I'm at my wits ends with a problem, so I'm hoping one of you might be able to help me resolve it. My wife's desktop machine got hit by malware that is blocking her access to search engines, including Google. I immediately jumped on her local hosts file to find no rogue entries. I also ensured that there was not a bogus proxy server in her network settings. I've done A LOT of scans using many tools with no success. Fortunately, she has a second machine (a net-book) that she keeps on the porch, but I really hate to have an unknown in her machine. The symptom is that it is forwarding to what appears to be a non-responsive server. I'd gladly go into more detail if any of you are willing to help me with this. I can IP sniff at the router or modem to check destinations if need be. Help? Al
Hello AL, it may simpler to wipe the hard drive and then reload the operating system. Do you know when that problem started? If so, you could try system restore first and restore it to a while before that problem appeared, Jeff.
Hi Jeff, system restores did NOT work. I'm loath to reimage her machine since there are so many unique programs on it. I don't have an image prepared for it, so it could literally take me days to rebuild it from scratch. The machine is functional right now, and it's only the annoying issue of blocked search engines.
This started several months ago, and it dawned on me today that there's a nice pool of knowledge in our group. Additional detail: It affects both Internet Explorer and Firefox. I remember doing ping and tracert tests on Google, but I don't remember the outcome.
Hello AL, perhaps you could send a message to Ross, he may be able to assist. I'm surprised that your anti virus program cannot clear the problem, Jeff.
I have to give credit to the people that craft these malwares for being smart and clever. Many of these items are invisible to anti-malware tools. I know Ross is busy, so I was just hoping that he would take the bait!
If I recall correctly one of the removal tool, maybe malwarebites, has a forum... They get you to post a log and then send you a fix file and instructions. Sorry the details are a bit vague, but they sorted out one of my machines when I was really stuck...
Malwarebite is one of the tools that I've tried without success. I'll go to their forum tonight and see if I can find something that I haven't done already. I have run so many scripts so far that I'm dizzy with it all! Thanks
Hello AL, Kaspersky offer a free download as a months trial, is there some way that you can get onto the PC., in question. The link below is for the UK., but there will probably be a USA., free trial download, Jeff. http://www.kaspersky.co.uk/trials
I am currently running AVG with Spybot and Malwarebites (sp?) I'm afraid of overdosing my machine with too many applications. I do know for sure that I'll hope to never go near McAfee again!
Hello AL, I started using Kaspersky about two and a half years ago, that was after McAffee crashed my PC., for the second time. I know 2 fellows who build and repair computers locally and they both recommended Kaspersky, Jeff.
I'll dig into this tomorrow if we have power. I don't like to run the computers or a UPS off of the generator..
Well done Jeff, those were the people I was talking about! As I said it was a bit vague, but I remembered it started with "M". They get you to download some diagnostic tools and post the logs then they give you the fix, all totally free... as I say they sorted mine out when all else failed.
I'm in Canada right now, but I'll be trying all of your suggestions when I get home. THANK YOU! Don't forget, a real cyder a day keeps the blues away...
I use Kasperski rescue disk , it is a bootable linux based antivirus, the principle is that it loads from a CD, pre loads on memory at start up without using windows, that way the virus or malware will not be able to load, and will be defenseless against the antivirus, the next step is to update the virus signature database, and then do a full system scan, it will catch and kill the nasties. you can use it to recover files to USB or CD if the system is hosed, again from outside windows, Highly recommended. https://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/rescuedisk
Yes I use a Linux based tool to clone disks... You can of course just run Ubuntu from CD and recover files, run anti virus software etc.
