Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Hardware/Software - Many, Many problems... (I.E/Windows XP/Trojan horse problems).
| User | Post |
HyperLamer
Posts: 345/8210 |
Yes, that'd mean Explorer is messed. You'll prolly have to reinstall. Also try AVG for antivirus. |
Alucard
Posts: 38/87 |
Man...I really feel your pain...I run Ad Aware AND VGS (norton messes up my system)...but now my XP just went insane...I dont even get my start bar OR my desktop items...im pretty sure its the Windows Explorer that is blocked...Im having to run everything out my Task Manager because my parents are mexican and refuse to take the computer to get fixed....grrrrr |
FreeDOS
Posts: 351/1657 |
Unfortunately, I don't have any ideas on how to disable it... I'm sure that someone has. Google helps  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 326/8210 |
Originally posted by FreeDOS
They added this feature called Windows System File Protection, that protects system files/directories from being deleted. When they're deleted, it quickly replaces them. (Unsurprisingly, it doesn't protect %WINROOT%\System32, since that's where the backups are kept  ). I don't know how to disable it, either. It's good in theory, except when you want to replace the default executables (like replacing Notepad with Metapad).
That explains where my custom Explorer and Notepad went.  Any idea how to get rid of that? |
Uncle Elmo
Posts: 183/1062 |
Reinstalling Windows? Not an option, the recovery disk has gone AWOL and the only copy we have is a warez one I obtained from a friend. What I did was installed Spybot and gave it a try, it picked up on a couple of things Ad Aware missed for some reason and it looks like the problems have subsided... for now. Thanks for the help. |
Drag
Posts: 104/254 |
When I had spyware, I used HijackThis to tell me what was running and stuff.
You should download HijackThis, and scan. Note, it doesn't know what programs are bad and which are good, so you have to tell yourself. Anyway, scan, save the log, and copy paste it into a post here. Maybe SOMEONE here will know what shouldn't be there, and can tell you which programs to tick and delete. |
FreeDOS
Posts: 330/1657 |
The problem with Windows XP is that it's VERY difficult to remove IE. They did that on purpose, too. "Removing" it via Windows Components Manager (or whatever it's called) only removes the shortcuts.
Deleting the excutable or directory in C:\Program Files\Internet Exploer\ also doesn't do anything. They added this feature called Windows System File Protection, that protects system files/directories from being deleted. When they're deleted, it quickly replaces them. (Unsurprisingly, it doesn't protect %WINROOT%\System32, since that's where the backups are kept ). I don't know how to disable it, either. It's good in theory, except when you want to replace the default executables (like replacing Notepad with Metapad). Also notice that C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ is only 1.6 MB large. It's definately hidden within the system directories, when you notice that the same version of IE on WIndows 98 takes up ~65 MB in that directory.
The way I see it is:
1. Make sure all of your antivirus programs are updated by manually doing it. And make sure your spy/adware removal tools are updated as well.
or 2. Reinstall Windows. |
HyperLamer
Posts: 320/8210 |
For that matter, rename/delete the IE executable and put a copy of Mozilla there instead. |
Tarale
Posts: 162/2720 |
First off, is Ad Aware up to date?
Like most antivirus software, Ad Aware and Spybot need to be updated to catch all the latest nasties. There's a little tool in the program itself for you to download the latest reference files.
Once you have the latest reference files, I suggest scanning again.
And yes, use Mozilla/Mozilla Firefox as your default browser -- in fact, HIDE IE if you can! Hide it good and proper so that your dad can't find it and has to use Firefox.  |
HyperLamer
Posts: 315/8210 |
Sounds like my school's computers. Doesn't sound like you can do much but format, reinstall, hide all IE icons/shortcuts and make Mozilla the default browser. (And warn the guy about downloading crap.  ) |
Kasumi-Astra
Posts: 204/1867 |
Which operating system are you using?
If you're using XP, and you have a copy, or a recovery CD on you, (you guessed it) it might be a good idea to re-install windows.
It's not a extraordinary task, providing you have the drivers and backups of useful programs and work, it should take you about an hour and a half.
Make sure you have absolutely everything you need, though.
Back up work, favorites, e-mails, MP3s, ISP information and any other important information.
Modem should be the most important driver you need to find, because I find that XP usually finds drivers itself for every componant but the modem. Also, when you have the modem, you can download other drivers too.
If you decide to go ahead, there are plenty of people who know how here, but I'll keep an eye on the thread for you just in case you want to go ahead  |
Uncle Elmo
Posts: 177/1062 |
Right I think the best way to ask is to break down my problems.....
1. My Dad has a VERY bad habit of going on pages he really shouldn't (and it's gross to think about that, I'll leave you to fill in the gap), and so the comp is constantly infected by Trojan Horses, Downloaders and god knows what. Up until now, My Virus checker has been on the ball and scanned and deleted them all.
2. I've got a Prog called "Ad aware" which deals with the spyware and gets rid of them
3. Both those programs served me and served me well, but little by little, IE has been corrupted firstly by this annoying habit of redirecting all URLS I type in to this page that's no longer open (say I type in "www.yahoo.co.uk" IE will go to "http://ccttp://www.yahoo.co.uk" which doesn't exist. Then came what I assumed was a virus, every time I'd close IE, a dozen copies of IE would open. Now my Pop Up stopper would solve this up to a point and then it would just crash, so I'd have to close IE via the task manager.
4. My answer was to try and uninstall IE, but even though I seemed to have done so using the "Remove Windows Components" it's still seemingly there.
You see I installed Modzilla (and Netscape as backup), but now sometimes these IE boxes appear from nowhere, as well as this program I don't recognise (and according to Ad aware my Comp is clean)
5. Adding to these problems somettimes my comp will crash when I shut down, it freezes on the "Now saving your settings" screen, and so the only way to shut the comp off is to hit the power switch on the wall.
As you can see I'm in DEEP trouble, Please help me! |
|
