In early December 2005, I registered with GTG and followed the Malware Forums instructions in the 'start here' link. After following these instructions, I posted my first message in the Malware Forum because I still had some problems with my computer. After receiving help from one of the GTG malware experts, all but one of the problems was resolved. This problem was that I was unable to connect to the internet with my usual ISP. The malware expert, greyknight17, suggested that I post a new message in the Internet and Browsers Forum or the Networking Forum to see if we were over looking something.
In case it helps you solve my problem, what follows is a description of my situation and a history of what has already been done. My ISP is MichNet. It is part of the Merit System, a free or inexpensive internet service used by many universities, public schools, and educators. Because my wife and I are both educators, we are able to use this ISP without any cost to us. There is no software to install. I use the windows connection wizard to enter our username, password, and dialup phone number. All of this has worked for many years on several different computers that we have had. We had no problems until late November 2005. This is when I started having “SpySheriff” and other popup boxes telling me that my computer was infected. This is also when I was first unable to connect to MichNet. I suspected that the malware had somehow disabled the dialer of my computer. I used other computers and did a google-search of "SpySheriff". This search lead me to your website, GeeksToGo.com. At your website, I found a link to download a program named WinsockXPFix. I downloaded this program to the computer I was using and transferred the file to my infected computer in hopes that it would fix the problem and enable me to dial up to get on the internet. It did not work. I was still unable to connect.
Because I was still unable to get online, I installed a 50-day free trial copy of America Online to see if it would dial correctly and connect to the internet. I felt that this would tell me if my modem and phone line were working okay. AOL did connect, so I came back to GeeksToGo.com and followed the instructions in the ‘start here’ procedures. I downloaded, installed, updated, and ran:
1. CleanUp
2. Ad-Aware SE (it found and cleaned many files)
3. CWShredder (it did not find any files to fix)
4. Spybot S&D (it found and cleaned many files)
5. Ewido Security Suite (it found and cleaned many files)
6. Trend Housecall (3 programs needed security patches downloaded. I was successful at 2 of the 3)
7. TrojanHunter (it did not find any files to fix)
I have ran my own McAfee AntiVirus and AntiSpyware, rebooted, ran Ad-Aware, CWShredder, Spybot, Ewido, TrojanHunter, rebooted, and re-ran WinsockXPFix many times. My windows dialer still will not connect with MichNet. However, having been convinced I had the malware removed from my computer, I then installed Windows XP Service Pack 2. The installation appeared to have been successful and I had hoped that installing SP2 would have resolved my dialing problem, but it did not.
It was at this point, I posted my first message in the Malware Forum. I included a ‘HighJackThis’ log. Greynight17 replied and I followed his instructions regarding deleting items with ‘HighJackThis’, downloading and running smitrem in safe mode and posting its log, re-running ewido and posting its log, doing an online scan with Panda ActiveScan and posting its log. I have downloaded 'smitfraud' and ran it, downloaded a different WinsockFix and ran it, deleted the settings for the MichNet connection, restarted my computer and tried connecting online again without success. I have downloaded and ran LSPFix. After 26 posts back and forth with greyknight17, he suggested I try the Internet and Browsers Forum or the Networking Forum.
I have tried a couple of other things on my own. First, because I have two phone lines in my home, I tried switching phone lines and trying to connect. No success. Secondly, since my phone line is routed through a surge protector and a fax machine before reaching my computer, I tried hooking the computer directly to the phone jack to see if it made any difference. It did not, I still could not connect.
Please help. I have run out of ideas to try. (I am also posting this in the Networking Forum.)
jyoung
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