Wheezy

Last night, my computer stated that there had been a Trojan/spyware virus infected into my computer. The pop up only came up once, and I didnt start having a problem with it until about 24 hours later. After getting many security threats, I purchased/downloaded the newest version of Trend Micro Security. I scanned my entire computer, and the security system found several infected files, which were then quarantined and deleted.

But now I cannot even boot up my computer! It either doesnt even let me enter my password before it freezes, or it freezes almost immediately after system start-up. So I cannot carry out any actions whatsoever. My computer is SO important to me and my life (I work on it, do school on it and play games on it), so any advice is much appreciated as Im clearly at my wits end.

Thanks in advance!

PS Im not extremely computer savvy, so please be gentle.

Wox

Hi Wheezy and welcome to TSF
Try booting in safe mode (instructions here; scroll down to Windows XP).
To carry out the five steps (which can be found here), you might want to choose "Safe Mode with Networking".
Good luck!

Wheezy

Panda ActiveScan Report:

tetonbob

Hello, Wheezy -

That's part of the information which should be posted in the HijackThis Log Help forum, not here.

Wox has given you the link to our http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...tml#post342651 thread.

Looks like you've stopped at Step 2.

Please do this:

Download Deckard's System Scanner (DSS) to your Desktop. Note: You must be logged onto an account with administrator privileges.

1. Close all applications and windows.
2. Double-click on dss.exe to run it, and follow the prompts.
3. When the scan is complete, two text files will open - main.txt <- this one will be maximized and extra.txt <-this one will be minimized
4. Copy (Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) the contents of main.txt in a new thread in the HijackThis Log Help Forum, not here.
5. Please attach extra.txt to your post.

To attach a file to a new post, simply

1. Click the[Manage Attachments] button under Additional Options > Attach Files on the post composition page, and
2. copy and paste the following into the "Upload File from your Computer" box:

   C:\Deckard\System Scanner\extra.txt
   

3. Click Upload.

What DSS will do:

• create a new System Restore point in Windows XP and Vista.
• clean your Temporary Files, Downloaded Program Files, and Internet Cache Files, and also empty the Recycle Bin on all drives.
• check some important areas of your system and produce a report for your analyst to review. DSS automatically runs HijackThis for you, but it will also install and place a shortcut to HijackThis on your desktop if you do not already have HijackThis installed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Include the Panda log in that new post. One of the Analysts will get to it as soon as they can.

FYI -

Safe Mode with Networking is not a good place to be for an infected machine. Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware applications are not generally active, so any infections which might be present on the machine can act more freely.

Wheezy

Thanks for the info. However, I dont know how to get onto the internet via my infected computer if I cant do so through Safe Mode with Networking. As I stated in my first post, I cannot do anything whatsoever on my computer as it freezes immediately after boot-up. Is there a way to connect to the internet in Safe Mode that Im not aware of???

tetonbob

That's the only other way.

You're better off keeping an infected machine disconnected from the internet entirely a lot of times, and using another clean machine to download tools and upload logs. Carry tools and logs between machines via USB Stick drive or CDR. If safe mode is the only option, run DSS in safe mode.

Do you have a current Anti-Virus program on the machine?

Wheezy

I have no idea how to do that; I dont even think I have the means to share programs between computers. Therefore how would I download DSS on my computer if I cant get on the internet?

And yes, I have the newest version of Trend Micro Security running on my infected computer, which wasnt updated or running when I got the virus. Hence the infection (most likely).

Wox

First of all, you'd need a usb flash drive. Do you have one?

Wheezy

Um... I really dont know. Is it something that built into the computer or an add-on? I know what a USB port it, but Im not sure what a flash drive is. And am I looking for this on my infected computer or my healthy computer?

tetonbob

A USB Thumb, stick or flash drive is a small, portable media storage device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_flash_drive


It's an additional piece of hardware many computer users have. They are relatively inexpensive; once you've used one, you may find how indispensable they are for carrying data from one machine to another.

As examples:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati....asp?CatId=379

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...nd&Order=PRICE

Failing that, if your only means is by safe mode w/networking, then that's as it must be. I wouldn't recommend it. I'm just pointing out the problems of doing so. If that's your only means of connection, keep it limited to quick downloads.

Wheezy

Well I got the software downloaded to my computer, but now it wont let me install. It comes up with an error which states that "the software cannot be installed in safe mode." So obviously I cant be in safe mode when I install it on my computer, which I cant do because my computer freezes immediately when not in safe mode.

Now Im stuck...

Wox

First of all, make sure you have a flash drive. The software wouldn't do anything without a flash drive. If you have XP SP2, it already has built-in support for USB drives.

Wheezy

I do not have any additional hardware for my computer (add-ons, etc). The infected computer is a Dell XPS 400 desktop, and I didnt upgrade anything on it besides the video card. And I dont know what XP SP2 means... Windows XP Service Pack 2??? If thats what it stands for, then yes I have that. Sorry - I dont understand all the abbreviations when it comes to computers.

tetonbob

Hi Wheezy -
What software?

Deckard's System Scanner is designed to best run in normal mode, but it will run in safe mode. It does not "install" per se. It is a self-contained executable file.

Wheezy

Ok I figured it out and posted a log here:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/secu...ml#post1126977

pharoah

could wheesy's game problem be related to this virus they had?

The Sims 2 Freezing While Playing

Wheezy

Just to add... my game didnt start acting up until after I had to clean up my computer due to the viruses I had contracted.