5 replies to this topic

[Davvy]

I have a desktop running Win 10, it was on Win 7 when it developed problems with Google Chrome in June of this year. Even after many scans and tries we could not determine what the problem was. So in the end I upgraded the machine to Windows 10 and things worked great again for a while, including using Chrome. However several days ago I started experiencing startup slowness, very sluggish launch of applications, browsers becoming very sluggish, everything becoming harder and harder to operate, as if something is running in the background. This got worse and worse, and finally yesterday I can no longer run any application - when I launch task manager, I can see that the application is part of the processes running, but it will not actually display on the desktop for me to do anything with it. I try running MalwareBytes Antimalware, FRST, Kaspersky, none of them will appear for me to try and scan the machine. The UAC panel comes on and I click on Yes to allow the app to run, but it won't show up. Any program I try to run now does the same thing. And again, everything is very very sluggish: startup, login, display of desktop - no desktop image or theme, they've somehow been removed, I just get a black desktop now; windows explorer and task manager do work, after long long periods of waiting, but that's about it. I just can't run any scan right now to provide, I hope you can show me a way to get that started.

 

Here is a link to the process I went through in June trying to resolve the issues the machine had while on Win 7:

 

http://www.spywarein...-google-chrome/

 

Please advise what I should do next to try resolving this problem?

 

Thank you very much for your wonderful help!

 

[nasdaq]

Hello, Welcome to SpywareInfoForum.
I'm nasdaq and will be helping you.

If you can please print this topic it will make it easier for you to follow the instructions and complete all of the necessary steps in the order listed.
===

Hello again.

If you are not able to download this tool with the compromised computer use a working computer to download the tool to a CD or Flash drive.
Copy the file to the desktop of the compromised computer and run the tool as suggested.


Temporarily disable your AV program so it does not interfere.
Info on how to disable your security applications How To Temporarily Disable Your Anti-virus, Firewall And Anti-malware Programs - Security Mini-Guides.

Download Zeok tool from here

When the download appears, save to the Desktop.
On the Desktop, right-click the Zoek.exe file and select: Run as Administrator
(Give it a few seconds to appear.)

Next, copy/paste the entire script inside the code box below to the input field of Zoek:

createsrpoint;
autoclean;
emptyclsid;
emptyffcache;
FFdefaults;
emptyiecache;
iedefaults;
emptychrcache;
CHRdefaults;
emptyalltemp;
emptyfolderscheck;delete
ipconfig /flushdns;b

Now...
Close any open Browsers.
Click the Run script button, and wait. It takes a few minutes to run all the script.

When the tool finishes, the zoek-results.log is opened in Notepad.
The log is also found on the systemdrive, normally C:\
If a reboot is needed, the log is opened after the reboot.

Please attach the zoek-results.log in your reply.
===

Also, please provide an update on how the computer is behaving after running the above script.

[Davvy]

I tried to do as instructed, but the machine will not run anything at all. All I get is a black desktop with my shortcuts on it, many of which blank. Windows Explorer won't work, so I can't access the usb card on which I have copied zoek and the input file. I am thinking that I should just do a clean re-install of Windows 10. Would that be a sensible solution, or do you have any other suggestion?

[nasdaq]

If you have the means to do a clean reinstall it's your best solution.
It will save you a log of griefs.

[Davvy]

After many tries, I was able to run zoek on the machine. However it would be so excruciatingly slow in performing the scans and doing its cleaning, after 2 days (and a non-responding status) I gave up.

 

I have now done a clean re-install of Windows 10, it's finally completed this morning. I'm now going through the laborious and tedious process of reinstalling everything, starting out with my graphics drivers... :-(

 

Thank you for your help, as usual, nasdaq. Would you kindly link me to a good, updated set of pages on how to stay away from infections now>

 

Have a great day!

[nasdaq]

Since the issue appears to be resolved this Topic is closed.

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