PLEASE HELP-virus? 100 results- "unable to scan file"

[vanitykitty]

  i know very little about computers but i ran the scan and deleted 6 known viruses   BUT...

1a.   ...then there are those 100 files that cant be scanned. i know at least some if not all are a virus cause about five of them have suspicious names like free music downloads and such (i stupidly let my roommate use the computer earlier). i deleted 5 of them to the recycle bin, but when i checked the bin, it was empty. is that ok?

1b.   but more importantly, how do i know those unscannable files arent supposed to be on my computer? i dont want to damage anything.

3. a side problem, but is it related?- apparently 50g are missing on my computer and i have no idea where they went. my ipod has more memory! whats going on?!

someone please explain to me what i'm supposed to do or at least give me some pointers.

[Lisandro]

then there are those 100 files that cant be scanned.

If avast can't unpack some files, if the files are password protected, if the files are corrupt, if files are in use...
There are a lot of reason for avast can't be able to scan some files and they, most probably, are clean.

I deleted 5 of them to the recycle bin, but when i checked the bin, it was empty. is that ok?

Delete by avast is not 'send to Recycle bin'. Safer is send the file to Chest.

but more importantly, how do i know those unscannable files arent supposed to be on my computer? i dont want to damage anything.

Let them there. Post the name and path of them here. And, if you want to do something, add them to Chest before deleting.

3. a side problem, but is it related?- apparently 50g are missing on my computer and i have no idea where they went. my ipod has more memory! whats going on?!

Investigate with TreeSize Free 2.1: http://www.jam-software.com/freeware/index.shtml

[vanitykitty]

ok so apparently i'm not missing memory.. i contacted dell and they said i had less capicity that i'd previously thought.
thanks for the link though. i'm learning all sorts of stuff about computers lately (i'm really computer illiterate.)

ok so avast listed some stuff on under "system files". i dont know what it means, but i searched the names online and i found some rambling about rootkits and blacklight (which i ran.. found nothing). anyway should i worry about these?:

(all c:\WINDOWS\system32)
kernel32.dll
winsock.dll
wsock32.dll

these are the many unscanable files
(all listed in c:\Documents and Settigs...) :

sbRecovery.reg
sbRecovery.ini      (these two repeat over and over for a while)

wise0003.bin
wtvh.dll
wt3d.ini
wt3d.dll
data.wts
appinfo.dat
wirecontrol.dll
Wirecontrol_Uninstall.cdas
WireControl.cdanfo
index.html
Webd4_1_1_.cdanfo
wtwnplug.ini
wtwnplug.ax
wtmulti.jar
wtmulti.dll
WTHostCtl.dll
WTHost.exe
wt3d.ini
wildtangent.jar
webdriver.dll
Webd331_Uninstall.cdas
Webd331_fileList.cdas
Webd331.cdanfo
wdengine.dll
wdcaps.ded
data.wts
sound.dll
rdriver.dll
Objectbundle.dll
nslWTHostPlugin.xpt
npWTHost.dll
wt3d.dll
webdriver.dll
jdriver.dll
dx7drv.dll
dx5drv.dll
index.hrml
actorobject.dll
sbRecovery.ini
DRM0302_Uninstall.cdas
DRM0302.dll
DRM0302Java.jar
wt.ini
wfallsaw.url
registryCleaner.url
pumpkinpatch.url
pumpkinpatch.ico
control.txt
registryCleaner.ico
wfallsaw.ico

sorry if i repeated them, i tried to erase the ones i remembered repeating. actully maybe what i typed here is'nt even helpful. i dont know what any of it means. but anyways, i couldnt move any but one into the chest. i hope thats not a bad sigh.

thanks so much for the response!

[DavidR]

1. the items in the System Files are copies avast made of important system files just in case the original get infected they are a back-up.

2. Your clue is SB Spybot S&D they are password protected files. Since you don't give the reason why they can't be scanned I can't hazard a guess about the rest.

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, there are others (and avast doesn't know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).

When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text.

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

[Lisandro]

(all c:\WINDOWS\system32)
kernel32.dll
winsock.dll
wsock32.dll

Ok files. Like David said, they're there for backup purposes.

these are the many unscanable files
sorry if i repeated them, i tried to erase the ones i remembered repeating. actully maybe what i typed here is'nt even helpful. i dont know what any of it means. but anyways, i couldnt move any but one into the chest. i hope thats not a bad sigh.

Indeed seems to be strange files listed there...
I suggest, a step by step procedure for general cleaning:

1. Disable System Restore on Windows ME or Windows XP. System Restore cannot be disabled on Windows 9x and it's not available in Windows 2k. After boot you can enable System Restore again after step 3).

2. Clean your temporary files. You can use CleanUp or the Windows Advanced Care features for that.

3. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast. Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning. Select for scanning archives. Boot. Do not delete files, but rather send them to Chest. Don't touch in 'system' files, we can manage them later.

4. It will be good if you download, install, update and run AVG Antispyware. Some users recommend SUPERantispyware, Spyware Terminator and/or a-squared (take care about false positives).
If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.

5. If you still detecting any strange behavior or even you're sure you're not clean, maybe it will be good to test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest AVG, Panda and/or F-Secure BlackLight.

6. Also, if you still detecting strange behaviors or you want to be sure you're clean, maybe making a HijackThis log to post here and, specially, scan and submit to on-line analysis the RunScanner log would help to identify the problem and the solution.

7. After you're clean, use the immunization of SpywareBlaster or, which is better, the Windows Advanced Care features of spyware/adware cleaning and removal.

8. Finally, when you're clean, check for insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector to update insecure applications and avoid reinfection.

[mauserme]

Lots of WildTangent files which I mistrust, and Waterfall screen saver adware.

sbRecovery.reg
sbRecovery.ini     

These are just the SpyBot quarantine (I think).

[CharleyO]

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IMHO, using anything from WildTangent or Freeze screen savers is just asking for trouble.


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