Virus/Malware Removal Advice (post 1)

Welcome to Major Geeks!

Run this Disable/Remove Windows Messenger to remove Windows Messenger. Do not confuse Windows Messenger with MSN Messenger because they are not the same. Windows Messenger is a frequent cause of popups.

Now we need to use ComboFix

• Make sure that combofix.exe that you downloaded while doing the READ & RUN ME is on your Desktop but Do not run it!
  • If it is not on your Desktop, the below will not work.
• Also make sure you have shut down all protection software (antivirus, antispyware...etc) or they may get in the way of allowing ComboFix to run properly.
• If ComboFix tells you it has expired or need to be updated to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
• Open Notepad and copy/paste the text in the below quote box into it:

• Save the above as CFscript.txt and make sure you save it to the same location (should be on your Desktop) as ComboFix.exe
• At this point, you MUST EXIT ALL BROWSERS NOW before continuing!
• You should have both the ComboFix.exe and CFScript.txt icons on your Desktop.
• Now use your mouse to drag CFscript.txt on top of ComboFix.exe
• Follow the prompts.
• When it finishes, a log will be produced named c:\combofix.txt
• I will ask for this log below

Note:

Do not mouseclick combofix's window while it is running. That may cause it to stall.


Now run Ccleaner. Only use the Run Cleaner button. Do not run anything else on any other forms.

Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator).

Then attach the below logs:

• C:\ComboFix.txt
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

ComboFix did not finish running properly to complete the fix. Let's finish things off manuall.


Copy the bold text below to notepad. Save it as fixme.reg to your desktop. Be sure the "Save as" type is set to "all files" Once you have saved it double click it and allow it to merge with the registry.

Make sure that you tell me if you receive a success message about adding the above
to the registry. If you do not get a success message, it definitely did not work.


Now download the current version of MGtools and save it to your root folder. Overwrite your previous MGtools.exe file with this one.

Run MGtools.exe ( Note: If using Vista make sure UAC is still disabled. Also don't double click on it, use right click and select Run As Administrator )



Now attach the below log:

• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

Did you recently run scans with a tool from Kaspersky? Like on Oct 5th?

Please run this: McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool


Now delete the below folders if they still exist:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\McAfee
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\McAfee Security Scan

If may just be what you are running. First uninstall the extremely outdated Spyware Guard which you do not need anyway since you have Avast, Comodo, and SUPERAntiSpyware Pro installed. Then reboot.

Now please explain what operations are slow! For example answer the below:

• Is boot up slow?
• Is shutdown slow?
• Is browsing/surfing slow?
• Is downloading slow?
• Is running any application?
• Is it also slow in safe boot mode?
• Also are any process showing in Task Manager to be using a lot of CPU time?
• Anything else slow?

C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe is part of Windows and you need to allow it or you could be causing yourself problems.


Now please download and run Win32kDiag per the below instructions:

• Download this Win32kDiag and save to C:\Win32kDiag.exe. You must save it here!!!!
• Click on Start->Run, and copy-paste the following command (the bolded text) into the "Open" box, and click OK. When it's finished, there will be a log called Win32kDiag.txt on your desktop. Please attach this log

C:\win32kdiag.exe -f -r

Now run Ccleaner. Only use the Run Cleaner button. Do not run anything else on any other forms.

Now download the current version of MGtools and save it to your root folder. Overwrite your previous MGtools.exe file with this one.

Run MGtools.exe ( Note: If using Vista make sure UAC is still disabled. Also don't double click on it, use right click and select Run As Administrator )

Now attach the below log:

• the log from Win32kDiag
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

Actually all it found is what we already deleted and was in ComboFix's Quarantine. It did not find it before when it was active.

Normal now a days. Due the complex malware that now exists, protection programs and even the Windows OS have become equally more complex and will slow down startup while they get themselves hooked in. It is the price you pay for security/piece of mind.

Quite typical. I'm not sure about the 3 minutes but it is much slower the first time you run it after system power up. And the more addons you have and the more protection you have, the slower it will be (and the same applies to any browser). And you have one addin for FF that may be missing for FireShot: fsaddin-0.69.dll

It is not "prominent" according to your logs. If you don't need it, uninstall it or disable it. A topic for the Software Forum.

Not according to your logs. Your logs just show lots of toolbars, processes and services many of which I would not run but it is not my PC. These are all having an effect on your PC's performance.


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.
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" /u
     • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /u, 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 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:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

You're welcome. Surf safely!