Virus disables anti-virus programs

I recently got a virus on two of my computers. It disabled the System Restore, turned off Automatic Updates, and disabled the anti-virus programs (one had Avast, one had AVG). I was able to re-install and run Avast on the one that was running Avast to begin with. When I try to install any anti-virus program (I’ve tried Avast, AVG, and Malware Blaster) on the other one, it installs but the programs don’t run when you click on the icons. I’ve tried running the .exe files from the Program Files folder, same thing happens. I don’t know what to do next - help!

I can send copies of the event viewer logs if that would help - there are some strange entries in it.

Thanks,
Laura

Read the instructions, download and burn (maybe from another computer), finally use one of this rescue CD’s:

  1. Dr. Web
  2. Avira
  3. BitDefender
  4. Kaspersky
  5. F-Secure

You can check also this comparison article.

After that, try an avast installation from scratch:

  1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
  2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
  3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
  4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you’ve run it.
  5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
  6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
  7. Check and post the results.

another suggestion i like to add is to run Malwarebytes, if you have internet connection of course, if not go with the suggestion tech gave you and lets hope it helps you solve your problem.

I followed all of the steps that Tech outlined - this is what happened:

I first downloaded Kaspersky’s rescue disk; when I got to the EULA page, it locked up (typing “A” did nothing). So I tried Avira, which renamed 16 out of 17 viruses.

I then rebooted, uninstalled Avast successfully from control panel, rebooted in safe mode as per the instructions for aswclear5.exe, got the blue screen of death with code STOP: 0x0000007B (0XF789E524, 0XC0000034, 0X00000000,0X00000000). Rebooted normally, installed avast successfully (so it said), same problem. The icon’s there, the program files are there, but nothing happens when I click on them. Same with Malwarebytes. I don’t know if this makes a difference or not, but this computer is not connected to the network (I unplugged the cable).

Also, on the other computer (the one that avast did install on), when I try to run Malwarebytes, the same thing happens (nothing).

I’m at a loss…

Thanks,
Laura

The name of your error code is INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE
Seems data on the hard drive has become corrupted.
Attempt to repair the damage by running CHKDSK /F.

We’ve had a similar problem on our home desktop with Windows 7. Security Master AV >:( was accidentally accessed and screwed up our machine. I downloaded Malwarebytes and got it off the computer. However, AVAST will still not start when I click the Fix Now button. Do I need to follow the directions already given - uninstall, then reinstall- or is there something else that can be or needs to be done?

I suggest an installation from scratch:

  1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
  2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
  3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
  4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you’ve run it.
  5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
  6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
  7. Check and post the results.

I ran chkdsk /r from the recovery console - it took a couple of hours, and when it was finished it said it found errors. So I tried to boot in safe mode again - same blue screen of death. Is my hard drive fried? (The computer will still boot normally.)

Thanks,
Laura

Overinstallation can solve the problem and you won’t lose your programs, settings, data, files, etc.
Just choose ‘Repair’ installation of Windows and install ‘over’ the old installation.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;315341
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314058
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B315341&x=15&y=0
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.mspx

I did the overinstallation - it did fix the System Restore being disabled by Group Policy problem, and also I’m not getting the red icon that Automatic Updates are turned off (even though it said they were on in the Automatic Update window) anymore. But i can’t get Avast or Malware Bytes to execute at all. I did the aswclear5.exe to completely uninstall Avast (in safe mode as instructed), rebooted and installed Avast again - it installed fine, but when I click on the shortcut, nothing happens. Same when I click on the .exe file in Program Files. Same with Malware Blaster.

This is one of the warning messages I found in the system event log a few days before I started this post:

The browser has received an illegal datagram from the remote computer FUCKIENB-4FD9B7 to name ROSETERRACE on transport NetBT_Tcpip_{. The data is the datagram.

(ROSETERRACE is the name of my home network.) I got one of these every 15 or 20 minutes one day starting at midnight and ending at 7:30 pm.

This is an error message two days previous:

The browser driver has received too many illegal datagrams from the remote computer FUCKIENB-4FD9B7 to name ROSETERRACE on transport NetBT_Tcpip_{. The data is the datagram. No more events will be generated until the reset frequency has expired.

Could the remote computer be one that was on my home network? I had an open wireless connection at the time this happened. (I am now using MAC address control.)

I did get SpywareBlaster to install and execute; however, I can’t get updates because I’m afraid to plug the ethernet in until I have an anti-virus program running.

Any ideas?

Thank you,
Laura

Laura, seems time to backup your documents and data, format, reinstall Windows…
It will be faster…

This might sound like a dumb question, but how do I know I’m not copying the virus when I’m backing up my data (since I can’t run a virus scan on this computer)?