redirecting problems

windows xp I am thinking a 32bit
version 2002
service pack 3

I am being redirected in all browsers.
I tried to do the following
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=230267
but have ran into issues while trying to do a couple of these steps.

Internet explorer will not allow me to click on tools/internet options
I get a restriction pop up:
"this operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your computer administrator"

In the control panel I click on internet options and within my Home page area I can not change the startup homepage it has the following:
http://search.conduit.com
with other symbols etc.

In Firefox the option is not there:
In Firefox, click Tools
select Options
select Privacy
in the section labeled Private Data click Clear Now

I have used various programs suggested on majorgeeks to clean/remove/fix and nothing has removed the redirecting problems. I also have trend micro internet security pro and it too has not been able to fix the problem.

Any help will be most appreciated .

I have attached the HJT logfile

 

Welcome to Major Geeks!

Please read ALL of this message including the notes before doing anything.

Pleases follow the instructions in the below link:

READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide


and attach the requested logs when you finish these instructions.

• **** If something does not run, write down the info to explain to us later but keep on going. ****
• Do not assume that because one step does not work that they all will not. MGtools will frequently run even when all other tools will not.

• After completing the READ & RUN ME and attaching your logs, make sure that you tell us what problems still remain ( if any still do )!

Helpful Notes:

1. If you run into problems trying to run the READ & RUN ME or any of the scans in normal boot mode, you can run the steps in safe boot mode but make sure you tell us what you did later when you post logs. See the below if you do not know how to boot in safe mode:
   
   • Starting your computer in Safe mode
2. If you have problems downloading on the problem PC, download the tools and the manual updates for SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes ( links are given in the READ & RUN ME) onto another PC and then burn to a CD. Then copy them to the problem PC. You will have to skip getting updates if (and only if) your internet connection does not work. Yes you could use a flash drive too but flash drives are writeable and infections can spread to them.
3. If you cannot seem to login to an infected user account, try using a different user account (if you have one) in either normal or safe boot mode and running only SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes while logged into this aother user account. Then reboot and see if you can log into the problem user account. If you can then run SUPERAntiSpyware, Malwarebytes, ComboFix and MGtools on the infected account as requested in the instructions.
4. To avoid additional delay in getting a response, it is strongly advised that after completing the READ & RUN ME you also read this sticky:
   • Don't Bump! It Only Hurts You!!!

Any additional post is a bump which will add more delay. Once you attach the logs, your thread will be in the work queue and as stated our system works the oldest threads FIRST.
​

 

To the best of my ability I think I got all the scans needed except for the MGtools. My error was not listed so I did not know what steps to take to make it run. It pops up for less than a second and goes away. It extracted and created files but did not create the C:\MGLogs.zip file. I did DL it to C: and ran it from there.

I just want to thank you first and foremost for offering your help for free . The tutorials or steps were excellent and every possible question that could arise is answered during the process.

Again Thank you

 

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.

 

ok brb

 

I have a screen capture of the errors attached.

I was unable to find or see the MGtools.zip file. When it got to analyse, it popped up HJT, do I do a scan and attach that?

 

Got it

I rebooted and wala, go figure, lol.

Sorry for the delay

 

:cool

Goto the below link and follow the instructions for running TDSSKiller by Kaspersky

• 
  TDSSKiller - How to run
  Remember to attach your log from TDSSKiller (How to attach items to your post)

Please also download MBRCheck to your Desktop.
See the download links under this icon http://forums.majorgeeks.com/chaslang/images/MGDownloadLoc.gif

• Double click MBRCheck.exe to run (Vista and Win7 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. (How to attach items to your post)

 

got it

 

Please download Disable/Remove Windows Messenger to your Desktop.
See the download links under this icon http://forums.majorgeeks.com/chaslang/images/MGDownloadLoc.gif

1. Double-click MessengerDisable.exe
2. Place a check-mark in Uninstall Windows Messenger
3. Click Apply
4. Click Exit

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
  http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v666/sUBs/CFScriptB-4.gif
• Follow the prompts.
• When it finishes, a log will be produced named C:\ComboFix.txt
• Attach this log to your next message. (How to attach items to your post)

Note: Do not mouse-click 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 because you recieve the following error: Illegal operation attempted on a registry key that has been marked for deletion then you will need to reboot your computer which will normally fix this problem.

Could you please get this file:

Code:

[B]c:\WINDOWS\system32\786839552[/B]

into a zipped file and attach it for me in your next post? To do this, see the below:

On your keyboard, press the Windows key + R at the same time and paste in the following:
http://www.simplehelp.net/images/winkey/windowskey00.jpg + the letter R (at the same time)
This brings up the Run dialog box for windows XP
Now paste in the following:

Press ENTER
log retrievable @ C:\collect.zip
Attach collect.zip to your next message. (How to attach items to your post)

Please go to virustotal and upload the following files for analysis, and let me know the results.

• C:\WINDOWS\system32\786839552

Now run C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat by double-clicking on it (Vista and Win7 right click and select Run as Administrator)

This will automatically update all the logs in MGlogs.zip!
Make sure you click Accept on the License Agreement from HiJackThis!/analyse.exe twice (yes twice) if prompted.

Then attach the below logs: (How to attach items to your post)

• 
  C:\MGlogs.zip
  C:\ComboFix.txt

 

when running combofix it did not successfully install the "Windows Recovery Console". I let it finish and then tried to manually install with my CD and it said:

"Setup was unable to create, locate, or modify a critical file (C:\BOOT.INI) needed to start Windows XP. The system cannot find the file specified."

I do not know if this is relevant or not so I thought I would include steps I have taken.

 

ooops here are the requested logs.

 

We need to restore the C: drive's boot.ini

Please view the instructions here for a step-by-step guide on how to do this: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/repairbootini.htm


Now run C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat by double-clicking on it (Vista and Win7 right click and select Run as Administrator)

This will automatically update all the logs in MGlogs.zip!
Make sure you click Accept on the License Agreement from HiJackThis!/analyse.exe twice (yes twice) if prompted.

Then attach the below logs: (How to attach items to your post)

• 
  C:\MGlogs.zip

What malware problems (if any) are you still having?

 

I have been doing searches to see if I was having any more redirecting problems and so far so good. I was earlier untill you had me do the Kill All in combofix.

Thank you for your patience and help, the following issues have been resolved thus far:
1.Trend Micro pop ups saying my security was at risk, but did not fix the problem when ran complete scans.
2.Redirecting when searching the web
3.computer seems to be much faster as well as surfing the net

I know what I did to get where I got , TRUST me I will not being doing that again :-o. Lesson learned from this gal .

Thank You :wave

OHHH and everything seems fine, no problems, everything seems to be as it should be.

 

Sounds good. Well there is no more malware in your logs so please proceed to the final steps below

You're welcome 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
   • "%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 oof 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 if it present
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:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

It started redirecting again, Oh well we tried.

I am going thru and clean up what I think I do not need, uninstall All old and outdated programs. Clean up my documents and rego thru the "Read Me" again and start over. I might get to all of this by next week. Should I start a new thread or should I come back to this one? Or am I able to do either at all?

Also Trend Micro has a lot of files quarentined it will not let me delete them. Should I research and figure this out, or is it OK they are there in the quarentine.

Again thank you for your time and patience.

 

I'm getting a second opinion on this matter. Thank you for your continued patience.