Solved Massive malware infection has made a mess

[Admiral Awesome]

@LayBB:

You said: "I don't like W-10 but please understand I don't hate W-10."

How can one hate an OS? I don't feel that strongly about anything technology-related but I don't like the very obvious direction Microsoft is taking as of Windows 10 which I see as not very user-friendly, and more dictatorial*, than the Microsoft I liked and respected for such things as how their products used to support compatibility, to some extent both fw and bw.

Case in point: to this day I use a few antiquated, 16-bit programs that I began to use and came to like in the mid-to-late 1990's such as Jasc Software's Paint Shop Pro v 7, and a real oldie: Designer, a primitive CAD program that has features that are still unusual today; in it you can move the mouse pointer using the arrow keys and so get exact positioning av drawing elements that is very difficult and haphazard with the mouse - you use the mouse to click-and-drag stuff swiftly and long distances in full-drawing-view, then zoom in and do the delicate positioning using a click-and-drag+arrow key combination, if anybody understands what I'm trying to say.

Paint Shop Pro probably can't do anything that you can't do better with, say, Paint Shop. But then it doesn't take years to master, is as familiar and 'homey' to me as my old overstuffed chair, was inexpensive and is very light on system resources and starts up in the blink of an eye.

The same goes for Designer. Yes, with it one is back to the old 8.3 file naming limitations, but that certainly excercises the imagimation, if nothing else. Plus, I have used computers professionally since 1987, running DOS and later various shells for DOS, then Windows 2.0 and I don't mind so much. 'Its-a not so bad'. There is still a remnant of awe in me that these thing are possible to do at all. I was 23 in 1980, affordable personal computers were just becoming a reality.

Anyway, I like to be allowed to be a fuddy-duddy this way and run this fossil-ware from the past millenium, but as far as I understand, MS has abandoned the idea of compatibility as of v 10. Sure, they make more money by gradually making software and hardware obsolete but the user-friendliness is gone.

EDIT: I just came across this dire message while looking for an online radio station app: "To use this app on your PC, upgrade to Windows 10" and have had the same thing happen when I saw a game a friend was playing on his Windows 10 machine and coudn't get it 'cause "To use this app on your PC, upgrade to Windows 10".

Well, f*** you very much. Yes, the new and improved Microsoft: 'force people into the fold or else'. 'The people will use Windows 10 or we want nothing to do with them'.

That feeling is mutual - I for one elect opt out here, and will stick 'til kingdom come with Windows 7 out of sheer stubbornness and dislike of the use of force or else finally grow up and use some flavor of Unix.

MS used to make fun of Apple and Jobs' dictatorial ways. That was then, this is very obviously a new Microsoft, a seismic shift in attitude.

 

[Admiral Awesome]

@Jacee:
"Spybot S&D has always been free to my knowledge ... I need to look into that.
Yikes! Just looked ... You'd be so much better off if you had purchased Malwarebytes"

Please don't rub it in, friend..

 

[mitchell65]

If you keep your system clean and not allow any stray programs to get onto "Start Up" then backup with Macrium Reflect once a week you can eliminate the problem of doing clean install and spending hours with the Windows updates!!!!

 

[Admiral Awesome]

If you keep your system clean and not allow any stray programs to get onto "Start Up" then backup with Macrium Reflect once a week you can eliminate the problem of doing clean install and spending hours with the Windows updates!!!!

Alright Mitchell, good buddy: I promise.

QED, FYI:

 

[Layback Bear]

Admiral Awesome I stated that I don't hate W-10 because of have been accused of being a W-10 hater in the past. So I wanted everybody reading the post to understand my position at this time.

W-10 has nothing I need or want, plus it has things I don't want. To top that off, things I do want have been removed.
That in a nut shell is why I don't like W-10.

 

[Admiral Awesome]

Admiral Awesome I stated that I don't hate W-10 because of have been accused of being a W-10 hater in the past. So I wanted everybody reading the post to understand my position at this time.

W-10 has nothing I need or want, plus it has things I don't want. To top that off, things I do want have been removed.
That in a nut shell is why I don't like W-10.

I hear you Bear, and I agree for umpteen reasons, many of which I gave in a previous post. Like I said there, I have used all versions of Windows from 2 up to 7, excluding Vista and ME, and 7 is to my mind the best.

It is, for my hardware, like a suit of clothes that fits - not too big, not uncomfortably small but just right, or as we say in Swedish 'lagom'. And why fix what ain't broke.

 

[jonnyhillow]

I always just reinstall if things are messed up but the best program to use that is very highly rated and developed by Shane himself of Tweaking.com and PC Wintech is "Windows repair all in one".

It is extremely thorough and will get the most screwed up computers back and running in no time and running fantastic at that .

Have used it many times myself and amazed every time.

Tweaking.com - Windows Repair Free/Pro

Tweaking.com - Windows Repair is a tool designed to help fix a large majority of known Windows problems including; registry errors, file permissions, issues with Internet Explorer, Windows Updates, Windows Firewall and more. Malware and poorly installed programs can modify your default settings resulting in your machine working badly - or worse. With Tweaking.com Windows Repair you can restore Windows original settings fixing many of these problems outright.

 

[Admiral Awesome]

Thanks johnnyhillow! I'll put it on my 'Rescue tools' CD R/W along with the others, gathered for that inevitable rainy day

 

[tony22]

For the record:
Each computer is unique.
While there are general principles, malware detection and removal are best customized for each system.
Fixes for one system could break another system or even render it unbootable.

Although it may be interesting to hear what was on the OP's system, I respectfully suggest that the information NOT be extrapolated to your computer(s).

Not what I was going after at all, MM. Just curious as to what had been found. It does sound like Göran had his hands full.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi:

For the record:
Each computer is unique.
While there are general principles, malware detection and removal are best customized for each system.
Fixes for one system could break another system or even render it unbootable.

Although it may be interesting to hear what was on the OP's system, I respectfully suggest that the information NOT be extrapolated to your computer(s).

Not what I was going after at all, MM. Just curious as to what had been found. It does sound like Göran had his hands full.

I only mentioned it largely for others who might read this thread.
We see it all too commonly at the Malwarebytes malware removal forum: folks find a removal thread using Google and then use individualized removal instructions (even custom scripts!) designed for another user and another computer because the problem sounds "the same".
I'm sure it happens at other disinfection fora, too.
Doing so can cause serious damage.

That is all.

Cheers,
MM

 

[jonnyhillow]

Thanks johnnyhillow! I'll put it on my 'Rescue tools' CD R/W along with the others, gathered for that inevitable rainy day

Sure thing , "Windows Repair" is what i see recommended the most on many forums after a malware infection to set everything back to default .

It is not to be confused with what many view as an "optimizer" or "registry cleaner" etc... , it's not like that at all .

It is just a tool to set everything back to default settings in all Windows versions and it is high customizable , it's really an amazing program with no pups or other crap and there is a portable version.

Shane of "Tweaking.com" has his own forums and is very helpful in answering questions etc... he gets back to you very fast as well , a great guy .