[drummerstp]

Thanks skeptic.

Will Ad-Aware and other such programs remove viruses? More specifically, the W32.Licum? I thought they were more spyware oriented. I certainly will try it, though. I also will look for CCleaner. Thanks.

[Advertisements]

also...you can install windows on a secondary drive without losing data...as long as you have the spare space for windows on the drive...you COULD put your slave in as master and the master as slave...install windows on the original second drive...and go from there...

I like that idea. I'm going to do that after work. Thanks a lot.

[drummerstp]

also...you can install windows on a secondary drive without losing data...as long as you have the spare space for windows on the drive...you COULD put your slave in as master and the master as slave...install windows on the original second drive...and go from there...

I like that idea. I'm going to do that after work. Thanks a lot.

[The Skeptic]

Antimalware programs deal with more than a single type of parasite. For example all antiviruse programs will remove worms and other pest as well. The best is to use a number of tools to increase the probability of a repair. You can run a number of antiviruses (e.g AVG free, Panda online scan etc.). The important thing is not to run more than one at a given time. If you run an antivirus, disable, temporarily, the one installed on the computer. Enable it after finish your scans.

[dsenette]

just as a note here....adaware is not an antimalware program...it's an antiadware program....all it will remove is adware...spybot search and destroy is a good free anti malware program

[drummerstp]

I removed the infected drive and moved the slave drive to the master bus. I was able to install windows in the existing partition.

After spending all night installing drivers and updating windows, i finally installed CCleaner and spybot. While installing/scanning, I just browsed some of the existing folders and found dl.exe. I believe this is one of the first files downloaded by the W32. So the infection spread to my slave drive as well.

I let CCleaner finish then ran Spybot. Neither one of these found the dl.exe or any other threats. I then deleted the dl.exe file.

I installed and ran Norton. It found 12 instances of the virus and was able to remove them.

I will connect and scan the infected drive tomorrow after work. I'll post my progress/problems as I go.

Thanks again to all the contributers.

[drummerstp]

Final Results:

I scanned the infected drive. It was full infected files. There were over 600 items found. After removing all of them, I attempted to boot from that drive and log in. It did not work. So I recovered all the files I wanted and wiped the drive clean. I guess the virus was on there too long and did too much damage.

Thanks to everybody who posted replies. I have a working computer with the majority of my files. I couldn't have done it on my own.

Thanks again.

[tendriana]

Just came down with this problem. Got some sorta malware (the one that keeps adding IEXPLORE.EXE to your processes) . . . just started researching how to get rid of it.

I went to reboot in Safe mode, and ran into this problem. I'd click on Administrator, see it say "Logging in" hear the Windows Start up sound..... and then immediately hear the Shut down sound, and it'd say "Logging off" and I'd still be at the Login screen.

I'm so ridiculously unknowledgeable. I read the responses that were already posted here... feel hopelessly lost, have no idea how to switch around master/slave, etc. Should I just give up on recovering any files and reinstall windows? I'm really hoping that someone out there can figure out an easy fix for this.

Funny thing is, this is a loaner laptop - the original has been back at Fry's for NINE months now, being "repaired" due to startup issues. Of course, when I checked with them, they had no idea where my laptop was. I'm starting to hate computers, for having my life revolve around them, and then they stop working. Lol.

[tendriana]

OH. Wow, looks like I found the issue - haven't tried it, dunno if it works, but it seems like this is a documented problem with a certain malware and usign AdAware:

Found from http://www.winxptuto...m/wsaremove.htm


"Unable to logon to Windows after removing BlazeFind using a spyware removal utility?

Logon - Logoff loop, also caused by BlazeFind

Another critical symptom caused by this malware: This malware modifies the Userinit area in the registry (replacing the userinit.exe with wsaupdater.exe) and Ad-Aware (with a particular definition update) removes the wsaupdater.exe file from the system, thus causing the Logon - Logoff loop. That is, when you login to Windows, the 'loading personal settings" verbose will appear, but suddenly it will logoff. This issue was documented clearly by Lavasoftusa in it's Lavahelp Knowledgebase.

Here is the solution to the logon - logoff issue in Windows XP.

Enter the Recovery Console

Boot the system using the Windows XP CD-ROM. In the first screen when the Setup begins, read the instructions press "R" (in the first screen) enter the Recovery Console. Type-in the built-in Administrator password to enter the Console. You'll see the prompt reading C:\Windows (Or any other drive-letter where you've installed XP)

Type the following command and press Enter.

CD SYSTEM32
(If that does not work, try CHDIR SYSTEM32)

COPY USERINIT.EXE WSAUPDATER.EXE

Quit Recovery Console by typing EXIT and restart Windows.

You'll be able to login successfully as you've created the wsaupdater.exe file (now, a copy of userinit.exe)

Now, change the USERINIT value in the registry (see Phase II in this page) and change it accordingly.


NOTE If you don't have a Windows XP CD-ROM, you need to use Windows XP Setup floppy disks to enter the Recovery Console."



Hope this works, now that I think of it, I hadn't rebooted since installing AdAware. OOoooo those jerks who create all this malware! Making me lose sleep over this junk!