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OLE32.DLL Not Found After Spyaxe problem - help!


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#1
Finkaa

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My XP machine was infected by the newest spyaxe.exe malware. I was able to get rid of it from all but the account it originated on and tried several different methods, none of which worked (including Windows Anti-Spyware beta product and SpyDoctor ). I was running thru the Symantecs approach (running their product in SAFE mode) and not sure if the system crashed over night or what but when we powered it up today we got the following:

winlogon.exe - Unable to Locate Component
This application has failed to start because ole32.dll was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

When I press the OK button, I get the following message:
services.exe - Unable to Locate Component
This application has failed to start because ole32.dll was not found.
Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

Followed by lsasas.exe - Unable to Locate Component etc

Then I get a Windows Login screen (single user vs the multiple user graphic interface I'm used to). When I enter the password for this user, I get userinit.exe - Unable to Locate message, Explorer.EXE - Unable to Locate Component message, and then I'm left with my desktop with no icons, Start button, or quick launch bar.

If I press Alt-Ctrl-Del, I'm able to bring up the Task Mgr after getting a taskmgr.exe - Unable to Locate Component message and then the Task Mgr window comes up with nothing in it.

If I choose File / New Task (run) menu and enter COMMAND (or any other command), I get Windows Task Manager: taskmgr.exe - unable to locate component message again.

As you can imagine, I'm very frustrated and disappointed that I've reached this point. This is the first virus that has caused my any of my systems to crash as I'm very religious about keeping my software up to date and making sure my firewall, virus protection, and scumware removers are active and up to date.

Any idea how to get past this point and gain access to that valuable data on the hard drive I kept telling myself I should back-up while I was dealing with this virus?

Many thanks!
Art
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#2
Spike

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Hi, welcome to Geeks To Go Forums, I will be your guid to help you fix you problem.

Start off by trying to download this file (OLE32.dll) and save it to "C:\Windows\System32\"

If your problem continues try this step: (If your problem is solved, it is recommended you do the next step anyway.)

For this you will requir a XP setup disk. Put it in and start up your computer press "F2" or "Del" (Depending on what model) just before boot up (While its reading memory) When in, look for something to do with 'bootup' and make the first boot "Cd-Rom". Exit and save changes. When it is booting up there will be a message saying "Press any key to boot from CD" so press any key. Windows will run through a few things and when it comes to a hault. Press "R" to enter to your recover console. It will ask you to select the windows installation, defualt is "1" so press "1" and enter. It will then ask you for administrators password.
(If there is no password just press enter)

Now type in "chkdsk /p" this should take +- 30 miniuts, when it has completed your computer
should be fixed. Restart and make sure your first boot priority is your harddisk.

Let me know which one worked.

Goodluck... :tazz:
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#3
Finkaa

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Thanks for the advice Spike! The first option really isn't an option for me as I can't get anything to run on the effected pc, including DOS, so even if I downloaded the file to this working PC, don't have a way to interject it on the non-working PC.

I tried your other option, got to the Setup screen, typed R for Repair, got to the Windows prompt, did the check disk /p, it did its thing and then when it got to 100%, I rebooted and got the exact same results, same boot-up error messags, etc.

BTW: this is XP Media Center Edition if that makes any difference.

Any other suggestions?

I appreciate the help!

Art
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#4
Finkaa

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YABBA DABBA DO!!!

Putting my brain back in gear, I downloaded the ole32.dll file to a junk drive on this computer, ran the recovery utility you mentioned below, and when I got to the Windows prompt, copied the dll file from the junk drive to the \system32 directory on the problem pc and I'm back! First order of business - back up my data!!!! Second order of business -> find a reliable source to help be get rid of my first problem (spyaxe).

Many many thanks Spike!

Much appreciated!!!
Art
:) :tazz:
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#5
Spike

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Hi again, Im glad it sought of worked :) I just wished i would of got it right the first time. Sorry :)


Cool, enjoy and goodluck with the rest... :tazz:
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#6
dsenette

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Please go to the malware forum in my signature and follow the instructions at the top....Especially the CLICK HERE .

That will give you several steps that will help you clean up 70 percent of all problems by yourself. If at the end of the process you are still having difficulty--and you may not be-- then post a hijackthis log in THAT forum.

If you are still having problems after getting a clean bill of health from the malware expert, please return to this thread.


that's the most reliable source around for getting rid of your malware infection
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#7
Finkaa

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Well, I knew I should have waited to celebrate. I have my user menu back now and I can get into my own account (and the others) but apparently I lost a few things on the way to recovery. I plugged in my external backup drive, fired up Windows Explorer but I'm not able to drag and drop things from my PC drive to my external drive. I can delete and create files on the external drive so I know it and my access to it is working but drag and drop doesn't work nor does copy and paste (I can click COPY from the source but when I click the target, I do not get a Paste option - like the copy didn't take place). Subsequent boot of the PC shows SpyDoctor has a problem (so I shut it down), Norton doesn't come up (so I turned off my internet access thru Zone Alarm), and Windows has the red badge security warning in the lower righthand corner.

Any suggestions on how I get my Windows Explorer copy/paste function back? Don't want to go much further without backing up my data.

Thanks again!!
Art
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#8
dsenette

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art...i suggest that you follow my instructions and go through the malware forum and get cleaned up before we tackle the rest of those issues...please go there and follow the instructions....then return to this thread when y ou are clean
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#9
Finkaa

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dsenette,

did as you suggested but while I'm able to get a single Internet Explorer window up to see your instructions in the forum you mentioned, if I try to go to a link from that window I fail.

Upon boot-up, I get the following message:
SpyDoctor has encountered a problem -> I can restart or close the application. Close works, restart does not.

If I try to uninstall it or any other problem (such as the Microsoft Antispyware software), I get the following message:

The Windows Installer Service could not be accessed. This can occur if you are running Windows in safe mode, of if the Windows Installer is not correctly installed. Consult your support personnel for assistance.

If I bring up an Internet Explorer window, I get the SpyDoctor message above (even though I clicked on the Close Application button before). Interesting enough, I can only see one application at a time on my desktop and none of the open applications show up on my status bar at the bottom of my screen. I can alt/tab to get to them, just can see them unless they are the active window.

So, I can get to the CLICK HERE first page, see the contents but can't go to another internet window from there. When I click on the WinsockXPFix link or the CleanUp link, the SpyDoctor message above pops up followed by an Internet Explorer error window - so I'm stuck!

I do have Ad-Aware SE loaded and I was able to update my definitions, run a scan, and remove a bunch of stuff (including SpyAxe - or at least that's what it said it did but I've been here before so I'm not convinced). Any idea how to get past my current problem so I can follow your previous advice.

Thanks!
Art
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#10
dsenette

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if you right click on the links....you should be able to get to the properties of the link..which will give you the target address...if you can do this...you can enter that target address into your browser....with your current level of issues i suggest that you skip most of the steps and download hijackthis and post a log as soon as possible in the malware forum.
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#11
Finkaa

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Managed to get there - log posted in forum.

Thanks again for your help!
Art
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#12
dsenette

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your welcome...when you get done in there and have a clean bill of health...post back in this thread and let us know if it solved the rest of the issues
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#13
Finkaa

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Dsenette,

Still waiting on someone to take a look at my log files in the forum you mentioned, in the meantime while I patiently waited, I discovered that my teenage son thought he knew more than he does (having withdrawls from on-line games will make them delirious!) and he attempted to solve the problem himself even though I told him "don't do anything to loose my data - I am close to fixing this!".

So, now when I boot up my XP machine, it has the Dell f2/f12 startup screen, followed by the Windows XP screen, followed by a "setup is being restarted ......." screen and it just keeps on doing this (infinite loop).

If I load the O/S CD and go into recovery, it says its loading this file and that file and then says "setup is loading windows" at which point I get the option to go into recovery console (which I do by selecting R), I choose the only option available to me (1-c:\windows), enter the admin password, and then get the c:\windows prompt.

If I do a directory listing, I can see all of my data in "documents and settings" but if I try to change directory (CD) to that directory, I get an "Access Denied" message.

So close but so far away. At this point the only thing that matters to me is being able to copy my data off this hard drive onto a backup drive and I can handle any thing else after that point.

If you have some windows magic up your sleeve that would help me do that, it would certainly make my day.

Many thanks!!!
Art

Edited by ScHwErV, 21 December 2005 - 07:09 AM.

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#14
admin

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dsenette is away for a few days due to the holidays. Since you've waited more than 3 days, post a reply here:
http://www.geekstogo...ply-t73145.html

We'll usually get to it the same day. :tazz:
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#15
Finkaa

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dsenette is away for a few days due to the holidays. Since you've waited more than 3 days, post a reply here:
http://www.geekstogo...ply-t73145.html

We'll usually get to it the same day.


Dsenette,

Still waiting on someone to take a look at my log files in the forum you mentioned, in the meantime while I patiently waited, I discovered that my teenage son thought he knew more than he does (having withdrawls from on-line games will make them delirious!) and he attempted to solve the problem himself even though I told him "don't do anything to loose my data - I am close to fixing this!".

So, now when I boot up my XP machine, it has the Dell f2/f12 startup screen, followed by the Windows XP screen, followed by a "setup is being restarted ......." screen and it just keeps on doing this (infinite loop).

If I load the O/S CD and go into recovery, it says its loading this file and that file and then says "setup is loading windows" at which point I get the option to go into recovery console (which I do by selecting R), I choose the only option available to me (1-c:\windows), enter the admin password, and then get the c:\windows prompt.

If I do a directory listing, I can see all of my data in "documents and settings" but if I try to change directory (CD) to that directory, I get an "Access Denied" message.

So close but so far away. At this point the only thing that matters to me is being able to copy my data off this hard drive onto a backup drive and I can handle any thing else after that point.

If you have some windows magic up your sleeve that would help me do that, it would certainly make my day.

Many thanks!!!
Art
[email protected]

Link to my original post: http://www.geekstogo...=0

Link to my HiJackThis post as Suggested by Dsenette:http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85126&st=0&p=485030&#entry485030
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