Another Malware Attack

[tomoni1]

Hi Guys: This one is my own damm fault. I was determined to install Turbotax 2008 downloaded from a torrent file,and I messed up.
My PC Cillin was telling me it found a trojan and it removed it,but apparently,there was more than one malware,because after the installation ,I could not update Turbotax,and later after reeboting,my PC lost all the desktop icons,and only shows the wallpaper,and nothing more. I wait,and wait...... and nothing else happens.After a while 15 minutes,my screensaver shows up,but nothing else.
I tried to boot up on Safe Mode to go to System Restore,and it will take me there,but only shows a safe mode black screen,and nothing else happens.

I have Windows XP Pro,with service pack 2.
It looks to me,that I have have been Hijacked,but I have no means to run a Hijakcthis logo,or run MalwareBytes ans SuperAntiSpywae to see what infection I have.
Is there any way to boot with a CD and try to get,and run some fix?

Please,advise!
You would think,that as we get older some people get wiser,but sometimes behaving like an idiot wins,that how I feel.

Thanks again guys!

[fink]

have you tried to boot to last known good configuration via the F8 key during boot?

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000626.htm

It'll still be infected but if it works you can start running those programs and try to disinfect the PC.

Also worth trying is when you get to the black screen in safe mode open task manager and click file>new task and type "explorer.exe" (without the quotes) [enter]

[tomoni1]

I tried both of your reccomendations,and still the same situation.
While on safe mode and trying the "explorer.exe" it tells me ,windows can not find it.
It nothing else works, I gues i could try, a windows repair,not with the windows repair console,but with the next one,so I could keep all files and old settings.What do you guys think? I am open for more suggestions.

Thanks again!

[Broni]

1. If you have Windows CD, follow the steps from here: http://icrontic.com/articles/repair_windows_xp

2. If you don't have Windows CD...
Download Windows Recovery Console: http://www.thecomputerparamedic.com/files/rc.iso
Download, and install free Imgburn: http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
Using Imgburn, burn rc.iso to a CD.
Boot to the CD...let it finish loading.
When the "Welcome to Setup" screen appears, press R to start the Recovery Console.
Then, follow the steps from here: http://icrontic.com/articles/repair_windows_xp, starting below this picture on page 1:

[tomoni1]

Thank you Broni: I will follow your reccomendations,and post the results as soon as I get the results.
Thanks again!

[tomoni1]

Hi Broni: I finally got around working on this PC. I followed your reccomendations to the letter,and the step by step instruction from the icontric.com site.
After boot in with the Windows XP CD I get to the repair console,and to this DOS command: C:\WINDOWS, when I type CD to change to the C: directory,nothing happens. I have tried the command more than 10 times,and it will not change!
That is very strange situation,that I have not encountered before.Any suggestions?
Thanks again!

[Broni]

The command is:
cd..
There are two "dots" after "cd"

[tomoni1]

Thank you Broni. Finally after CD space and the 2 dots got to C: drive and performed the recovery console process I followed every single step,and everything went well to the last FIXBOOT command.But unfortunately after EXIT and resstaring the computer,came back to the same situation. Desktop,but no icons,and nothing else!
I am open for more suggestions.
Thanks again!

[Broni]

Sure thing...next step, Windows repair: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/How-t...s-XP-t138.html

[SpywareDr]

Tip: To immediately get to the root of any drive, no matter how many levels deep you are buried down in subdirectories, simply type:

cd\

(and press [Enter]).


For example:

The first command I typed, "cd windows\system32\drivers\etc" took me down into the "c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc" folder (as shown by the prompt).

The next command I typed, "cd\", immediately took me all the way back up to the root.

Easy eh?

[Broni]

Thanks for the tip, Magic Commands Master

[tomoni1]

Thank you guys! Broni, I was thinking about doing the repair this way before,but I want it to give it a try,with the repair console.
Thanks again,for your assistance.I will post after i try this repair!

Take care!

[SpywareDr]

Thanks for the tip, Magic Commands Master

You're more than welcome, Cap'n Malware Anihilator

[tomoni1]

OK Guys: The SAGA continues. I tried to repair the system as per the latest reccomendations,using the second repair option,not the repair console. I have done several of these repairs,without any problems. The repair went according to the Windows instructions,everything went well,Windows was installed,and the computer was restarted,but to my surprise,it came back to the same desktop without the icons.
This situation now it has become a nigthmare,but it is also a challenge for all of us.It has to be a solution to this problem,and I challenge you guys to work with me on this one. It would be easier to retrieve the info from the drive using an external UBB gadget,and format it,but I will wait until we exhaust any other options.
Thanks again guys.

[Broni]

I suspect, you have some serious infection there.
Did you try CTRL+ALT+DEL in any mode to bring up Task Manager?