Computer/Virus Help :(

[sugar land dave]

Download "rkill.com" or "rkill.scr" .

Download "mbam.exe."

Run rkill.exe. A dos window will pop up as the program runs for about 30 seconds. If windows virus boxes pop up, don't close them, just run the program again. If another virus warning box pops up leave it open and run program again. You may have to repeat this pattern several times.....

After rkill sucessfully runs it will give you a notice of end of program. Run mbam.exe to instal malwarebytes anti malware program. Reboot. Run rkill again until finished. Run newly installed anti malware program to scan computer.

This combo will clear out most of the very worst rootkits and viruses, the ones that sucessfully hide from just anti virus programs.

[snatchel]

Ok, I was able to download some malware killer type of thing, and it found 18 infected areas. Funny thing was as soon as it was downloaded, I had a window pop up that said "System restored." I'm guessing this program allowed my system to restore because it hadn't been letting me before. So I ran the program, found the 18 viruses (or whatever) and quarantined/deleted them. For now it seems to be working fine. I have McCaffee on my computer now, but if y'all reccomend I switch to something else, I'm all ears. I assume I will need to get rid of McCaffee before I start another antivirus? Anyone give me some detailed instructions on how to remove McCaffee and download a better anti?

[snatchel]

By the way y'all, I can't say thank you enough for the quick replies and your interest in helping me out on this. Shoutout to TxLobo--your awesome, sir. Thanks for detailed guide on how to fix some of these problems. I learned a lesson about letting anyone borrow your computer--no bueno.

[i8godzilla]

Once you get the PC issues resolved, you can take some additional measures. I am guessing it is a Windows OS. If so, next time you loan it to him, create an User Account that does not have permission to install programs. Also, if using MS Internet Explore, turn on the Parental Controls. Do not give him the Administrator password.

[Keith B]

Once you get the PC issues resolved, you can take some additional measures. I am guessing it is a Windows OS. If so, next time you loan it to him, create an User Account that does not have permission to install programs. Also, if using MS Internet Explore, turn on the Parental Controls. Do not give him the Administrator password.

Or easier, just say 'NO!'

[snatchel]

Once you get the PC issues resolved, you can take some additional measures. I am guessing it is a Windows OS. If so, next time you loan it to him, create an User Account that does not have permission to install programs. Also, if using MS Internet Explore, turn on the Parental Controls. Do not give him the Administrator password.

There will be no more letting him use my personal computer, that's for sure. I let him borrown mine for this past school year because he needed one for school. It's not my true brother, I volunteer with "Big Brothers", and he is the kid I look after. He doesn't have family or anything, just an Aunt who literally works 80 hours a week as a hotel housekeeper, so he can't afford his own computer. I have a desktop that we haven't used since I moved here after seperating from the military and I think I will let him borrow that one, and just use a user account and parental controls like you pointed out.

[Bulldog1911]

Yes dump macafee and get avast. Macafee is a resource hog, and I've had avast catch things that macafee and norton have let pass.
Just go to start > programs > macafee > and there should be an uninstaller in that folder.

[SQLGeek]

Bring it to me - I've specialized in viruses for almost 17 years now; I'm actually thinking of opening a small shop to do just this.

Edit: Just saw that it seems to be fixed - good. Trust me on this - do a reboot and test again; there's a lot of malware that make use of System Restore in order to back themselves up, so be careful with it.

Andy, I'm always trying to learn so I'm curious, what would you consider a check list of things a Windows users could do to harden their machine against malware and virus attacks?

You may want to put this in it's own thread for a broader spectrum of visibility.

Thanks.

[SewTexas]

did you run the program twice? that's something I've learned to do over the years...sometimes you'll get the worst of it the first time, then it seems to pick up....other stuff the second time....I don't understand it, I just know it works.

Glad you got it off. and good for you in working with the kid, make sure he knows what happened and what you had to go through to fix your personal computer.

My son accidentally landed on the front page of a nasty site when he was a pre-teen and was disturbed for weeks, unfortunately as the 'man in his life' you're probably going to have to deal with this.

[RPB]

One of the very first Microsoft MVPs. Robert Moir ... over in the UK, taught me how to secure a windows machine
1) cut off the plug
2) pull out all the cards
3) remove the hard drive and ram
4) seal them all in an anti-static bag
5) dig 8-foot hole
6) place all computer parts gently in hole
7) fill hole with concrete.

He was a prof and in charge of Networks ... I believe at Cambridge or some place there
Microsoft offerred him a job/flew him out ... but he'd have had to move to Redmond WA ... ... he declined

online nicknames were Bartman and AS-Angel_Robert back then in 1996 or so (when I was an AS Angel too, prior to working for MSN as a Sysop and Admin and head Chat Network/server Security dude) http://angelsociety.tripod.com/pastmembers.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Robert Moir, Microsoft MVP
My Homepage - members.xoom.com/Robert_Moir
aka AS-Angel-Robert in MS V-Chat
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... google.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Rober ... =firefox-a" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I haven't heard from Robert in years
he posted this about DEP http://phorums.com.au/archive/index.php/t-178886.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I guess before I found the workaround which I posted at aumha.org and taught to Symantec and Roxio and Microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900524" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and it got spread around everywhere else

It was as simple as
Disable PAE mode in Windows XP with SP2 and later versions of Windows XP
Add the following switches to the Windows XP Boot.ini file:
/noexecute=alwaysoff /NOPAE

oops ... sorry to ramble ... I'll hush

[snatchel]

Alright, so let me get all of y'all up to speed on what I've done this afternoon. I downloaded an anti malware thing, and ran it. It found 18 (? I forgot exactly how many) infected files, so I quarantined them and deleted them. Restarted computer, and ran anti-malware again, finding 2 infected files. I then downloaded avast anti-virus, and ran it once, coming up with 8 infeted files. I sent them to the "chest", and it instructed me to reboot my computer so that it could scan upon startup. During the startup, it found several more--maybe 5 or 6. I sent those to the "chest" as well. Now I'm about to go ahead and run the anti-malware and the anti-virus one more time just to make sure it doesn't pick up anything else. This gonna be enough to clear what I got y'all?

[SQLGeek]

Which anti-malware program did you get?

[snatchel]

Andy, how do I go about updating my browser and ensuring my windows update is all on the up-and-up? I have windows 7 on my laptop by the way.... if that makes any difference. A Mac would be nice, but I can't afford one right now and I have other priorities such as..... a G30. LoL, kidding. Thats not happening either.