by drm50
18 replies
Hi Warriors,

This is kind of a last ditch effort, but I have a virus on my computer that I have not been able to get rid of. I have not been able to identify the name of the virus. I was using BitDefender as my anti virus software and was told by a computer service company that I should uninstall BitDefender and download a free trial version of Norton Anti-Virus 2009 to try and get rid of the virus. I did that with no luck. I have used spy bot but the virus is still there. I cannot get online so I cannot download any other tools to try and fix the virus.

Here is what is happening......

I can get logged on to Yahoo, but cannot get to my yahoo email. Message comes up "page load error". I cannot get out to other sites from the yahoo page. Interestingly enough I am able to get to gmail when I am logged on to yahoo from the browser. Once I get to gmail I can open my messages. However, again I cannot get out to other websites when putting a URL in the browser as it kicks me right back to gmail.

So, I cannot surf the net.

I have gone through the network connections with the computer service company over the phone and we determined all settings look ok.

So, I am at a loss as to what to do now.

Any suggestions or recommendations?

I cannot afford to take the computer in for evaluation, so I have to either do this for myself or live with it.

I am in the process of setting up a new online offer through my website and would like to get this fixed so I can move forward.

Thanks in advance for any helpful hints about getting this resolved.

Dennis :confused:
#computer #virus
  • Profile picture of the author jimh1626
    From what I have heard about Norton, don't install it.
    Many threads here on how they will hold you hostage after their free trial and screw you up even worse.
    I use AVG and it works great. Just Google avg and you can get it.

    You do however need to be careful not to have it running while you want to be connected to the internet. It will slow you way down and make you think you have a virus because it times out your connection. I had a thread started on that about a week ago.

    Hope that helps,

    Jim
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    • Profile picture of the author radhika
      I use Avast. It has a free version / free trial of pro version. Try downloading it and run it. May be it will tell you the virus name. Once you get the name, it will be easy to search the net for removing it.

      .
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      • Profile picture of the author kkrueger
        Both my computer guys told me to use Kaspersky Internet Security...you can download a 30day free trial..but I bought the 3 license program..I am extremely happy with it...Way better than Norton.

        The Internet Security does all the spyware, adware and will close a site if it has a virus. It gives immediate warnings on anything suspicious.
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  • Profile picture of the author gb4biz
    DRM50, Hi!

    Here is some info that Paul Myers posted earlier that may help? I have included most of his email to me , so use what you need. Hope it helps...

    Conficker, considered to be potentially one of the nastiest
    worms to hit the Internet in quite a while, has finally woken
    up. It's downloading updates, which security analysts suspect
    to be keyloggers or other code designed to steal information
    from infected machines.

    To see if your machine is infected, go to

    Conficker Eye Chart

    It's an extremely simple test. Load the page and see if you get
    all 6 pictures. If you do, you're unlikely to be infected. The
    explanation is VERY short, and included on the page.

    Feel free to pass that URL around to anyone you like. The more
    people know if their systems are infected, the better.

    If you find that you're are likely to have the worm on your
    machine, immediately disconnect from the Internet. Find a
    machine that isn't infected, and get a copy of Microsoft's
    Malicious Software Removal Tool.

    http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/

    Do not reconnect to the Internet until you've run that on the
    infected machine.

    ....
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    • Profile picture of the author XiahouDun
      I had a similar problem a couple of days ago... It was kind of wierd, I couldn't surf the net with any browser but instant messenger and P2P programs worked fine... I scanned my computer with AVG free antivirus, Spybot, and Malwarebytes' Antimalware, reboot, and everything works now fine
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  • Profile picture of the author Markus Nimocks
    Download Trend Micro's HiJack This! and then head over to TomCoyote.com and post your log file, they'll help you sort it out.

    Also, if you are concerned about Conficker, check out OpenDNS - a free DNS Resolution service that will block it if you are infected. (among other wonderful benefits...) (I'm not an affiliate, I don't think they even have an affiliate program...just a fan!)
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  • Profile picture of the author anth.elias
    The weapons I use are Avast and Malwarebytes. I would first start with Malwarebytes. Install it and scan your computer, you may not have a virus it sound more like some kind of Trojan. You If you can't download it, PM me and with you Gmail email and I will email it to you.
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    • Profile picture of the author edhan
      I am using Nod32. You can download the free trial and get rid of virus if any. I was using Norton before and a virus slipped in and affected my computer so I found Nod32 gives a better protection.
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      • Profile picture of the author JMac
        There are many free anti-virus solutions you can try, Avast and AVG are very good quality and should be able to help you clear the virus however...

        If the virus damaged files in your web browser you may need to re-install the browser after you get the virus removed. You can download "firefox" and use that to browse until you get your browser up and running. You may end up liking firefox more than internet explorer.
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        Need help with a virus or other malware? Check out my Free Virus Scan and Removal page.

        If you have a few minutes, I would appreciate an opinion on my first real squidoo attempt at my Best Keyboard page.

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        • Profile picture of the author Floyd Fisher
          Get your computer scanned by one of those online virus checkers such as House Call, Symantec Security Scan, etc., find out what it is, and post the finding here so we can give you disinfection instructions.

          It's either that or a reinstall, and I don't think you want to do that if possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bev Clement
    I was going to say the same as Floyd, you need to identify your virus first. Some companies will not allow you to install their anti-virus until your computer is clean.

    Symantec - AntiVirus, Anti-Spyware, Endpoint Security, Backup, Storage Solutions is one of the best around to check for viruses. I would always try them even if I don't recommend norton as your anti-virus.

    Do a check, and you should be told how to remove it.
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    • Profile picture of the author solfan
      Kaspersky is the #1 or #2 anti-virus in all the comparisons.

      I have about 85% of my clients using Kaspersky (waiting on others to expire or they're stubborn)

      Go to download.com and search on "MalwareBytes". Download, install and run that.

      Then, visit supersantispyware.com and download, install and run that.

      Hijackthis is great. However, it's not like scanners people are used to. It detects EVERYTHING that starts up on your computer. By checking everything and telling it to "fix" it, your computer will not boot. As suggested, post the log on the site if you run that and let them tell you what to remove so that you don't remove something that's important.

      In my company doing computer support, Kaspersky, Malware Bytes, and SuperAntiSpyware is really all that I use to remove "Baddies" from systems.

      Also, download FireFox and that might get your surfing going again. It's a far more secure browser than Internet Exploder.

      Good Luck!

      ** edit ***

      AVG is great if you don't really want to know what's infecting your system. It misses over 30k of the viruses the last time I checked.

      Norton is great if you don't mind a sluggish system and aren't worried about old viruses (they remove old virus definitions to make room for the new ones so they're defs aren't larger than they currently are)

      Kaspersky puts out around 600 updates a month, and most of them are smaller than a small Word Document. Their heuristics engine is state of the art.
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  • Profile picture of the author Gabe77
    I tried the eye chart -- I got all 6 of them. I'm on Window's One Care Live right now and my free trial is about to end next week. The subscription is $50 I think. I've been checking other anti-virus software to replace One Care. Norton is definitely out. I'm downloading AVG now.
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  • Profile picture of the author drm50
    Hi Warriors,

    What a great response to help solve my computer virus. Thank you all for your great recommendations.

    Unfortunately I cannot get online to download any software to scan my computer. That is the problem, I cannot surf to another website from yahoo or gmail. That is as far as I can get.

    I liked Floyd and Bev's suggestion of scanning my computer to identify the virus using either House Calls or Symantec, and than coming back the Warrior forum for instructions to disinfect. However, if I cannot get to any of those websites from my computer I am not seeing how to use this recommendation.

    At this stage since I cannot get on the net to download any software from my computer I think I will try having Aelias gmail me the downloads for Avast and Malwarebytes and try that to see if I can remove the virus using those 2 pieces of software.

    Dennis
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    • Profile picture of the author BrandonMc
      All good advise and recommendations (especially NOT using Norton). But the best one is getting your hands on HiJack This! and going to TomCoyote.com - or similar site.

      A couple of key points here:

      Most viruses job is to disable the internet and stop other antiviruses from running, or installing or updating. It's all ready in your registry. By the time you get to your icons it is to late in most cases.

      You are going to have a hard time trying to fix it from within. You will have far better luck if you can hook the hard drive it's self up to a clean machine to scan it. Get the virus identified and off the hard drive then get ready for the real fun...

      All viruses are different but most will add files to your MSCONFIG and the RunOnce section of the registry that most virus checkers won't find. So even if you get it off the drive, it will boot up and run it's little sister script and 'suck' the virus right back in when you connect to the internet.

      In this case, your best plan of attack will be to:

      1) get HiJack This one way or another and run it on the infected PC - Save to text file
      2) Scan and clean it on Virus free computer (free scanners are fine, but the paid versions ARE better!)
      3) Put the ''clean' hard drive back in original PC and use a separate one to get assistance from TomCoyote.com by posting the HiJack This file along with known virus issues.
      4) While waiting on them, run MSCONFIG on infected PC and look for gibberish (like xzcxaacyc.exe). Check windows/system - windows/system32 - Run Regedit and look in the RUN and RunOnce folder for more oddities.
      5) Google any questionable files and you will start to see a pattern.

      *6*) You have to KNOW that you know that it's clean before you can trust even a clean AV install!

      I didn't really want to draw it out this far, but more times then not - it's not just as simple as getting a new program and your problems are solved. And it's not for the novice or faint of heart. I did this for a living and my last challenge took a whole day, 4 attempts, 20 lines of code to repair and 4 separate utilities to repair damaged files.

      This is an extreme case but not uncommon. Hopefully you won't have to go through all that, but maybe now you can at least be prepared - I wish you all the best cuz we've all been there... except for the gloating MAC owners
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  • Profile picture of the author e-mail2u
    I recommend crashing your computer then when it reboots choose the safe option. This should give you access to the internet when your system reboots. From there download avast or what ever anti virus software you wish.
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    • Profile picture of the author edhan
      Yes, I do agree that the best and quickest way will be transferring your harddisk to a clean computer and using it to scan and wipe out the virus. If you do not have another computer then this option will be out.

      If you like, I can gmail you the trial version of Nod32 that can be installed even though you may be infected by virus. I have done that for my clients to clear out spyware or malware and viruses.

      Have you tried booting up under Safe Networking mode? Normally, under safe mode, you will be able to access and download from internet though you may be infected as safe mode has minimum services installed and likely the virus will not be loaded.
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  • Profile picture of the author drm50
    Hi Warriors,

    I finally did get the virus removed from my computer.

    Here is how I did it:

    • Scanned my computer with Malwarebytes and Hijack and found some problem files. All the files found were deleted or quarantined.
    • Posted the results of those tests in the Gladiator Forum
    • An administrator found other infected files and had me run ComboFix to clean up the additional infected files
    • After running ComboFix the first time we identified 3 more files that required deletion
    • Ran ComboFix a second time and problem was fixed and I was back online

    Although we were able to narrow the virus problem down to three files, I was not able to determine exactly which file it was that caused me to not be able to get online.

    So, I did not have to clean my hard drive on another computer. However, this process took a lot of work and perseverance. Since my back was up against the wall, I took the time to get this resolved.

    The administrator at Gladiator Forum (LoPhatPhuud) gave me very detailed instructions and I could not have removed all the infected files without his help!

    I would recommend this procedure for anyone with an infected computer instead of trying to go it alone without any exact direction for fixing the problem.

    I do not know if this is going to matter to anyone else because everyone has different priorities and surfing habits on the net, but for what it is worth here are the three problem files I removed resulting in my computer being able to get back online:

    Relevant Knowledge (dangerous)
    Internet Warriors
    Software Informers

    By removing those three files, I was able to get back online again.

    Thanks for everyone's suggestions and help!

    Dennis
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