After windows update - new virus warning on screen - cant do sys restore now or task manager?

Question

Well my lovely gf has called me at work. It seems like she had forgotten to tun off automatic windows updates on her computer. Her windows updated and now there is a warning that wont go away on her screen saying that she has a virus or spy ware on her computer. Her task manager is gone, and will not come back on by doing the 3 ways windows says to bring it up. She tries to do a system restore and it wont let her and her "pretty" back ground on her desktop is gone. She says the message is from the Windows Security Center and when she got on my computer and researced the message that her computer is now all messed up. I told her o come get my credit card and go out and buy anti virus software as she has none on her computer. I am a "what if" thinker all the time. What if the virus software does not get her task manager back and get her computer back up and running? What should I do? Is this because of updates? How would I get rid of them when it seems we are locked out everything.

Answer 1

Well.....
If your g/f really has a virus, it may not let her install any anti-virus software. I have seen this situation several times before and haven't had much luck in getting anti-virus/spyware scans to run locally. I'd say you basically have 5 options:

Option 1. You can pull the hard drive out of her computer and intall it in another system that already has anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed and do a deep scans on her drive. This might get you to a point where you can install anti-virus etc on her system. (You would, of course, have to put her drive back in her system)

Option 2. Definitely more involved but once you do it the first time you then have an excellent boot CD for emergencies like this. Try making your own Bart's PE CD.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

You'll need a couple of plugins, namely the Lavasoft plugin and to download AdAware.

The AdAware Plugin:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/pluginhelp/adawarese.htm

AdAware Program:

http://www.lavasoft.de/software/adaware/

For anti-virus you'll need these 2 plugins:

http://www.pe-plugins.ncpp.de/download.htm?AVPersonal7.zip

http://www.pe-plugins.ncpp.de/download.htm?CWLoader_eng.zip

And this free anti-virus package:

http://www.free-av.com/down/windows/antivir_workstation_win7u_en_h.exe

Takes some work but it's definitely worth it.


Option 3. Use the restore disks that shipped with her computer to restore it to "Factory New" condition. Assuming, of course, that she has restore disks. This will wipe out anything she has added or done to computer since she bought it.

Option 4. Wipe the drive by reformatting and then re-install Windows

Option 5. Yell, curse, scream then toss computer in the garbage and buy a new one.

Answer 2

Well if you plan to get the Latest Norton Anti-Virus software that should get rid of all the Spy-ware,Ad-Ware and Viruses that she has on her computer. She might want to do a few virus scan over and over again until she feels right that it is fine. Once she has done that you might want to download Windows Defender from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=435bfce7-da2b-4a6a-afa4-f7f14e605a0d&displaylang=en and run this program after you she has finished running a full virus scan. Once more thing, have her clear out her Internet History, Cookies and Temo files which those are the places where mostly spy-ware and ad-ware are hiding with no one knowing about it. Once she has cleared out all those 3 places have her run the Virus Scan which will be much faster to scan her whole hard drive. That should fix the problems she is currently having if other problems occured re-post any new errors you are having and i will try to do my best to help out but by running those 2 programs you should be pretty set. Here is another good idea while she is out purchasing the software haver her go here http://www.trendmicro.com/hc_intro/default.asp which is another good software vendor that sell virus scan and spy-ware removal software. If she clicks there it will take her to a free online virus scan check for her and she can go here as well
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/home_homeoffice/index_virus.html
which is a virus removal tool from Symantec.

Answer 3

Hmm, you say the problem started after installing a Windows update. Well, I recommend that you uninstall those updates. You don't need System Restore to uninstall the updates. Each update (aka hotfixes) comes with its own uninstaller. To find it, you have to make some changings to your settings. In Window Explorer go to Tools > Folder Options > View tab > scroll down and choose "show hidden files and folders" > [Apply] > [OK]. Now go to My Computer > Local Disk C: > Windows folder. There should be a slew of folders with names like $NtUninstallKB824105$. In this example, "KB824105" is the name of the hotfix. If you want to know what the hotfix does then you need to search the name on the Microsoft website. Each folder contains the uninstall program for each of the hotfixes. Hover your mouse over the folder and it will display the date in which it was added. Based on this information, identify the most recently installed hotfixes and launch the corresponding uninstaller. After uninstalling the hotfixes, reboot your PC. Check to see if your PC returns to normal. Next, download the most recent "Malicious Software Removal Tool" and run it. The Malicious Software Removal Tool is provided by Microsoft. Each month, Microsoft identifies the most prevalent viruses and other malicious files and develops a removal tool for all these files. Download the most recent version and scan your computer

(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=AD724AE0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en).

It will remove files that are known to be malicious files. Next, reboot your computer and create a system restore piont. Now, you can install your antivirus program.

Answer 4

might sound like someone else is taking control of some operations on the computer. MIGHT!!
Now AVG from download.com is free and is a good anti-virus for Windows XP. Although you might be able to find the virus and delete it it sounds like it has done its damage to the system files.
Go to control panel, then system.......go to the advance tab, and click on settings on start up and recovery ....... mess with that in there, it is an option that you can turn on that will stop the computer from loading right away and gives you some options to choose from. Hope this helps some..

Answer 5

It's odd that the Windows update would create such problem but anything is possible. I would suggest getting an antivirus software (www.outpost.com). Many of them are very cheap after rebates, etc. Also, try booting the PC in safe mode (press F8 when the PC is booting right before the Windows Logo comes up).

Answer 6

It's not Possible. I never turn off Auto Updates in my sys and have never suffered any probs!!! Probably some of Sys files have either got deleted or corrupted.

Answer 7

it is ridiculous, windows update with viruses. well u need norton ghost(4rm norton antivirus). check it at http://www.symantec.com