Free malware removal programs - help?

[AlienBZ]

I'm at a friend's house for the next 2 days and she wants me to fix her computer. She says she got the PC as payment in return for a construction job on someone's house a couple years ago, and the computer has been freezing up with a BSOD when she or her kids use it to go online. I'm in school learning to be a computer tech, I'm on summer vacation, I have no job (yet) but I'm looking for my hands-on experience in PC tech stuff.

Earlier today I tried to wipe that computer's HDD and reinstall Windows XP from a Microsoft XP_sp2 disc, but before it would go into the install process, I got a BSOD with a 0x0000007B stop error that said to run chkdsk to test for HDD corruption. However, the computer boots up into XP normally. The friend wants to know if it has a virus on it and what kind of malware removal program I could recommend/install for her, but I'm stumped on this - so can you recommend any free complete malware scan and removal programs that I could d/l and install on her computer so she will not have to keep paying monthly/yearly fees on it? She does not have a lot of money to spend.

Thanks in advance.

[Allan]

1) You want to install sp3 not sp2. You can build a slipstream cd  with nlite.
2) I would not try to clean the system of malware, I'd install from scratch.
3) BOOT to the Windows CD (you cannot install from within the OS) and first choose a FULL format (that will run chkdsk /r prior to formatting). You will need the sata driver(s) for the HD.
4) To answer your question more directly, good free AV apps include Microsoft Security Essentials, Avira and Avast. Good free malware apps to install in addition to an av app are MalwareBytes and/or SuperAntiSpyware

[AlienBZ]

2) I would not try to clean the system of malware, I'd install from scratch.
3) BOOT to the Windows CD (you cannot install from within the OS) and first choose a FULL format (that will run chkdsk /r prior to formatting). You will need the sata driver(s) for the HD.
4) To answer your question more directly, good free AV apps include Microsoft Security Essentials, Avira and Avast. Good free malware apps to install in addition to an av app are MalwareBytes and/or SuperAntiSpyware

That's what I tried to do - boot from the windows CD, but immediately after the stuff from the CD was loaded into RAM, but before it got to the Windows installation (the windows setup program) it gave me a BSOD 0x0000007B stop error.

[SuperDave]

Here's some information about that error.

Please download aswMBR.exe ( 511KB ) to your desktop.

Double click the aswMBR.exe to run it



Click the "Scan" button to start scan

Note: Do not take action against any **Rootkit** entries until I have reviewed the log. Often there are false positives



On completion of the scan click save log, save it to your desktop and post in your next reply
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• Download TDSSKiller and save it to your Desktop.
  
• Extract its contents to your desktop.
• Once extracted, open the TDSSKiller folder and doubleclick on TDSSKiller.exe to run the application, then on Start Scan.
  
  
• If an infected file is detected, the default action will be Cure, click on Continue.
  
  
• If a suspicious file is detected, the default action will be Skip, click on Continue.
  
  
• It may ask you to reboot the computer to complete the process. Click on Reboot Now.
  
  
• Click the Report button and copy/paste the contents of it into your next reply
  

Note:It will also create a log in the C:\ directory..

[AlienBZ]

Thanks, SuperDave - I fixed the problem by getting into the BIOS, changing it from ACHI to IDE and the computer got into the XP setup screen, from where I deleted the existing partition, and installed XP.

Now I would like to get this friend some free malware scanner/removal programs that do not require her to pay a fee every month/year and give her all the protection she needs - can you help?

[SuperDave]

Remember to only install one antivirus!
I'm very happy with MSE.

1) Avast! Home Edition
2) AVG Free Edition
3) Avira AntiVir Personal
4) Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista\Windows 7 - 64 bit Download
4-a) Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP
5) Comodo Antivirus (Uncheck during installation "Install Comodo SafeSurf..", Make Comodo my default search provider" and "Make Comodo Search my homepage" if you choose this one)
6) PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition
7) ThreatFire

It is strongly recommended that you run only one antivirus program at a time. Having more than one antivirus program active in memory uses additional resources and can result in program conflicts and false virus alerts. If you choose to install more than one antivirus program on your computer, then only one of them should be active in memory at a time.
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Firewalls protect against hackers and malicious intruders. You need to download a free firewall from one of these reliable vendors.

Remember only install ONE firewall

1) Comodo Personal Firewall (Uncheck during installation "Install Comodo SafeSurf..", Make Comodo my default search provider" and "Make Comodo Search my homepage" and uncheck any HopSurf and/or Ask.com options if you choose this one)
2) Online Armor
3) Agnitum Outpost
4) PC Tools Firewall Plus

If you are using the built-in Windows XP firewall, it is not recommended as it does not block outgoing connections. This means that any malware on your computer is free to "phone home" for more instructions. Simply put, Windows XP contains a mediocre firewall. This firewall is NO replacement for a dedicated software solution. Remember to use only one firewall at the same time.
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Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (MBAM)

If you already have Malwarebytes be sure to check for updates before scanning!

Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop. Alternate download link

•Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.

•Be sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, then click Finish.

•If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.

•If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
•Once the program has loaded, select Perform Quick Scan, then click Scan.

•When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.

•Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.

•When completed, a log will open in Notepad. Save it to a convenient location like the Desktop.

•The log is also automatically saved and can be viewed later by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.

•Exit MBAM.
.
Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts. Click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process. If asked to restart the computer, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware.

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SUPERAntiSpyware

If you already have SUPERAntiSpyware be sure to check for updates before scanning!

Download SuperAntispyware Free Edition (SAS)
* Double-click the icon on your desktop to run the installer.
* When asked to Update the program definitions, click Yes
* If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download and unzip them from here
* Next click the Preferences button.

•Under Start-Up Options uncheck Start SUPERAntiSpyware when Windows starts
* Click the Scanning Control tab.
* Under Scanner Options make sure only the following are checked:

•Close browsers before scanning
•Scan for tracking cookies
•Terminate memory threats before quarantining
•Please leave the others unchecked

•Click the Close button to leave the control center screen.

* On the main screen click Scan your computer
* On the left check the box for the drive you are scanning.
* On the right choose Perform Complete Scan
* Click Next to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer.
* After the scan is complete a summary box will appear. Click OK
* Make sure everything in the white box has a check next to it, then click Next
* It will quarantine what it found and if it asks if you want to reboot, click Yes

•To retrieve the removal information please do the following:
•After reboot, double-click the SUPERAntiSpyware icon on your desktop.
•Click Preferences. Click the Statistics/Logs tab.

•Under Scanner Logs, double-click SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log.

•It will open in your default text editor (preferably Notepad).
•Save the notepad file to your desktop by clicking (in notepad) File > Save As...

* Save the log somewhere you can easily find it. (normally the desktop)
* Click close and close again to exit the program.
*Copy and Paste the log in your post.
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SpywareBlaster- Secure your Internet Explorer to make it harder for ActiveX programs to run on your computer. Also stop certain cookies from being added to your computer when running Mozilla based browsers like Firefox.
* Using SpywareBlaster to protect your computer from Spyware and Malware
* If you don't know what ActiveX controls are, see here

Protect yourself against spyware using the Immunize feature in Spybot - Search & Destroy. Guide: Use Spybot's Immunize Feature to prevent spyware infection in real-time. Note: To ensure you have the latest Immunizations always update Spybot - Search & Destroy before Immunizing. Spybot - Search & Destroy FAQ

Check out Keeping Yourself Safe On The Web for tips and free tools to help keep you safe in the future.