Is this a virus, or...?

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Sarramy

Sarramy

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Sep 15, 2015
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I'm back with a problem I just can not solve. I don't know if this is related to a previous problem I had (am still having): http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2924228/compressed-zipped-folder-option-send.html but whatever it is, it's extremely frustrating.

As you can see in that other thread I suddenly could not zip files using the built in functionality, even though the folder was in the right place. Well now a program has disappeared completely. Steelseries Engine 3 just vanished. No warning, just all of a sudden my keyboard backlight was solid red instead of rainbow like normal. So I went to open the program and find out what was wrong and it was gone. Poof! Vanished. AND my browser appears to be hijacked. Every once in a while when I click a link to anything an ad opens in a new tab instead. And then today I clicked on a normal link and a new tab opened with an alarmist popup saying I had a horrible virus, etc, etc. Couldn't even close the browser that time, had to shut it down using task manager.

I have AVG running and I did a virus scan and it found one thing. It was in something I had recently downloaded (though never opened or installed) so I quarantined that. Still happened. So I downloaded Malwarebytes. It found one thing but it was a false find. It was a download from a reputable company I work for, it activates a program to allow access through an android phone, needed for recordings I do. I had not installed that program yet though so I still went ahead and let it quarantine that anyway. Problem still persisted. I chatted with a friend who works in network security and he suggested downloading Avast and Ad-Aware. I did... both found nothing. He said last resort would be to try HitmanPro. I did... nothing was found.

I have reset my browser settings 3 times so far and yet it keeps coming back. What else can I do? I don't want to risk losing more functionality through random programs deleting and I worry about security with all the random popup ads and tabs. Please help.
 
Solution
D
Sarramy, I have a solution. BUT BEFORE YOU DO IT, GO INTO SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING
Get the following:
ADWcleaner
HitmanPro Second opinion Scanner (Best choice after malwarebytes w/ rootkits)
Malwarebytes: Enable rootkit scanning, they might be stopping your scanner from finding it
Junkware Removal Tool
But first of all, you need to uninstall Program/Virus.
Then scan using MalwareBytes with scanning Rootkits
Then scan using HitmanPro second opinion scanner
Then use CCleaner to get rid of junk, then registry.
Junkware removal tool after.
Happy to help if you need more assistance :)
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Hello... reload a "restore point" to a time before the malware got loaded in your registry/OS... you may have to reload some Programs from that point in time afterwords... look for any remaining Drive files from the bad DL, and delete them.

The only place it can live is on your OS partition/hardrive... SO a "clean install" will eliminate it too... 30 mins and problem gone... Live and learn where not to go and DL.
 
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Will restoring to a different point remove files I've created? If so, is it safe for me to back those up at this time or could they be infected to now? I have been working and have about 4 new posters I made today that I'd really not like to have to recreate.
 
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Hello... It changes the OS Registry, to a previous time... NOT the DATA installed on the HARDRIVE-Your data is safe... it will tell you what programs are affected too... you may have to reload/install some Programs back into your Registry, from that point in time afterwords, for affected programs/registry entries.

Always create a manual Restore Point when your computer is running good and after new software install... it's a "free mulligan" when you or software screws up. B )

I feel you got the common MALware stuff and the "restore point" and deleteing the DL will get you back safe... just watch what is running in the background or network connections... it will be obvious perform problems, like you see now. B )
 
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Now I'm really angry. System Restore has been turned off. I have no more previous restore points. I always keep that on so I can only assume that whatever is going on affected that too. So... am I screwed or is there anything else I can do?

I really really really don't want to reinstall Windows 10. That would suck so much. Also not even sure how I could do that. The computer came with Windows 8 but no OS disk, and I upgraded to Windows 10. So I don't even have a disk to reinstall from.
 
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Hello... B O... Tell me your Computer #'s, brand, model... chances OS restore, is on another partition of your HD.

1) You can do a Windows OS "Refresh" to original/New condition... all Windows Updates will be gone, No big deal... and all your DATA will remain... there are different methods to do this.
 
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It's an MSI GE72 Apache Pro. When I open System Restore is says "System Protection is turned off". I never turn it off (I remember that much from my comp tech classes) so I have to assume that a virus did it. But because of that when I turn it on it says "No restore points have been created on your computer's system drive". So apparently it seems they've all been deleted. 🙁

Can you walk me through doing a Windows file restore to original/new condition?
 
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I just tried to Reset my computer and it showed me a list of the programs that would have to reinstalled and many of them came on the computer already but without disks. Things that are needed to actually run the advanced hardware, like my nvidia graphics card. It removes everything. Is there any other way to remove whatever is affecting my computer without having to remove everything that I need?
 
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Hello... Yes "restore point" B ) Nice laptop... SoRry about this B (
1) MSI site will have all your Device drivers and APPs
You need to make or DL all the drivers first to a USB stick? or your Hd will work too... do this on another computer?
2) There will be very good instruction from the laptop manual too... get it out... the Driver ORIG Files could be on your D: drive right now!!! " ReCovery "
3) You could call them and I'm sure they will have someone/tech on the phone for you... might be interesting strong accent... reading the manual for you.
4) You could lose WIN10 and Program installs with ORIG Laptop file recovery.

Basically after a new Windows refresh we might have to load your hardware/Windows drivers... they are all on their Website, and DL'ing them first saves a lot of time.

*** You could pay a local shop to do this for you... How ya feel about this? its just DL'ng & Starting a few small apps to get them in.
 
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*sigh* Alright. I'll start finding everything I need to download in order to do this. I looked on the MSI website and didn't find the program downloads (things like Dragon Gaming Center and Cyberlink PowerDVD 10, everything that came on the computer). This might take a while since I have other things I have to try and get done today too. 🙁
 
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How do I reset the router? Do you mean just power cycle it or is there more? It's one I rent from Comcast so I can't mess with the settings too much.

Is JRT the Junkware Removal Tool by Malwarebytes?

I might as well give them a try. No harm no foul, right?
 
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usually a reset button at back of router, press in for 5- 60 seconds to reset depends on model.

and yes jrt, malwarebytes bought it a few months ago from the author who stil works on it.

i made a video for adwcleaner. its easy to use but what the hey.


[flash=320,240]https://www.youtube.com/v/NbClhLW5gfY[/flash]

 
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Thank you. :) Both JRT and adwcleaner caught things that none of the other scanners had, including things like SearchScope and conduit. Hopefully that's enough to fix it, but I'll keep downloading the programs and drivers, just in case I have to reset Windows after all.
 
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Sarramy, I have a solution. BUT BEFORE YOU DO IT, GO INTO SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING
Get the following:
ADWcleaner
HitmanPro Second opinion Scanner (Best choice after malwarebytes w/ rootkits)
Malwarebytes: Enable rootkit scanning, they might be stopping your scanner from finding it
Junkware Removal Tool
But first of all, you need to uninstall Program/Virus.
Then scan using MalwareBytes with scanning Rootkits
Then scan using HitmanPro second opinion scanner
Then use CCleaner to get rid of junk, then registry.
Junkware removal tool after.
Happy to help if you need more assistance :)
 
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