I downloaded some pirate software on Friday night, and must have hit a virus. Here are the symptoms and the actions I've taken:
*The computer is a new USED machine which had no anti-virus software installed
Sat night - Start menu programs dissappeared, no access to control panel, no access to taskmanager (the computer administrator has disabled this feature). The DATE/Time section says the time in military time, then VIRUS ALERT! so all referance to time now also includes the words VIRUS ALERT!
Any attempt to use firefox or IE took me to about:blank.
Steps taken: Downloaded Windows Defender, found errors and deleted them. Downloaded Service Pack 3 and security updates. Downloaded AVAST! Antivirus and ran thorough scan. found errors, put in chest then deleted (file name was Vapsup)
Got into Computer Manager and selected "disable" on the options for blocking out the user from the start menu, taskmanager etc. Deleted all other users.
Ran DiskCleanup, Ran DiskDefrag. Ran Sys Restore to a checkpoint last week but had no effect.
*Remaining issues include the Date/Time still says VIRUS ALERT! - Avast does not find any other harmful files.
*Also, from MY COMPUTER I cannot see the C: drive.
*Also, from SYSTEM Its says Dell, and below it VIRUS ALERT!
*Also, my Start Menu still does not show all the programs installed on the computer. I was able to get it to show some, but they come up on the left side as links instead of menu items.
**I have a registered copy of Windows XP, but I dont have a disc for recovery. What can I do? I'd be okay with formatting the drive and reinstalling everything, but no Windows!
Can anyone help???????