PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issues

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Tom K, Apr 16, 2010.

  1. Tom K

    Tom K Private First Class

    Hey MajorGeeks :wave
    Thank you for reviewing my case. Recently, my PC has been running somewhat awkward. The online game FarmVille has a juddered appearance and performs erratic. PC shutdown has been very slow even more recently with episodes of high CPU usage. After uninstalling and reinstalling Adobe Flash, clearing junk files, and analyzing the volume for fragmentation and finding none, I ran the Read & Run Me for potential malware issues.

    I have included the scan results attached, but this is essentially what happened. SAS and MalwareBytes found no obvious malware.

    I had three issues with the ComboFix part of the scanning process. First, ComboFix crashed near the end of the scan resulting in the BSOD. After a manual shutdown and re-boot, I repeated the scan, and got the same results, necessitating another manual shutdown and re-boot. Second, upon installation of ComboFix to the Desktop, a normal ComboFix folder did not appear in C:, but rather an icon representing about 13Mb of information (The successive post in this thread contains two images of this). Third, I cannot locate the log for this scan.

    RootRepeal scan was run to completion, but a message popped up at the conclusion reporting corruption on the hard disk. Finally, I ran MGTools, and that scan ran without incident.

    Please assist me with what may be wrong and how best to proceed. Thank you.
     

    Attached Files:

    Tom K, Apr 16, 2010
    #1
  2. Tom K

    Tom K Private First Class

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Here are the two images displaying the unexpected ComboFix Icon in C: Thank you again.
     

    Attached Files:

    Tom K, Apr 16, 2010
    #2
  3. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    The online game FarmVille has a juddered appearance and performs erratic.

    Farmville is in beta anyway so it's never going to run too smoothly, and the more you fill up your farm with items the slower it takes to load.


    Important Notice: A new version of SUPERAntiSpyware is available.
    • Please uninstall your current version (this is necessary).
    • Then download this SUPERAntiSpyware
    • Install this new version. It may tell you that you need to reboot to complete the installation. You must reboot at this time.
    • After the reboot, run SUPERAntiSpyware and immediately click the Check for Updates button to get more updates for the database.
    • Now run a new full scan of your system. And attach this log later.

    Please go to Add/Remove programs and uninstall the following software:

    • Java(TM) 6 Update 19

    Let's have you uninstall combofix this way:

    This uninstall will only work as written if you installed ComboFix on your Desktop like we requested.

    Click START then RUN and enter the below into the run box and then click OK. Note the quotes are required

    The space between the combofix" and the /uninstall, it must be there. This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.

    Then redownload a fresh copy to your desktop.

    Now use windows explorer to find and delete the below bold files:

    Now reboot your machine and install the most current and up to date version of Java available here at the below link:

    Java Runtime 6

    Now run Combofix again as per instructions.

    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.
     
    Kestrel13!, Apr 17, 2010
    #3
  4. Tom K

    Tom K Private First Class

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Hey Kestrel13!
    Thank you for explaining the reasoning for the FarmVille issues I have experienced of late. In fact, tonight I "lost" half of my neighbors in the visible bar below the game interface, yet they are still Facebook friends and officially still FarmVille neighbors, so these are apparently ongoing issues that will be around at least for the foreseeable future :(

    I followed your instructions. However, the ComboFix scan once again resulted in a BSOD that read "BAD_POOL_HEADER", necessitating a manual shutdown and re-boot. In fact, all of the prior problems I had with ComboFix were repeated.

    I have attached the SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log per your request. Thank you for assisting me with this issue.
     

    Attached Files:

    Tom K, Apr 20, 2010
    #4
  5. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Yes, afraid so. Try using farmville.com if you are having trouble through the app on FB.

    Okay, I am not seeing much to do anyway but we shall try avenger now.

    Now download The Avenger by Swandog469, 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.
    • Do not change any check box options!!
    • Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it into the Input script here: part of the window:
    • Now click the Execute button.
    • Click Yes to the prompt to confirm you want to execute.
    • Click Yes to the Reboot now? question that will appear when Avenger finishes running.
    • Your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
    • A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt and it will popup for you to view when you login after reboot.

    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.
     
    Kestrel13!, Apr 20, 2010
    #5
  6. Tom K

    Tom K Private First Class

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    I already deleted the six .tmp files before my last response. Should I still proceed with The Avenger? Bypass that step and run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file posting the resulting zip log? Or is there an alternate step I should take here?

    I still can't understand why I have had problems with ComboFix. I have used this before without incident.

    As to how things are going, my PC has been performing normally.
     
    Tom K, Apr 20, 2010
    #6
  7. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Yes.
     
    Kestrel13!, Apr 21, 2010
    #7
  8. Tom K

    Tom K Private First Class

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Hey Kestrel13!
    Thank you for your continued assistance. The GetLogs.bat scan ran without incident, and the resulting zip log is attached.
     

    Attached Files:

    Tom K, Apr 22, 2010
    #8
  9. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Re: PC Performance Awkward; Scans Find No Obvious Malware, Find Other Potential Issue

    Delete all files in the below folder except ones from the current date (Windows will not let you delete the files from the current day).

    If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:
    1. We recommend you keep SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for scanning/removal of malware. Unless you purchase them, they provide no protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.
    2. If we used Pocket Killbox during your cleanup, do the below
      • Run Pocket Killbox and select File, Cleanup, Delete All Backups
    3. If we had you use ComboFix, uninstall ComboFix (This uninstall will only work as written if you installed ComboFix on your Desktop like we requested.)
      • Click START then RUN and enter the below into the run box and then click OK. Note the quotes are required
      • "%userprofile%\Desktop\combofix" /uninstall
        • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /uninstall, it must be there.
        • This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.
    4. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
    5. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
    6. If running Vista, it is time to make sure you have reenabled UAC by double clicking on the C:\MGtools\enableUAC.reg file and allowing it to be added to the registry.
    7. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
    8. Goto the C:\MGtools folder and find the MGclean.bat file. Double click on this file to run this cleanup program that will remove files and folders related to MGtools and some other items from our cleaning procedures.
    9. If you are running Win 7, Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
      • Refer to the cleaning procedures in step 3 the READ ME for your Window version and see the instructions to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
      • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
    10. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
     
    Kestrel13!, Apr 22, 2010
    #9

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