Help, black screen with possible infected files

[itztrizz617]

Okay so on my laptop (with windows 7) when i log on initially all i got was a black screen and a cursor, via searching this site i ran MRT and it said it found and deleted malicioius files, i thought it would be problem solved but now when i log on its extremely slow and almost every startup application crashes. I then went on safe mode and uninstalled every startup application i know of hoping then there would be no issue. And alas its still the same thing. My last resorts would be to reinstall windows (and lose everything) or to simply pay someone to fix my issue (hopefully i can find help here first).

Sidebar question: in the meantime i'm simply using my laptop in safe mode with networking and i came across a post about using audio in safe mode i downloading the attachment but it still isnt working. Any help in that area would be appreciated as well

[INDRANIL]

Download Hitman pro (Do not activate pro version until you've found malicious items) & Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and make scan it you found any suspicious items delete those. Run HijackThis attach a log here (Never try to fix them !!! ). Clear your temp file, browsers cache cookie etc.

[A Guy]

If you scan and come up clean, you can first try a clean start to see if a 3rd party application is causing the problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

If no help, you can do a [url=http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html]Repair Install , and save all your settings, files, and programs.

Take care of this as soon as possible, as surfing the internet in safe mode leaves you wide open to any and all forms of attack. A Guy

[kantagara]

Download Hitman pro (Do not activate pro version until you've found malicious items) & Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and make scan it you found any suspicious items delete those. Run HijackThis attach a log here (Never try to fix them !!! ). Clear your temp file, browsers cache cookie etc.

I wouldn't recommend HijackThis. There are a lot better diagnostic tools like DDS,OTL etc.

[itztrizz617]

My laptop came with windows 7 and does not have a disc, i wanna go the repair install route so how would i go about it

[brightspark]

You will need an installation disc in order to perform a repair install and it needs to be the exact same Windows 7 edition as the one installed on your laptop.

HOWEVER, a repair install should always be the last resort. Plus, if the laptop is infected, there is no guarantee that a repair install would fix the problem anyway, it would depend on which files are infected (where the malware is hiding).

Best plan of attack at this stage would be to follow Indranil's advice (post #2) and scan the machine with a couple of reputable malware scanner/removers. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware for sure, and if you don't mind paying for the removal side then Hitman Pro as well.

One more thing: If malware is the problem, it will be embedded in any restore points created during the life of the infection. Once everything has been cleaned up successfully, make sure to delete all restore points.....do that after the cleanup, not before!

Cheers....Jim

[A Guy]

Yes, as I said in my post if you come up clean. A very bad infection may remain even after the best efforts to remove it. Then it becomes necessary to install a fresh install. The Repair Install will not fix an infection, but it will fix windows after an infection is completely removed. A repair install is a simple job with the install disk. And I'd say remove restore points before cleaning, lest you reinfect after you clean. A Guy

[brightspark]

And I'd say remove restore points before cleaning, lest you reinfect after you clean

Sorry A guy, but that is not good advice.

1) The malware embedded in System Restore is prefectly harmless, provided of course, one does not utilise that facility.

2) If the cleaning goes wrong and completely stuffs up the OS then, if all restore points are still available, one can restore the system and start over again. If, under the same circumstances, all the restore points have already been deleted then one would have no choice but to perform a fresh install.

3) It is impossible to "re-infect after you clean" if all system restore points are deleted immediately after a successful cleanup.

Once malware had been detected it doesn't really matter if infected restore points are deleted before or after the cleanup EXCEPT, leaving them in place until after the cleanup does provide an option to start over again if the cleaning process goes wrong (which has been known to happen).

Cheers....Jim

[A Guy]

Well, it's a matter of opinion. If the cleaning doesn't work, then a restore point is likely no help. I suppose if you want to try and restore, and try a different method, then your way would work. But most people aren't aware that their restore points harbor the same infection that they have just cleaned. The Repair install option would still remain, but if the infection is that severe, then a clean install is likely the best fix. I'll stand corrected, for your reasoning. A Guy