Unable to run ComboFix

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Lainden, Aug 31, 2008.

  1. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    Hi there,


    before starting off, just want to explain that I am not really an expert in this area and therefore some of my explanation will be in simplified terms.


    A friend of mine got her laptop infected with some sort of trojan/virus accidentally. Not really sure what is the actual name of the virus, but it keeps popping up System-Defender and PCPrivacyCleaner errors, of which are obviously scam programs to me.

    So while looking for a cure to this, I chanced upon the Read and Run Me First thread posted here and decided to give it a try.

    Everything went smoothly from the start, with detecting threads and removing them. I've followed the guide all the way until Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware detected several infections in the system and 1 of it requires the system to reboot before MBAM is able to clear it. So I decided to scan the laptop with MBAM for the 2nd time after the reboot just to make sure it is cleared and I found another infection that was not detected by the previous scan. (both logs included) After clearing that infection, the 3rd scan did not discover anymore infections and I've decided to continue on the next step given in the guide.

    Now this is where the main problem occurs. When I double click ComboFix.exe, windows will prompt the usual "Open File - Security Warning" message and I just click "Run" to allow CF to execute. But after the ComboFix loading bar finishes loading, nothing happened - the blue cmd window did not appear. I opened task manager and found that cmd.exe is running though.

    All my AntiVirus software had been disabled so it is unlikely that CF was blocked by them. I've even tried downloading another copy of CF and renaming it to some other names like ComboFxx and Combo-Fix yet the same problem occurs.

    After several attempts, I've decided to give up and skip the CF step and continue on to MGTools. Everything from there on went smoothly.

    But problem with unable to run CF is still making me feel uneasy so I've decided to post a thread here seeking for expert help.

    Attached are all the log files generated (except for CF) and any advice is greatly appreciated.
     

    Attached Files:

    Lainden, Aug 31, 2008
    #1
  2. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    here is the MGTools Logs
     

    Attached Files:

    Lainden, Aug 31, 2008
    #2
  3. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Your problems are due to Messenger Plus! Live

    Please use add/remove programs to uninstall it.

    Please disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware programs while we do the following (re-enable when you are finished):

    Run C:\MGtools\analyse.exe by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator). This is really HijackThis (select Do a system scan only) 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:
    After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

    Now Copy the bold text below to notepad. Save it as fixME.reg to your desktop. Be sure the "Save as" type is set to "all files" Once you have saved it double click it and allow it to merge with the registry.
    Now download The Avenger by Swandog469, and save it to your Desktop.

    * Extract avenger.exe from the Zip file and save it to your desktop
    * Run avenger.exe by double-clicking on it.
    * Do not change any check box options!!
    * Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it into the Input script here: part of the window:

    * Now click the Execute button.
    * Click Yes to the prompt to confirm you want to execute.
    * Click Yes to the Reboot now? question that will appear when Avenger finishes running.
    * Your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
    * A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt and it will popup for you to view when you login after reboot.

    Also delete all files in the below folders except ones from the current date (Windows will not let you delete the files from the current day).
    C:\WINDOWS\Temp
    C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Temp

    Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it. Then attach the new C:\MGlogs.zip file that will be created by running this and also attach the log from Avenger.

    Be sure to tell us how things are running.
     
    TimW, Aug 31, 2008
    #3
  4. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    Thanks for the reply. I'll try them out when i get home from work which is around 12hrs later :tired

    but should i run combofix which was stated in the Read and Run Me guide before carrying on to the instructions which you gave me since i skipped it previously?
     
    Lainden, Aug 31, 2008
    #4
  5. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    You can skip running combo since your problems are caused by Messenger Plus --> a frequent cause of LOP infections.
     
    TimW, Sep 1, 2008
    #5
  6. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    Ok i've follow the instructions given to uninstall messenger plus using the Add/Remove program from control panel.

    Everything went according to how you explained... but i seem to have some problem when running the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file. It seem to get stuck at this stage when I'm running it

    http://i308.photobucket.com/albums/kk330/hubbiesg/getlogs.jpg

    I know that it prompted there to just wait for the program to finishing running, but i've waited like for 4hrs and it is still stuck at the same screen.

    Anyway attached is the log file generated by The Avenger.
     

    Attached Files:

    Lainden, Sep 1, 2008
    #6
  7. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Kill it...then You can delete the C:\MGtools folder and the C:\MGtools.exe file. You can also delete the C:\MGlogs.zip. Run CCleaner and then re-download MGTools and try running it again (make sure you agree to the HJT license).
     
    TimW, Sep 1, 2008
    #7
  8. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    hI, I've done as instructed - deleted old C:\MGTools.exe, C:\MGTools folder and MGlogs.zip. Ran CCleaner followed by re-downloading a fresh copy of MGTools.exe

    Then i proceed to run MGTools.exe by double clicking it. But the 1st time i ran it, it got stuck while generating runkeys.txt. I've waited for around 15mins and then decided to kill the program. Then I went to start MGTools again. This time round it manage to complete its full operation. (But the HJT license thingy did not pop up this time)

    Did anything went wrong in the steps i took?

    Here is the log file generated by MGTools.
     

    Attached Files:

    Lainden, Sep 2, 2008
    #8
  9. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    The only problem I see at the moment is that you have two anti-virus programs installed:
    AVG8
    ESET NOD32 Antivirus

    Remove one of them!

    If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:


    1. We recommed 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 significan 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.

      • Delete the C:\combo-fix folder from combofix.

    4. If we had you run Avenger, you can delete all files related to Avenger now.
    5. If we had you run RenV.exe, you can delete it and the Log.txt file on your Desktop.
    6. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
    7. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
    8. 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.
    9. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
    10. You can delete the C:\MGtools folder and the C:\MGtools.exe file. You can also delete the C:\MGlogs.zip
    11. If you are running Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
      • Refer to the cleaning steps in the READ ME for your Window version and see the steps to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
      • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.

    12. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:

     
    TimW, Sep 2, 2008
    #9
  10. Lainden

    Lainden Private E-2

    Ok i'm in the process of removing 1 of the virus scan now... Thanks a lot for your time TimW :)
     
    Lainden, Sep 2, 2008
    #10
  11. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    You are most welcome...safe surfing! :)
     
    TimW, Sep 2, 2008
    #11

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