I know we have a few computer buffs here, maybe someone can help me out, I am sure it is some kind of virus.

Happened a few weeks ago. I Was online, browsing forums, email, the usual. Got off my computer, left it on like usual. About 10-15 minutes later I look over and see something is installing on it (I never installed anything) It said it was some kind of malware defense? Which I never authorized. Tried to close out of it with no luck. So instantly shut my computer off. Waited a few minutes, turned it back on and this time it installed so fast I couldn't stop it. There were new icons on my desktop like, malware defense manager, (not sure what the other one said now) I couldn't delete it, so I went to unistall it in my programs, got it done. It said it needed to restart my computer, so I let it do its thing. When it came back on it installed itself again. I ran a norton scan, which came up with nothing. So I shut it off, then when I went to turn it back on about 10 minutes later I could get to the screen where I had to type in my password to get onto my main screen. typed it in, then it took ahwile to load, and eventually went black and stayed black(I could see the curser still) for a few hours. Ever since then it has done that same thing, ive left it on overnight once and it never loaded. I CAN however, run it in safe mode. Everytime I run it in safe mode windows come up instantly that say internet explorer quit working and mozilla firefox quit working "checking for solution" but they were never open, so I don't know how they quit working. I try to open one and it instantly says it quit working. I tried to do a system restore for about a week back, and everytime I run one it says failed and I am right back in the same boat. I have no clue what to do, the computer is about a year old, it blue screened once already because of memory sticks going bad, and now this. It is a Dell inspiron 530.

I would really rather fix it on my own, I am not sure if it still has a warranty, but even if it does I don't feel like taking it to best buy again, last time it took them 8 MONTHS to fix what was supposed to be 4 weeks..

 

Try this: download (obviously on another computer) Malwarebytes from malwarebytes.org (click the box that says "Download Now 4.88 MB", not the other Download box). Run it in safe mode on your sick one with networking if you can. This may be all you need. Have some more tricks, but let's try this one first.

 

I agree with Randyjoy with using Malwarebytes. You might also want to run CCleaner (http://www.ccleaner.com) before Malwarebytes, this way it cleans your browser and your registry first. Once CCleaner is done then run Malwarebytes and you should be good to go.

 

Malwarebytes and ccleaner are both good programs. I found this program called ComboFix a while back that was pretty good. They've made it a whole lot better since. I been using it on every infected computer that I work on now. There is a write up on it here. You can download it here. Save it to your desktop, double click it and hit yes on the boxes and stuff. I love it!!

 

Combofix is excellent, it's my second line of defense after malwarebytes. Together they'll fix almost anything.

 

Yea they've recently updated combofix to detect and remove rootkits. Which it a major plus. I've had it completely clean a totally infected machine in one sweep. Rootkits and all! Love it.

 

I would use combofix on everything, except some of the systems at work are configured really unique and combofix tries to fix them, which means I have to go back and fix what it fixed. So...I use malwarebytes first, if that doesn't fix it, then combofix.

 

That's true I have had some minor issues with ComboFix changing things that messed with the medical software we sell and support. They've actual fix that in ComboFix now from what I've seen. Yeah I wouldn't use it on a mission critical system. Then again if a critical computer is infected than you've got bigger issues to deal with (employee.) But, it's perfectly fine to use on a personal home computer.

Randy check your PM's

 

Same sort of thing happened to my work computer early last week, only mine kept opening up IE automatically to **** and viagra websites too. NOT a good thing to have happening at work. I hit it with CCleaner and malwarebyte's and it fixed it right up. There must be something going around.

 

I will give that a shot right now..I can download it..and then burn it to a disk? orr what am I doing with it?I have never had to fix this problem before, so this is all new to me. I am on a dell laptop right now, it has a cd burner so that shouldn't be a problem. I ordered a dell/vista restore disk last night for about $25..if all else fails I will just start over.