Quarantined virus(es) now machine won't boot except in safe mode

Dearly · 11-03-2009, 12:34 PM

My laptop was acting very strange, and I suspected a virus. I ran a scan with Malwarebytes and it found "reader_s.exe" virus (with recent file date), which I quarantined. It still seemed to behave oddly, so I ran a scan with Avast from boot, and it found three files where the "Win32: Cutwail-J" virus was detected. I, then, quarantined those. Now, however, my machine will not boot up, unless I am in safe mode. What should I do now? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ried · 11-04-2009, 10:28 PM

Hello Dearly,

It sounds like the files quarantined, were critical Windows files. Based on the name of the infection provided by Avast, you have a polymorphic file infector onboard which will require a reformat and reinstall of the Operating System.

I may be able to confirm this if you provide the reports as outlined in our sticky topic New Instructions - Read This Before Posting for Malware Removal Help and post the requested logs in your next reply.

Either boot into Safe Mode with Netoworking to download the needed tools, or use another computer to download the tools to a usb drive and transfer them to the desktop of the afflicted computer and run them.

11-03-2009, 12:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dearly Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 3 OS: Windows XP Professional	Quarantined virus(es) now machine won't boot except in safe mode My laptop was acting very strange, and I suspected a virus. I ran a scan with Malwarebytes and it found "reader_s.exe" virus (with recent file date), which I quarantined. It still seemed to behave oddly, so I ran a scan with Avast from boot, and it found three files where the "Win32: Cutwail-J" virus was detected. I, then, quarantined those. Now, however, my machine will not boot up, unless I am in safe mode. What should I do now? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

11-04-2009, 10:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ried Assistant Manager, TSF Academy; Moderator/Analyst Security Team Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 26,953 OS: WinXP and Vista	Re: Quarantined virus(es) now machine won't boot except in safe mode Hello Dearly, It sounds like the files quarantined, were critical Windows files. Based on the name of the infection provided by Avast, you have a polymorphic file infector onboard which will require a reformat and reinstall of the Operating System. I may be able to confirm this if you provide the reports as outlined in our sticky topic New Instructions - Read This Before Posting for Malware Removal Help and post the requested logs in your next reply. Either boot into Safe Mode with Netoworking to download the needed tools, or use another computer to download the tools to a usb drive and transfer them to the desktop of the afflicted computer and run them. __________________ Member of ASAP since 2005 Member of UNITE since 2006 "It is one life whether we spend it laughing or weeping." "Take the time to laugh--it is the music of the soul."