I'm running XP Pro.
Microsoft Security Essentials Alert virus popped up, it also shut down every program that I was running (IE8, Outlook 07, Excel 07) - which I could then no longer open.
I tried to use the following tutorial to remove this virus:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-remo...ssentials-alert
I encountered the following problems:
- When RKill ran, (in Safe Mode With Networking) it didn't find anything, except itself, which it subsequently shut down.
- After this, I tried and couldn't run MBAM. I also couldn't run SpybotSD. I couldn't even run my other applications.
- I located a file %UserProfile%\Application Data\hotfix, which I first tried to rename to hotfix1, and then when it didn't help, deleted.
- This allowed me to open regular Microsoft Office programs, but still no MBAM or SpybotSD.
- I tried renaming the MBAM and SpybotSD exe files, which allowed me to open them - but while MBAM removed a few problems, it didn't find all of them. SpybotSD didn't find anything.
When I try to search for ways to remove the virus, in Google, every link I click redirects to advertisements.
I looked in the registry and found things like HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SpybotSD.DisabledFile but I'm not really sure what's what in there so I don't know what to do.
I'm not sure if I need to provide more information, but if I do, please let me know.
I know there's other things in the registry but I don't know how to find them. MBAM is completely up to date but isn't finding anything else.