Expert: Lorry - 3/28/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

  My home PC, running Windows XP, recently became infected with a virus and Spyware Terminator is pointing to Wlctrl32.dll as the culprit. Spyware Terminator identifies it as a Trojan, but it cannot delete it. The side effect is that my internet connection gets taken down.
  I have tried Previx, RegRun but none have been able to delete this virus.
  Any help/suggestions you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Tom McCann

ANSWER: Hi Tom,

Using Internet Explorer, go to:

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

Click the GO button, then under Virus Detection, click Start. You might be told that you need to download and install ActiveX Controls for the scan to work, answer Yes.

Write down exactly anything it finds, then go to: http://www.symantec.com/search/  and do a search for what was found. Symantec usually has a removal tool and/or directions for removing manually. Make sure that you follow the instructions for removal, step by step, especially the part regarding disabling System Restore.

Am suggesting the above as each anti-virus programs have different names for the same threats.

Hope this helps!
Lorry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Lorry,

  I started to try your solution and have a couple of questions:
1) When I looked up each of the viruses on the Symantec site, the steps always called out for downloading the latest virus definitions and running a scan. I do not have Symantec/Norton on my PC, so is there a substitute for this step? Also, what is the reason for running a scan at this point?
2) My PC is back to the point that, what ever this virus is, it is taking down my internet connection. My PC goes into a state where it is constantly trying to acquire an IP address. Since I do not have internet access, is there a non-internet alternative to what you provided in your 1st email?

Tom McCann

Answer
Hi Tom,

If you have the name of the virus and gone to the Symantec/Norton site for information on how to remove, just follow the directions for removal. When done removing the virus(es), I would suggest running the free scan once again to verify that they are gone. Don't forget to disable System Restore before removing the threats.

If the above cannot be done, looks like you will have to to a repair install of Windows XP.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/learnmore/tips/doug92.ms

Hope this helps!
Lorry