BleepingComputer.com: System Crashing

I was trying to delete some files to make some more room on my HD. I found a zip file that I didn't know what it was, so I tried to unzip it to my desktop. When I went to my desktop, there were 3,600+ folders sitting there, in addition to what already had been there. I panicked, and thought I could get rid of them by restarting the computer. That only made it worse. It restarted in a different resolution, and everything was bigger than it had been before. I then thought maybe I could do a system restore. The system told me that I had no restore point to go back to. I've tried going into the Control Panel, and then the computer locks up on me, and then nothing works. If I try to click on anything in the System tray, or the Task bar, nothing works. I'm only able to access Google Chrome, because it's in my Quick launch bar. Once in there, I can do everything in my browser that I've always been able to. But I'm only able to access my desktop while in "Safe mode with Network access". Otherwise, my desktop is black, and there are now no icons on it at all. If I try and open my start menu, nothing on the right side works. I have tried many different ways to open my Control panel, and can not do it. The only place a right-click context menu works is in my browser.

I don't know what to do from here, or if I even have any options, other than to wipe my disk, and start over with a clean install. I don't know if I can access any of my files to back them up any more, or if all that info is lost. I'd appreciate ANY help......

P.S. I just figured out, that I can access my Command Prompt, if that will help any. I don't know enough to know what to do there, but will try what is suggested. Thanks!

odeho19, on Sep 9 2009, 09:48 PM, said:

So, you can access the internet? If so, then try the following steps to get a Malwarebytes Anti-Malware scan to test for infection. It sounds like you opened a BIG can of worms on your PC by unzipping that file. Follow these steps closely and hopefully you can get it installed and scanning.

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop from here.

Double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application. When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings. When the installation has finished, leave both of these checked:
Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Click the Finish button.

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

From the scanner tab, select a QUICK SCAN and click the Scan button.

After the scan finishes, 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. This log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM. Copy and paste the entire contents of that report in your next post.

MBAM may tell you to reboot your computer to complete the process. If so, then reboot and post the contents of the log afterwards.

If MBAM shows an infection, we'll move this topic to the AM I INFECTED? forum for better results, but post the log here so it can be evaluated.



FOR INSTALLERS THAT WILL NOT RUN DUE TO BEING BLOCKED BY ROGUE PROGRAMS

Go to where you downloaded the MBAM installer and right click it. Select rename from the menu and type in “mbam-setup.scr” (without the quotes). Hit enter and double click the mbam-setup.scr file. MBAM should begin installing.
Once the installation is complete, MBAM should start on its own but it probably won't. If it doesn't, you will need to navigate to the C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware folder. Here you will need to right click the MBAM.exe file and rename it to mbam.scr. Hit enter and double click the mbam.scr file to start the program.

This worked for me and thanks guys. took only about 6 -8 minutes. I was cursed with the Malware Catcher 2009 for about 6 months and what a pain it was! Amazing- since one never knows who to trust on the internet!

First, Thanks to everyone for responding with your help and ideas.

This is what has happened since I posted last.

1. I left the computer in "Safe mode with Networking", on the desktop, and fell asleep @ about 11:00 CDT.

2. I woke up @ 2:00, and saw that my desktop was FULL of icons,(where there were none before), and my "Computer" was open in my Sys Tray.

3. I opened my Computer, and found that EVERYTHING was now available to me, so from there, I manually deleted the .Zip file I had opened up (all 3,600+ files, being careful not to delete anything I might need or want)

4. I then restarted the computer in Normal mode, and left it alone.( The desktop appeared as it had before with no icons, and EVERYTHING in the Taskbar was non-responsive)

5. Several hours later the desktop appeared normal, and EVERYTHING worked as before, with the exception that, I NOW HAVE NO RECYCLE BIN ON MY DESKTOP!!! (Which I've always been lead to believe was not possible)

6. I've run Super-Anti Spyware, CCleaner, and Malware-Bytes to get rid of anything else that may be in the system.

7. A problem keeps coming up with Malware-Bytes. I've installed, and un-installed it several times. I've re-named it (.src vs. .exe), and I when I get to the end, and ask it to remove the infected items, (7 of them), it stops working, and I get the error/warning explorer window that says "that a problem has stopped the program from working", and that's all I get.

So, this is where I'm at right now. The system appears to be working normally, with the exception of the missing Recycle Bin, and Malware-Bytes not working properly. Any suggestion towards those two items would be appreciated, and again, thanks for your help so far!

Open MBAM and see if there is a log stored under the log tab. If so, open a NEW topic in the AM I INFECTED? forum and post a copy of that log. If you don't have an MBAM log, open a new topic anyway. Either way, be very detailed in what the problem with the computer is. If MBAM is finding 7 items but can't clean them, one of them may be causing MBAM to error out and stop responding. The writers of these trojans are getting very creative lately.