infected video codec, or active X virus???

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Lops, Aug 31, 2009.

  1. Lops

    Lops Private E-2

    Hello guys -
    I, maybe 6 months ago; picked up a virus
    Im just about positive its a virus, and not a hardware or driver issue because of the following --
    I have built quite a few systems over the years. I am aware of spyware and virus and how they can change your systems performance.
    I recently built a relatively nice system, P4 256MB SLI vid. card, 756 MB ram I think, and a couple 80+ gig Hds. nothing fancy, but fast enough.

    It ran fine, and quick. I could run multiple programs with absolute ease. from the time i hit the power button till i was @ windows login, was maybe 15 seconds.
    and from the time I logged on, till it was done with all processes was maybe 6 seconds.

    But one day, about 6 months ago, I was on the bangros website and it asked to install an active X or video codec to play the video. Yea, Stupid, I know, and I should be over that stuff by now. anyways I downloaded it.
    Ive downloaded video codecs, and active X files before and never had problems.

    but the next day, and days to follow since, this computer runs like crap. when I log in, the logon noise windows makes; will studder . when I open windows media player sometimes, the songs will skip, or if i open a program same thing. this computer is running waaaaay slow now. I check the task manager, and something eats up the CPU bad!!! however, the system ram isnt really being used.. its the cpu being bogged down.
    Ive ran numerous virus scans - lavassoft adaware, and avast antivirus, and havent detected any virus's.
    Hotmail load sooo slow, and from when I logon, till Im able to use the system takes almost 1 minute now. I dont have all kinds of crap running either at startup.
    I tried to do a trend micro housecall but it wont work...
    I went to a forum, after dawn, and they had me download their avira antivirus, and scan. it found nothing. then they had me use their antispyware software, and it did nothing either to change my situation
    so i downloaded combofix which I saw on one of these forums and did a scan.
    I have the old logfile from that....

    Im hoping u guys are better techs and can help. I dont want to have to format and reinstall everything again because of my stupidity...

    please help
     
    Lops, Aug 31, 2009
    #1
  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    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:

    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:

    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.
    ​
     
    TimW, Sep 4, 2009
    #2
  3. Lops

    Lops Private E-2

    OK guys, thanks for the help. This has to be one of the most comprehensive and serious virus removal steps Ive ever taken.
    you guys are great at what you do, and by far the best forum for this Ive seen.
    SO I followed ALL of your steps, clicked on each link, read in detail each point and process.
    Ive cleaned up my system, and defragged with the suggested tools.
    I did all the premaintenance before virus / spyware status as suggested.
    I ran super anti spyware.
    It found 1 file - pev.exe
    Then I ran malwarebytes. I had already installed it from before I noticed, from visiting another forum
    I ran it as directed, and it didnt find anything
    Combofix is where I ran into problems,
    I had installed combofix quite sometime ago when I had picked up an administrator and task manager lockout virus.
    The problem I ran into, is combofix wouldnt run.
    I dont know if its because I had ran it wrong before, but for some reason it would pull about a window about my logitech camera. when i clicked Run, instead of showing the black dow command window and saying combofix is preparing to run, it pulls up a window for logitech. I beleive there is an invalid registry entry directing it to the wrong place..???

    So i skipped that ( but i noticed an odd log file for combofix i think in my system drive.. it was form the same time I ran it, under the folder "Qoobox"

    I then ran Rootreapel as suggested
    rootreapel picked up hiberfile.sys
    not hiberfil.sys which is supposed to be for system hibernation.. or are they the same../?

    FInally I ran MGtools.
    I will attach logfiles as suggested, but I took some screenshots to show u guys some of this stuff

    before reading logfiles, heres the scenerio of issues

    • the computer runs much slower then it used to, and it didnt happen over time, but after I downloaded an active X or codec i was propmted to When I run windows media player it skips really bad , quite often.
    • When I login windows, it takes FOREVER and the login sound skips sometimes too.
    • My computer does a scandisk type thing everytime I restart windows now.
    • sometimes when my computer goes into hibernation, it turns off.. then It just restarts for no reason, and half the time when it does that, U can hear it restarting multiple times, I mean; you know how u hear the speaker beep when u push the power button to turn ur system on, well that speaker beep ( not the internal speaker, the stereo speaker) will beep 3-4 times.
    • occasionally I cant open task manager
      ALl your guys help is greatly appreciated
     

    Attached Files:

    Lops, Sep 9, 2009
    #3
  4. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Your logs are clean. I would suggest that you clean out your temp folders.

    I suggest that you post in the software forum. This sounds like it may be either a software issue or a hardware 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 are useful as backup scanners.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" /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.
    3. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
    4. 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.
    5. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
    6. 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.
    7. 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 ato create a new clean Restore Point.
    8. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
     
    TimW, Sep 14, 2009
    #4

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