A malware, Antivirus Software Alert, downloaded itself onto my HP laptop with Win XP. It has taken complete control. I cannot execute any other program or access any web site except the sites it pops up.
Norton Internet Security 2010 was running at the time (it is always running.) I called them for help and they want to charge $99 for a remote access to my computer to clear it.
Even if I was willing to pay, I don't think they could get on. The program is blocking absolutely everything -- except Norton Internet Security.
I ran a scan and Norton said it found 9 trojans and fixed them but the Antivirus Software Alert malware is still there. I can't download any updates to any of my other antivirus programs (no they were not running at the same time -- I just run them periodically for checks SAS, & MalwareBytes.)
I've looked online for a fix -- one says first turn off creating a restore point then go into safe mode and run SAS. I can't get to My computer far enough to do that. I can't update SAS anyway.
I tried to update SAS in Safe Mode ad I could not do that.
At this point I am totally willing to wipe out my hard drive and start fresh. But I do not know how to do that. There is supposed to be some kind of Recovery that does that in the partitioned off D Drive.
I also have HPs recovery CDs for this.
HP itself won't help me because though I have an extended warranty that expires next year -- their system didn't update it. I've already been through HPs escalation and indeed they finally acknowledged it was still under warranty and were willing to do some other repairs. But that took 3 days of my time.
Can any help me out?
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Well, I decided to do a complete reformat -- which was needed anyway. the last time my HP went in for repairs, the tech left his own software and his own name as administrator and partitioned my 100GB HD as 25 GB for C:/ and 74GB for D:/. The D drive was just for a system recovery.
I hadn't discovered that error until long after I reinstalled all my software, data etc. I was too stressed for time to reformat and properly partition the drive. But the C drive got less and less space and started crashing the computer.
So, now I was forced to reformat the whole thing and could mae those corrections.
I've never done it before -- HP refused to give me guidance on even that -- but I seem to be bumbling through OK. It's not finished but I am up to reinstalling the HP drivers.
Fortunately I work among 4 computers and I sync changes on all my data with GoodSync every timeon a large flash drive when I leave one of the laptops. SO I had no data to lose on this reformet. -
SoundOf1HandClapping Was once a Forge
Hmm, so Malwarebytes was blocked? I've gotten similar infections before--where Malwarebytes and MSE are blocked completely from executing--but in safemode I can run it just fine.
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Hi,
To avoid such problems in future, set up a user account with restricted permission for your daily work and internet activities. Only use user accounts with admin permissions for system maintenance purposes.
Michael -
Any idea where, how you picked up the malware? Do you use Spywareblaster?
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NIS 2010 Still got Malware Antivirus Software Alert Win XP
Discussion in 'Security and Anti-Virus Software' started by Justitia, Oct 2, 2010.