, personal, educational... all important... all gone. HELP, please?!?

 

Here is the HJT log. Any help... anybody! Please! I don't want wait another day to try to recover files! Thanks!

• Edit by bjgarrick: Inline HJT log removed. READ & RUN ME sticky not followed.

 

Welcome to MajorGeeks.com!

Please follow the instructions in the below link and attach the requested logs when you finish these instructions. Also, as far as recovering the files, you should post this in the Software Forum as all we do here in Malware Removal.

Read & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support

 

Thank you for the help in understanding the proper procedures. Following following them all I still cannot get a file to save into the empty My Documents folder.

Here are the notepad attachments as per directions. I'll add the CCleaner report next. And thanks again!

 

Ooops! CCleaner report not requested... and not the right extension for attaching anyway. My bad! Another example of pc incompetence. Sorry. See how badly I need your help?!?

 

First, please disable any antivirus and/or antispy programs you have installed so they will not block this fix.

Step 1:
Please look in Add/Remove Programs for the following and uninstall if found. If you get any errors just make a note and proceed.

Step 2:
Now scan with HijackThis and check the boxes for the following entries:
( Make sure ALL browser windows are closed when you click FIX )

Again, make sure ALL browser windows are closed when you click FIX.

Step 3:
Copy the contents of the below Quote Box to Notepad. Then click File and then Save As. Change the Save as Type to All Files. Name the file fixme.reg and then click save. (make sure you save it somewhere you can find it. Saving it to your Desktop may make that easy.) Then double-click on the fixme.reg file on your desktop (or locate it with Windows Explorer and double click on it if not saved to the Desktop) and when it prompts to Add in to the registry, say yes.

Step 4:
Now download The Avenger by Swandog46, and save it to your Desktop.

• Extract avenger.exe from the Zip file and save it to your desktop
• Run avenger.exe by double-clicking on it.
• Check the 'Input script manually' box.
• Click on the magnifying glass icon.
• Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it in the box that opens:

• Now click the 'Done' button.
• Click on the traffic light icon and OK the prompt.
• You will be prompted to restart, OK the prompt and your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
• A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt

Step 5: Begin here after rebooting from Step 4!
Next Reset Web Settings & Default Security Settings

Note for IE 6 users:
To Reset Web Settings:
Right click on your desktop Internet Explorer icon and select Properties. Then click the Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK.

If you do not have an Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop, click Start, Control Panel (for some systems it may be Start, Settings, Control Panel), Internet Options, Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK

To Default Security Settings:
Right click on your desktop Internet Explorer icon and select Properties. Then click the Security Tab and click Default Level for Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted Sites, and Restricted Sites. For IE 7 users, simply click the "Reset all zones to default level" button.

Note for IE 7 users:
Select Internet Options, then the Advanced Tab and then the Reset button under Reset Internet Explorer Settings.


Step 6:
Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune. This program does not require an installation. The executable actually runs the program.

NOTE: This program is for Windows XP and Windows 2000 only. ATF Cleaner will remove all files from the items that are checked so if you have some cookies you'd like to save. Please move them to a different directory first.

• Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
• Under Main choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.

If you use Firefox browser

• Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  • NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

If you use Opera browser

• Click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
• Click the Empty Selected button.
  • NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

Click Exit on the Main ATF Cleaner menu to close the program.


Step 7:
Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it. Then attach the new C:\MGlogs.zip file that will be created by running this and also attach the log from Avenger.

Let me know of any problems you may have encountered with the above instructions and also let me know how things are running now.

 

Well, after following your directions (even the ones I don't understand the rationale for or understand at all) I still create documents and save them to My Documents only to have them not appear there when I open the folder. So long as the document is still in My Recent Documents I can recall it.

Nonetheless, I'm attaching the MGlog.zip as requested.

I did a search for My Documents. It had a few zero byte files with words something like "drop target" in the results. This was right after I created a test file and tried to save it into My Documents again. Then just a couple of minutes later I did the same search and those "drop" files weren't shown. I haveno idea if this means anything out of the ordinary, but I mention it just in case.

Thanks ever so much for all your help! Thanksgiving may have just passed, but I'm suddenly very thankful for your help!

 

Though you didn't specifically ask, I thought that attaching the HJT and Avenger logs you mentioned in your directions could be a good idea. Here is the most recent HJT log. I don't find an Avenger log at the stated C:\avenger.txt spot. A search of the pc doesn't show this file anywhere.

 

You didn't attach the new MGLogs.zip ?