[Bri K]

So I got the Vitro virus & got ahold of a program which repairs my system to the point where it can boot, however, many Windows System32 files & stuff are affected by this. I had to delete some of them to get my computer to get past virus scans, but now I'm left with an incomplete system. I can't change the display settings, can't use Ctrl-Alt-Del & don't have a command prompt. Will doing a repair re-install of XP (as described in the pinned topic) remedy these problems? I've backed up all my files onto an external hard drive in safe mode so the virus won't get into that HD. I'm going to attempt this tonight after work, but if it won't help my problems, I might have to re-install destructively.

[Advertisements]

well....with what you've described...there's no real way of knowing if you've gotten things cleaned or not..i suggest you take a spin through the malware forum and see if they can give you a clean bill of health before you do anything....wouldn't pay to do a repair just to have the system still be infected

[dsenette]

well....with what you've described...there's no real way of knowing if you've gotten things cleaned or not..i suggest you take a spin through the malware forum and see if they can give you a clean bill of health before you do anything....wouldn't pay to do a repair just to have the system still be infected

[Bri K]

Unfortunately some programs still give me an error from the Avast Anti-virus saying that it has a version of Win32:Vitro in them. I'm guessing that a repair might bring my system files back, but the virus itself could be respread if I don't get rid of the problem altogether? I've tried a ton of different programs to clean the Vitro but none have worked except one & I can't remember what it is off the top of the dome.

[dsenette]

go Here and follow all the steps, if you're still having issues once you're done there, come back here and we'll pick back up

[Bri K]

Thanks a ton. I've tried many countless hours to get rid of this virus, but I'll use the methods described there.

[Rorschach112]

No point really making a topic in the Virus Removal forum as this is all we will tell you to do


You are infected with a polymorphic file infector. This infection can and will infect all the machine's executable files .exe, .scr, .rar, .zip, .htm, .html. Because there are a number of bugs in its code, it may create executable files that are corrupted beyond repair resulting in an inoperative machine.

Malware experts say that a Complete Reformat and Reinstall is the only way to clean the infection. This includes All Drives that contain .exe, .scr, .rar, .zip, .htm, .html files.

• Backup all your documents and important items only.
• DO NOT backup any executable files (,exe .scr .html or .htm)
• Do Not back up compressed files (zip/cab/rar) files that may contain .exe, .pdf, .jpg, .doc or .scr files
• Reformat and Reinstall as outlined HERE

I suggest you do the following immediately:

• Call all of your banks, credit card companies, financial institutions and inform them that you may be a victim of identity theft and to put a watch on your accounts or change all your account numbers.
• From a clean computer, change *all* your online passwords -- for email, for banks, financial accounts, PayPal, eBay, online companies, any online forums or groups you belong to.
• DO NOT change passwords or do any transactions while using the infected computer because the attacker will get the new passwords and transaction information.

[Bri K]

I've successfully gotten rid of the Vitro virus using DrWeb Cure-It:
http://www.freedrweb.com/
The only problem is that I deleted so many system files in the process that my computer is in a vegetable state. I can do stuff on it, but many of my basic functions are missing. I'm going to go ahead with the repair now, but when I enter into the boot stuff, after agreeing to the XP license, there's no R for repair option when listing my partitions...now what?
I've read on another site to do the following:
http://www.michaelst...ll.htm#warning2
This could work, I just haven't tried it out yet. Is this the correct thing to do?

Edited by Bri K, 19 August 2009 - 09:50 PM.

[Bri K]

Update. I've tried the solutions on the other page, but still can't get the repair option after I agree to the XP license in the boot process. Is there anything else I can try to do the repair install?
Is there another technique I can use to get back stuff like the command prompt & task manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del), etc. besides doing the destructive re-installing windows?

[Rorschach112]

No scanner, including Dr. Web can properly fix Virut. It will just destroy the files making them useless, which you have done it seems. You need to format, a repair wont work.

[dsenette]

thanks for popping in scratch

[Bri K]

No scanner, including Dr. Web can properly fix Virut. It will just destroy the files making them useless, which you have done it seems. You need to format, a repair wont work.

Actually the Dr. Web Cure-It seemed to cure a lot of the files. The problem is that I didn't discover it until after I already had Avast delete lots of system files.
Unfortunately I might just have to wipe clean & re-install Windows from scratch since I don't have the repair option whenever I try to re-install XP.

[Rorschach112]

It doesn't cure the files properly, they may not show up on subsequent scans but I can assure you they are not clean nor are they fixed

[Bri K]

It doesn't cure the files properly, they may not show up on subsequent scans but I can assure you they are not clean nor are they fixed

Yeah they don't show up in Avast's scan anymore & my computer is behaving properly whereas before I could barely get my computer to boot & I'd get all sorts of crazy behavior.
I still haven't found an answer as to why my repair install isn't available. I'll have to wipe & start clean again anyways. I've backed up my files I want to keep (no .exes or .html files just to be sure) onto a external HD so I should be good to go.

[Bri K]

So I took the plunge, I did a destructive re-install. Problem now is that my computer doesn't recognize my sound card, video card & worst of all the wireless card in my computer. When I go to Network Connections in the control panel, there isn't even an icon for the wireless card. Does this mean I need the driver for it? Hopefully I can download it somewhere & then with access to the internet, the other 2 drivers will be out there somewhere for Windows to find for me. Any help is appreciated.

[dsenette]

Does this mean I need the driver for it?

yes....what you need to do is go to the manufacturer's website and download the drivers to a USB drive or CD or something...then install them on the repaired computer