Malware or corrupted WinXP?

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by sgregg, Mar 13, 2012.

  1. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    I've recently started having some problems on my Thinkpad X32 - exe files won't run from the desktop (Windows Explorer and Dr Watson crash whenever I try) and a whole bunch of icons that I'd removed from the system tray have reappeared. Occasionally the computer seems to think that McAfee is installed, when it isn't. I've ran all of the initial scans except Combofix, which I can't get to run (that Windows Explorer problem again). Not sure if I've picked up some Malware or if Windows XP needs repairing.

    I'd be grateful for any help anyone can offer.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    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.
     
  3. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    Sorry for the slightly delayed reply - the situation has deteriorated since I posted yesterday...

    After leaving my initial message, I tried booting from my Windows XP disc to see if it was possible to run a repair install. I wasn't intending to run a repair install at this stage - I just wanted to check whether it was an option. Turns out it wasn't - when I got to the relevant screen in the windows xp professional setup process, it didn't seem to recognise my windows installation and consequently didn't give the option of running a repair. Instead I was given the option to install xp in the sole partition it could see, which was listed as "C: Partition1 (unknown)".

    I quit the setup process and tried to restart the computer normally. Except now it wouldn't start. As soon as I started to boot it up, I got stuck with a blank screen with just a flashing cursor in the upper left hand side.

    I replaced the hard disk with an older drive, and then plugged in the affected hard disk and ran it as a slave. I ran MBRcheck as you requested, and got the first of the two attached logs. As you'll see, it said the larger drive had an 'unknown MBR code'.

    Then, as I had PTDD Partition Table Doctor installed on the smaller of the two drives that I was using, I decided to run it to see what it found on the slave drive. Initially it didn't recognise the main partition as being NTFS, but I was able to use PTDD to fix that. Curiously PTDD could also detect a second partition which it described as 'free' and which is about 4.5GB in size.

    I then ran MBR check again (see the second log) and it now seems to detect Windows XP MCR code on the larger (slave) hard drive. However when I try to boot the computer from that drive, I still get the blank screen with the flashing cursor. And Windows XP Professional Setup still doesn't recognise it as an NTFS drive (it carries on describing it as 'Partition1 (unknown).

    I obviously wish I hadn't bothered checking the availability of the repair install function, but I'm really confused as to how it can have had the effect it did when I didn't run anything or make any changes.
     

    Attached Files:

  4. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    I don't think you have a malware problem, but I am just getting another opinion on that. Hang in there.
     
  5. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    After discussing with thisisu, he thinks you should attempt to retrieve any potentially important data from the hard drive before continuing troubleshooting. Then you should post about your issues in the software or hardware forum if you need to.
     
  6. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    Thanks very much for all your help with this. Before I head over to one of the other forums, can I get you to have a look at another couple of logs just to be sure there's no Malware present?

    I've managed to run the affected hard drive, by using one of the boot discs detailed on this website - http://tinyempire.com/notes/ntldrismissing.htm (the hard drive only works when I use this boot disc - otherwise I still get the flashing cursor error when I try to start the machine). Once I had XP running I ran Combofix - which worked, but only in reduced functionality mode (I assume because I downloaded it about a week ago). I downloaded Combofix again (with some difficulty - the download kept hanging, and I eventually managed to save it by renaming the .exe file and saving it to a location other than my desktop) and ran it again. Once more it told me that McAfee firewall and Anti-Virus needed to be deactivated (they aren't even installed). Combofix rebooted the computer as part of the process, and once again I had to use the boot disc to get XP to load.

    I've attached the two Combofix reports, and another MBRCheck report. Could you have a quick look and tell me if there's any evidence of malware in these latest reports?

    Thanks again for all your help.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    The only thing I would question is this service:
    Do you know what it is?
     
  8. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    I've got no idea. How would I go about getting rid of it?
     
  9. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Now we need to use ComboFix by sUBs

    • Make sure that combofix.exe that you downloaded while doing the READ & RUN ME is on your Desktop but Do not run it!
      • If it is not on your Desktop, the below will not work.
    • Also make sure you have shut down all protection software (antivirus, antispyware...etc) or they may get in the way of allowing ComboFix to run properly.
    • If ComboFix tells you it needs to update to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
    • Open Notepad and copy/paste the text in the below quote box. Ensure you scroll down to select ALL the lines:
    Code:
    KILLALL::
    
    Driver::
    KillTheHooker
    
    • Save the above as CFscript.txt and make sure you save it to the same location (should be on your Desktop) as ComboFix.exe
    • At this point, you MUST EXIT ALL BROWSERS NOW before continuing!
    • You should have both the ComboFix.exe and CFScript.txt icons on your Desktop.
    • Now use your mouse to drag CFscript.txt on top of ComboFix.exe

      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v666/sUBs/CFScriptB-4.gif

    • Follow the prompts.
    • When it finishes, a log will be produced named c:\combofix.txt
    • I will ask for this log below

    Note:

    Do not mouseclick combofix's window while it is running. That may cause it to stall.

    If after running Combofix you discover none of your programs will open up, and you recieve the following error: "Illegal operation attempted on a registry key that has been marked for deletion". Then the answer is to REBOOT the machine, and all will be corrected.

    Attach the log from Combo.
     
  10. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    Here's the Combofix log. Does it look like it's gone?
     

    Attached Files:

    • log.txt
      File size:
      15.9 KB
      Views:
      2
  11. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Yes, it's gone now. :)

    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 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 (If we renamed it please rename it back to Combofix.exe.
      • "%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:
     
  12. sgregg

    sgregg Private E-2

    Thanks very much for your help.
     
  13. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Most welcome. Safe surfing!
     

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