virus affecting msn

[dtrigiani]

I recently downloaded some music through torrents, and that's around the same time I started having problems. I'm running XP.  Almost everything is okay, but I can't sign into msn or access my email (hotmail.com/ windows live), and it does seem that the internet is a bit slower. I ran a virus scan with Kaspersky, but nothing of interest was detected. I'm also having trouble connecting to the internet on my xbox 360, and my sister cannot get onto msn on her computer either, which is on the same network.

What should I do to get rid of whatever is causing the problems?

Whether it is related to the problem or not, what are some good anti-spyware programs I can get for free?

[evilfantasy]

Welcome to the Computer Hope.

In order to help you clean any malware on the computer we will need some more information from you and about the computer. Please go to this thread and read the instructions for posting the required logs.

Once the logs are posted a malware specialist will be along to assist you in further removal instructions.

[dtrigiani]

Thanks. I got the anti-malware and superantispyware (which I used to have on my computer, but I guess someone got rid of it), and that seems to have fixed the problem. In the process of trying to fix this problem, I got HostsXpert, and now I cannot delete the file from my desktop. It doesn't show up in the list of programs to add or remove, but it says that it is in use when I try getting rid of it.

[evilfantasy]

I need to see the logs as requested. Absence of symptoms isn't a positive indication that the malware is completely gone.

[dtrigiani]

here they are, SAS coming soon.

[recovering space - attachment deleted by admin]

[evilfantasy]

There are some things that need to be fixed.

First: What antivirus do you use? Kaspersky or Symantec/Norton

Second:

Create An Uninstall List

• Start HijackThis
  
• Click on the Open the Misc Tools section
  
• Click on the Open Uninstall Manager button.
  
• Click on the Save list button and specify where you would like to save this file and click Save.
  • When you press Save button a notepad will open with the contents of that file.
• Copy and paste that list in your reply.

[dtrigiani]

I have kaspersky.

Acronis True Image
Adobe Bridge 1.0
Adobe Common File Installer
Adobe Flash Player 9 ActiveX
Adobe Flash Player Plugin
Adobe Help Center 2.0
Adobe MPEG Encoder
Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0
Adobe Reader 8.1.2
Adobe Shockwave Player
Adobe Stock Photos 1.0
Advanced RealMedia Export Plug-in for Premiere 6.0
Apple Mobile Device Support
Apple Software Update
Applied Therapeutics v4.6.0
Ares 2.0.9
Bonjour
CCleaner (remove only)
Citrix Web Client
Dell Driver Reset Tool
Dell Picture Studio v3.0
Dell Support Center
DellSupport
DivX Content Uploader
DivX Web Player
Fraps (remove only)
Google Earth
Guitar Pro 5.0
HijackThis 2.0.2
Hotfix for Windows Media Format 11 SDK (KB929399)
Hotfix for Windows Media Player 11 (KB939683)
Hotfix for Windows XP (KB926239)
Intel(R) Extreme Graphics 2 Driver
Intel(R) PRO Network Adapters and Drivers
Intel(R) PROSet for Wired Connections
iTunes
Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2_03
Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0
Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0
Learn2 Player (Uninstall Only)
LiveUpdate BVRP Software
LiveUpdate Notice (Symantec Corporation)
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366)
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1
Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP
Microsoft Kernel-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.5
Microsoft Office XP Small Business
Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition Installer
Microsoft Plus! Photo Story 2 LE
Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (SONY_MEDIAMGR)
Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
mobile PhoneTools
Motorola Driver Installation 3.3.0
Mozilla Firefox (2.0.0.14)
Mozilla Thunderbird (2.0.0.6)
MSN
Musicmatch® Jukebox
Nero 7 Premium
Nero PhotoShow Express
Paint.NET v3.08
Plaxo Toolbar for Outlook and Outlook Express
Power Tab Editor 1.7
PowerISO
QuickTax 2006
QuickTax Tracker
QuickTime
RagTime Solo
RealPlayer
Safari
Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906)
Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906)
Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB898458)
Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB923723)
Security Update for Windows Media Player (KB911564)
Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB911565)
Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB917734)
Security Update for Windows Media Player 11 (KB936782)
Security Update for Windows Media Player 6.4 (KB925398)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB883939)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB890046)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB893756)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896358)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896422)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896423)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896424)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896428)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896688)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB899587)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB899588)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB899591)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB900725)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB901017)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB901214)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB902400)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB903235)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB904706)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB905414)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB905749)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB905915)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB908519)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB908531)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB911280)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB911562)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB911567)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB911927)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB912812)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB912919)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB913446)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB913580)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB914388)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB914389)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB916281)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB917159)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB917344)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB917422)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB917953)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB918118)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB918439)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB918899)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB919007)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB920213)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB920214)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB920670)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB920683)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB920685)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB921398)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB921503)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB921883)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB922616)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB922760)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB922819)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB923191)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB923414)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB923689)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB923694)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB923980)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB924191)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB924270)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB924496)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB924667)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB925454)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB925486)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB925902)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB926255)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB926436)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB927779)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB927802)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB928090)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB928255)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB928843)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB929123)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB929969)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB930178)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB931261)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB931768)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB931784)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB932168)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB933566)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB933729)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB935839)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB935840)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB936021)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB937143)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB938127)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB938829)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB939653)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941202)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941568)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941569)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941644)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB941693)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB942615)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB943055)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB943460)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB943485)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB944338)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB944533)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB944653)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB945553)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB946026)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB947864)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB948590)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB948881)
Sibelius Scorch
Skype 2.5
Sonic DLA
Sonic MyDVD
Sonic RecordNow!
Sonic Update Manager
Sony DVD Architect 4.0
Sony Media Manager 2.2
Sony Vegas 7.0
Sorenson Squeeze 4.5
SoulSeek Client 156c
SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition
Update for Windows XP (KB894391)
Update for Windows XP (KB896727)
Update for Windows XP (KB898461)
Update for Windows XP (KB900485)
Update for Windows XP (KB910437)
Update for Windows XP (KB916595)
Update for Windows XP (KB920872)
Update for Windows XP (KB922582)
Update for Windows XP (KB927891)
Update for Windows XP (KB929338)
Update for Windows XP (KB930916)
Update for Windows XP (KB931836)
Update for Windows XP (KB933360)
Update for Windows XP (KB936357)
Update for Windows XP (KB938828)
Update for Windows XP (KB942763)
Update for Windows XP (KB942840)
Update for Windows XP (KB946627)
Videora iPod Converter 2.19
Viewpoint Media Player
Windows Installer 3.1 (KB893803)
Windows Live installer
Windows Live Messenger
Windows Live Sign-in Assistant
Windows Media Format 11 runtime
Windows Media Format 11 runtime
Windows Media Player 10
Windows Media Player 11
Windows Media Player 11
Windows XP Hotfix - KB867282
Windows XP Hotfix - KB873333
Windows XP Hotfix - KB885250
Windows XP Hotfix - KB885836
Windows XP Hotfix - KB885884
Windows XP Hotfix - KB886185
Windows XP Hotfix - KB887742
Windows XP Hotfix - KB888302
Windows XP Hotfix - KB890859
Windows XP Hotfix - KB890923
Windows XP Hotfix - KB893066
Windows XP Hotfix - KB893086
Xilisoft Video Converter 3

[evilfantasy]

Please go to the Sun Java download page

• Scroll down to Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 6
  
• Click on the Download button next to Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6 Update 6
  
• Click the radio button next to Accept License Agreement after reviewing it. The page will refresh - this is normal.
  
• Download the Windows Offline Installation, Multi-language.
  
• You will want to save this to a location you will remember like the Desktop
  
• Once it has finished downloading, double click it, and follow the prompts to install.
• If it asks to reboot, select No.

.
----------

Go to add/remove programs and uninstall:

• Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2_03
  
• LiveUpdate Notice (Symantec Corporation)
  
• Viewpoint Media Player

.

Set a New Restore Point to prevent possible reinfection from an old one
Setting a new restore point AFTER cleaning your system will enable your computer to roll-back to a clean working state if needed.

• Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and click System Restore
  
• Choose the radio button marked Create a Restore Point on the first screen then click Next Give the Restore Point a name then click Create.
  
• The new restore point will be stamped with the current date and time. Keep a log of this so you can find it easily should you need to use System Restore.
• Next go to Start > Run and type Cleanmgr
  
• Click OK
  
• Click the More Options Tab.
  
• Click Clean Up in the System Restore section to remove all previous restore points except the newly created clean one.

.
Restart the computer

Use the Secunia Software Inspector to check for out of date software.

• Click Start Now
  
• Check the box next to Enable thorough system inspection.
  
• Click Start
  
• Allow the scan to finish and scroll down to see if any updates are needed.
• Update anything listed.

.
Learn more about how to protect yourself while on the internet read this article by Tony Klien: So how did I get infected in the first place?
.
Let me know how everything is now.

[dtrigiani]

Everything appears to be good now. Thanks a lot.

[evilfantasy]

No problem. Safe surfing...