Still having the same problem on my laptop. I just connected it to the internet long enough to dowload an update for MBAM and a newer version of Combo Fix… Was unable to update Avast.
I have had the same problem on 3 different pcs (my desktop, my laptop and a spare laptop that I started up after finding both my machines infected) and now I have a spare HDD for my lap[top that I have also found to be infected…
When Avast starts up it does a memory scan and then pops up the same error box listed by Elohim83. After clicking ok it then pops up another box that states “choose skin” with options of selecting different skins, downloading new skins and “choose random skin on application startup” which none fix. I went to the website and downloaded ALL the skins available and still get the same error.
The worm I have cleaned off of 4 different HDDs now is the “worm.agent”…
MBAM detected the “worm.agent” in five system restore files on the first scan and two on the second scan. The third scan was clean with MBAM & Combofix.
Try a Repair of avast!
Go to add/remove in Control Panel
Select avast! then change then scroll down and select repair.
You must be on-line to d a repair.
I already did an uninstall and reinstalled Avast but I will try it. I doubt I have not eradicated the worm so my next step will be formatting and reinstalling XP. That isn’t a big deal on my laptops as I don’t have a lot of data on them that isn’t backed up somewhere else but my desktop is a little different. I think I will wait until all the anti-malware programs go through several updates, which should help find the origin of the infection and then scan my drives using my USB to SATA cable.
I went to MBAM’s site to look up info on the worm (I also did a search) and basically was told it is a worm; not helpfull…
I tried repairing Avast, which got me an error but I didn’t have anything to write the message down on. I then tried to do an update before closing that dialog box and was successful. I then tried to run Avast and received the same error.
I also updated MBAM & Combofix and I am running another scan.
Just finished a scan with MBAM and found nothing; removed the HDD so I can scan it with Avast on another system using USB to SATA cable. I forgot to run Combofix on it so I guess I will do that in a week or so after some updates come out… I also went back over the logs and the only thing I can find that was removed or quarantined was system restore files.
I think this is the first malware problem I have had that I don’t feel safe or confirming it is clean as far as my anti software (MBAM, Combofix, Spybot & Avast) cleaning it off. I don’t get that many viruii, even though I work on a lot of computers that are infected (2 or 3 a week). My typical way of beating a virus is to set the HDD aside for a week and then scan it again after the programs have had updates and they can catch the bug by use of the USB to SATA cable and scanning with updated software. I can usually clean the really bad stuff of a computer and then reinstall the HDD, start it up and get the rest, using the same software. I have fixed computers that wouldn’t even start up, which had HUNDREDS of programs running because the user didn’t ever do scans or updates or didn’t have any anti-malware protection. I honestly don’t see how they could have been using the computer with that much malware running on it!
I have seen just about every anti-virus program disabled (especially AVG), including Trend Micro, Norton & Macafee, as well as MBAM, EXCEPT for Avast. I am not convinced that my Avast problem is actually Malware… Maybe it is or maybe it is just a conflict; I would like to figure that out but I am running a couple of other systems with no problems or conflicts.
I have also had to tell customers (and friends & family) to disconnect their modem cables and turn the computer off so their computer isn’t on the internet downloading more malware because it has a trojan downloader. People who are closer to an average user do not seem to realize that just because your browser isn’t open, doesn’t mean your computer isn’t connected and downloading more malware in the back ground. As long as your computer is on, malware is using your resources to do more damage! That would be one of the bad things with high speed internet; you don’t notice the loss of bandwitdh in the background while you are surfing or whatever. Back when the internet connections were slower and processors where real slow, you could tell something else was going on because you noticed the lag or got the hourglass…
My dad told me he had the same problem and had the same error with the skins loading but he was not sure what he did to fix it. He did as he usually does and clicked until the problem seemed to be fixed or went away… If that doesn’t work, he calls me…