Advice on Possible Virus

Viruses and worms
1

hello everyone.
I don’t know if anyone will remember me, but this is Annie. My mother was known as CoJo in the forums before she died.

Gateway tech support just told me that there is probably a virus that is causing my problem.
The problem is when I click on an email addy in a group I belong to, numerous new windows quickly start trying to open–last count was 57 before I could shut it down.

Windows XP2
all updates

No virus has shown on any scan, although I have not done a scan in safe mode.
I would appreciate any advice. Thank you very much.
Annie

2

Hi Athene,

If avast! is not detecting the virus, there are several options you can try.

Try a scan with DrWeb CureIT!, a good clean-up tool.

Install, update and scan with AVG Anti-Spyware Free- it removes viruses and worms as well as spyware.

Disconnect from the internet (pull the plug) before running scans in Safe Mode if possible.

Try some online scans. (Disable avast! while scanning.)

F-Secure
BitDefender
Panda
Trend Micro Housecall

If all else fails, look for and remove rootkits (hidden malware):

Panda Antirootkit
Blacklight
AVG Anti-Rootkit

If you find a rootkit, repeat the above scans as the rootkit may have been hiding other malware.

If still having problems, post a HijackThis! log.

Good luck!

3

Thank you!
I did run a scan in safe mode–I thought I remembered someone from here advising to do so after disconnecting so I did it that way. It was clean, also.

I’ll have to try the rootkit tools then.

Thank you very much!!

Annie

4

Rootkits scans were clean.
I’m going to do the Hijack This and see what if anything comes up.
Are there any special things I should or shouldn’t do when I post it? I’ve no desire to offend anyone from being ignorant of the rules.

Microsoft tech support was laughable.

When I click on most links in an email or on a website, I am still having multiple windows opening–at high speed so to speak. A few minutes ago, 53 opened.

I’ll wait and post the Hijack This log after a response about the “rules” of doing it.

Thank you very much,
Annie

5

Just post the contents of the log file that it produces, you may need to break it down into more than one part as there is a size restriction on the number of words in a post. Just create a second post for the remainder.

This does sound like a browser hijack and hijackthis should show something.

There are other applications that may well find these browser hijacks.
If you haven’t already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it.

  1. Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition
  2. Spybot Search and Destroy
6

Thank you, David.
I have both of these on my system, updated, and their scans are also clean.
It’s part of my confusion why all these scans are clean yet it keeps happening.
I’ll post the log and see what it shows.
Sounds stupid, but I hope my mother’s name isn’t there. It still upsets me whenever I see it unexpectedly…

Again, thank you.

Annie

7

If you do see your Mum’s name try to remember the good times, we certainly do that have been on the forums for some time.

8

thanks, David…

I’ll be back in a few days with the log. I’m recovering from dog bites and am on powerful painkillers. I don’t think it wise to work on my system when i feel like I am drunk.
I no longer like pit bull dogs.

Annie

9

Probably wise, get well soon, later.