Please, I need help!

[jzahina]

I recently downloaded Avast Home on my daughter's computer and have been running the scan now for hours now.  It seems to be stuck on a file that it says "Access is denied, cannot process."  I can't seem to get it to get past this file.  The next problem is that is I can't even seem to pause the scanning.  What's up with this.     I must be an idiot or something.  Is there anything I can do besides shutting down the computer?  Her computer seems to have at least (to current count) 20-25 viruses and or Trojan Horses.  Please help, I am extremely new at this.

[DavidR]

1. What is her OS?
2. What is the file and the files location that it is hanging on?

Also see - Advice & Tools for virus/trojan/malware Removal & Prevention

[jzahina]

Sorry, I think I sort of understand how this works now.  As I said I am very new at this.   


My daughter's OS is Windows 98.
And the file is c\WINDOWS\systb.dll

Thanks for the clarification. 

[DavidR]

If you haven't managed to stop it gracefully by now, do the control+alt+delete and find any avast related processes running and end the tasks. Sorr I don't know what they would be in win98.

The file you mentioned in the PM is a browser hijacker which is likely to redirect your web browser or pull in adverts, etc.

If you haven't already got this software (freeware), download, install, update and run it.
1. Ad-Aware
2. Spybot Search and Destroy
3. Spywareblaster Don't install this until you are clean.
4. Download HijackThis.zip - HiJackThis Tutorial

[jzahina]

Are you still suggesting to control-alt-delete?  Even after I've told the program to delete the c\WINDOWS\systb.dll file?

[Spiritsongs]

  A very good "companion" program for your daughter's
     Win 98 OS would be the good & FREE "A-squared";
     it specializes in detecting & hopefully removing ( actually
    "quarantining" ) trojans, worms, dialers, etc . It can be
     downloaded at www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free .

[DavidR]

Are you still suggesting to control-alt-delete?  Even after I've told the program to delete the c\WINDOWS\systb.dll file?

I'm suggesting it as I said "If you haven't managed to stop it gracefully by now," relating to your problem and your comment "The next problem is that is I can't even seem to pause the scanning."

I would also suggest an alternative browser, firefox or opera, both free and less susceptible to this type of malware as they don't use activeX or Browser Helper Objects (BHO) which this malware would appear to be. With win98 you are limited in the version of IE you can use, e.g. you can't use the latest version of IE 6 SP2 unless you are using winXP. There is no such restriction with the alternatives.

[jzahina]

Alot of these things sound greek to me.  I guess I'm more of a novice then I thought.  I suppose I probably shouldn't be trying to do this myself.  I didn't realize it was all this complicated.  I don't know what all those things are or what they do.

[jzahina]

Will I need to download the virus cleaner separately to get rid of these nasty things or is it already in what I downloaded?

[DavidR]

What virus cleaner are you talking about?

If it is the avast Virus Cleaner, No that is incorporated in the avast 4 Home/Pro installation and if the cleaner can repair/disinfect infected files you will be given the option to Repair the file. Not everything can be cleaned only true viruses which actually infect files and some Worms.

[FreewheelinFrank]

Have you tried a scan in safe mode?

Force a shut down if necessary and tap F8 while rebooting. Select safe mode when asked to. Run a scan with avast!

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm#01

[FreewheelinFrank]

On a badly infected computer, it's always a good idea to run several clean-up programs: I recommend running McAfee's Stinger and Trend Micro Sysclean. They are both stand-alone applications so can be run without installing. Sysclean cleans the registry of a lot of malware entries, some of which can be used to start rootkits.

http://www.trend.net.au/consumer/vinfo/encyclopedia.php?LYstr=VMAINDATA&vNav=3&VName=TROJ_ROOTKIT.S


Download link:

http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tsc/sysclean.com

Download both Sysclean and the latest definitions (Pattern files).

http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp

Unzip the file and move Sysclean to the same folder and run from there.

[jzahina]

I will try these things.  Thank you all for your help!!  Once I get rid of the purple screen.  Anyone know what that's caused by.  I'd been running the avast Home, came home last night, turned on the screen to see what else it might have found and now the screen is solid purple.