Problems with Root Repeal

I've run through the procedures a number of times on different computers, and this is the first time I've had this particular problem.

On the computer in question - a Compaq laptop, precise specs unknown, running Vista 32bit - after running Root Repeal, I now have a 'Windows Explorer has stopped working' error popping up -constantly-. Nothing can be done with the computer, and I have tried running system restore to before I started working. I've also tried safe mode - still no dice.

What I need to know is, just how badly am I screwed, and is there any way to fix this without doing a full factory reset? The computer in question is not mine, and contains a fair number of pictures and other data that will be difficult if not impossible to replace. I hate being the local tech guru sometimes...

 

Okay, here goes.

Yes, I can boot to a user account, and yes, I can launch task manager by doubling ctrl/alt/del to bring up the corresponding menu. The user account has admin-level perms. As for what I can do - not a lot. I can't use the touchpad to click things, keyboard shortcuts don't seem to work (aside from the aforementioned CAD), and context menus do not appear on right click or using the keyboard button.

Starting the Explorer task as you suggested works; it brought up Documents and seems to have stabilized things. I'm in the process of checking to see if this has fixed the problem... Taking a little while because the computer apparently downloaded an update. (I usually turn off auto update because a large proportion of Microsoft's updates for Vista seem to break things.) I'm not entirely sure, but this is taking far too long and on the heels of everything else, I don't trust it. Going to rerun scans when this is done. If it doesn't somehow manage to destroy the hard drive.

At any rate, this at least means that I can save the documents and other files if I do need to make it a full wipe. Not that I'm fond of the idea of using my own comp to store potentially infected files, but needs must. I'm somewhat unconvinced that a wipe will help, though, since system restore does not seem to have done anything for it.

Sorry it took me so long to reply.

 

Update: I killed the Windows Update that was running by shutting down; I figured if it had been trying to install the same one for thirty minutes, it probably wasn't going to work.

Before shutting down the computer, I deleted a settings.dat file from the desktop which (I assume) was part of RootRepeal; this was the only change I made. Either that or restarting the Explorer process last time must have done the trick, everything is working now. I'm in the process of re-running scans, and will post logs when finished.

 

Okay, that didn't turn out so well. svchost is taking up half of the processor (it's a dual core), and I can't run any of the installers. I sense something rotten in the general vicinity of Denmark, here. I've tried killing the process, but it pops right back up. I used process explorer to do -something- else to it (stopping it without killing it, I can't remember what the option was called), and that freed up the processor, but I still couldn't install anything. Can't install in safe mode, either. I'm wondering if I can get system restore to run me back to -after- I had everything installed. Hmm... I'll try that in the morning, I guess.

 

Apologies for taking so long, but the computer was out of my possession.

Attached are the logs I was able to obtain. Some of them may be incomplete - MGTools, in particular, was having issues with running completely through.

The biggest issue at present is an svchost.exe process which is taking up fully half of the processor time, and when mgtools tries to run, it seems to kick off - just long enough for mgtools to start running.

One of the 'programs' installed was PC Confidential, which I'm guessing is viral based on just how hard it is to get rid of.