Challenging Security Problem

[rbrooke]

Hello,

An interesting problem has arisen lately with my PC. I cannot access or run several security related programs. For example:

1) When I turn on my PC, I am informed that a component of McAfee is not present and that I need to re-install McAfee. When I click the link on my desktop, nothing happens. When I enter "mcafee.com" into my IE address field, I get kicked back to the desktop and it won't connect. If I google first and finally get to the mcafee site, then when I try to log in I get kicked back to my desktop.

2) When I try to access AVG, the site's first page appears and then I get kicked back to the desktop.

3) I cannot run "hijackthis". Even though it is in a separate folder in My Documents and I have run it in the past, it will not run now. I have tried making it run from the folder and by typing "hijackthis.exe" into the run.

4) When I tried to login to "Gladiator Security", I get kicked back to the desktop even though I am a member there and they have helped me out before.

5) Ad-Aware, Spybot and Spywareblaster all seem to be working but Spywareguard does not.

Any thoughts on how to fix ?

One other thing, I had an unwanted search toolbar forcing itself on the bottom of my screen. It was something to do with "lop.com" and "search the web". I deleted all "lop.com" references/files/etc from my machine. The unwanted toolbar seems to gone but when I first sign onto IE, I get a message that the page corresponding to "search the web" cannot be displayed.

I would sure appreciate your advise and help.

Thanks, Ron

[Infinity]

maybe you could post this thread into a more suiteable area?? cause likely it will be removed and you could gain some time receiving your answer.

this is only for updates... however I am sure you will get a lot of respons regarding this issue

[Blackspear]

Hi Ron, see if you can run the steps found here (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=50662)

Failing this you may have to "Slave" your hard drive off a Clean and Virus free system and run a scan from it...

Let us know how you go...

Cheers ;D

[nod32_9]

Sounds like a bug. Which OS? McAfee is a very good bug killer. Perhaps it is not updating on a regular basis. I'd remove all affected programs, clean up the registry, and reload McAfee. Update McAfee and run a full system scan. Do the same with Spybot and Ad Aware. If problem persists, then format the hard drive including the MBR and reload windows.

[Infinity]

Hi can you post a hijackthis log in the spyblocker area? I will take a look at it. if you cannot open hijackthis, you can find some fixes how to use it.

http://spyblocker-software.com/IPB/index.php?showforum=20

[rbrooke]

Infinity,

Before posting a hijackthis log, I am going to try following the (rather exhaustive) steps listed by Blackspear. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for your help so far.

Regards, Ron

[rbrooke]

Hello All,

Well, I have tried to follow Blackspear's recommendations with basically no effect. I still have no mcafee privacy service, cannot run hijack this, cannot download or run hardly any security related programs, cannot get a windows update and the list goes on.

FYI, when i try to download a free anti-virus program from Blackspear's "here",it won't connect and I get sent back to the original list of instructions.

I was able to download Winsock XP Fix, Zonealarm, Stinger and Ewido but the only one that will run is ewido. It takes about 2 hours to scan and finds nothing.

I originally had AVG on my machine but noe when i try to run it, I get "driver(core) not found winner=2"

I tried running Stinger in safe mode but it wouldn't run.

I tried running ewido in safe mode but it didn't have a database.

I restarted in normal and updated the ewido datadbase.

I ran ewido but all it found was 136 cookies.

Ran Spy-Bot but nothing found.

Ad-aware found 3 objects and removed them

I didn't run run CWShredder the first day but when i tried to do so the second day, i discovered that it is no longer on my machine. It used to be but now it is gone.

Ran VX2 Finder (not cleaner) but it only found some "additional files"

When i try to update windows, I get an error # 0x80070424.

I tried resolving the windows update error using recommendations from the windows forum but it didn't work for me.

I have tried scanning using ewido, ad-aware and spy-bot all in safe mode to no avail - there is still an unwanted searchbar blocking out the bottom of my screen (lop.com/passthrough/newpass2.html), I cannot contact or download or run mcafee or AVG, cannot run hijackthis, and am thinking of completely erasing my hard drive and re-installing from scratch.

Is it a big to erase a drive and then re-install all the disks/operating system that i got with the machine originally ? There is nothing overly critical on the machine.

Did I mention that I when I ran LoPhat's delcwssk, I got a message that coolwwwsearchsmartkiller was not found on my system.

Also, even though i tried downloading hijack at work and renamed it to "lowlift" there before copying it to disk, it won't run.

Major frustration, eh ?!!!

Ever heard of anything like this before ?

Thanks, Ron

[Blackspear]

Do you have another "Clean" machine that you can "Slave" your infected drive off? As in hook it up to the CDROM IDE cable on the clean PC. From there you will be able to run all the scans.

If you don't, then formatting is the next option I would take...

Cheers ;D

[Sweetie(*)(*)]

HI could you please look in event viewer and let us know of any errors.

[ Start - ControlPanel - Preformance&Maintenance - AdministrativeTools - EventViewer.]

Have you tried using system restore?

Is there a new program you have installed? or did you notice the problem started at a specific time? [eg. website visit, update etc.]

It sounds as though there are multiple problems, event viewer may be able to show what services are being affected.