Malware I cannot find.

Hi,

1/ I recently had some troubles with my computer.
I had Norton Internet Security 2007.
Usually 10-15 minutes after connecting the internet, I had many pop-ups opening with the following message:
“Symantec Email Proxy
Scanning message”
as if my AV was scanning my outgoing emails… but I was not sending any emails.
After a few seconds the pop-ups could not stop opening and my screen was full of them, my computer was so slow that I had to shut it down wildly and restart it.

2/ I spent hours with Symantec, they tried to clean many files and the result is that:

  • they told me to remove Norton Internet Security from my computer and download another version from a websie that I cannot access (www.vistanis.notlong.com)
  • I have no answer from them anymore
  • my bluetooth mouse sometimes stops working without any reason so I have to use the touchpad
  • my computer still slows down sometimes when I am on the internet and I have to reboot it
  • my IE often stops, opening a message saying it is sorry for the inconvenience and asking me if I want to send an error report

3/ Here are some of the messages that I had on my computer:
“16 bit Windows Subsystem
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANTEC\S32EVNT1.DLL
An installable Virtual Device Driver failed DLL initialization.
Choose ‘Close’ to terminate the installation
CLOSE IGNORE”

I also had a message from “DrWatson Postmortem Debugger” (what is this?)

And a message about “uiStub.exe” which was not working properly…

I downloaded Avast AV free version, ran a fulls can but it could not find anything.
I am still worried that I have a malware on my computer.

How can I do do to find the malware and get rid of it?

I hope that it is clear enough.

JB

And I forgot one thing: when Avast AV is working, I cannot use my Outlook Express, neither sending nor receiving emails.

Hi shanghaijb,

Sounds like you need to remove Norton completely first. Use this tool. Uninstall avast! first. Reboot. Run the tool following the instructions, restart as requested. Reinstall avast! at the end.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039?Open&src=&docid=2001092114452606&nsf=nav.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=

The symptoms you describe may well be an undetected worm sending out spam e-mails. If avast! doesn’t detect it, there are a number of free scanners you can try:

DrWeb CureIT!

http://download.drweb.com/drweb+cureit/

AVG Anti-Spyware:

http://www.ewido.net/en/

And several online scanners. I recommend F-Secure, BitDefender and Panda. Links here- scroll down to Online disk scanning.

http://www.geocities.com/dontsurfinthenude/antivir2.htm

(Note the warning on virus definitions at the top of the page and disable avast! while using online scanners.)