Yay, I've got a virus.

[RougeUnderoos]

Or some goddamn thing that has essentially taken over my computer.

I just turned it on this morning, did what I normally do (check mail, look here) et cetera and then a bunch of crazy stuff started happening with things popping up all over (popups, warnings, little black windows with ...system32/cmd.exe) and I've never seen this before. It worked just fine last night.

So I run the spybot thing and it finds a bunch of nasties and gets rid of them. Then it Spybot starts spitting out warniings, dozens of them, about "registry changes" and I have to approve or deny. I don't like the sound of the word "change" so I figured the safest bet would to deny and this goes on for a while. Can't do anything else while this goes on and you can't ignore it.

So yeah, spybot has done it's thing and now appears to be continuing to do it. I also run a Norton virus scan and nothing. But it's absolutely clear that something is going on because the whole thing has slowed to a crawl (it won't even keep up with my typing) and CPU usage fluctuates wildly between 30 and 100% when I'm doing nothing. And I can just hear it "computing" while it would normally be quiet. It's doing something, but I don't know what it is.

Any suggestions? Would Telus (my ISP) be able to help?

Oh yeah, and you can probably tell my description and vocabulary that I"m not exactly a "computer guy".

On a related note, the nimrods and crooks behind this kind of thing desevrve to die a painful death.

[Rathji]

Run Ad - aware?

Ad-Aware @ Lavasoft - The Original Anti-Spyware Company - Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/)

[llama64]

Try using a utility such as Process Explorer (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx) to get a handle on what is currently running on your system.

You can save a listing of all the processes to a text file and then post it here. From there I'm sure we can nail down what it is that has installed itself onto your computer. Many of the malware these days require specific removal tools beyond the generic Spybot/Ad-Aware utilities.

[RougeUnderoos]

Thanks guys. I'll try this Ad-Aware thing first as it sounds like it's more my speed. If not, then I'll try the next suggestion.

[photon]

I've had some good success with the trend micro house call stuff:

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/free-tools-and-services/index.html

[Bobblehead]

I've had some good success with the trend micro house call stuff:

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/free-tools-and-services/index.html

Same here. Run that a few times.

[RougeUnderoos]

I'm doing an Ad-Aware scan right now and because the computer is so slow it is taking forever. Anyone know how long this should take? Probably not.

It's found lots of stuff so far though so that's good.

[Hack&Lube]

I'm a big fan of combofix.exe, the simplest fastest solution.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=134965

[Rathji]

House call is a pretty good option as well. My 80 gig drive which is 3/4 full takes 30-45 mins to adaware I think, maybe longer.

[Torture]

You should also probably uninstall Norton after this is all over with and go with a free version like AVG which is 819273981273X better....and did I mention that it's free?

[Rathji]

Once you get all this sorted out, you might want to consider having a AV program on a USB key. Also some cool stuff on there if you tend to use multiple computers.

PortableApps.com - Portable software for USB drives | Your Digital Life, Anywhere™ (http://portableapps.com/)

[CaptainCrunch]

reboot your computer in safe mode, then run your virus scan, adaware or spybot.

[RougeUnderoos]

That adaware seems to have done the trick.

What's the consensus on Norton vs. AVG? I've never had a problem before today.

Should I still do the other suggestions? I'm about sick of messing with this computer and I just want to get back to opening the weird attachments strangers send me in e-mails and downloading free Chinese pornography from my favorite Cayman Islands website.

[CaptainCrunch]

That adaware seems to have done the trick.

What's the consensus on Norton vs. AVG? I've never had a problem before today.

Should I still do the other suggestions? I'm about sick of messing with this computer and I just want to get back to opening the weird attachments strangers send me in e-mails and downloading free Chinese pornography from my favorite Cayman Islands website.

I've had really good luck with AVG, and really bad luck with Norton. Honestly, I completely flatten and rebuild my systems once a year, its easier then messing around with it. Are you running XP Vista? Are you running a firewall (hardware or software). Do you have a spam filter?



And if your not looking at two headed Siamese twin on Siamese twin action, you ain't experienced porn.

[GoinAllTheWay]

That adaware seems to have done the trick.

What's the consensus on Norton vs. AVG? I've never had a problem before today.

Should I still do the other suggestions? I'm about sick of messing with this computer and I just want to get back to opening the weird attachments strangers send me in e-mails and downloading free Chinese pornography from my favorite Cayman Islands website.


Avoid Norton like the plague, can't stress that enough. I use Avast. http://www.avast.com/

Solid free AV program. You can upgrade to the full version for a small price but the free version has been great for me, nary a problem.

[RougeUnderoos]

I've had really good luck with AVG, and really bad luck with Norton. Honestly, I completely flatten and rebuild my systems once a year, its easier then messing around with it. Are you running XP Vista? Are you running a firewall (hardware or software). Do you have a spam filter?



And if your not looking at two headed Siamese twin on Siamese twin action, you ain't experienced porn.

I'm running plain old XP, I do have a spam filter and a software firewall. At least I think it's a software firewall. I know how to turn the firewall on and off so I know I have one, but I don't know if it's hardware or software.

Flattening it and rebuilding it is not an option. I'm sure I could flatten it, but the rebuilding would be an adventure that would end with me at BestBuy buying a new computer.

[GoinAllTheWay]

If you can turn it on and off with ease, it's probably the default Windows firewall (software). A router (hardware firewall) is far superior and cheap, you can get a decent one for $40.

[CaptainCrunch]

If you can turn it on and off with ease, it's probably the default Windows firewall (software). A router (hardware firewall) is far superior and cheap, you can get a decent one for $40.

Agreed, and a lot of the new ones have antispam filters built into them to keep malicious mail from even getting through to your system.

[llama64]

Avoid Norton like the plague, can't stress that enough. I use Avast. http://www.avast.com/

Solid free AV program. You can upgrade to the full version for a small price but the free version has been great for me, nary a problem.

DING DING DING!

I cringe when people say they bought Norton/Symantec or McAffee (or even got it through work). Those products are the worst thing you can do to a computer, aside from tossing it into a lake.

Havn't used Avast, but I do use AVG Free. Works great.

Although, I don't find much of a use for a virus scanner these days. I'm too old to care about downloading much stuff, I use Firefox with NoScript and I stay away from the "Russian Porn Sites" ;)

Ad-Aware and Windows Defender cover my ass though.

[Buff]

I have seen many computers with McAfee installed. Each and every PC crashed and all signs were pointing to McAfee being the culprit causing the crash. In a couple of instances it even caused all data to be lost.

I've seen the same with Norton but not as frequent.

We use Symantec at work, it isn't as bad as Norton, but we're looking into other options because we fear Norton's bloatedness will quickly come Symantec's way. (Norton and Symantec are the same company, Norton is for home, Symantec is for business/corporate so Symantec isn't as bloated and troublesome).

[GoinAllTheWay]

We use Symantec at work, it isn't as bad as Norton, but we're looking into other options because we fear Norton's bloatedness will quickly come Symantec's way.

I'm actually about to propose to the powers that be at my company to move to Avast Pro. Heard from other IT related people that it has worked out very well.

[worth]

format c: /s

[llama64]

format c: /s

rm -Rf /

:D

[photon]

The new NOD32 is very nice as well, I like it, though it is a pay one. Their new version is quite lite on resource usage.

Antivir is another good free one, I like it better than AVG or Avast.

[Buff]

I'm actually about to propose to the powers that be at my company to move to Avast Pro. Heard from other IT related people that it has worked out very well.

We were looking at AVG, but I chimed in with my past experience with AVG (the enterprise edition or whatever it is called). Needless to say, my past experience wasn't very ideal. I can't remember the name of our top two choices. I want to say that TrendMicro is one of them, but I'm not sure. My colleague is handling that.

[worth]

I use AVG Internet Security and I find it to work very well. No problems whatsoever.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

I'm using TrendMicro right now. No major complaints yet - but I will say Trend Firewall causes a lot of conflicts.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Here is a side by side comparison of the more common scanners. Glad to see Avast doing well. Please keep in mind this list is in Alphabetical order, see right side for actual score.

http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/Results-2008q1.htm

[llama64]

I'm using TrendMicro right now. No major complaints yet - but I will say Trend Firewall causes a lot of conflicts.

I'd recommend ditching the software firewall and using a hardware solution. Most software ones are just over kill if you're behind a hardware firewall, and since most routers come with them installed, software solutions are redundant.

Unless you connect to a lot of unsecured wireless access points that is.

[worth]

Here is a side by side comparison of the more common scanners. Glad to see Avast doing well. Please keep in mind this list is in Alphabetical order, see right side for actual score.

http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/Results-2008q1.htm

That's interesting. How do you put out a product that only catches 55% of viruses?

[Bobblehead]

I find it interesting that if your software takes 4 hours to respond to "widespread malware" (how do they define that?) it is only average.

[Vulcan]

I used AVG and had poor luck with it but that may have had something to do with me using the Millinium OS. I've used Shaw Secure for a few years and it's worked well for me and I like the fact it's free from Shaw. It's actually F-Secure which does well in the ratings I've seen. On the downside, I think it's more of a resource pig than Norton but I've got a good fast computer.

[Hack&Lube]

I have not used antivirus's on my main computer for years. They are bloatware and and the resident ones scan everything as you work on each file and the overhead is ridiculous in addition to annoying live updates.

The fine line between viruses and spyware is almost gone, it's all malware and many spyware scanners will do fine for a sweep every now and then. Just make sure you immunize your system with Spybot, have teatimer to monitor registry changes, and then get fixes for any possible exploits and you should be clear to go. I've never had a virus in about 5 years. So glad I ditched Norton, Mcaffee, AVG, Kapersky, Bitdefender, etc.

If a major issue comes up, I run combofix.exe

[RougeUnderoos]

Okay so apparently I never really got rid of this thing because after a few days of adequate though slightly quirky (that I tried to ignore) performance, everything is indeed effed.

It's Windows XP and right now I'm logged in on a "guest account" and it seems to work decent enough, but I'd rather use my own actual user profile, since it's mine, and all my stuff is there. But it won't let me. It won't do anything. Outlook and Firefox simpy won't respond.

I've done the Trend scan, virus scans (still Norton -- installing anything new could, I fear, shut me out completely), Spybot scans, AdAware scans. They've all found bad stuff and apparently gotten rid of it, but still it is screwed up.

If I run those scans while logged in as "guest" will they pick stuff up across the whole machine, or does it just look at what "guest" has?

This is quite frustrating. Does anyone get anything out of messing up my computer?

[photon]

Guest has restricted access, so that's probably why things are better there, the bag programs can't do what they want :D

This just illustrates that even the best tools don't always get everything.

At this point I think you're quickly approaching rebuild territory, or at least using something like hijack this and going through the system with a fine toothed comb to get rid of anything unwanted.

[Vulcan]

I'd try using system restore before doing a new installation.

[Shawnski]

HijackThis is a good tool IF USED RESPONSIBLY!!!

You can find it here http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php

Download it, do a scan and post the results here. Do NOT make any changes via this program yet. It impacts your registry, and can seriously screw you up....

But by doing this, we can probably find your problem and it could be a good case study for all CPers.