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Mon 10 Nov, 2003 07:31 am
A friend has a problem with his PC. I believe it may be a virus but it's nobbled the anti-virus software so I can't tell!
The symptoms are:
Loading Windows in normal way brings up desktop with icons.
Program (eg. MSWord, Cubase etc) & document (.doc's etc) icons are unaffected, and a double-click will launch as normal.
Windows/System icons (eg. My Computer, My Network Places are in place, but show only the default Windows icon (ie when filetype is not known).
Double-clicking eg. My Computer changes pointer to hourglass, there is hard-disk activity, then pointer changes back to normal, and no applications are launched.
I've tried launching from Start/Programs etc, but the same happens. This problem also applies to Internet Explorer Norton Anti-Virus and McAffee Firewall.
Bringing up Task Manager will show nothing under Applications, but around 40 active Processes, including IEXPLORE.EXE
Attempting to launch eg. Internet Explorer again results in same thing - hourglass then nothing, but another instance of IEXPORE.EXE will appear in Task Manager but with no sign of the actual program windows.
Norton Anti-Virus & McAffee Firewall both appear to be running in the background (according to the taskbar icons), but I can't access the actual program controls from either the desktop icon, taskbar icon or programs menu to run a virus scan.
Windows version is XP. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Grand Duke,
To me, it sounds like it could be a virus. Being that you cannot access either Norton or McAffee, try going here to get a virus scan done:
Symantec Security Response
See what it finds and then post back what happens.
Hope this helps. Good Luck.
Robert
Unfortunately Robert it has affected Internet Explorer, so I'm not able to run the scan! I can get something on floppy/CD onto the machine - can you recommend anything I can download on another PC then save to disk and run on the affected one?
McAfee AVERT Stinger (fits on a floppy, it's a great tool but it only checks for about 30 particular viruses)
AVG Free Edition (the best free virus scanner)
Spybot - Search & Destroy (checks for spyware, not viruses)
Hmm. Well, after a quick, and I mean quick, search of the Internet, I found one program that fits on a floppy. But it costs money.
Its called F-Prot Antivirus from Frisk Software. It'll cost $29. Here is the link to the website if you interested.
http://www.f-prot.com/
I'll keep looking on the net, though. I'm sure there is something out there for FREE!!
LOL
Robert
Opps. I forgot to mention. There is a 30-day trial for that program but I'm not sure how up-to-date the virus definitions will be. Could give it a try.
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