windows cannot find "C:\EXPLORER.EXE"?

Sorry for the long post. Okay, I followed the spyware, trojan and virus removal instructions on this site last night, trying to remove whatever was sending bunk emails from my pc, (my isp told me I had 24 hours to get rid of it or they would shut me down for 15 days).The only difference was, I ran the online bitdefender scan without switching to safe mode. The bitdefender scan seemed to be cleaning out an awful lot of crap, but when it finished, it said I was still infected. Only then did I notice that it said xp users should swith to safe mode before scanning. Oops. So, I boot up in safe mode, click on my Internet explorer shortcut, and get "windows cannot find "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE" Next, I hit start, click on "control panel" and I get "windows cannot find "C:\EXPLORER.EXE". I can still go into my folders and look around, but even if I go directly to C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ and click on IEXPLORE.EXE, I still get the error. The same goes for all my programs. However, I figure out that if I right-clicked on a picture file or something, and select "open with..", I can still open my IE or virus scan, which is how I'm typing this now. My desktop background has also swithed to a big blue error message that says," A fatal error in IE has occured at 0028:C0011E36 in VXD VMM (01) + 0010E36. Error was caused by Trojan-Spy.HTML.Smitfraud.c" Again, I'm sorry about the long, rambling post, and I'll be extremely grateful to anyone who reads the thing, let alone give me advice. Anyway, I have a Dell dimension 2400 desktop with 512 mb RAM and nvidia geforce fx5200, if any of that helps.

 

Right wel looks like some of the main system files have been damaged/deleted.

I would suggest that you boot back into safemode and run all the virus scans that you can. And try and get rid of all the viruses and trojans etc. Then insert the windows cd and do a system repair. This should replace all the damaged files and get you working again.

Upon finishing the repair i suggest that you rescan your computer for viruses again just to be sure.

 

Thanks, but I don't think I ever got an actual Windows disk when I bought this pc. I really have no clue what to try next.

 

You more than likely did get a useable windows disk, even if it is OEM. Have a careful look through the CDs that came with the system, and failing that, you can get new system files from www.bootdisk.com

 

Dell Systems come with a reinstallation CD if you use this to boot from it will install the operating system but it will wipe everything else.

 

Explorer.exe should not be in c:\ it should be in the windows directory so something has changed the settings This change is often done by malware to point to an alternative explorer.exe. Check your windows folder and make sure explorer.exe is still there then
search the registry and the system.ini and win.ini files for entries "c:\explorer.exe" and change them to point to the correct location of explorer.exe.

 

Thanks. I hate to say it, but I screwed up my post. When I click on control panel, it says, "windows cannot find C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE" Sorry, I don't know how I missed that. As far as cd's, other than modem drivers and monitor software and stuff like that, I have two discs here, one that says"application- already installed on your computer- For reinstalling Dell tools system software" then "contents:Antivirus software, support software, multimedia software,internet software". The other disc says"Drivers and utilities- already installed on your computer- Dell Dimension resource cd- contents: device drivers, diagnostics and utilities, computer documentation." Could one of these be helpful maybe? I've been up all night screwing with this, so I'm gonna take a little nap, but again,thanks a ton for your help, and sorry I messed up that important detail.

 

I don't think any of the CDs you mention is the CD you need. Do you Know anyone who also has a Dell. I have but I don't know where you are an my copies are localised. If your system works by double clicking on icons Explorer.exe must be somewhere on your disk. It may have been renamed also if windows boots to the desktop then Explorer.exe has to be somewhere as the desktop uses explorer.exe. If you can get onto the internet with another PC it may be worthwhile going to the Symantec website Look up the virus encyclopedia. They have descriptions of what each virus does. Find the ones that give you the symptoms you describe and see if they have a removal tool. Let's know how you get on

 

Okay, I'm pretty sure I know what's going on here. I ran Microsoft AVbeta, and each time it says I have something called "Navidad worm". I looked up navidad worm and found this http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/navidad.shtml This describes my problem exactly, and also explains the BS emails my isp said were coming from my pc. I downloaded the "regedit" file on the page, but when I ran it, notepad popped up with a few lines of text. REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command]
@="\"%1\" %*"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Win32BaseServiceMOD" = ""
The guide said that I should be able to delete NAVIDAD.EXE and WINSVRC.VXD or clean it out with AV once I had run the regedit. I've done all this, and I still have the problem. The guide also says that if it doesn't work, you may have to go into dos and enter it, but that's something I've never done before, and know nothing about. Also, when it says to "run" the regedit file, does that mean to just double-click it, or paste part of it into my "run" box or what? I know I'm an idiot when it comes to this stuff, but now I feel like I know what's causing this at least. I was convinced I had screwed up some of my system files. Like it says on the page, I can't open any .exe files directly.

 

Another thing I forgot to mention, I haven't seen any of the little icons that the page describes. Also, is there some sort of short-term fix I could use for now to keep this thing from spreading emails? The page says it spreads itself through MAPI-compatible email browsers, using MAPI32.DLL library. I certainly want this crap off of my computer, but is there anything I can do in the meantime to avoid getting shut off by Adelphia?

 

You might disconnect the telephone or cable connection that provides your Internet connection, and re-connect it only when you must use the Internet. That would at least deny a worm the Internet connection it needs to propagate while you're not using the Internet.