4Shared Toolbar/Browser has wrecked my laptop

jsnmcgill · 30 Mar 2013

Toshiba Portege, 128gb SSD, 8gb RAM, Win 7. Hello, and thank you for taking a look at my issues. I somehow installed 4Shared and it hijacked my laptop. Through 4Shared, after multiple emails, they supposedly gave me instructions to remove the program. I doubt it's off my computer. Issues I am having, please bare with me: I now have a second icon that's an admin log on when I boot up the computer. When logged on through this icon my computer looks like it did when it came out of the box, but has some of the programs added after. How can I get rid of this and make sure my original log on is not running as admin either. Secondly, my Firefox is not loading pages, but my back up IE has no issues. Also, the toolbar on Firefox is different as it is missing an icon that opens up a new tab.

Just weird things like all my .docs never had the .docx after the title, now that's there. I've ran malwarebytes (paid), Iobit (paid), Spybot, Bitdefender (paid), etc. no virus or malware detected. There's just too many issues to solve in one thread. If someone could help me with these, it will be a start in the right direction. Thanks and no one has helped on other forums. Probably should of came here first. Also, my knowledge is limited.

VistaKing · 30 Mar 2013

Hi Jsnmcgill

Please run this tool on the infected laptop if possible

Download

Double click the dds icon to run the tool.
Place a check next to attact.txt and click Start . When done, DDS will open two logs
DDS.txt
Attach.txt
Save two logs onto your desktop and upload them with your reply

ADDED :

After you run the above program run this program

Download AdwCleaner

Download

Save to the Desktop

Right-click on adwcleaner.exe and choose Run as administrator

Click the Search button

Upload the AdwCleaner[Sn].txt in your reply.

jsnmcgill · 30 Mar 2013

VistaKing, the only way they'd let me upload the logs was through attachments due to their length. I'm not sure if this is standard practice, but if not, just let me know and I'll fix the issue. Again, thank you for your help and your easy instructions (idiot proof). I look forward to seeing your thoughts/actions on my issues.

gregrocker · 30 Mar 2013

I'd not install any 3rd party toolbars which are almost always spyware. Use the stable search box built into a reputable browser like IE9, Firefox or Opera. (all installed Google is pernicious spyware). Guard against anything creeping in to browser Add-Ons.

Can you System Restore to before you installed the program? If necessary do it from the DVD System Recovery Options or System Repair Disk

If that isn't enough I have good results with SUPERAntiSpyware - Downloads which roots out the reg keys this kind of spyware lodges to keep spying after you remove it.

Are you still running the Toshiba bloatware install? Most tech enthusiasts won't run such a corrupt install but instead Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 so now might be the time to invest in a perfect install then back it up as an image so you never have to reinstall again.

If you don't feel like going completely clean then you can also run Toshiba HDD Recovery Utility and then Clean Up Factory Bloatware .

VistaKing · 30 Mar 2013

Jsnmcgill

Lets run Adwcleaner once more

Close all open programs.

To run the program, right-click AdwCleaner.exe and select Run as administrator

Click on Delete and confirm the prompt.

After it finishes, the computer is restarted.

Upload the log saved at C:\AdwCleaner[S1].txt

jsnmcgill · 31 Mar 2013

Sorry for the delay. Here is the log you requested. Thanks for your help.

VistaKing · 31 Mar 2013

How Is the computer running

jsnmcgill · 31 Mar 2013

Firefox keeps freezing, or it won't even connect to google. I'm afraid I have a nasty virus, but I am only assuming. Someone said do a clean install, but I've never done one though it would be a good skill to have to keep the PC running like new when needed. I don't know. What do you think? Thanks for your time.

VistaKing · 31 Mar 2013

Try this

Reset DNS and Internet Settings

Copy and paste the code below into Notepad. To open Notepad, go to Windows start menu. In the search box, type notepad and then press [ENTER].

Code:

@Echo off
pushd\windows\system32\drivers\etc
attrib -h -s -r hosts
echo 127.0.0.1 localhost>HOSTS
attrib +r +h +s hosts
popd
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset all
netsh int ip reset all
cls
echo Script finished.
pause
del %0

In Notepad, click File and then Save. Type reset.bat for the file name . Change Save as Type to All Files, and then save the file to your desktop. After the file is saved, double-click on the file to open it. Once it's finished running, restart your computer. Check to see if your Internet connection is restored.

AddRAM · 01 Apr 2013

This is one of those times where a disk image would be used. But apparently you never made one ?

4Shared Toolbar/Browser has wrecked my laptop

4Shared Toolbar/Browser has wrecked my laptop

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