Need help removing "prevadkeep.exe"

jimmy2in1

There's this file on my computer that does not want to go away. I tried deleting it straight from the directory and it said it could not delete because the file was in use, so I tried ending its process in my windows task manager and it would just "re-open" or "reproduce" itself again. I have Windows XP and I ran Spybot but that didn't help. Here's my HJT log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 7:58:20 PM, on 02/27/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Client\ventc.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\VdCap03C\BisonCom.exe
C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantWrite\iwctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Belkin Mouse 1.0\MOUSE32A.EXE
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9EA.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Configurator\ventcfg.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\AVerTV STUDIO II\QuickTV.exe
c:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe
C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdKeep.exe
C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Ramiro Jimenez\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O3 - Toolbar: EPSON Web-To-Page - {EE5D279F-081B-4404-994D-C6B60AAEBA6D} - C:\Program Files\EPSON\EPSON Web-To-Page\EPSON Web-To-Page.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BisonCom] C:\WINDOWS\VdCap03C\BisonCom
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VOBID] C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantDrive\InstantDrive.exe /remount
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IW ControlCenter] C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantWrite\iwctrl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PinnacleDriverCheck] C:\WINDOWS\System32\PSDrvCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LWBMOUSE] C:\Program Files\Belkin Mouse 1.0\MOUSE32A.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcupdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus CX6600 Series] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9EA.EXE /P26 "EPSON Stylus CX6600 Series" /O6 "USB001" /M "Stylus CX6600"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Venturi Configurator] C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Configurator\ventcfg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [tgcmd] "c:\Program Files\Adelphia HSAgent\bin\tgcmd.exe" /server /startmonitor /deaf
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Preview AdService] C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdServ.exe
O4 - Startup: Epson all-in-one Registration.lnk = D:\Titles\EpsonReg\EPSONREG.EXE
O4 - Startup: Registration-INSDVD.lnk = C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\SharedFiles\Pixie\RegTool.exe
O4 - Global Startup: InterVideo WinCinema Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
O4 - Global Startup: QuickTV.lnk = C:\Program Files\AVerTV STUDIO II\QuickTV.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {01111F00-3E00-11D2-8470-0060089874ED} (Support.com Installer) - http://supportsoft.adelphia.net/sdccommon/download/tgctlins.cab

Shadow2018

Boot up in safe mode. This will keep the spyware from running in the background. Check to see if the program came with its own uninstall program in the add/remove programs. If so uninstall it. Perform a search for any files with that name and manually delete them. Also, if you do not have adaware se, spywareblaster and hijack this then I suggest you get them. They can be found in the downloads section. You may want to get adaware first and run it also while still in safe mode. If you do this make sure you make all files in the hard drive accessable so there's nothing hiding when you run the program. When you are done post your hijack this log so we can make sure your system is clean.

Buckeye_Sam

Please make sure that you can view all hidden files. Instructions on how to do this can be found here:

How to see hidden files in Windows




Place a checkmark next to these entries, close all browsers and windows, and have HijackThis fix them by clicking Fix Checked:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Preview AdService] C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdServ.exe





Reboot your computer into Safe Mode


Kill these processes with Task Manager if they are found.

C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdKeep.exe
C:\Program Files\Preview AdService\PrevAdServ.exe



Then delete this folder:

C:\Program Files\Preview AdService




Reboot your computer to go back to normal mode and post a new log.

jimmy2in1

Alright--I ran ad-aware in safe mode, deleted the folder 'preview adservice' folder, started my computer back up regularly, ran hijackthis, deleted the 'preview adservice' entry, ran another hijackthis and here is what I got:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 6:56:11 PM, on 02/28/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Client\ventc.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\VdCap03C\BisonCom.exe
C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantWrite\iwctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Belkin Mouse 1.0\MOUSE32A.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9EA.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Configurator\ventcfg.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\AVerTV STUDIO II\QuickTV.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apntex.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Ramiro Jimenez\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O3 - Toolbar: EPSON Web-To-Page - {EE5D279F-081B-4404-994D-C6B60AAEBA6D} - C:\Program Files\EPSON\EPSON Web-To-Page\EPSON Web-To-Page.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint2K\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BisonCom] C:\WINDOWS\VdCap03C\BisonCom
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VOBID] C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantDrive\InstantDrive.exe /remount
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IW ControlCenter] C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\InstantWrite\iwctrl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PinnacleDriverCheck] C:\WINDOWS\System32\PSDrvCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LWBMOUSE] C:\Program Files\Belkin Mouse 1.0\MOUSE32A.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcupdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus CX6600 Series] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9EA.EXE /P26 "EPSON Stylus CX6600 Series" /O6 "USB001" /M "Stylus CX6600"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Venturi Configurator] C:\Program Files\Venturi2\Configurator\ventcfg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [tgcmd] "c:\Program Files\Adelphia HSAgent\bin\tgcmd.exe" /server /startmonitor /deaf
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - Startup: Epson all-in-one Registration.lnk = D:\Titles\EpsonReg\EPSONREG.EXE
O4 - Startup: Registration-INSDVD.lnk = C:\Program Files\InstantCDDVD\SharedFiles\Pixie\RegTool.exe
O4 - Global Startup: InterVideo WinCinema Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
O4 - Global Startup: QuickTV.lnk = C:\Program Files\AVerTV STUDIO II\QuickTV.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {01111F00-3E00-11D2-8470-0060089874ED} (Support.com Installer) - http://supportsoft.adelphia.net/sdccommon/download/tgctlins.cab

It no longer shows up in my Windows Task Manager Window, so I think that I'm good to go. Right?

Buckeye_Sam

Your log looks clean to me.

Now that you are clean, please follow these simple steps in order to keep your computer clean and secure:

1. Disable and Enable System Restore. - If you are using Windows ME or XP then you should disable and reenable system restore to make sure there are no infected files found in a restore point left over from what we have just cleaned.
   
   You can find instructions on how to enable and reenable system restore here:
   
   Managing Windows Millenium System Restore
   
   or
   
   Windows XP System Restore Guide
   
   Renable system restore with instructions from tutorial above
   
   
2. Make your Internet Explorer more secure - This can be done by following these simple instructions:
   1. From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
   2. Click once on the Security tab
   3. Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
   4. Click once on the Custom Level button.
      1. Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt
         
      2. Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable
         
      3. Change the Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable
         
      4. Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
         
      5. Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
         
      6. Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
         
      7. When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
         
      8. If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
   5. Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.
   
   
3. Use an AntiVirus Software - It is very important that your computer has an anti-virus software running on your machine. This alone can save you a lot of trouble with malware in the future.
   
   See this link for a listing of some online & their stand-alone antivirus programs:
   
   Virus, Spyware, and Malware Protection and Removal Resources
   
   
4. Update your AntiVirus Software - It is imperitive that you update your Antivirus software at least once a week (Even more if you wish). If you do not update your antivirus software then it will not be able to catch any of the new variants that may come out.
   
   
5. Use a Firewall - I can not stress how important it is that you use a Firewall on your computer. Without a firewall your computer is succeptible to being hacked and taken over. I am very serious about this and see it happen almost every day with my clients. Simply using a Firewall in its default configuration can lower your risk greatly.
   
   For a tutorial on Firewalls and a listing of some available ones see the link below:
   
   Understanding and Using Firewalls
   
   
6. Visit Microsoft's Windows Update Site Frequently - It is important that you visit http://www.windowsupdate.com regularly. This will ensure your computer has always the latest security updates available installed on your computer. If there are new updates to install, install them immediately, reboot your computer, and revisit the site until there are no more critical updates.
   
   
7. Install Spybot - Search and Destroy - Install and download Spybot - Search and Destroy with its TeaTimer option. This will provide realtime spyware & hijacker protection on your computer alongside your virus protection. You should also scan your computer with program on a regular basis just as you would an antivirus software.
   
   A tutorial on installing & using this product can be found here:
   
   Using Spybot - Search & Destroy to remove Spyware , Malware, and Hijackers
   
   
8. Install Ad-Aware - Install and download Ad-Aware. ou should also scan your computer with program on a regular basis just as you would an antivirus software in conjunction with Spybot.
   
   A tutorial on installing & using this product can be found here:
   
   Using Ad-aware to remove Spyware, Malware, & Hijackers from Your Computer
   
   
9. Install SpywareBlaster - SpywareBlaster will added a large list of programs and sites into your Internet Explorer settings that will protect you from running and downloading known malicious programs.
   
   A tutorial on installing & using this product can be found here:
   
   Using SpywareBlaster to protect your computer from Spyware and Malware
   
   
10. Update all these programs regularly - Make sure you update all the programs I have listed regularly. Without regular updates you WILL NOT be protected when new malicious programs are released.

Follow this list and your potential for being infected again will reduce dramatically.

jimmy2in1

Thanks alot!!