Help! Computer is messed up!

Hold off on formating just yet. Let's see how this goes.

Run this first of all.

Go to TDSSKiller and Download TDSSKiller.zip to your Desktop

• Extract its contents to your Desktop so that you have TDSSKiller.exe directly on your Desktop and not in any subfolder of the Desktop.
• Now double click the TDSSkiller.exe file to run it ( if using Vista or Windows 7 do not double click on it but rather, right click and select Run As Administrartor.
• Allow the application to run and a window will open showing that it is TDSSkiller from Kaspersky
• Click Start scan
• It will run rather quickly and will notify you of whether anything is found or not.
• Follow the instructions to delete/quarantine if asks you what to do when if finds something.

Whether an infection is found or not, a log file should be created on your C: drive ( or whatever drive you boot from) in the root folder named something like TDSSKiller.2.1.1_27.12.2009_14.17.04_log.txt which is based on the program version # and date and time run. Please attach this log to your next reply. (See: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post )

Now you must follow through with all of the below

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.
​

 

Let's double check this:

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.

 

Yes you do have a Master Boot Record (MBR) infection that needs to be removed which we will get to below. You will need to boot to the Recovery Console to remove this infection.

Now boot to the Recovery Console and run the fixmbr to clear a Master Boot Record infection that you have.

You can read the below to help you do this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654


Then boot back into normal mode.

Then re-run MBRCheck and attach the new log.

 

Do you have your Vista install disc? If not:

Vista and Win7 Recovery disc


For fixing the boot issues:
To run the Bootrec.exe tool, you must start Windows RE. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Put the Windows Vista or Windows 7 installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec.exe, and then press ENTER.

Then you can do this:

Bootrec.exe /fixmbr

 

Then you will need to create the Recovery Environment disc and boot to it. I may not be on when you return, but I will be back tomorrow to check on the progress.

 

There is one other thing you can try, though we have not been having much success with it:

Do you have all important data backed up? You really should do this before continuing since we will need to rewrite your MBR to fix this and while most times this can be done without any problem, these infections can react badly and that could result in a PC not being bootable. You really don't have much choice though since these infections are too dangerous to your security to leave on a PC.

Also note if you have a Dell PC which uses a non-standard MBR ( or another manufacturer's who does similar to Dell) , fixing the mbr may prevent access the the Dell Restore Utility, which allows you to press a key on startup and revert your computer to a factory delivered state. There are a couple of known fixes for said condition, though the methods are somewhat advanced. If you are unwilling to take such a risk, you should not continue but you risk serious problems leaving this infection in place and thus your only other option would be to try using the Dell Restore Utility to return a factory ship state which will remove everything you additional you have put onto the PC.


Now if you wish to continue and fix the malware - please do the following:

* Run MBRCheck.exe
* Wait until you see the following lines:
o Enter 'Y' and hit ENTER for more options, or 'N' to exit:
o Options:
[1] Dump the MBR of a physical disk to file.
[2] Restore the MBR of a physical disk with a standard boot code.
[3] Exit.
Enter your choice:

* Please push the 'Y' key and then press Enter
* When the program asks you to Enter your choice: enter 2 to Restore the MBR and press the Enter key
* Now the program will ask you to "Enter the physical disk number to fix (0-99, -1 to cancel):"
o Enter 0 and press the Enter key.
* The program will show Available MBR codes as below

* You need to select your version of Windows from the list. For example, enter 0 or 1 for XP or enter 3 for Vista.....etc. and then press Enter.
* The program will prompt for confirmation. Type 'YES' and hit Enter.
* Left click on the title bar (where program name and path is written). From menu chose Edit -> Select All
* You will see all the text in the window get highlighted.
* Hit the Enter key on your keyboard to copy all of the text into the clipboard.
* Paste that text into Notepad, save it to your desktop as MBRfix.txt
* Restart your PC.
* Attach the MBRfix.txt file to your next message..

Now please re-run MBRCheck.exe and attach that log also.

 

Doing the recovery console ( Recovery Environment ) would be the safest way to go. It will not affect any files or folders. All you are doing is having the MBR re-written. The plan to do a backup of all your data and files and then do a reformat is a long and tedious venture. It would not however lead you to a reinfection as you would not be backing up the MBR. It's just time consuming.

 

You are saying that you booted to the recovery environment and did the Bootrec.exe /fixmbr command?

If so, and it did not work, all I can suggest is that you backup your files and personal info to your external drive and then do a factory restore.

 

No problem. Just wish we could have gotten it fixed without having to resort to a reinstall.