I can't get started!

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Mr Pogle, Jul 18, 2009.

  1. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    My Brother-in-law has asked me to try and fix his pc for him. I've used your tutorials before and they worked great thanks, but I can't even get started on BIL's machine!

    I have the machine at work, so no net connection. It won't read from cd/dvd drives (drive just spins, and spins, and spins etc.), or flash sticks (machine won't let me drag/drop or copy/paste. It doesn't let me drag icons around the desktop (ie. to move them), it won't initiate a defrag ...... there's probably more that it doesn't allow but I've forgotten atm!

    Norton won't do anything, I tried booting up with Norton disk in drive and it just scanned the boot sector (i think) and then hung.

    I've deleted loads and loads of 'games' and also Messenger plus and Plus Live, other games it won't allow me to delete as it says the Windows installer is not correctly installed (or something like that).

    I may remember more info later, but in the meantime do you have any suggestions as to where to start please?


    Many thanks in advance
    Dave
     
    Mr Pogle, Jul 18, 2009
    #1
  2. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    Just remembered something else, when I minimise pages they just 'close' I can't get them to minimise down to the tray.
     
    Mr Pogle, Jul 18, 2009
    #2
  3. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    Also, just found out that it I can't get into the windows 'security centre' or 'system restore' and If I go control panel - users- it shows nothing!

    I keep finding more and more problems :-(
     
    Mr Pogle, Jul 18, 2009
    #3
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Major Geeks!

    If you cannot run anything at all in normal boot mode or in safe boot mode, and you cannot access CD or USB flashdrives, you are probably having more problems then malware and you would probably be better off reinstalling.
     
    chaslang, Jul 20, 2009
    #4
  5. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    Thank you for the reply.
    Please excuse my ignorance here........ but do you mean doing the 'destructive restore' (not sure on the correct terminolgy here) from the repair disc that came with the machine? If so, would there be any way of saving some of his photo's from the hard drive, or would they all be gone?
     
    Mr Pogle, Jul 20, 2009
    #5
  6. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    I managed, in safe mode, to run combofix. I saved a log, then 'saved as' another copy to flash drive so I can upload here. Mb won't install/run (run-time error 372 failed to load 'vbalsGrid' from 'vbalsgrid6.ocx').
    Any help at all is appreciated.

    Dave
     

    Attached Files:

    • log.txt
      File size:
      23.5 KB
      Views:
      5
    Mr Pogle, Jul 22, 2009
    #6
  7. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    Hi again,

    I made a breakthrough as in I saved all BIL's photo's (one at a time!!) to my flash drive.
    Then, I did the re-install (but it saved some stuff to a 'My Old Disk Structure' file).
    Now I had full control of the machine again, so I started running the clean-up programs. SAS found and removed ADWARE.LOP from the 'My old Disk Structure' file. I think everything else ran smoothly but I've attached all the logs for you to double check please.

    I realise this machine is not protected with AV or Firewall, but I've just done the re-install (and it's not connected to the internet). I shall now go ahead and load up Norton.

    Thanks in advance

    Dave
     

    Attached Files:

    Mr Pogle, Jul 25, 2009
    #7
  8. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    ..... and the last log.
     

    Attached Files:

    Mr Pogle, Jul 25, 2009
    #8
  9. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Your logs from after the reinstall are clean, but you need to get properly protected now and the below will cover that.


    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" /u
        • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /u, 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 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.
    6. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
    7. 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.
    8. If you are running 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.
    9. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
     
    chaslang, Jul 28, 2009
    #9
  10. Mr Pogle

    Mr Pogle Private E-2

    Thank you for checking the logs Chaslang, it's appreciated. The pc has now been 'cleaned-up' and handed back to BIL with instructions as to how to use this site :-D.

    Thank you once again


    Dave
     
    Mr Pogle, Jul 30, 2009
    #10
  11. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome. Surf safely!
     
    chaslang, Jul 31, 2009
    #11

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