Infections?

[UID=0]

Another handy tool is ComboFix... Helps you to clear off all the damage done by an worm/virus.. This is more of an after-removal tool...

ComboFix [[FREE]] --> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix...e-combofix

Maybe if it's not too late, you should consider editing this thread, to refelect this warrning about ComboFix from here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix...e-combofix

'You should not run ComboFix unless you are specifically asked to by a helper. Also, due to the power of this tool it is strongly advised that you do not attempt to act upon any of the information displayed by ComboFix without supervision from someone who has been properly trained. If you do so, it may lead to problems with the normal functionality of your computer.'

That page was enough to put me off from getting it, not because I wouldn't know what to do, but because of having to go through the following:

First, disable:

AntiVirus
Firewall
AntiSpyware
Other applications

Then after creating a restore point and backing up the registry,
it will establish whether or not you have the Windows Recovery Console
installed and if not, you will be prompted to download it.

After that, it will go through a total of 50, possibly more stages now,
depending on the version, of analysis, before finally writing a log, which should then be posted, somewhere, for a helper to analyze, such as it is with a HJT log.

So I think that you should maybe either, include this type of information in your thread if possible, or remove the application, as it's not exactly entry level, user friendly at all.

I just thought that this was worth pointing out.

[Carb0n F1ber]

Having used the tool a couple of times, I wouldn't trust that warning that much...

First off, there is zero user input required by the tool, so no matter what, it does the job that it is supposed to do (giving us no chance to screw up even if intended to)..

Second off, ComboFix itself creates a system restore point for you. If system restore is uninstalled or disabled, it even downloads and installs it for you.

The only point worth noting is that, yes, you will have to manually turn off your AV's and FW's.. After which, ComboFix does a series of around 50 tests on your computer, and then checks each system file/process for integrity, and repairs/replaces if need be...

Overall, in my personal experience, Dr. Web + ComboFix did an amazing job to disinfect and fix (the damage done by the virus) on my home computer when almost 99% of my .EXE files got infected by a nasty "Virut" worm.

(Almost every single person on Google search and in real-life stated that the only way the worm gets away is to format all drives connected to the computer.. No backups should be taken as well)

[UID=0]

Having used the tool a couple of times, I wouldn't trust that warning that much...

First off, there is zero user input required by the tool, so no matter what, it does the job that it is supposed to do (giving us no chance to screw up even if intended to)..

Second off, ComboFix itself creates a system restore point for you. If system restore is uninstalled or disabled, it even downloads and installs it for you.

The only point worth noting is that, yes, you will have to manually turn off your AV's and FW's.. After which, ComboFix does a series of around 50 tests on your computer, and then checks each system file/process for integrity, and repairs/replaces if need be...

Overall, in my personal experience, Dr. Web + ComboFix did an amazing job to disinfect and fix (the damage done by the virus) on my home computer when almost 99% of my .EXE files got infected by a nasty "Virut" worm.

(Almost every single person on Google search and in real-life stated that the only way the worm gets away is to format all drives connected to the computer.. No backups should be taken as well)

I don't doubt that it's a fine tool to use, along with Dr Web.

I think the warning is intended though, for inexperienced PC users,
who unsupervised, might make some change that coiuld, like they say, stop some part of the system from functioning properly.

I think that's why they mention that warning at all, as being a powerful tool, it could do some possible damage, if not used correctly.

[Carb0n F1ber]

it could do some possible damage, if not used correctly.

Sorry, but you are wrong... ComboFix does not give you an option to change/choose anything.. Hence, even an inexperienced PC user cannot do any possible damage to his computer...

It runs the tests, repairs the needed file, and then gives you a detailed log... That's it.. Probably the warning is "NOT" to use the tool unless asked to by a helper. Meaning, this tool might/may do more damage than good to a computer which is not infected, or one which would not require a cleaning...

In my case, all system32 and windows files were patched and corrupted by injecting them with the Virut virus... So Dr. Web "cured" the files, and ComboFix "fixed" them...

What you stated goes true for HijackThis, which gives you an option to "Fix".. An inexperienced user can do damage to his computer if he chooses to "Fix" the wrong entry listed by HijackThis...

[Kutmustakurt]

Sorry, but you are wrong... ComboFix does not give you an option to change/choose anything.. Hence, even an inexperienced PC user cannot do any possible damage to his computer...

Combofix does have the option.
Combofix Script or CFscript.

[Skawke]

I don't see what damage combofix can actually do. I've run it many times without a helper, and it successfully removed the virus.

[Viciousness]

I use Iobit Security 360. It's a fairly new program with a variety of scanners/protectors/cleaners and a HJT feature.

I like it, anyways. You can find it here.

[Soldier of Fortune]

Sorry, but you are wrong... ComboFix does not give you an option to change/choose anything.. Hence, even an inexperienced PC user cannot do any possible damage to his computer...

It runs the tests, repairs the needed file, and then gives you a detailed log... That's it.. Probably the warning is "NOT" to use the tool unless asked to by a helper. Meaning, this tool might/may do more damage than good to a computer which is not infected, or one which would not require a cleaning...

In my case, all system32 and windows files were patched and corrupted by injecting them with the Virut virus... So Dr. Web "cured" the files, and ComboFix "fixed" them...

What you stated goes true for HijackThis, which gives you an option to "Fix".. An inexperienced user can do damage to his computer if he chooses to "Fix" the wrong entry listed by HijackThis...

He was not wrong, YOU are. ComboFix, although better and better thus safer to use among computer illiterate users, still isn't quite safe and it's still not advised to be kept on or used on clean machines. Google, if you don't trust me...multiple things can happen. Why do you think that HijackThis teachers and helpers strongly forbid the use of such programs that scan, copy and fix sensible computer files? Is it because they're stupid? Because they want to act like they're smart and rest of us guys stupid? Or because they're just aware of possible problems which could, and DID, happen?

It's people like you who fudge up their machines and then blame the ASAP team for even making or suggesting such programs.

Sometimes, my mate, it's better to just listen to what smarter suggest, than to improvise and cry later. Better safe than sorry! And that's what you should keep in your head, if not the rest.

[Carb0n F1ber]

He was not wrong, YOU are. ComboFix, although better and better thus safer to use among computer illiterate users, still isn't quite safe and it's still not advised to be kept on or used on clean machines. Google, if you don't trust me...multiple things can happen. Why do you think that HijackThis teachers and helpers strongly forbid the use of such programs that scan, copy and fix sensible computer files? Is it because they're stupid? Because they want to act like they're smart and rest of us guys stupid? Or because they're just aware of possible problems which could, and DID, happen?

It's people like you who fudge up their machines and then blame the ASAP team for even making or suggesting such programs.

Sometimes, my mate, it's better to just listen to what smarter suggest, than to improvise and cry later. Better safe than sorry! And that's what you should keep in your head, if not the rest.

You my friend, have never been nastily infected ever.... and You my friend, you have never used ComboFix before... Or else, I wouldn't be reading the above....

Oh, and BTW, RDG told me what you did in HF

[Elektrisk]

You my friend, have never been nastily infected ever.... and You my friend, you have never used ComboFix before... Or else, I wouldn't be reading the above....

He was an official HJT teacher; I'm quite sure he's used ComboFix before. You clearly don't know anything about him, and I might not either, but I know I'd take his word over yours concerning PC security.