Curser Jumps to Desktop, McAfee won't run

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by wanderercat, Jun 4, 2011.

  1. wanderercat

    wanderercat Private E-2

    Hi, my first post, great site!

    I'm running a Dell Inspiron 1300, Windows XP. For maybe two weeks my cursor has been jumping off the application I'm working in and going to the desktop so that I have to click back into the application window to continue typing or browsing. It happens with all applications I use, Word, One Note, FireFox. The timing of the cursor jump varies--when I first start up the computer it tends to jump every 10 to 20 seconds, but as it warms up the jumping seems to slow down, up to every 2 minutes or so and eventually after a couple hours I don't see it happening at all. I have no idea how regular this cycle is, I haven't timed it over more than a few minutes. It doesn't make any difference whether I'm using the track pad or the external mouse.

    Also, I don't know when it started, but I noticed a few days ago that I couldn't get to my McAfee screen from the system tray icon at all. if I go through the Start menu I get an empty white rectangle on my desktop the size of the McAfee screen, but no McAfee.

    I was assuming this is a virus/malware problem and started in on the READ AND RUN ME without thinking of uninstalling/reinstalling McAfee first, so as I was already into the READ ME RUN ME I haven't tried that yet.

    I think I did the READ ME AND RUN ME all right except as noted below, no malware from the programs that I can understand, the are logs attached except Combofix as I couldn't run it, see notes.

    Notes:

    Step 3 House Cleaning: Couldn't empty the Quarantine Folder for McAfee as I couldn't access the program, so I skipped this step. I used to run AVG Free and Spybot before I bought McAfee, but when I got to the AVG Removal Tool, nothing showed up, so I assume I don't have a leftover AVG Quarantine folder; couldn't find anything from Spybot either, but couldn't promise I searched properly for it.

    Step 4 Set MSconfig to normal: got message"System Configuration; An Access Denied error was returned while attempting to change a service. You may need to log on using an Administrator account to make the specified changes." I'm the only user on the computer so I am indeed the Administrator, so I don't get this one. But in the dialogue box the Normal Setup was already selected, so I assume I didn't have to change anything, so I clicked okay, got the restart message. Restarted.

    Installing Tools and Running Scans: All worked except Combofix: I did the registration, then the window in the centre of the dialogue box went to black, a lot of green program lines ran by fast, then the dialogue box, the downloaded program and the shortcut all disappeared from my desktop without running. I finished with Root Repeal and MGtools which seemed to work fine.

    The cursor problem is still there. I haven't touched McAfee. Any help you can give me on this is much appreciated.

    Thanks!
     

    Attached Files:

    wanderercat, Jun 4, 2011
    #1
  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    I am not finding any malware in your system. However, we can clean up a few things. First you need to delete as much as you can from this folder:
    C:\Documents and Settings\Rick\Local Settings\Temp\

    Please disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware programs while we do the following (re-enable when you are finished):

    Run C:\MGtools\analyse.exe by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator). This is really 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 just the bold text below to notepad (Do not include any space above the word REGEDIT). 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 use windows explorer to find and delete:
    C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
    First the exe file, then the folders.

    Have you tried using a USB mouse? I suggest you post in the software forum for additional assistance since this is not a malware issue.

    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 real time protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.We recommend them for doing backup scans when you suspect a malware infection.
    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 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:


    Malware removal from a National Chain = $149
    Malware removal from MajorGeeks = $0

    Help Support MajorGeeks
    Buy Discounted Software @ Majorgeeks Store. Giveaways Too!

    Majorgeeks Geek Wear. Hats, T-Shirts, Hoodies

    MajorGeeks on FaceBook
     
    TimW, Jun 4, 2011
    #2
  3. wanderercat

    wanderercat Private E-2

    Thanks for the fast reply, Tim! Working through your list--question:

    You asked me to "Run C:\MGtools\analyse.exe by double clicking on it"--I clicked on MGtools.exe, then realised this probably wasn't what you were asking for. I don't see MGtools\analyse.exe in my C: drive or in the MGtools folder. Where should I look for it?

    FYI, in order to turn off McAfee Anti-Virus, since inability to access it was part of my original problem, I had to remove it using Add/Remove and McAfee's Removal Tool. I re-installed it for now, disabled it for this cleanup routine will remove it permanently later and get the recommended anti-malware and firewall programs.

    Thanks.
     
    wanderercat, Jun 5, 2011
    #3
  4. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    It's right where I said it was:
    Code:
    "C:\MGtools\"
analyse.exe   Apr 23 2010      388608  "analyse.exe"
     
    TimW, Jun 5, 2011
    #4
  5. wanderercat

    wanderercat Private E-2

    There it is... right where you said! Learning curve. Working my way through...

    Thanks!
     
    wanderercat, Jun 5, 2011
    #5
  6. wanderercat

    wanderercat Private E-2

    Fixed! Cursor has been behaving itself all day and McAfee is functioning again. Will replace it with Major Geek recommended stuff though.

    Thanks Tim, for speedy and effective help, and the bonus learning.
     
    wanderercat, Jun 6, 2011
    #6
  7. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Good to know.

    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 real time protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.We recommend them for doing backup scans when you suspect a malware infection.
    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 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:


    Malware removal from a National Chain = $149
    Malware removal from MajorGeeks = $0

    Help Support MajorGeeks
    Buy Discounted Software @ Majorgeeks Store. Giveaways Too!

    Majorgeeks Geek Wear. Hats, T-Shirts, Hoodies

    MajorGeeks on FaceBook
     
    TimW, Jun 7, 2011
    #7

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