Ask Me Help Desk - Issues after virus

Issues after virus

I have a Dell Dimension 2400, Windows XP Home Edition. I was originally using AVG Anti-virus but when we started using Verizon DSL, it came with a security suite so I used that anti-virus protection instead and uninstalled AVG.

About a month ago, Verizon suddenly said it found viruses in a few different files. I cleaned/quarantined them and ever since, I've had numerous problems.

1. My audio has gone out completely; I tried reinstalling the driver and it would work on and off but now it's completely gone.

2. I can't visit Microsoft Update; it won't display the page. If I go through the Control Panel, it says "Automatic Updates" are already turned on but it's not updating the computer.

3. When I try to shut down or restart, the computer "hangs" on the shut-down page.

4. When I try to run CCleaner, the program hangs.

5. Verizon Online Back-Up won't run, it says it's missing a .dll file

At the recommendation of another member here, I stopped using Verizon SS and installed Avast! Instead; it's picked up a few things as well but I still have all the above issues. I've tried running ASC, defragged, ran a complete scan of my C drive... nothing is helping and I'm getting really frustrated. Any help?? :(

I would give Microsoft Secutity Essentials a try, It's a free download and actually works.
Do the Update before you do a Quick Scan, after that if you need do the long scan. Can't Hurt

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratmando

I would give Microsoft Secutity Essentials a try, Its a free download and actually works.
Do the Update before you do a Quick Scan, after that if you need do the long scan. Can't Hurt

Okay, here's something weird: I downloaded and installed it. It won't update and gives me an error code of ox8oo72efe. Grrr!

EDIT: It says that I need to uninstall all the other stuff I had to "clean" the computer so I'm trying that. Let you know in a bit!

All right, I uninstalled a bunch of old stuff(Avast! Spybot S&D, Spyblaster, old AVG folder, etc.) - that fixed the issue of it hanging onn restart/shut down, but it still won't update. I'm going to do a Quick Scan and see what that comes up with.

Install MSE again, but in safe mode without networking. Run it in safe mode. Full scan.

Next:
Boot in safe mode with networking. Do the update. Do a full scan again.

Boot normally.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KISS

Install MSE again, but in safe mode without networking. Run it in safe mode. Full scan.

Next:
Boot in safe mode with networking. Do the update. Do a full scan again.

Boot normally.

The Quick Scan showed one infected file so I took care of that, rebooted and now it allowed me to update. Should I still run a scan in safe mode just to be safe?

And which key do I hold to bring that up while it's booting? F11 or F12? I can never remember :)

Yes. Run in safe mode with networking disabled. You should only have to do this once. Some infections can only be removed under safe mode so do it right the first time.

Any subsequent scan you should be OK to do it with Windows booting normally.

I can't remember either.

F12.

Yours is a bit downgraded version of my Dell and probably are much alike. If you'll notice when it first boots, it has F2 Setup and F12 Boot Menu in the upper right corner.

And seems to me you can use F8 to get directly there, although that's a bit tricky on the timing.

I did a Quick Scan yesterday, it found one file and disinfected it. Then I did a Full Scan, it found three files(one was the same from the Quick Scan) and it cleaned the same one and removed the other two.

I tried restarting in Safe Mode but when I hit F12 it gives me these options:

1. Normal
2. Hard disk drive C
3. IDE CD-ROM
4. System setup
5. IDE drive diagnostic
6. Boot to Utility Partition

Soooo... now I'm lost :) Which one do I pick?

I re-installed the audio driver and it works! Seems like everything is back to where it should be; thanks to all of you SOOO much!

Out of curiousity, what did you scan with? Thanks
How did you determine audio driver? Looking through device manager?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stratmando

Out of curiousity, what did you scan with? Thanks
How did you determine audio driver? looking through device manager?

Scanned with Microsoft Security Essentials then ran CCleaner and Advanced System Care.

I went directly to Dell to find the correct audio driver, downloaded it and installed it that way.

Glad you got 'er.