Trojan-Spy.HTML.Smit.fraud.c Please Help!

Not being able to run explorer.exe is typcially related to other problems so you could have a bunch of issues to fix.

I cannot tell from your wording whether you ran all of the steps in this Sticky thread READ ME FIRST BEFORE ASKING FOR SUPPORT: Basic Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal

If you have not then please complete them to the best of your ability.
If you have, try to run the steps in message # 4 of the below thread. Some of the items may or may not apply to you because it is a somewhat generix fix for Smitfraud.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=611080#post611080

 

While doing the steps, make sure you do not have any browsers open (except when running the online scanners) and stay disconnected from the Internet. Also look at the below.

Try opening the application that you want to run and before scanning, first run Task Manager (click CTRL-ALT-DEL) and select Processes. Then use Task Manager to kill the explorer.exe process. This will cause your Desktop and icons to disappear. Leave Task Manager running. While doing your scans. To get your Desktop back, in TaskManager click File and select New Task (Run...) and enter explorer.exe and click OK.

You can do this for each scan where necessary. For example, only have explorer.exe running in order to start the application (like Ad-Aware SE, Spybot, etc) and kill explorer.exe while running the scan.

If you still have problems and cannot do this, follow the steps below from normal boot mode.

- Download HijackThis 1.99.1

- Unzip the hijackthis.exe file to a folder you create named C:\Program Files\HJT

- Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose to run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file.

- Before running HijackThis: You must close each of the following:your web browser, e-mail client, instant messenger, and programs like notepad, wordpad, MS Word etc. And any other unnecessary running programs.

- Run HijackThis and save your log file.

- Post your log as an ATTACHMENT to your next message. (Do NOT copy/paste the log into your post).

 

Do you use DragonDictate speech recognition software ? ddwin.exe could be part of it.


Bring up Control Panel and select Add/Remove programs and uninstall the below if found:
PSGuard
P2P Networking

If you are using WinXP or WinMe, make sure you have system restore disabled (per the tutorial).
For all OS types, make sure viewing of hidden files is enabled (per the tutorial).


Run HijackThis 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:
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://hsremove.com/done.htm
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://hsremove.com/done.htm
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [P2P Networking] C:\WINDOWS\system32\P2P Networking\P2P Networking.exe /AUTOSTART
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PSGuard spyware remover] C:\Program Files\PSGuard\PSGuard.exe


After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

Boot into safe mode and use Windows Explorer to delete:
C:\Program Files\PSGuard <--- the whole folder
C:\WINDOWS\system32\P2P Networking <--- the whole folder

If you get an error when deleting a file. Right click on the file and check to see if the read only attribute is checked. If it is, uncheck it and try again. Other wise open Task Manager and kill the process if running then delete the file.

Now run Ccleaner (installed while running the READ ME FIRST). Now if running Win XP goto c:\windows\Prefetch and delete all files in this folder.
Now we need to Reset Web Settings:
1) If you have an Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop, goto step 2. If not, skip to step 3.
2) Now right click on your desktop Internet Explorer icon and select Properties. Then click the Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK. Then skip step 3.
3) If you do not have an Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop, click Start, Control Panel (for some systems it may be Start, Settings, Control Panel), Internet Options, Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK.


Now reboot in normal mode and post a new HJT log. And tell us how things are working.

 

Yes! Do what I already asked in message # 7.

Complete all the steps and post the follow up HJT log.

 

If you are having problems with your Desktop, go to the below thread and run step # 8:

SpySheriff (aka SpywareNo) Removal

Let me know if that helps.

Also whenever you get error messages, you should always post the exact message (word for word).

 

That should not be necessary but the decision is yours. We have fixed probably close to 100 of these SmitFraud problems; however, you seem to be having more problems than just that.