Hello! I hope you can help me with the following issue:
When opening an archive file, Avast4 detected a virus on my computer (Dell Dimension running WXP home/SP3). I chose to delete the threat(s). Avast initiated a boot time scan (in DOS/text mode) and/or actions to delete the threats.
After the scan, actions and consequent reboot, my computer did not boot properly and since then this hasn’t changed.
Symptoms are:
-Windows seems to boot al the way, but it doesn’t show the taskbar or desktop items. It does show a logon screen although this does not happen on a regular startup. Some messages popup about system components that can’t start, for example CALMAIN. Rightclick on the desktop gives no menu. Only thing that works is ctrl-alt-del to launch the taskmanager so I can fire a cmd-prompt or reboot.
-Boot in safe mode brings up a black screen
These symptoms seem to resemble those posted by joshka on 8 sept.
Info on last scan:
-Avast detected and deleted 6 files (with funny names such as jquiriweddfgkjsds.sys) containing Alureon-CB, Alureon-CE and Win32:Rootkit-Gen
Since you can’t boot properly, try using a rescue CD to eliminate most of the viruses. Try any of these: Avira Rescue , Kaspersky Rescue, Norton Rescue , avast! BART or etc.
A. That’s good to hear. So, if avast can run via cmd. Try scheduling a boot time scan. And if possible, install Malwarebytes Antimalware then run a scan. Don’t forget to update them.
If you can get avast to run a cmd, You might also be able to get one up, try starting explorer.exe or msconfig. The virus may have just disabled the normal startup files. I don’t know how it could have disabled Safe mode.
Here’s a short update on my issue:
-Avira didn’t help. Nothing was found.
-The problems stay the same, no proper windows boot. The only thing showing up is the background image. Ctrl-alt-del launches task manager, which allows me to fire up programs. All programs with windows gui give a lot of exceptions (alerts), mostly ‘software exception’ of something about memory. Dos-programs seem to work fine.
-Started MBAM with command line, seemed to work, but the update option led to a “software exception” and consequent hangup of MBAM.
-I have now updated Avast through ashupd (“ashupd vps /silent” and “ashupd program /silent”). Both seem succesfull allthough they report ‘already up to date’
I have scheduled a boot time scan with “sched” command and will report back later.
