Massive mess-up after spyware removal!

[cheesehead]

A note to all who graciously provided advice the HDD needed to be wiped clean. For the sake of fairness, I gave the money to a local charity. Thanks for your help!

I'm in a major jam.
I'm currently trying to fix a computer which is filled to the brim with (you guessed it) spyware and viruses.
After booting into safe mode and running AVG and Ad-Aware, I rebooted normally. However, the computer is now missing "adapter.dll", which apparently corresponds to the network adapter, and the "help and support" service won't run. System Restore has no restore points set; I can't comprehend how this happened.

The first person to tell me how to fix whatever the blazes happened gets PayPal'd 5$. Yes, I'm desperate.

 

[bruceb]

First, we would need the Make and Model to locate whatever files you may be missing
Second, if adapter.dll is missing, it was likely removed by either Ad-Aware or AVG
Both of those programs have ways to restore something that you should not have deleted
In AVG it would be in the Virus Vault

You could also do a Repair Install of Windows ... you will not lose your data that way

Repair The Windows XP Installation

Note: You will forfeit all MS Updates.

Configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM drive. For more information about how to do this, please refer to your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.

Insert your Windows XP compact disc (CD) into your CD-ROM drive or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer.

(You can also boot with a Windows 98/Me Startup disk with CD support and run WINNT.EXE in the I386 folder on the CD)

When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.

When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER: To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.

At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. Do not select this option.

On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license agreement. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

You will need to reinstall SP2 and then download all other updates if you do it this way

 

[cheesehead]

This should work from a standard WinXP disc, correct?

If this works, you've just earned 5$!

 

[John]

1) Don't do a repair install just yet
2) If all you're using is AVG & Ad-Aware then you're barely scratching the surface of malware detection and removal
3) Click on my sig and do everything in steps 1-8 to start, then look under the Virus Removal section for the two online scanners

 

[Lemon law]

To Cheesehead,

One of the nice things about winxp is that its far smarter about dll's than its predecessor win 98. There are any number of websites where you can download a copy of adapter.dll.
Then just beg or borrow someone else's working XP computer---do a search for adapter.dll---and find out in what folder or folders it resides in.

Then just copy your downloaded copy of adapter.dll to your same directory---and that may fix your problem.---if adapter.dll still exists on your computer, just delete your copy and the replace it with an uncorrupted one.---or overwrite it.---but a ddl is slang for a dynamic link library---which is a fancy way to refer to a set of instructions your computer follows to do task.---your copy could be missing or just corrupt.


If that works for you---I don't want any money---I am just thrilled to help---and if you can later help someone else---thats the kind of what goes around comes around stuff that this forum is about.

But hold on hold on---I just searched for adapter.dll on my win XP system---and I don't have a copy ---so you might not have winxp as an OS--or adapter.dll as a system file---but I did google adapater.dll and got some references---among others--to a program called aardvark----but the principle is the same---find out where adapter.dll is supposed to live and add it back.---or if its in a program--uninstall the whole program and reinstall a fresh copy.

 

[Lemon law]

And as a PS,

When I saw John's post my initial reaction was another so called expert----but I checked his link---its not only well written---I can tell you John knows his stuff.

But if the PC you are working on needs to be networked---you might want to disregard the comodo advice---its a good firewall but it won't play nice with networks from what I understand.

And worse yet, if your PC is still infested---adapter.dll may not be the only thing that breaks before you are through.

The thing to learn from this unpleasant experience is that its far easier to keep malware from getting in than to clean it off later.---just follow John's advice.

 

[cheesehead]

Originally posted by: John
1) Don't do a repair install just yet
2) If all you're using is AVG & Ad-Aware then you're barely scratching the surface of malware detection and removal
3) Click on my sig and do everything in steps 1-8 to start, then look under the Virus Removal section for the two online scanners

AVG + Ad-Aware was used just to get the thing working. It's not my PC, and anything other than a super-easy-to-use solution would end up unused.

I'll try replacing adapter.dll, but it's missing two others as well, one of which is a known security exploit, the other unknown.

I'm wondering if the whole computer's so badly !@##!$@ed up that wiping the hard drive may be in order. To be quite honest, I usually just reformat in this type of situation, and that might be the wisest thing to do.

In the mean time? !$#!@$!@ this, I'm switching to Linux. Much, much, much less hassle.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
And as a PS,

When I saw John's post my initial reaction was another so called expert----but I checked his link---its not only well written---I can tell you John knows his stuff.

But if the PC you are working on needs to be networked---you might want to disregard the comodo advice---its a good firewall but it won't play nice with networks from what I understand.

And worse yet, if your PC is still infested---adapter.dll may not be the only thing that breaks before you are through.

The thing to learn from this unpleasant experience is that its far easier to keep malware from getting in than to clean it off later.---just follow John's advice.

I've used John's guide twice on friends' computers, and it has really helped me. As someone else said, Adaware and AV software only get at the tip of the iceberg.

To the OP: After cleaning the system, I would definitely do a repair install. Who knows how many of the XP system files got corrupted by spywayre and such.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead

Originally posted by: John
1) Don't do a repair install just yet
2) If all you're using is AVG & Ad-Aware then you're barely scratching the surface of malware detection and removal
3) Click on my sig and do everything in steps 1-8 to start, then look under the Virus Removal section for the two online scanners

AVG + Ad-Aware was used just to get the thing working. It's not my PC, and anything other than a super-easy-to-use solution would end up unused.

I'll try replacing adapter.dll, but it's missing two others as well, one of which is a known security exploit, the other unknown.

I'm wondering if the whole computer's so badly !@##!$@ed up that wiping the hard drive may be in order. To be quite honest, I usually just reformat in this type of situation, and that might be the wisest thing to do.

In the mean time? !$#!@$!@ this, I'm switching to Linux. Much, much, much less hassle.

So let me get this straight. You're desperate but you don't have the patience nor the time to address the issue properly. 😕 Wiping the drive and doing a clean install is taking the easy way out, and unless you have an image be prepared to spend additional time (usually an hour or two if not more) installing all of the old software, configuring email accounts, tweaks, restoring old data, etc.

Switching to Linux because you cannot figure out how to troubleshoot Windows-related issues seems rather obtuse to me. Don't get me wrong, Linux is an excellent OS and I am just now beginning to use it myself. However as long as you use common sense when dealing with a pc running Windows, and spend a little time learning how to troubleshoot, you'll come to realize that most problems exist between the keyboard and chair.

 

[cheesehead]

A note to all who helped:

The PC was so fouled up that I had to do a full reinstall. 5$ was donated to a local-area charity.

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: Cheesehead

Originally posted by: John
1) Don't do a repair install just yet
2) If all you're using is AVG & Ad-Aware then you're barely scratching the surface of malware detection and removal
3) Click on my sig and do everything in steps 1-8 to start, then look under the Virus Removal section for the two online scanners

AVG + Ad-Aware was used just to get the thing working. It's not my PC, and anything other than a super-easy-to-use solution would end up unused.

I'll try replacing adapter.dll, but it's missing two others as well, one of which is a known security exploit, the other unknown.

I'm wondering if the whole computer's so badly !@##!$@ed up that wiping the hard drive may be in order. To be quite honest, I usually just reformat in this type of situation, and that might be the wisest thing to do.

In the mean time? !$#!@$!@ this, I'm switching to Linux. Much, much, much less hassle.

So let me get this straight. You're desperate but you don't have the patience nor the time to address the issue properly. 😕 Wiping the drive and doing a clean install is taking the easy way out, and unless you have an image be prepared to spend additional time (usually an hour or two if not more) installing all of the old software, configuring email accounts, tweaks, restoring old data, etc.

Switching to Linux because you cannot figure out how to troubleshoot Windows-related issues seems rather obtuse to me. Don't get me wrong, Linux is an excellent OS and I am just now beginning to use it myself. However as long as you use common sense when dealing with a pc running Windows, and spend a little time learning how to troubleshoot, you'll come to realize that most problems exist between the keyboard and chair.

This is not my PC. It's someone else's.

On the issue of Linux vs. Windows, I dislike the massive headaches involved with using multiple antiviruses and anti-spyware programs. I want the dang thing to run.

I've used Windows a great deal, and will admit that, due to DirectX, it's the only way to go for gaming. However, it's prone to crashing and corruption, and the whole liscenscing issue makes me want to bite Bill Gates' kneecaps.

 

[dnuggett]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead
A note to all who helped:

The PC was so fouled up that I had to do a full reinstall. 5$ was donated to a local-area charity.

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: Cheesehead

Originally posted by: John
1) Don't do a repair install just yet
2) If all you're using is AVG & Ad-Aware then you're barely scratching the surface of malware detection and removal
3) Click on my sig and do everything in steps 1-8 to start, then look under the Virus Removal section for the two online scanners

AVG + Ad-Aware was used just to get the thing working. It's not my PC, and anything other than a super-easy-to-use solution would end up unused.

I'll try replacing adapter.dll, but it's missing two others as well, one of which is a known security exploit, the other unknown.

I'm wondering if the whole computer's so badly !@##!$@ed up that wiping the hard drive may be in order. To be quite honest, I usually just reformat in this type of situation, and that might be the wisest thing to do.

In the mean time? !$#!@$!@ this, I'm switching to Linux. Much, much, much less hassle.

So let me get this straight. You're desperate but you don't have the patience nor the time to address the issue properly. 😕 Wiping the drive and doing a clean install is taking the easy way out, and unless you have an image be prepared to spend additional time (usually an hour or two if not more) installing all of the old software, configuring email accounts, tweaks, restoring old data, etc.

Switching to Linux because you cannot figure out how to troubleshoot Windows-related issues seems rather obtuse to me. Don't get me wrong, Linux is an excellent OS and I am just now beginning to use it myself. However as long as you use common sense when dealing with a pc running Windows, and spend a little time learning how to troubleshoot, you'll come to realize that most problems exist between the keyboard and chair.

This is not my PC. It's someone else's.

On the issue of Linux vs. Windows, I dislike the massive headaches involved with using multiple antiviruses and anti-spyware programs. I want the dang thing to run.

I've used Windows a great deal, and will admit that, due to DirectX, it's the only way to go for gaming. However, it's prone to crashing and corruption, and the whole liscenscing issue makes me want to bite Bill Gates' kneecaps.

If it is not your PC what makes you think that they are comfortable with you putting Linux on it? Do they know enough about Linux to handle any task they might need should you be gone?

 

[stash]

Wiping the drive and doing a clean install is taking the easy way out,

Wiping the drive is not the easy way out, it's the correct course of action to take in this (and any) case of infection.

There is no way in hell I would spend any effort on cleaning an infected machine. None. Zip. Zero.
There is no way in hell I would ever trust that machine or any of the data on it ever again. None. Zip. Zero.

The effort needs to go toward preventing infection in the first place.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: Cheesehead
This is not my PC. It's someone else's.

On the issue of Linux vs. Windows, I dislike the massive headaches involved with using multiple antiviruses and anti-spyware programs. I want the dang thing to run.

I've used Windows a great deal, and will admit that, due to DirectX, it's the only way to go for gaming. However, it's prone to crashing and corruption, and the whole liscenscing issue makes me want to bite Bill Gates' kneecaps.

Smart computing > all the protection in the world.

I've got a WinXP Pro SP2 system at home that I use for Emai, web, Usenet, Yahoo IM, and gaming. I have SpywareBlaster & Spybot S&D installed and update weekly. I use Firefox as my browser unless a site puke on it - then and only then do I use IE. Last night I downloaded Kaspersky's trial of their Internet Security package and ran a full scan. I had *zero* viruses, trojans, and malware threats.

I setup a system with the identical software configuration for my dad's friend. Within 2 weeks he had so much malware on the system I reloaded it rather than tried to remove it all. How did that happen? He browsed pr0n sites and is one of those users who responds 'yes' to prompts without questioning what they are doing.

Linux? Maybe an option but the first time something doesn't work you know you're going to be asked to put Windows back on it.

 

[stash]

To expand on my previous post, malware cleaning tools and even antispyware tools are security theater. Say you get infected with something, and you use your favorite super-duper cleaning tool to 'remove' the infection.

How do you now prove that the computer is not infected? Because the cleaning tool tells you it is?

It is essentially impossible to prove that something does not exist. But the makers of these tools make a fortune by claiming otherwise.

 

[stash]

This is not my PC. It's someone else's.

This is actually the smartest comment in this thread, even though it was inadvertent. It is not your PC, but it isn't that someone else's PC anymore either.

 

[Brazen]

Wipe it out and install linux. That will fix it, without reinstalling Windows, so do I get $5?

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: stash

This is not my PC. It's someone else's.

This is actually the smartest comment in this thread, even though it was inadvertent. It is not your PC, but it isn't that someone else's PC anymore either.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[cheesehead]

If anyone's wondering, I do a bit of freelance tech-support to fund my R/C thingamajig addiction. This PC is not mine; my laptop is going in for an RMA. I like linux; I don't expect anyone else to use it if they don't want to.

The users of said computer not only are somewhat stupid about it, but the stiffed me a large sum of money. (@#$@#$ them!)
Wiping the HDD and reinstalling windows was necessary to get rid of the eight bajillion trojans comfortably nestled about the C:/Windows/..... folders.

I personally PREFER Linux to windows, if only because of the UI. We got our first computer -a macintosh- when I was four, and before I switched to PC's, my first computer that I myself owned was an iBook running OSX. I also hate the liscensing troubles, and all the headaches with crashing.

Furthermore, Linux is less "bloated". With a less-than-colorful GUI, it will run on an IBM 240x laptop, which goes for about 80$ on eBay. Add a 35$ extended-life battery, and you've got a 2.9 lb. laptop that gets 4 or more hours of battery life, and does what I need it to. An X60 runs 1,700$+.

Also, the sheer amount of spiffy freeware is attractive. I'm not wealthy, and the money I save often ends up going twoards dinner for my girlfriend. Hence, Linux (and related freeware) will get me much smooches.

I'm sorry for not actually giving anyone on the forum 5$, but I was unable to use the advice provided. Is giving the money to a charity such a bad alternative?

 

[Underclocked]

I'm a little confused by some of the comments in this thread (what else is new?! 😕 ). If a prevention/cleaning tool detects and cleans a piece of malware, how does one know the pc is not still infected..??... certainly a valid question but how does one EVER know a pc has not been or is still infected/corrupted except by virture of the tools we use?

The answer then is to reload even though all evidence of infection/corruption is gone as indicated by the best battery of tools available? And to go beyond that and suggest a reload simply because something was infected......???? ????

Not in my world. Most people have plenty of data they would dearly hate to lose, sometimes data that is not just sentimental or of trivial worth. Certainly they should have had all that backed up securely, but here in the real world those backups often don't exist.

 

[FreakyGuy]

I would of tried Ewido followed by Kaspersky

For prevention I recommend Spyware Blaster and Search and Destroy with Tea Timer activated and any named brand virus scanner with firewall.

 

[stash]

certainly a valid question but how does one EVER know a pc has not been or is still infected/corrupted except by virture of the tools we use?

That's a good question. Again, it is hard to prove something doesn't exist, but there are no absolutes when it comes to computer security. It all comes down to risk management. So if you take steps that are proven to reduce your risk, you can become more confident that your machine is not infected.

Also, there are some detection tools out there that perform a decent job for certain types of malware. But once a detection tool says your have something, then there is really no point in continuing with that system, since you can never trust anything it tells you. This goes back to your question of how do you EVER know if a PC has been infected. Well, if you have a clean (freshly installed) system, and you take proven steps to reduce your risk, you can assume with a high degree of confidence that your tools for detecting malware are accurate. Once you have a confirmed infection, you can no longer make that assumption.

The answer then is to reload even though all evidence of infection/corruption is gone as indicated by the best battery of tools available? And to go beyond that and suggest a reload simply because something was infected......???? ????

Yes, just to reiterate, if you have a confirmed infection, the tools are no longer valid. Take a firewall for example. If you know you have something on your machine that doesn't belong there, your firewall will no longer guarantee your protection. Malware can disable the firewall, or simply use well known opened ports (80) to do its thing.

The same thing applies to a cleaning tool. Your tool may report that all evidence of the malware has been irradicated, but how can you be completely certain? Again, there are no certainties with security, so you can't, but you really can't even make a high confidence assumption like you could before. Something unknown was/is on your machine doing something to it. How do you know that that something doesn't include tricking a malware cleaner? Before, you didn't have any unknown code on your machine, so you could make a reasonable assumption that your tools are giving you accurate information.

Not in my world. Most people have plenty of data they would dearly hate to lose, sometimes data that is not just sentimental or of trivial worth. Certainly they should have had all that backed up securely, but here in the real world those backups often don't exist

Believe me, I live in the real world too, and I know people don't make backups. I've had people crying on the phone with me because they messed something up that brought down their entire Active Directory and they didn't have a recent backup. So I know people don't always do backups. But people can do things to prevent bad things from getting on their machines in the first place. This is rule #1 of the 10 Immutable Laws of Computer Security. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archiv...security/essays/10imlaws.mspx?mfr=true