When I click on link it occasionally takes me to another sit

Hi

Bad news I am afraid, one or more of the identified infections is a Rootkit.

This allows hackers to remotely control your computer, steal critical system information and Download and Execute files.

I would counsel you to disconnect this PC from the Internet immediately. If you do any banking or other financial transactions on the PC or if it should contain any other sensitive information, please get to a known clean computer and change all passwords where applicable, and it would be wise to contact those same financial institutions to apprise them of your situation.

Although an attempt could be made to clean this machine, it could never be considered to be truly clean, secure, or trustworthy. We could not say definitively that unknown and unseen malware will have been removed, nor will your system be restored to its pre-infection state. We cannot remedy unknown changes the malware may likely have made in order to allow itself access, nor can we repair the damage it may possibly have caused to vital system files. Additionally, it is quite possible that changes made to the system by the malware may impact negatively on your computer during the removal process. In short, your system may never regain its former stability or its full functionality without a reformat. Therefore, your best and safest course of action is a reformat and reinstallation of the Windows operating system, and that is the course we strongly recommend.

Please read these for more information:

How Do I Handle Possible Identify Theft, Internet Fraud and CC Fraud?

When Should I Format, How Should I Reinstall

We can attempt to clean this machine but I can't guarantee that it will be 100% secure afterwords.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Please let us know what you have decided to do in your next post.

reformat and reinstall - how do I safely do it?

Hi

I respect your decision and I assure this is the best course of action to take.

Being totally honest if this was one of my computers I would no doubt be feeling the exasperation you are currently experiencing but would not hesitate to so.

Especially since both my wife and I use online-banking this is even more so a prudent course of action.

Next:

Before actually carrying out the aforementioned Re-format/Re-installation a few steps to undertake are advisable as follows.

MBR Rootkit Detector:

Please download The MBR Rootkit Detector by GMER
Be sure to download it to the root of your drive, e.g. C:\MBR.exe

Once the download has finished, click Start > Run. Copy and paste the following into the run box, then click OK:

\mbr

A log will be generated called MBR.txt. Post it in your next reply. <---Post this for myself to check before actually performing the Re-format/Re-installation.

Flash_Disinfector FOR XP:

• Please download Flash_Disinfector and save it to your desktop.
• Double click to run it.
• You will be prompted to plug in your flash drive. Plug it in.
• Flash_Disinfector will start disinfecting your flash and hard drives. This takes a few seconds. Your desktop will disappear in the meantime.
• When done, a message box will appear. Click OK. Your desktop should now appear. If it doesn't, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Click on File > New Task (Run...). Type in explorer.exe and press Enter. Your desktop should now appear.
• Carry out the above for every USB/Flash drive you have.

Note: Flash_Disinfector will create a hidden folder named autorun.inf in each partition and every USB drive plugged in when you ran it. Don't delete this folder...it will help protect your drives from future infection.

Next:

These two articles will be of assistance to-wards how to backup files/folders and software etc effectively. Then carry out a Re-format/Re-install.

• Windows XP - Reformat and Re-install Guide
• How to Reformat and Reinstall your Operating System

RE: the above, just backup pertinent data not programs.

After completing the above these articles provide excellent advise to help prevent re-infection:

• Preventing Malware and Safe Computing
• The Importance of Installing Security Updates

Any questions do not hesitate to ask OK

Hi

Do you still require assistance ?

If the instructions are unclear or something isn't working, please let me know before proceeding.

I had already reformatted my computer before I saw your last post.

Need instructions on what to download to clean my external harddrive where I moved my files to before reformatting my computer.

Hi

OK, thank you for informing myself, happy/safe surfing for the future

Any advice on cleaning my external harddrive?

Hi

"cat4arby" wrote:Any advice on cleaning my external harddrive?

Yes I do by all means but my reply to your good self will have to vetted first by the Anti-Malware Expert, who is checking my posts regarding all matters Anti-Malware etc.

Please be patient and I will reply back asap, thank you.

Hi

Flash_Disinfector:

• Please download Flash_Disinfector and save it to your desktop.
• Double click to run it.
• You will be prompted to plug in your external Hard-Drive. Plug it in.
• Flash_Disinfector will start disinfecting your hard drive. This takes a few seconds. Your desktop will disappear in the meantime.
• When done, a message box will appear. Click OK. Your desktop should now appear. If it doesn't, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
• Click on File > New Task (Run...). Type in explorer.exe and press Enter. Your desktop should now appear.

Note: Flash_Disinfector will create a hidden folder named autorun.inf in each partition and every USB drive plugged in when you ran it. Don't delete this folder...it will help protect your drives from future infection.

Next:

Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop. (If you have not re-installed this)

Connect your external Hard-Drive if not already so.

• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
• If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, now select all Drives apart form the CD-ROM, then click Scan.
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Please post that log in your next reply. <----Only if anything found and removed.

The log can also be found here:

1. Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
2. Click on the Logs radio tab.

Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts, click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process, if asked to restart the computer, please do so immediately.

Please let myself know the outcome of the above, thank you.

As this issue appears to be resolved, this topic is now closed.

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