i have a hidden virus on my xp windows

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello

I’ve been having a problem with id theft on my xp windows laptop so i spoke with micro soft today, they had done a systems check and turns out i have a hidden virus on my xp windows archive and then they said i would need to pay to have it removed. :-/

I have Avast 5 home edition and have tried doing a full system scan on my laptop but no virus were found, what else can i do.

Thanks

2
  1. download 6.0.1125 and save to HDD http://filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/
  2. download and follow instructions http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility (aswclear.exe) Use this for each version of avast you have used in the past.
  3. download and use CCleaner http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/
  4. install 6.0.1125
  5. run a "boot-time"scan
  6. check results

Hope this helps. :slight_smile:

3

hi there

thanks for your reply, but i wasn’t lookimg to install the latest Avast 6

I just wanted to know if its possible to remove hidden virus from my edition, if so what other way without uninstalling current version on my laptop.

4

It would help to know which v5 you have. If you are using 5.1.889, I would definitely upgrade to v6.0.1125, v 6.0.1125 is very stable (5.1.889 was not that stable). If you are using 5.0.667 just run a "boot-time"scan. By upgrading to 6.0 you will be getting all the benefits of a stronger and very stable av. It’s worth it. But either way I would run a boot-time scan. :slight_smile:

5

Did MS say what this hidden virus was and where it was located, I always get suspicious when someone asks for money to remove a virus (even microsoft) ?

I have no idea why you have no desire to update to the latest version, resources are less, protection is better and it is still free.

If it is hidden then presumably your existing version of avast didn’t find it either, which for me would be reason enough to see if the latest version did.

If you haven’t already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it and report the findings (it should product a log file).

Don’t worry about reported tracking cookies they are a minor issue and not one of security, allow SAS to deal with them though. - See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie.

6

den21, please, upload (attach) the avast log:
C:\ProgramData\AVAST Software\Avast\log\Setup.log
or C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\Setup\setup.log

If the file is too big for the forum, post the last 400-500 lines of it.

7

Hello

An up-date

I uninstalled my previous Avast 5 and then installed latest version of Avast 6 free edtition, done a Boot scan and scan picked up following file

File C:Program/microsoft works/setup/redist/IE6/Tempfile Cab/msoe.chml Error 42136 chm Archive is corrupted.

Boot scan did not ask for the corrupted file to be removed?

8

No, as corrupted doesn’t mean infected.

9

oh okay

So is the corrupted Archive nothing to worry about then?

What should be done now.

10
  1. Right.
  2. Did you follow David’s advice yet…?? If not, do so.
11

Hi

Just installed super anti spyware and then done a full Spyware scan,it has detected a( Trogen Agent - Gens.

So it did find something at least.

12

If you can post what it found, file name, location, etc. ?