Need help with virus warning!

Former Fetus

[Former Fetus]

I'm no computer expert, but I have Trend Micro Internet Security installed in my PC (renewed subscription yesterday) and scan the whole thing once a day (it takes over an hour, but I think it is worth). This morning, when I turned on my PC I got a warning from "website" that my PC is infected with a trojan and asking me to click and install some program. I did a quick scan of my PC, and Trend Micro says it is clean. When I tried to X out of the warning, it refused to go away, it kept demanding that I install that "program". I think it's all very suspicious, it only made me more determined NOT to install it. Why would it try to push it like that? Is that a way to get me to download a real trojan? Why else would Trend Micro say that my PC is clean?

[Poser]

It’s not only a scam, you probably installed it by clicking on the close button.

Malwarebytes is a good program to get rid of most malware.
Combofix is a bit more advanced, but removes some of the stuff malwarebytes wont.
Run either one of them in safe mode (hold F8 while starting your computer)

Ctrl-Alt-Delete, Processes
Kill iexplore.exe or firefox.exe the next time this happens. Do not click on any part of the window.

[library user]

Yes, use both Avira and MBAM (Malwarebytes). Both catch different things. As for why your machine is still slow, how much memory do you have? At least 1GB or more?

[enviros_kill]

I stiched from AVG to AVAST a year ago. Much better IMO.
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

And written by competent folks from Vaclav Kalus’s country-the Czech Republic!

[enviros_kill]

I switched from AVG to AVAST a year ago. Much better IMO.
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

And written by competent folks from Vaclav Klaus’s country-the Czech Republic!

[library user]

I haven’t used Spybot since 2004. It’s simply not powerful enough to remove today’s malware. The other things you mention are good.

[Halgr]

One of any type of software is NOT ENOUGH.....I have two of everything on my PC and they are all FREE too.

[Poser]

“Get those quite frequently. Shut down and when you reboot all will be well.”

That used to be good advice. It isn’t anymore. Ending iexplore.exe or firefox.exe with the task manager is much safer now. The malware writers seem to have put something in the code that comes back if you pull the plug. I can’t imagine what it is, but I’ve had a couple of friends experience infection even when they pulled the plug out of the wall immediately.

[library user]

I would get rid of Advanced System Care and just keep AVG anti-virus and Malwarebytes. You won’t have any conflict.

[rightly_dividing]

No, It only has a 256, being 5 years old. It had a new hardrive installed under warranty a few years ago and seemed very fast then. The other day I timed it on shut down and reboot, it took 13 minutes to get back to my home page.

Firefox seems highly recommended here, is that something I should load? What are it's advantages?

Gotta leave to computer for a bit, but will return.

Thanks for the assist!

[dubie]

[library user]

I would definitely add more memory. Are you running XP? 256MB is not nearly enough memory for XP. Maybe for Windows 2000, but not XP.

[paulycy]

This combination of free software works very well for me and mine (the firewall is very important):

Avast! Home edition anti-virus
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
Spybot Search and Destroy.
Comodo Firewall

[philly-d-kidder]

Thanks

[Aliska]

I had that once quite awhile back now; it looked like something Windows would generate. Told I had about 13 viruses and trojans which I jotted down. It seemed fishy, but I did click on the x to close the window; like you was very suspicious of click on the execute, then ran NAV, came up clean.

That was a good suggestion to to use alternatives to shut down and not click on the x wondered about that, too. I'm not aware of any problems, weekly scans come up clean, picked up something but I finally got rid of it with Norton.

What scared me about the one I got was that among the viruses and trojans listed was a key logger, and I know those are bad. Just in case, I've been doing most of my money stuff on the iamc, but they aren't going to be completely immune in time either.

Thanks for the malwarebytes suggestion, hate to put any more stuff on here and am always worried it will cause a conflict.

[dangus]

What I don’t understand is how the Justice Department can’t put the companies that receive such payments out of business.

[chalkfarmer]

I used to run Trend until I had to replace my hard drive...I now use AVAST....free....works great.

[Seizethecarp]

After repeated virus attacks like this that got through McAfee, I dumped McAfee and installed the newly available free Mircrosoft anti-virus and anti-malware protection called “Microsoft Security Essentials”. I have had very few pop-ups inviting me to download (fake) anti-virsu software since then and none of the system-crashing viruses that I had with my paid McAfee “protection.” http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

[ledzep75]

As someone who does desktop support for a living, I thought I’d chime in. Malwarebytes should be your first step. Download it from another PC to a USB stick. Boot your PC in safemode. Install and run malwarebytes. Remove selected results and the PC will reboot. Next step is to repeat it. If you’re still having problems, then download and run Combofix. Combofix removes all of super hidden rootkits. After all of this your PC should be clean.

As for Anti-virus software, why bother? None of it works anymore. Sure, it will detect it, but never removes it. I use Firefox with Adblock plus and NoScript. I scan my systems Malwarebytes once a month just in case and I’m set.

[ledzep75]

No, It only has a 256, being 5 years old. It had a new hardrive installed under warranty a few years ago and seemed very fast then. The other day I timed it on shut down and reboot, it took 13 minutes to get back to my home page.

You need more RAM, at least 8 times more RAM.

[ErnBatavia]

Danke Schoen!