Expert: Lorry - 12/5/2005

Question
please help! I have a virus/worm that is effecting all my exe files. I cannot open programs like AIM and kazaa. It is also making my windows update icon constantly on and when I update windows, five second later theres another update. I've run AVG, spyware, and euido and nothing has worked.I have windows 2000. Oh and everytime I try to run the prgrams it says that windows has generated errors and will be closed. Also that an error log is being created.

Answer
Hi Lauren,

Go to: http://sarc.com/  Scroll down and click on,"Free Online Virus and Security Check" and run the virus check. Write down exactly anything it finds, then return to: http://sarc.com/  and do a search for what was found. Symantec usually has a removal tool and/or directions for removing manually.

If you cannot open Internet Explorer to run the above, you have two choices. One is to reformat the computer and the other would be to take it to a local computer shop where they do repairs, they might be able to save your data.

Once you get the computer up and running, install an antivirus program, update it once a week and then run a virus scan.

I would also suggest downloading Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4, a program that removes spyware, available from:

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp

Once installed, enable Tea Timer. Open the Spybot Search & Destroy, click  the "+" sign next to Tools on the left side of the screen, click System Startup, then on the right side of the page check HK_CU Run Spybot Tea Timer.

The Resident TeaTimer is a new tool of Spybot-S&D which perpetually monitors the processes called/initiated. It immediately detects known malicious processes wanting to start and terminates them giving you some options, how to deal with this process in the future.

Hope this helps!
Lorry