BleepingComputer.com: Icons On My Screen Wink Out

This computer became infested with some bad malware. I downloaded and used several different spyware/register cleaner programs: Spybot search and destroy, Spyware Blaster, Super antispyware, ccleaner, Ad-Aware personal edition, ewido. Each program has found problems which I then cleaned away. I also have Norton trial version and Trend Micro-cillin installed. This seems to have stopped the autodownload of unwanted websites, although I am still getting error messages saying my computer is trying to log into a dangerous website (://s2.cookingluck.com/?pid=6082&v). Sometimes this warning message will repeat itself 6 to 10 times instantly, which I have to click to remove.

I am giving you all of this background information because it may relate to my current problem, which is after about 30 - 40 minutes of use all the icons on my screen will disappear then after about 5 seconds will reappear. After about 5 more seconds it happens again. This will keep up for about 30 - 40 minutes, when my icons simply do not return. At that point I am forced to manually turn off the computer. This seems to make everything right again for another 30 - 45 minutes when it starts up again. This seems to happen most often if I am scanning for problems

I don't know if the steps I took first caused the problem, or if the two problems are unrelated. I read the forum about what to do when you post and I know it said to only discuss one problem, but I am not sure if one causes another.

I appreciate any help you can offer. But please do me a favor and only use small words and simple instructions. I do not know much about this machines. In fact I'm the poster boy for the Computers for Dummies book

Quote

Using more than one anti-virus program is not advisable. The primary concern with using more than one anti-virus program is due to conflicts that can arise when they are running in real-time mode simultaneously. However, even when one of them is disabled for use as a stand-alone scanner, it can affect the other. Anti-virus software components insert themselves into the operating systems core and using more than one can cause instability, crash your computer, slow performance and waste system resources. When actively running in the background while connected to the Internet, they both may try to update their definition databases at the same time. As the programs compete for resources required to download the necessary files this often can result in sluggish system performance or unresponsive behavior.

Each anti-virus will often interpret the activity of the other as a virus and there is a greater chance of them alerting you to a "False Positive". If one finds a virus and then the other also finds the same virus, both programs will be competing over exclusive rights on dealing with that virus. Each anti-virus will attempt to remove the offending file and quarantine it. If one finds and quarantines the file before the other one does, then you encounter the problem of both wanting to scan each other's zipped or archived files and each reporting the other's quarantined contents. This can lead to a repetitive cycle of endless alerts that continually warn you that a virus has been found when that is not the case.

Anti-virus scanners use virus definitions to check for viruses and these can include a fragment of the virus code which may be recognized by other anti-virus programs as the virus itself. Because of this, most anti-virus programs encrypt their definitions so that they do not trigger a false alarm when scanned by other security programs. However, some anti-virus vendors do not encrypt their definitions and will trigger false alarms if used while another resident anti-virus program is active.

To avoid these problems, use only one anti-virus solution. Deciding which one to remove is your choice. Be aware that you may lose your subscription to that anti-virus program's virus definitions once you uninstall that software.

Download and scan with Dr.Web CureIt. Follow the instructions here for performing a scan in "safe mode".
Post the log in your next reply.

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.
alternate download link 1
alternate download link 2

• Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
  
• Double-click on Download_mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
  
• When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
  
• When installation has finished, make sure you leave both of these checked:
  • Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
    
  • Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
  
  
• Then click Finish.

MBAM will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan.

• If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself.
  
• Press the OK button to close that box and continue.
  
• If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.

On the Scanner tab:

• Make sure the "Perform Quick Acan" option is selected.
  
• Then click on the Scan button.
  
• If asked to select the drives to scan, leave all the drives selected and click on the Start Scan button.
  
• The scan will begin and "Scan in progress" will show at the top. It may take some time to complete so please be patient.
  
• When the scan is finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
  
• Click OK to close the message box and continue with the removal process.

Back at the main Scanner screen:

• Click on the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
  
• Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
  
• When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to restart your computer. (see Note below)
  
• The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
  
• Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply and exit MBAM.

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. Failure to reboot will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware.

thanks quietman. I will do this tomorrow. Thanks also for the advice on having more than one system for protection.

Hi Quietman,

Did all that you suggested. Here are the reports:

syswin.dll;c:\windows\resources;Trojan.Click.18955;Deleted.;
Process.exe;C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop;Tool.Prockill;Incurable.Moved.;
A0047090.dll;C:\System Volume Information\_restore{A80475B6-CF6D-4B3A-BD21-B16C67DB5304}\RP149;Trojan.Click.18955;Deleted.;
673351.dll;C:\WINDOWS\system32\673351;Adware.Pors.14;;

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.14
Database version: 815

10:30:42 PM 2/06/2008
mbam-log-6-2-2008 (22-30-42).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 41283
Time elapsed: 8 minute(s), 32 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 2
Registry Values Infected: 1
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 1
Files Infected: 2

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{570ee2a3-039b-4e5f-ae6a-d7949f9d356b} (Trojan.BHO) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Software Notifier (Rogue.Multiple) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\SCRNSAVE.EXE (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\673351 (Trojan.BHO) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Infected:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\blackster.scr (Trojan.Agent) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.log (Heuristics.Reserved.Word.Exploit) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

What do I do next?

Thanks so much for all your help

How is your computer running now? Any more reports/signs of infection?