[RatHat]

When we first ran OTScanIt, you had 228.49 Gb Total Space in Drive C: 177.84 Gb being Free Space or 77.83% Space.

Could you see what you have now. Also can you switch the machine off now?

Regards,
RatHat

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Free Space 175GB
Used Space 52.8GB
Capacity 228GB
I'll try to shut down now.


I was able to shut down without any problems.

Edited by Penny in Alabama, 23 July 2008 - 07:05 AM.

[Penny in Alabama]

Free Space 175GB
Used Space 52.8GB
Capacity 228GB
I'll try to shut down now.


I was able to shut down without any problems.

Edited by Penny in Alabama, 23 July 2008 - 07:05 AM.

[RatHat]

Hey Penny,

Sorry about the late reply, I didn't get notification of your answer as it was an edit.

OK, lets deal with Couponbar:

• Open HiJackThis
• Click on the tab "Open the Misc Tools section"
• Click on "Open Uninstall Manager..."
• Scroll down and click on the Couponbar entry
• Click on Delete this entry
• Click "Yes" to confirm, then exit HijackThis

Now regarding the folders that AOL created, I can onlt think that they created them while using another computer or drive linked into your computer, so they have restrictions put on the permissions, which prevents you from being able to delete them. So we have two options:

1. We can leave them there as they are not doing any harm and are no longer holding infected files.
2. I can try to find the permissions, and then we can see if we can delete them.

Let me know which you prefer to do.

Regards,
RatHat

[Penny in Alabama]

Done w/ the Hijack this step.
Sorry about the editing and you not getting notified.
Anyway, I guess for the rest of it, we will do what is less work for you since you have helped me tremendously already.
That would mean let's go with step # 1 above ....
And, again, thank you so much for your help!

[RatHat]

Well in that case Penny, your log is clean again!

The first thing we need to do is to remove all the tools that you have used. This is so that should you ever be re-infected, you will download updated versions. It will also remove the quarantined Malware from your computer.

Click Here to download OTCleanIt
Double-click OTCleanIt.exe to run it.
Click the Clean up button
Click Yes to the reboot.

Now delete any logs that you have left over on your desktop.

OK, lets carry out a few preventative steps to make sure you reduce the risk of further infections.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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 7). 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 7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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

• Comodo is a free fully functional firewall
• Online Armor (Free edition) personal firewall

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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

• Trillian or,
• Miranda-IM

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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

• 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.
• 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.

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.

OK, all the best, and stay safe!

Best regards,
RatHat

[Penny in Alabama]

Thanks. I am working on all the steps, am currently on the anti-spyware step. Had a question, however, about items already installed on my system. Should I keep the following or delete them?

AVG Free 8.0
HiJack This 2.0.2
MBAM
Norton Security Scan, free version if it matters
SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition

[RatHat]

Penny,

I would keep the following:

AVG Free 8.0
MBAM
SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition

These can be uninstalled:

HiJack This 2.0.2
Norton Security Scan

Just make sure you only have one Anti Virus, and one resident Anti Spyware running at any one time. Run MBAM every couple of weeks as it is fast becoming the best Anti Spyware around. If you have any problems or your machine gets slow, you can uninstall SUPERAntiSpyware too.

Regards,
RatHat

[RatHat]

Since this issue appears to be resolved ... this Topic has been closed. Glad we could help.

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