1 reply to this topic

[donald7777]

hello everyone, yesterday I was infected with a type of spyware that said I was copy write infringing. It totally messed up my system.

I reinstalled windows xp, and I was doing updates when ms security essentials freaked out with a virus called w32.salt all the exes were infected.

I then zeroed out my harddrive using de but the infection still remained.

I ran nod32 online scan, trends micro and Malwarebytes and spybot search and destroy but the all come up with nothing.

I give my computer 5 minutes while installing ms updates and the infection is back.

please help

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello Donald,



I do not know what "de" tool you refer to. But you will essentially have to delete all partitions off this hard drive.

You will have to re-do a clean Windows XP setup in an organized, methodical manner. A complete wipe, reformat, New install.
Disconnect this system from internet before starting the procedure.
do a clean (new) Windows Install:
Before you do that, make sure you have at hand the Windows XP CD and also, a fresh new copy of your antivirus that is downloaded from a clean pc and saved on transportable-media (CD-DVD or clean thumb drive). Likewise, have a fresh new copy of MBAM setup saved on offline media, and setup MBAM as the last step after Windows and antivirus are newly setup. http://www.malwareby...am-download.php

When you are at point of re-installing o.s., I'd recommend you have the pc disconnected from internet until after the o.s. is installed, plus the antivirus is fully setup and running.
See Windows XP Clean Installation - Partitioning and Formatting using Windows XP CD by Ramesh Srinivasan, MS-MVP & AumHa VSOP
Also Clean Install Windows by Michael Stevens, MS-MVP
I would urge you to follow the directions very carefully.
You will loose your documents so if you have some to save, offload them to a separate offline media. And later on insure you do a full scan of them by running your antivirus.
NOTE: If XP CD is from a pc manufacturer, and they bundled an AV like McAfee or Norton/Symantec trial versions, immediately de-install those, sice they will be outdated & of no use. Install your antvirus immediately after.

Other security references at Microsoft
4 steps to protect your computer
How to boost your malware defense and protect your PC

Wish you well. We cannot help further in this type of situation.