Topic: Massive Windows XP Problem

[twiggy]

hi there,
        I was on crack4u.us or something like that and it installed a search bar and some xxx porn things without my permission. I noticed the computer slowley came grinidng to a hault so i rebooted it and logged on. Nothing hpapens it loads trhe desktop up n everything but i cant click on anything or ougth. i press ctrl+alt+delete and it shows only three programes running instead of my usual of about 15+. All i can do then is clsoe down the computer or log onto a different member to which all have the same problem. I need help fast it has valuble information on it! Any ideas?

thanks mark

[Dack]

Hijacked

Download and install either spybot (http://security.kolla.de) and/or adaware.

Run, update, fix.

There is also a coolwebsearch variant that is VERY nasty that has just appeared - the fix for that is also on the same link.

If it still isn't cleared then if you download and run Hijack This from http://tomcoyote.org/hjt and post the log here (don't fix anything yet though) then I'll have alook at it for you.

You may also want to do your windows updates so it doesn't happen again.

[twiggy]

hi there thanks for your repily. I dont think you read it fully i cant do anything with it i cant access the start menu my computer or anything else. Or is there away to still install the software?

thanks mark

[Dack]

Thought you still had access as you were posting here (obviously different machine).

Booting into safe mode should allow you to install and run the software - failing that if you say what processes are running then it may be possible to just shut one down and get some sembelence of control back (to allow you to fix the rest).

[twiggy]

there are 3things running and as i said erailyer that is no way near normal its like start up gets so far then stops! how do i start in safe mode as the only thing i can do is press ctrl+alt+delete and access that panel and under the shut down menu it dosnt give me that option. thanks any ideas?

[Sandra]

Press F8 as your pc is rebooting Mark, it will give you the option for Safe Mode along with a few others  

[Dack]

Its on boot up - As your computer starts, just after the bios scan for hard drive, start pressing F8 (I usually press it rapidly a few times).

After a short while then a menu will appear and you will have the option of booting in Safe Mode.

[twiggy]

ok thanks i will give it a try whne i get back home. i will install that software and see what happens!

[twiggy]

ok i cant get windows to boot in safe mode i pressed f8 and all i get is a list of boot deivices floopy, cd-drive and hard drive and non of then when clicked give me the option of running in safe mode any other ideas i have got a complete list off all the programes here.

appliactions:
MMTrayLSI
MMTray
MMTray2K

Processes:
csrss
cftmon
explorer
ezSD_Px
gearsec
htpatch
isass
MDM
MMTrayLSI
MMTray
MMTray2K
nvsvc
rundll32
SAgent2
save
savedump
search
services
smss
spoolsv
svchost (5 off them)
system
system Ide process
taskmgr
winlogon
wuauclt

sorry if some of the spellings are slitley wrong!

any more ideas of which programe is causing it or how yto run safe mode?

thanks mark

[measter]

you gotta wait just after it selects the hard drive to boot from before pressing f8.

try ending everything on the task list except for
svchost(you'll regret ending that if you do)
explorer
and systray

most of the processes with system next to them won't let you end them, which is normal

[lobo]

@twiggy
Do a system restore from a day befroe you started with the problems,

Brian

[twiggy]

i have tryed clsoing all of the programmes not tealated to system and nothing so i tryed to clsoed some with ssytem but that led to more problems.

i cant do a system restore because i cant access windows because as i said earily its like it dosn't finish loading it jsut stops and i cant do any thing but get the task window open by pressing ctrl+atl+delete and i cant do much from there but restart of turn off the comp i sitll cant gfet it to run in safe mode i can't get that option up. any other ideas? thanks mark

[lobo]

Easy way is to format the drive and reinstallXP, if you cant do that boot from a XP CD and repair the installation from there

Brian

[Dack]

Not recomended way of getting into safe mode if pressing F8 method doesn't work

Switch machine on.
Wait for Windows XP whatever is booting screen to display.
Switch machine off
Switch machine on - menu pops up saying that it didn't load correctly last time....choose safe mode from the option there.

Then go and do a restore

BTW the F8 key can be pressed again after you have gone through the boot menu option (which some motherboards have mapped to F8). Basically get into boot menu, choose 'boot from disk' and then start furiously pressing F8 again.

BTW2 - If you are not running Windows ME then you have a trojan installed see:
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/trojcultb.html for more info.

[twiggy]

hi all sorted it. when opening task manager i clicked new task and lunched msconfig and was able to run system restore from there. i have lsot no files at all yes im great lol maybe a little to big headed!

thanks for all your help!