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Malware woes: Please help
My wife's laptop has been hijacked (again!!) by some vicious form of malware. I've tried everything I can think of and half-a dozen other things besides (most gleaned from forums found by Googling various error messages), but nothing seems to work. In my latest effort I tried to re-install Malwarebytes Anti Malware: I located the Windows-specific set-up and data files on the Web using our Mac, saved them to a flash drive, renamed and copied them to the laptop's desktop (if that's not an oxymoron), but regardless of how I name the file, the set-up program fails every time because the NTVDM CPM encounters an illegal instruction.
I CAN'T EVEN RESTART IN SAFE MODE. When I try, i get a blue-screen failure message that a problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer," followed by
Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF7AB5528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
I'm entering this post from an iMac, but the system in question runs Windows XP Professional SP3 (though I thought I remembered rejecting the SP3 update. Based on past issues, I have installed (1) Malwarebytes anti malware and have updated and run it frequently. (2) I have also installed Spybot Search and Destroy (I've been unable to run Spybot S&D for a few days, but not being able to run the Malwarebytes app is new. (4) The laptop is also loaded with Spyware Blaster, with all protections enabled. Finally (5) my wife's company installed Symantec Antivirus; I've run Live Update many times, and while it always ends by saying that the update has been completed, it baffles me that every time I open the application the summary page says: "Virus Definitions File Version: 8/17/2007 rev 9. That doesn't seem right. I may just have to grit my teeth and ask my wife to take it to the office for a complete wipe and a reinstall, but I'd like to avoid that if possible to keep from being without the laptop for a week or more (our 18-year-old daughter "owns" the iMac most of the time.
Sorry to run on so long, but I thought that most of the data above (except the bit about my daughter) could be helpful for diagnosis. If anyone can help me, I would very much appreciate it. That said, I realize that I'm brand new here and can't necessarily expect immediate attention. Still, a man can hope.
Thanks,
Chris
P.S. One thing I've never installed on the laptop is Hijack This, and I fear that it may be too late for that as far as this situation is concerned.
I CAN'T EVEN RESTART IN SAFE MODE. When I try, i get a blue-screen failure message that a problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer," followed by
Technical information:
*** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF7AB5528, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)
I'm entering this post from an iMac, but the system in question runs Windows XP Professional SP3 (though I thought I remembered rejecting the SP3 update. Based on past issues, I have installed (1) Malwarebytes anti malware and have updated and run it frequently. (2) I have also installed Spybot Search and Destroy (I've been unable to run Spybot S&D for a few days, but not being able to run the Malwarebytes app is new. (4) The laptop is also loaded with Spyware Blaster, with all protections enabled. Finally (5) my wife's company installed Symantec Antivirus; I've run Live Update many times, and while it always ends by saying that the update has been completed, it baffles me that every time I open the application the summary page says: "Virus Definitions File Version: 8/17/2007 rev 9. That doesn't seem right. I may just have to grit my teeth and ask my wife to take it to the office for a complete wipe and a reinstall, but I'd like to avoid that if possible to keep from being without the laptop for a week or more (our 18-year-old daughter "owns" the iMac most of the time.
Sorry to run on so long, but I thought that most of the data above (except the bit about my daughter) could be helpful for diagnosis. If anyone can help me, I would very much appreciate it. That said, I realize that I'm brand new here and can't necessarily expect immediate attention. Still, a man can hope.
Thanks,
Chris
P.S. One thing I've never installed on the laptop is Hijack This, and I fear that it may be too late for that as far as this situation is concerned.
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