Clean Up.

Firstly, our malware removal procedures do not request a Hijackthis log. Seeing a sole HJT log is not going to reveal all malware. It may not show ANY even if malware does exist. We need to dig deeper to get a better look of what's going on and so, you will need to refer to the below. I also need you to start a completely new thread for the Dell, but again, you must refer to the Read and Run Me First procedures which I will link to now.

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 other 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.
​

 

Use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the below bold folders, leftovers from Avast!

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.

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.

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 used Pocket Killbox during your cleanup, do the below
   • Run Pocket Killbox and select File, Cleanup, Delete All Backups
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" /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.
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 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!

 

No problem. All's good, yes. Safe surfing

 

Yes and perhaps tell her all about our website so that next time she gets into trouble (hopefully not if she educates herself and soaks up knowledge here) she can run the malware procedures here herself and see exactly what's involved. May put her off random clicking habits and she may discourage her kids from doing the same.

 

We all have to start somewhere...when I first joined this website I thought because a .hiv file was present on my machine that I had contracted some kind of cyber aids LOL Seriously, if she wants to run a computer she has to learn

Or at least take a look at this thread and see what's involved!

We work threads on an oldest to newest basis. I have looked, but it's against forum rules for me to take a thread before someone else was due before you.

Well I recently fixed a laptop that was over heating which I thought was due to a cpu fan which needed badly cleaning or replacing. I removed all of the malware that I could scan for or SEE but the software problems were so bad that it would have taken me an age to fix. I ended up reinstalling the operating system and after doing so, the damn thing ran fine... no overheating.... no powering off by itself without even a BSOD to indicate what the issue was... who knows what malware is capable of... it's always evolving, it's like an eternal game of chase.