[23red]

Hi Rich
Nope, you're good. Sorry about that, trying every avenue here. It's kind of baffling when tools don't want to run. Right click on the icon and click Delete for the Combofix version you have. Let's try another way:



Please download the latest version of TDSSKiller from here and save it to your Desktop.

• Doubleclick on TDSSKiller.exe to run the application
  Accept the UAC prompt, the Eula and the KSN Statement. When the next window opens ~ Click on Change parameters.
  
• Put a checkmark beside loaded modules.
  
  
  
• A reboot will be needed to apply the changes. Do it.
  
  
• TDSSKiller will launch automatically after the reboot. Also your computer may seem very slow and unusable. This is normal. Give it enough time to load your background programs.
• Then click on Change parameters again in TDSSKiller.
• Check all boxes then click OK.
  
  
  
• Click the Start Scan button.
  
  
  
  
  
• The scan should take no longer than 2 minutes.
• If a suspicious object is detected, the default action will be Skip, click on Continue.
  
  
  
• If malicious objects are found, they will show in the Scan results - Select action for found objects and offer three options.
  Ensure Cure (default) is selected, then click Continue > Reboot now to finish the cleaning process.
  
  
  
  Note: If Cure is not available, please choose Skip instead, do not choose Delete unless instructed.
• A report will be created in your root directory, (usually C:\ folder) in the form of "TDSSKiller.[Version]_[Date]_[Time]_log.txt". Please copy and paste the contents of that file here.

Sorry for the inconvenience, Rich. This is one stubborn bugger! We're doin' the best we can for you!
Please let me know how this goes.
Thank you

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23red,
The first thing I notice when I downloaded TDSS from CNET website was a warning pop up said "can't initialize log." Initialization is "stuck" at 10%. So I clicked on "OK" in the warning pop up and everything initialized fine, checked loaded modules, rebooted, checked all 7 boxes and started scan. It took 57 seconds to run - NO THREATS FOUND!
This is a stubborn bugger and I appreciate you not giving up. Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve? I'm hopin.
Thanks,
Rich

Edited by 1324, 31 December 2013 - 09:43 AM.

[1324]

23red,
The first thing I notice when I downloaded TDSS from CNET website was a warning pop up said "can't initialize log." Initialization is "stuck" at 10%. So I clicked on "OK" in the warning pop up and everything initialized fine, checked loaded modules, rebooted, checked all 7 boxes and started scan. It took 57 seconds to run - NO THREATS FOUND!
This is a stubborn bugger and I appreciate you not giving up. Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve? I'm hopin.
Thanks,
Rich

Edited by 1324, 31 December 2013 - 09:43 AM.

[23red]

Hi Rich

The first thing I notice when I downloaded TDSS from CNET website

Please know I will always provide a valid safe link for you to obtain a tool from. Obtaining a tool from the maker is much safer than CNET My fault, the link color was kind of hidden in the last post.
That said, I'd like to see the log, please.

A report will be created in your root directory, (usually C:\ folder) in the form of "TDSSKiller.[Version]_[Date]_[Time]_log.txt". Please copy and paste the contents of that file here.

Thank you

[1324]

23red,
I'm not sure where this log is. I checked C but I didn't see any folder on C that was TDSS.
I'm sorry I'm making this so difficult for you.
Rich

[23red]

Hi Rich

Not a problem ~
Mine is located in C:
Last in the list in my Drive C: is TDSSKiller.3.0.0.19_29.12.2013_15.00.54_log.
Your numbers may be different.
Click Start ~> Computer ~> C: ~> TDSSKiller.3.0.0.19_29.12.2013_15.00.54_log.

It should be there, even if there were no threats found.

Thank you

[23red]

Hi Rich
Alternatively, you could search for it:
Click on Computer ~> Drive C: ~> then at the top in Search type TDSSKiller with the caps as that's how the log is named, and you should find the log. Maybe this helps?
Please keep me posted.

[1324]

23red,
I have been running the search for the TDSSkiller for 90 minutes and have found 170+ items all TDSSkiller. What am I to do?
Thanks,
Rich

[23red]

Hi Rich
Look for the highest one in the list with this type of format:

TDSSKiller.3.0.0.19_29.12.2013_15.00.54_log.

Please post it if available
Thank you!

[23red]

Hi Rich

Any luck on your end finding the TDSSKiller log? How is the computer running otherwise?

Please let me know.

Thank you!

[1324]

23red,
All the TDSSkiller entries look identical.
Will wiping my hard drive take care of any virus I still have including the ZeroAccess infection?
What are the plusses and minuses of doing this?
Thanks,
Rich

Edited by 1324, 07 January 2014 - 07:45 PM.

[23red]

Hi Rich

All the TDSSkiller entries look identical.

Ok If you really want to reinstall, it's ok ~ let it go.

Will wiping my hard drive take care of any virus I still have including the ZeroAccess infection?

Yes. And funny you should ask that. With Combofix, CCleaner, Eraser and who knows what else not running properly that would have actually been the next suggestion. We've pretty much tried everything to avoid it. Wiping and reinstalling would definately work. With ZeroAccess, though we've seen no evidence of it and your ISP has, a reinstall is recommended for this and other Backdoor Trojans as the safest and most sure way to close Backdoors.
Question: Does your ISP still give you advisories about this?

What are the plusses and minuses of doing this?

No minuses, except a little time, but we're way past that. You may have to reinstall programs you've added and likely use such as:

Photoshop 11
TurboTax
Printer Software

You'll also need to backup all your personal files which you are able to do some of in the recovery window:



Tax papers, Printer Software and Photoshop will need to be backed up/copied elsewhere separately.


To see how much space you need for your backup go to Computer ~> Click on Drive C: ~> then Users.
Right click on your account folder and select Properties.
A new window will pop up with the properties of your User file: Down the way it says Size on Disk. This is how much space you'll need to back up your personal items. Add a little more to be safe.

Do you have the keys and software to reinstall these? TurboTax may have come preinstalled. Do you use it? If you do, you're going to need to copy off / backup all of your tax documents separately.

If you use it, you'll also need to backup your Outlook contacts. Let me know if you use it!

Yahoo, Gmail and the like are not actually on your computer, so they will be fine.

Also, your Firefox favorites and bookmarks can be saved.

Plusses: A guarantee clean computer! Fresh and fast

Let me know how you wish to proceed.
Please answer the asked questions above, let me know what you'd like to save and backup and I'll gladly help with that before we start.

[1324]

23red,
I have software and keys for Photoshop, TurboTax and for my printer. Is it possible that I don't have a disk to re-install my operating system. I have been unable to locate it.
I am not getting anymore advisories from my ISP, I only received the original one.
I do not use Outlook.
Thanks,
Rich

[23red]

Hi Rich

I have software and keys for Photoshop, TurboTax and for my printer.

Excellent You'll have to reinstall these afterward.

Is it possible that I don't have a disk to re-install my operating system. I have been unable to locate it.

Not a problem. You have it in recovery If all goes well we will not need disks.

I will advise you to make after though, then you'll have them if you ever do need them. A usb/flash drive works too. And it's much more durable than a CD or an external.

I am not getting anymore advisories from my ISP, I only received the original one.

Good.

I do not use Outlook.

Good to know. No need to worry about backing up that one.

Ok. Do you have a USB stick or external or CD's to copy all of the folders you need to keep? Looks like the only item maybe not covered are your tax documents. Any Photos if they're not in My Pictures. Any Documents if they're not in My Documents.
Copy those off separately first, then have another larger medium ready and of size enough to hold your Pictures, Documents, Music, Internet favorites and settings as listed in post #161.

**** You can right click on any folder you wish to back up and select Properties and get the size of the folder.

Personally, I use flash drives for storage because of the durability (have kids around ~ accidents happen and have )
That and cost. Externals are not $40 or less ~ but Flash drives are! CD's: one scratch and they're pretty much done. So you have to keep them extra safe

Firefox ~ Do you just want to install it fresh? Or are there bookmarks you want to save?

To keep your bookmarks you can go here - Export BookMarks Maybe add that to where you put the tax documents. Then they'll be together to put back on after if you choose.

Start backing up whatever you think is not covered in the previously posted list (tax documents, Firefox Bookmarks, etc.)
Better safe than sorry: If you want to back up everything manually : copy / paste to usb flash drive, external or CD's go ahead, then you also (if you choose) can back up what recovery will back up. Then for sure you have everything.

This time we will not be able to recover anything!

I'm ultra paranoid
I'd do both ~ most important items first. Then erase what I don't need after to be sure, but that's me

When you're ready, go ahead and start copying folders you want to keep there and you can put them back when we're done. Pictures, Documents, any tax documents you don't want to lose, etc. What we're doing is bringing it back to out of the box fresh. So whatever you don't want to lose copy it over.

Let me know when you're done and ready to Erase Everything that's not backed up as in Post #161.

[1324]

23red,
I have CDs to copy folders. I'm not worried about my tax documents. I'd feel safer just eliminating them when we wipe the C drive. My favorite pictures are on an external hard drive so I'm fine with that. I can copy documents on CDs. Reinstalling Firefox is fine no bookmarks. I can back up everything manually, just in case, and erase later if I choose.
I'm concerned that when I copy files to the CDs I will be copying a virus along with the info I'm saving. Is this a concern?
I will be backing up everything on Wednesday and will let you know when I have finished.

There might be a complication: My D drive (Recovery) has only 2.05GB free of 16.6GB, is this a problem? My C drive has 636 GB free of 681 GB.

Size on disk says 3.16 GB

Thanks,
Rich

Edited by 1324, 14 January 2014 - 05:04 PM.

[1324]

23red,
I'm ready to wipe my C drive. I have made a copy (4 CDs worth) my operating system. I have copied all my docs and pictures. Not to concerned about bookmarks.
Rich