OK good, now lets
Reset and Re-enable your System Restore to remove any infected files that have been backed up by Windows. The files in System Restore are protected to prevent any programs from changing those files. This is the only way to clean these files: (You will lose all previous restore points which are likely to be infected, but that's good news).
Turn OFF System Restore.- On the Desktop, right-click My Computer.
- Click Properties.
- Click the System Restore tab.
- Check Turn off System Restore.
- Click Apply, and then click OK.
Restart your computer.Turn ON System Restore.- On the Desktop, right-click My Computer.
- Click Properties.
- Click the System Restore tab.
- UN-Check Turn off System Restore.
- Click Apply, and then click OK.
System Restore will now be active again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next, lets reset your hidden/system files and folders. System files are hidden for a reason and we don't want to have them openly available and susceptible to accidental deletion.
Reset Hidden/System Files & Folders- Click Start.
- Open My Computer.
- Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
- Select the View tab.
- Under the Hidden files and folders heading UNSELECT Show hidden files and folders.
- CHECK the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
- Click Yes to confirm.
- Click OK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Another essential is to keep your computer updated with the latest operating system patches and security fixes.
Windows Updates are constantly being revised to combat the newest hacks and threats, Microsoft releases security updates that help your computer from becoming vunerable. It is best if you have these set to download automatically.
Automatic Updates for Windows- Click Start.
- Select Settings and then Control Panel.
- Select Automatic Updates.
- Click Automatic (recommended)
- Choose a day and a time when you know the computer will be on and connected to the internet.
- Click Apply then OK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~In addition to Windows updates, you also need to ensure that your version of Java is the latest.Click
here to download the latest version
(Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 5). Once downloaded, install it and then Reboot your computer.
It is
most important that you also uninstall older versions of Java.
- Click Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
- Delete all Java updates except Java ™ 6 Update 5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OK, now lets download some preventative programs that will help to keep the nasties away! We will start with Anti Spyware programs. I would advise getting a couple of them at least, and running each at least once a month.
Anti Spyware- SpywareBlaster to help prevent spyware from installing in the first place. A tutorial can be found here.
- SpywareGuard to catch and block spyware before it can execute. A tutorial can be found here.
- IESpy-Ad to block access to malicious websites so you cannot be redirected to them from an infected site or email. A tutorial can be found here.
- Spybot Search & Destroy a powerful tool which can "search and destroy" nasties that make it onto your system. Now with an Immunize section that will help prevent future infections. A tutorial can be found here.
- AdAware another very powerful tool which searches and kills nasties that infect your system. A tutorial can be found here. AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy compliment each other very well.
Note: If you find your system slows down after installing any of these, just uninstall it, or disable it from running at startup.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next lets look at Firewalls. These help to prevent unauthorised access both to and from the internet or your local network. A firewall is considered a first line of defense in protecting private information. Below are two free firewalls to choose from, if you do not already have one.
Note: You only need one firewall one your system.
Personal Firewalls~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~On to personal Anti Virus programs.
One AV is a must have! But
never more than one, as this can and will cause conflicts and false readings. I have listed three free AV's below which are as good as any paid subscription AV, as long as you allow them to update themselves.
Anti Virus Programs~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Nearly done! If you like to use chat, MSN and Yahoo have vunerabilities that can leave you open to infections. There are however a couple of very good, Malware free Instant Messenger programs which allow you to connect to multiple IM services in one program! (AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, IRC, MSN):
Instant Messengers~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lastly, it is a good idea to clear out all your temp files every now and again. This will help your computer from bogging down and slowing. It also can assist in getting rid of files that may contain malicious code that could re-infect your computer.
Temp File Cleaners- CleanUP! - Cleans temporary files from IE and Windows, empties the recycle bin and more. Note: Do NOT run this program if you have XP Professional 64 bit edition.
- ATF Cleaner A very powerful cleaning program for XP and Windows 2000 only. Note: You may have this already as part of the fixes you have run.
To find out more information about how you got infected in the first place and some great guidelines to follow to prevent future infections you can read
this article by Tony Klein.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I will keep this log open for the next couple of days, so if you have any further problems post another reply here. If I have closed it, PM me and I'll reopen it OK.
OK, all the best, and stay safe!
Best regards,
RatHat
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