[mohater]

ok...

so I'm a bit stuck.

Dell Latittude D420
Windows XP Pro SP2

My wife's cousin got some nasty bugs on it. Anytime you try to run any exe, bat, or com that are outside of some canned list (word works, IE works, firefox works, etc.), the computer reboots.

It does it in both normal and safemode. I also can not change file extensions, nor get to 'view' then 'folder options' to change the settings. The option is simply for 'folder options' is not there.

At first I couldn't run anything that edited the registry (it would reboot), but but I found the tool Doug Knox developed, and then I was able to run vbs scripts to change the setting (tool found here - http://www.pchell.co...disabled.shtml_

With that I was able to remove the Perlovga using the flash disinfector tool (Flash_Disinfector.exe). Using these instructions - http://www.spywarein...php/t96719.html

Tried to run combo fix, it would run the first run till like step 3 or 4 and then the computer would force reboot.
Tried to run hijack this, reboot. Changed the .exe to .com, same thing.
Tried to run alcanshorty (run.bat), reboot.

I'm now out of ideas and searching on the forums and google has not netted me any new ideas.

TIA

mohater

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Howszit?

It sounds like your core Windows files are corrupted. I'd try to boot from a WindowsXP CD and follow the prompts to install Windows. After you acknowledge the license agreement, it will search your drive for any existing Window installation. It should find it and it will ask you if you want to repair it. If you do this it will restore all the Windows core files and re-initialize the system, (it will even request your product activation key) It should restore your system stability and keep your existing applications and printers. I would check the device manager to be sure that all hardware drivers did re-load properly. Hope this helps

[Mark D]

Howszit?

It sounds like your core Windows files are corrupted. I'd try to boot from a WindowsXP CD and follow the prompts to install Windows. After you acknowledge the license agreement, it will search your drive for any existing Window installation. It should find it and it will ask you if you want to repair it. If you do this it will restore all the Windows core files and re-initialize the system, (it will even request your product activation key) It should restore your system stability and keep your existing applications and printers. I would check the device manager to be sure that all hardware drivers did re-load properly. Hope this helps

[Broni]

It looks like the computer is heavily infected. Your best option, may be to back up your data, format, and reinstall Windows.

[mohater]

I was hoping for a different path to try and fix this one. There isn't much spyware per say, no popups, only a handful of applications that seem fishy.

I'll see if I can run recovery with the dell disc. If not, I'll restore.

Thanks to both for their replies.

Anyone else deal with this w/o formatting?

[Mark D]

You could also try to run system file checker, (at the command prompt, type "SFC /scannow"). It may request that you insert your Windows XP CD so that it can repair files... This may or may not fix all your issues and may be better run from booting with the Windows CD and choosing the repair path that 1st comes up. Just hope that you either know the Administrator's password or there isn't one, (just press enter when its asks for it, if it sez "incorrect password" you'll be stuck with the other option. If it lets you log onto windows, it will give you the command prompt where you type in the same command... Good luck

[mohater]

You could also try to run system file checker, (at the command prompt, type "SFC /scannow"). It may request that you insert your Windows XP CD so that it can repair files... This may or may not fix all your issues and may be better run from booting with the Windows CD and choosing the repair path that 1st comes up. Just hope that you either know the Administrator's password or there isn't one, (just press enter when its asks for it, if it sez "incorrect password" you'll be stuck with the other option. If it lets you log onto windows, it will give you the command prompt where you type in the same command... Good luck

Opening a command prompt is one of the things that forces a reboot...

[Mark D]

Sorry..Boot from the CD and ask it to repair. If it boots from the CD and there isn't an administrator password, you be ok...

[mohater]

Windows recovery was completed, same problem. Reboots when certain folders are opened, exe's are ran, etc.

Any other suggestions before I nuke it?

edit:

Ok - hijack this managed to run once and I was able to get the log file out


edit: Well I was able to finaggle some stuff and run combofix, so I'll post the report in the other forum and see what happens.

Thanks to all for the suggestions here.

Please close this thread.

Edited by mohater, 18 November 2008 - 08:52 PM.