Infected - stuck in safe mode

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by letsgojets, Oct 24, 2011.

  1. letsgojets

    letsgojets Private E-2

    Hi,

    I am trying to clean a pc for a friend. Not sure how the got infected, but the pc was stuck in safe mode and when it booted up, it had "safe mode" in all four corners of the screen and you were not able to do anything - no desktop or anything.

    I tried repairing the Win XP OS with the original disc and changing boot sequence and more to get the thing to boot in normal more. I somehow I was able to do it. I ran throught the Read & Run Me First process. SAS and MB found stuff.

    I ran SAS first with then incorrect options unchecked. I reran SAS after setting it up correctly. I will post both of those logs in case the second one is missing anything important the first one shows.....

    I was unable to run rootrepeal as it just gets stuck "initializing"

    I was unable to run MGtools as I keep getting the following error
    "C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
    SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers. VDD. Virtual Device Driver format in the registry is invalid. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application."

    Would greatly appreciate if someone would liik at the logs and give their feedback.

    Thanks,
    JB
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    I want you to run TDSSKiller so refer to the below for how to do so.

    TDSSkiller - How to run


    Please also download MBRCheck to your desktop
    • Double click MBRCheck.exe to run (vista and Win 7 right click and select Run as Administrator)
    • It will show a Black screen with some information that will contain either the below line if no problem is found:
      • Done! Press ENTER to exit...
    • Or you will see more information like below if a problem is found:
      • Found non-standard or infected MBR.
      • Enter 'Y' and hit ENTER for more options, or 'N' to exit:
    • Either way, just choose to exit the program at this point since we want to see only the scan results to begin with.
    • MBRCheck will create a log named similar to MBRCheck_07.16.10_00.32.33.txt which is random based on date and time.
    • Attach this log to your next message. (See: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post )



    Please click Start, Run, and enter cmd and click OK. This will open a command prompt window. Enter the below commands at the command prompt each followed by the enter key. The bold black are commands. The purple is merely informational.

    • cd \MGtools <-- this changes to the MGtools folder and the prompt should change to C:\MGtools>
    • nwktst<-- this will try to run all one scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • GetRunKey <-- this will try to run all one scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • ShowNew <-- this will try to run all another scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • analyse <-- this attempts to run HijackThis. Be sure to click the Accept button twice in the license agreement popup or it will just sit there and wait.
    Now look for the C:\MGlogs.zip file and attach it no matter what happened while doing the above.


    Download OTL to your desktop.

    • Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
    • Vista and Windows 7 users Right-click OTL and choose Run as Administrator)
    • When the window appears, underneath Output at the top change it to Minimal Output.
    • Check the boxes beside LOP Check and Purity Check.
    • Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.

    When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.

    Attach both of these logs into your next reply as well as the other requested logs.
     
  3. letsgojets

    letsgojets Private E-2

    Thanks for the quick reply!

    I followed your steps and attached is:

    - the TDSSkiller log
    - the MBRCheck log
    - the MGlogs.zip file
    I did get the same error as before many times and I kept hitting ignore:

    C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
    SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers. VDD. Virtual Device Driver format in the registry is invalid. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application."

    I ran 'analyse' and it launched Hijackthis so I ran it and attached is that log. Not sure if I was suposed to run that.

    Also attached are the OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt files.

    Thanks for your help.

    JB
     

    Attached Files:

  4. letsgojets

    letsgojets Private E-2

    Additional attachments...
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member


    StartNow Toolbar
    <--- Uninstall this.


    We need to use ComboFix by sUBs

    • 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 needs to update to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
    • Open Notepad and copy/paste the text in the below quote box. Ensure you scroll down to select ALL the lines:
    Code:
    KILLALL::
    
    File::
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\~6DSS92c31Apgjk
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\6DSS92c31Apgjk
    Folder::
    C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Viewpoint
    C:\Documents and Settings\FRED\Application Data\Viewpoint
    Registry:: 
    [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{A531D99C-5A22-449b-83DA-872725C6D0ED}]
    [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{9ECB9560-04F9-4bbc-943D-298DDF1699E1}]
    [-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872}]
    • 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

      [​IMG]

    • 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.

    If after running Combofix you discover none of your programs will open up, and you recieve the following error: "Illegal operation attempted on a registry key that has been marked for deletion". Then the answer is to REBOOT the machine, and all will be corrected.


    Now run OTL again, same as you did before and attach the log.


    Please click Start, Run, and enter cmd and click OK. This will open a command prompt window. Enter the below commands at the command prompt each followed by the enter key. The bold black are commands. The purple is merely informational.

    • cd \MGtools <-- this changes to the MGtools folder and the prompt should change to C:\MGtools>
    • nwktst<-- this will try to run all one scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • GetRunKey <-- this will try to run all one scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • ShowNew <-- this will try to run all another scan from MGtools. Tell me what error messages, if any, you see.
    • analyse <-- this attempts to run HijackThis. Be sure to click the Accept button twice in the license agreement popup or it will just sit there and wait.
    Now look for the C:\MGlogs.zip file and attach it no matter what happened while doing the above.
     
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    The Using MGtools link explained what to do. See Error Message Type 2 in that link
     
  7. letsgojets

    letsgojets Private E-2

    Hello,

    Thanks to both of you for your responses.

    I fist folowed the instruction in the Using MGTools link for that error (error message type 2). The was no VDD in that folder to delete - only one thing was there: (Default) - REG_SZ - (value not set)
    I didn't delete it. I just followed the instructions: clicked New, and then Multi-string Value. ang then typed VDD in the Value Name box

    I removed the Start Now Toolbar

    I ran combofix with the CFScript.exe file pulled in. Attached is the combofix log.

    I ran OTL again and attached is that log.

    Then I ran the list of cmd commants. I did not experience an errors so maybe the 'Using MGTools' fix did the trick

    Attached is the MGLogs certificate.

    Thanks for your help!

    JB
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Can you let me know how things are running at this point please? :)
     
  9. letsgojets

    letsgojets Private E-2

    Things seem to be running fine to me now.

    I really appreciate your help and Fred (my friend) does too. He was all set to go buy a new computer and he's not in great financial shape, so this was a real blessing to him.

    Thanks!
    JB
     
  10. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    You and Fred are most welcome. ;) Tell him to surf safely.

    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 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 (If we renamed it please rename it back to Combofix.exe.
      • "%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.
    3. Go back to step 6 of the READ ME and renable your Disk Emulation software with Defogger if you had disabled it.
    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 pointed to by step 7 of 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:
     

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