Problems updating windows pc

Hey all. I thought that I would share with you all the experience I have had over the last 2 days.

I have had an issue with a virus/malware on both my laptop(win xp home) and my desktop(Vista Ultimate 32bit). This malware would not let either of my pc's update or download files to fix them. I was getting blocked like it was a firewall or something. I restored my laptop since that was easy. Then I downloaded AVG and installed on my desktop. Updated it via a downloaded file since it would not let me download the update. Scanned it in safe mode and removed a bunch of stuff. I also ran Spybot and Spysweeper. After that explorer.exe would not run automatacilly, and i had to start it manually everytime. Plus the update thing was still not able to run.

I did a bunch of research and found that Trojan Hunter was very popular. Downloaded it and updated it(which wasnt blocked) and ran it in safe mode. It found that my wininit entry in the regestry was corrupt and fixed it plus found some other misc thing. Restarted the computer and all my windows update kicked in right away. Was able to download updates for antivirus program also.

So I believe what it was, was a rootkit virus. I never found the name but I am sure that the other virus scanner found it.

Hope this helps anyone who searches for this fix. It looks like something new that hitting alot of people.

-butang

fixed my buddies computer with what sounds to be the same problem...so far the oly thing on the net or from any company to solve it is:

http://www.malwarebyte​s.org/

it is safe. do a search on Trojan Vundo. Take a look on the microsoft forums and they will talk about this virus and this program as the only solution.

yeah i used that too. Should have mentioned that. It found just more misc files. I hope microsoft fixes this problem. I know my wife is making fun of me since she has 2 mac's that have no problems.

When your machine's that stuffed just reinstall windows.

tim wrote in post #7334620
When your machine's that stuffed just reinstall windows.

yep, the only way to know you've removed all traces of the problem, rather than removed all traces of the symptoms.

no thats what I am saying for my case. I got it all out. No problems, am able to update windows and my antivirus software. Everything is back to normal.

+1 for malwarebytes - worked a treat on my laptop when it had exactly that issue.

butangviber wrote in post #7335085
no thats what I am saying for my case. I got it all out. No problems, am able to update windows and my antivirus software. Everything is back to normal.

sounds all good & well done getting it running - but I'm not entirely convinced.

From what you've said, you were infected with something that you haven't identified. The symptoms that you've noticed (Win updates & AV updates not happening) have been repaired, but you have no way of knowing if there were any other aspects of the infection that haven't been removed.

True. I see what your saying, there might still be something that is still infecting my system. Its too much of a pain in the butt to save everthing off of my desktop and then reinstall windows. The laptop was fine, but the desktop is another story. Ill keep scanning every day with the latest updates and see if anything comes up.