novice here has dreaded awtsq.dll

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Mattchaps, Oct 8, 2007.

  1. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    Hi all

    I'm a complete novice, so please bear with me.

    I appear to have major problems and part of these problems are the awtsq.dll in windows/system32/.. and it's serving popups.

    Antivir has picked it up, but is unable to delete it.

    I'm guessing this is just the start of some major problems.

    This is the first place I have come for help, and have not yet downloaded any programs in order to try and solve this.

    Therefore, you'll need to start from the very beginning!

    I'll be online for a while yet, on my laptop, as the problem is on my PC.

    Look forward to hearing from you.

    Thanks, Matt
     
  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Majorgeeks!

    Please follow our standard cleaning procedures which are necessary for us to provide you support. Also there are steps included for installing, running, and posting HijackThis logs as attachments.
    • Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support
    • Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.
    • Very Important: Make sure you tell us the results from running the tutorial...was anything found? Were you unable to complete any of the scans?...Were you unable to download any of the tools?...Did you do the on-line scans as suggested? etc.
    • After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps in the below link to properly use HijackThis and attach a log:
    Make sure you also rename HijackThis.exe as suggested in the procedures. Use analyse.exe for the new name. This is very important due to some new infections going around.
    • When you return to make your next post, make sure you attach the following logs and that you have run these scans in the following order too:
      • CounterSpy
      • AVG Antispyware log - ONLY IF NEEDED you were not able to run CounterSpy
      • Bitdefender - from step 6
      • Panda Scan - from step 6
      • runkeys.txt - the log from GetRunKey.bat
      • newfiles.txt - the log from ShowNew.bat
      • HijackThis
    NOTE: You can only attach 3 files in a single message so it will require that you use two messages to attach all of these logs!
     
  3. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    Hi,

    Right, after letting the scans run overnight, computer has not been switched off.

    Counterspy found 6 items, and fixed them. Not sure where the log file is.

    bitdefender found nothing

    panda scan found nothing

    Attatched are log reports for runkeys, newfiles, hjt.

    All ran in order as instrusted.

    Look forward to your replies
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    I'm sure there was a reply here, and now it's gone?

    Ran the HJT and checked what was told, restarted and now the post reply has gone???
     
  5. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Sorry for the confusion ...
    lets continue:
    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
    3) 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.


    4) After you have completed ALL of the above in the correct order, please attach the following logs.
    • Avenger Log
    • ShowNew Log
    • GetRunKey Log
    • HijackThis Log
     
  6. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    All completed, in order.

    Attached are files are requested.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    ... and HJT
     

    Attached Files:

  8. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Run HijackThis (select Do a system scan only) and select the following lines but DO NOT CLICK FIX until you exit all browser sessions including the one you are reading in right now:

    After clicking fix, exit HJT.

    Now 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.
    Attach a new log for:
    GetRunKeys
    HJT
     
  9. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    All ran ok, attached are requested new logs...
     

    Attached Files:

  10. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    That looks much better .....

    Your logs look clean. You may uninstall any programs we had you download (including CounterSpy, etc).

    If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:

    1. If we used Pocket Killbox during your cleanup, do the below
    * Run Pocket Killbox and select File, Cleanup, Delete All Backups
    2. If we used ComboFix you can delete the ComboFix.exe file and associated C:\combofix.txt log that was created.
    3. If we user SDFix you can delete all the SDFix related files and folders from your Desktop or whereever you installed it.
    4. If we used VundoFix, you can delete the VundoFix.exe file and the C:\VundoFix Backups folder and C:\vundofix.txt log that was created.
    5. If we had your run FixWareOut, you can delete the Fixwareout.exe file and the C:\fixwareout folder.
    6. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
    7. You can delete the ShowNew.Zip and GetRunkey.Zip files and the files that you extracted from the ZIP files. You can also delete the C:\newfiles.txt and C:\runkeys.txt logs that were created
    8. If you are running Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
    * go back to step 8 of the READ & RUN ME to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
    * Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
    9. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
    * How to Protect yourself from malware!
     
  11. Mattchaps

    Mattchaps Private E-2

    Thanks everso much for all of the advice given Tim. All appears to be in order now.

    It has been much appreciated.

    After 9 years of working full time with computers, this is the first time that I have come so unstuckk.

    Kind regards

    Matthew
     
  12. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    No problem....safe surfing! :)
     

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