how do you get rid of a computer virus, that comes on at start up?

Question

everytime i turn my computer on a pop up comes on, claiming i owe money for a website i visited,it started about 2 weeks ago, after 2 days it started locking for 1 miniute, and has locked for longer since, curently i stays for 5 minutes, i have tried some scans and forums but has yet im stuck with this pest, any advise on how to get rid of it would be appritiated.

Answer 1

Please listen, do NOT use msconfig to manage startup programs. Msconfig is used for investigative proceedures only and if you uncheck or change even one item in this program you will get a stern warning that you have changed critical Operating System Configuration and to change it back the way it was immediantly. Some who are unaware of the problems using msconfig as a startup manager will tell others to do so as well. They will tell you to put a check in the box which allows you to shove the warning dialog box away and not have it appear again, that there is no problems inherent in using msconfig in this way.

However, this is simply not accurate and is misleading. This msconfig has vital operating system files and programs listed and messing around can have unforseen consequences you do not want happening on your computer. With this said, yes there are thos experianced users who can use msconfig in the manner it was not intended for. These people know exactly what they are doing and how to correct any problems which may arrise from so using this program. I do NOT reccomend any but the MOST experianced IT techs using msconfig as a startup manaager. In fact, experinaced IT techs will not use msconfig in this manner either, they use startup utilities created just for this use.

Msconfig is for isolating problems within the startup proceedures and other areas of the OS, not for management. It is used to find a problem and then to put it back how it was originally. I suggest you contact a professional technicial for help with this situation.

If you wish to do some investigative work first, you can write down each entry in msconfig, then do a Goggle search on each eatry to find out exactly what it is. This way you will learn what is a system requirement, what is a service, what is a program and what may be spyware or a virus. Once you are armed with this information you can then go back into msconfig and uncheck the box you believe to be the startup malware. Once you uncheck this you can then reboot and see if the popup no longer is displayed. The warning box I told you about will appear on startup too, so be prepared for that. Click OK and then go back and recheck the malware in msconfig. You do not remove malware by only unchecking a box in msconfig, you want to remove it from your system completely. Just supressing it is not a solution, just a temporary work around which needs to have final removal. Once it is removed from your system it will also be removed from msconfig, as it should properly be, with corresponding Registry Keys and all folders/files.

Now, there are good freeware programs which can help you with this problem. However, as you are an inexperianced user I strongly reccomend you obtain professional assistance with this problem. There are the Geek Patrol who will come to your home and charge a reasonable rate, not outragous at all, or to further reduce costs you can take it in to them.

If you do not yet want to use a professional service, then I strongly reccomend you go to the Microsoft Downloads site and download the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool. This is free and available in a new form each month. I use it monthly regardless of whether or not my solid Internet Security Suite from Panda Software has indicated a malware on my system. I do use a paid version for a complete full Internet Security Suite, due to how good it truly is, how complete it is, and how easy it is to use. This is MY preference and you must do what is YOUR preference. Panda Internet Security Suite 2007 has a firewall, anti-virus, known malware, spyware, invasive cookies, and a hueristic scan which is constantly scanning my system for odd behavior which may indicate an infection or other malware, and then isolates it and examines it for safety. This hueristic scan has caught unknown malware before a signature was available for it.

In order for any Security Suite to be affective, it depends upon the malware signitures, which is known malware, and then an antidote is created to fight it, remove it. However, every day a minimum of a hundred up to several hundred forms of malware are created which have to infect computers in order for a 'antidote' to be created which is then downloaded as a 'signiture' and then the software security suite will 'lool' for it and handle it as needed. In the mean while computers are infected before the signiture is created. The hueristic scan enables Panda to isolate, and deal with, unknown malware before a signiture is created and will protect my computer from infection. A good Internet Security Suite is only as good as its signiture files and its signiture updates. Panda updates its signiture files every single day. All Security Suites must embed deeply into and with the OS in order to carry out it function of protecting the OS. So, they can be very difficult to remove, and are most often not truly removable via the normal method with the Add/Remove applet. Each manafacturer has special removal tools which you have to access at their websites or via technical chat or a phone call. Links to these tools are then e-mailed to your inbox with instructions on their use. Often some manufacturers do not want you to change your Security Suite from them to a competetor, so they leave behind embedded files and Registry Keys which cause harm when you then attempt to install and use a different solution. So, be very careful when you are installing such Security Software Utilities.

I have told you all of this so you can be as informed as possible while figuring out what you wish to do. It is not good for your system to try one Security Suite, then try to remove it and try a different one. So, do your homework and know what it is you need to keep your system as safe as possible with the least amount of software programs. It is much easier to use one solution than three or more.

Also please know you can only use ONE Firewall and Anti-virus program on your system at a time. You can use as many spyware, adware, and other malware programs as you wish, but not the first two I listed. The Firewall and Anti-virus will cause great harm if you attempt to install more than one on your system at a time and if you do not completely remove them and then try to install and use a different one as well.

Go here for the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads

Just look for the tool, download and then run it. It should remove this problem malware from your system.

One last item, I Panda Software Internet Security Suite will NOT allow me to install anything which is spyware or other malware. When I first purchased my last computer, which had Norton installed in a bundle, Norton crashed my system with a huge virus, which wiped out my Dell Re-imaging System for good. It then caused me to have to completely re-install the OS, and the computer was only five weeks old. I found out that Norton has a bad practice of trying to frighten customers into purchaing their Help Desk or other products. Norton is one of the most difficult Security Suites to fully remove as it imbeds inself so deeply and is programs to leave behind entire parts of itself and then attempts to replicate itself to recreate itself. This is a VIRUS behavior, and stay far from Norton as you possibly can. If you do get Norton remember to insist on the 'full" removal tool and not settle for their tool which expects a re-install of their software which is sometimes required during a maintance situation. In this case certain software files and executables are left intact on the system and Registry Keys as well, which will create havoc on your system when you think it is fully removed. It is NOT. Only the full removal tool will provide a clean removal of the product. Now McAfee is a good company, not prone to the behavior of Norton, but they too have two seperate 'removal' tools, one intended for a re-instalation of the software and one to completely remove it from the system. You can obtain the right tool for your needs by going to the McAfee website, then to Support and then log on with a Chat Session with a Live Technicain, in other words, a real time person at the other end who will send you the tool link right through the chat box. I used this tool to clean up the McAfee Firewall which was left behind, completely intact, after using a removal tool which I thought had fullly removed the entire Security Suite which came bundled on this last computer I purchased a few months ago. I use Panda and had told Dell not to install any Security software yet I was informed the McAfee Security Suite comes "bundled" with other software, and as such was not able to be seperated out and not installed. So, I knew I would have to remove it as soon as I had finished the last of the installation process when I booted for the first time.

Be very carefull with this type of software. Knowlege is key and I have provided that for you here. Please remember to directly contact manufacturers in order to fully remove Security Software programs, and to just do your homework on what you believe you will need and then make a choice and stick with it. If you think you made a mistake and need to remove one of these types of programs just go and request the special removal tool for a complete software removal not a partial removal.

Good luck and have a nice day.

Answer 2

while the popup is open can you do a CTRl_ALT_DEL? If you can and you are running XP you should see the name of the program that is running. Then you could remove it from startup by going to Start, Run, then type MSCONFIG in the box then enter. Click on the startup tab at the top, you will see all programs that are starting with your pc. its a good idea to uncheck all of them but your Anti-Virus. This will give you more speed and stop this evil little guy from starting with your PC.If this one returns after reboot then you have a bigger problem. Download Microsoft's defender program from Microsoft.com it is a free download and should remove unwanted pop-ups.

Answer 3

.All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.

AVG Removes I-Worm/Stration · BackDoor.Generic3.GBB and .GBC · Worm/Generic.FX · Exploit.WMF
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.
http://www.safer-networking.org/

http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!
Make sure after you download any of these, that you update them.

Be sure to come back to Yahoo Q&A and vote for one of the answers as best answer!

Answer 4

It's no longer rebooting. You are reformatting. Yes that eliminates them, however that will get as a substitute traumatic. Just get Microsoft Security Essentials or Avast! Home Edition. They will safeguard you from so much viruses, however no application in the world will quit the whole lot.

Answer 5

There's a good list of free virus removal tools here, also has some good info on how to avoid stuff like this.http://www.basicspywaretips.com/getridofspyware.html

Answer 6

Dont go for no good free antivirus systems..
If you would like to keep ur pc alive use 1 full year of the award winning CA etrust antivirus .. http://home3.ca.com/Microsoft/Default.aspx?lang=en-US