Asking for suggestions from PC guru...

[MechEng3]

I am about to throw this machine into a 50 ton press while powered up just to watch it die. It is infected with something...I can go to the Microsoft site...but cannot download anything..gives me the cannot display the webpage...please diagnose connection problems.....like essentials or updates. Befor I kill this machine are there any options as I am almost done with trying to clean it...have AVG and it is current and licensed. No help there. Ready to see sparks from this POS. Any last chance at saving it other than pulling the HD and crushing it befor I leave for the day?

[danielbriggs]

I hear your frustration!
Personally I'd do something along the following:

- Turn OFF system restore. Often you can remove a virus, reboot and it's back. This is usually because it hides in system volume information hidden folder.
- AVG it in Safe Mode (Press F8 on boot)
(Try safemode with networking - and I'd put my money on everything working)
- Also install Spybot S&D: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
You can't install it in safemode.
But reboot into safemode to run it. Make take two passes.
- If it's still not working: make a bootable CD of Avira antivirus and run that booted from CD.
http://www.free-av.com/
- If all that still doesn't work: Could be looking at doing a HijackThis! scan (not for the average user, as can break things if done wrong).
- Failing that, scan for some rootkits.
- I would look at a reinstall at this point. If you remove most of the crap and get it working, you can never be 100% sure all the nasties are gone.

Hope that helps,
Dan

[MechEng3]

Thanks...but it won't allow me to open either one of those links.... I will try to clean it in safe mode when I get back in later this evening. Man what a piece of junk. Pay out for high speed internet and have dial up service from my machine. Somthing is just not right. May just kill the infected machine....the only safe machine is the laser PC...never goes online...never has...and never will.

[danielbriggs]

Ok, just remember to boot into safe mode with networking first and try the internet.
That may work

[daedal]

I think this hints to the problem... but I'm not sure...

gives me the cannot display the webpage...please diagnose connection problems.....like essentials or updates.

There's a really nasty virus going around calling itself Microsoft AV (for anti virus) or any combination of names referring to "Microsoft Security Essentials", which is a real product... but obviously the virus is not.

There are several sites out there that show you how to get rid of it... but honestly, wipe the thing and start over, because you really never get rid of all its remnants.

Do you have your installation disks?

If you extra details, or how how to back-up and restore your files without infecting your new setup, gimme a call

--DDL

[badger1666]

hi i had the same thing this week on my work pc
fucker to get rid of
i used an upto date malwarebytes to get rid of it

[blowfly]

Have you tried rolling back to a previous System Restore point? That sometimes works.

Good advice on reinstalling Windows. Once you get a virus or root kit, you can never be sure that you've cleaned it off. Do you still you your Windows CD?

Mike

[shrad]

try malwarebyte's anti malware

it's a small utility which will clean any systems but a few from really nasty malwares

(there are a few malwares which prevent from downloading update files from the update server, but I bet one could still upload them on PL and make them available for you)

I once had a REALLY infested system where you couldn't update windows and antiviruses anymore, I had to manually add malwarebytes update files from another PC, but it kicked the nasty bug with no pity!

[Doc]

Deffo Malwarebytes.

Probably a SmitFraud infection, quite easy to fix with the right application.

As Dan said; be sure to disable system restore, it is useless to you now anyway (switch back on when you're sure its fixed)