Hello!
I am confused about that has happened to the computer I am working on.
Just in case you recognize this situation, I already posted in the Virus and spyware removal section, but I think I posted in the wrong place. My apologies.
I have Windows Vista and last month just renewed my Avast! Anti-Virus Software.
First of all, not sure if it matters, but before the problem started, it seemed like over the months, a lot of processes in the background seemed to be slowing the computer down. Sometimes I could barely do anything but it would clear up if I restarted my computer, or booted it up from shut down instead of sleep. I thought is was because Avast! does a scan upon startup from sleep.
A couple of nights ago, while using Firefox, after visiting a website for recipes, everything went haywire. Avast detected a malicious URL and reported it to have effectively blocked it.
Nonetheless, a window from a Virus Software Program that I had never seen (MS Removal Tool) popped up and started performing what looked like a scan on my computer. I started getting several different warning messages that looked valid that were telling me I needed to activate my antivirus software and "The application cannot be executed.." that ***.exe files were infected. Immediately I started running a full system scan with Avast.
After a few moments of both of the programs seemingly competing with each other, the computer automatically switched to safe mode on its own, with limited accessibility, the mouse cursor disappeared when the MS Removal Tool windows and warnings popped up, and I think the estimated time for an Avast! scan was a couple of hours, which after about 40 minutes of the blue screen of death occasionally rearing its head, I aborted it and then shut down my computer.
The next night, after that one incidence, I started it up with no sign of the rogue anti-virus program nor its warning messages.
I have since come to The Computer Hope Forum and already read the "Read this before requesting malware removal help" thread.
I followed all the steps and have already run CCleaner, SUPERAntiSpyware, MBAM and HikackThis. The reports all say that my computer is clean and no malicious items have been detected.
I have just tried the Computer Hope log tool. Looking into the things it mentions that could be potential problems, nothing seems unusual. Most of them are all Internet Explorer related, which I don't even use at all.
I have the 3 the logs if any the Malware Removal Specialists need them, I just am waiting to hear back.
I am not convinced that I am free and clear and am concerned that it will show up later or get worse.
This computer belongs to a Nonprofit that I work for from home. I am the database manager of over 1000 records for the company and I am really concerned all this precious data is in danger of being stolen.
I would really appreciate if someone could tell me if I have anything to worry about or has this problem mysteriously disappeared on its own from shutting it down?
I wish I could say I would buy you a house if you helped me but I could perhaps bake you date-chai cookies instead?
Anything would be appreciated.
Thanks.
