windows xp wont let me view hidden files

Welcome to Major Geeks!

This may not be malware related, but we need to see your logs in order to tell.

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:
   
   • 
     [*]Starting your computer 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 aother 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:
   • Don't Bump! It Only Hurts You!!!

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.
​

 

Re: locked out cannot show hidden files

Then you need to ATTACH the following logs:
SAS
MBAM
RootRepeal
ComboFix
C:\MGLogs.zip ---> from running the C:\MGTools.exe

 

We have a few things to deal with, some items going back to Oct. 18th.

Am I right to assume that you did have MBAM fix what it found?

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.

* 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 code box into it (make sure you scroll all the way down in the code box to get all lines selected ):

Code:

KILLALL::

Driver::
1H4WA4045

File::
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\AQQVEG        
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\CJXYGU       
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\syrgxu
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\yyrpsu
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\sysReserve.ini
C:\WINDOWS\IntIgn0xF28456.dat
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt8c.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt8d.xml    
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt8e.xml    
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt9c.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt9d.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt9e.xml    
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imt9f.xml   
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta0.xml   
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta1.xml    
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta2.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta3.xml    
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta4.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta5.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta6.xml     
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Temp\imta7.xml
c:\windows\system32\drivers\1H4WA4045.sys

Folder::
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\AQQVEG        
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\CJXYGU       
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\syrgxu
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Local Settings\Application Data\yyrpsu

Registry::
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\1H4WA4045.sys]

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{E312764E-7706-43F1-8DAB-FCDD2B1E416D}]

* 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.
If it asks you to overide the prvevious file with the same name, click YES.
* 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.

Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator).

Then attach the below logs:

* C:\ComboFix.txt
* C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

I am not seeing any malware on your system. Have you tried to update to IE8?

You should double the amount of RAM that you have installed. You need a minimum of 1 gig.

Please use windows explorer to find and delete:
C:\WINDOWS\Tasks\desktop.ini

MGTools should have initiated making hidden files visible. Once we remove our tools, we can then see what happens.

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" /uninstall
     • 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 we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
5. 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.
6. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
7. 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.
8. If you are running Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
   • Refer to the cleaning procedures ian 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.
9. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
   • How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

You did not properly search. Desktop.ini is a hidden system file. See: Searching for Hidden Files on WinXP But you should not have been using search anyway. You just needed to use Windows Explorer to navigate directly to the file since you know the name and location. However, not having viewing of hidden and system files enabled (see below) will hide it from you.

If you are having problems viewing hidden and system files it is because the registry entries are not set properly. Your logs showed the below:

The below should fix this.

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.

Make sure that you tell me if you receive a success message about adding the above
to the registry. If you do not get a success message, it definitely did not work.