When it all started, my protection was AVG 8.5. I went to google to search for an article. Google then brought up the search results page. I clicked on one of the links and it then redirected me to a site that had nothing to do with what I searched. I tried multiple times and it kept bringing up these other search engines/advertisements. I used yahoo search as well and had the same result. Now, google or yahoo won't even open. So I downloaded Spybot hoping it would remove whatever I have on my computer. I ran a scan, but midway through the scan the program just closed itself. There wasn't any notice at all, it just vanished from my screen. Then when I tried to open Spybot again, it said that I may not have permission to access or something. So then I downloaded Ad-Aware and had the same outcome...stopped midway through scan, then closed, and unable to open the program.
During the Spybot problem, I then received a notice that the Resident Sheild in AVG was turned off. I went to AVG to turn it on, clicked the ticker, saved the changes, and it remained disabled. I also downloaded CCleaner. I ran CCleaner but it didn't seem to do much, but I am still able to open it. I went to Symantec and got a free scan. The results showed I had a Trojan named Backdoor.Tidserv. After learning this, I went to http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2008-091809-0911-99&tabid=3 to try and remove it. Following those instructions, I disabled Windows XP System Restore. I then went on to download a trial version of Norton Anti-Virus 2010. While running a scan through Norton, AGAIN, the program closed itself midway through the scan and I could no longer access it.
I was going to attach a log file from HijackThis, but when I downloaded the program, it maybe ran a scan for 1-2 seconds then closed itself, just like the other applications. I couldn't open it back up.
On top of all this, I believe my email is infected. I learned that an email apparently sent from my email address contained advertisements and I would assume it's the virus. I really don't want to infect anyone else's computer. I've been trying to battle this for the past two days.
I've learned that one option is to reformat windows. I would hope this would wipe the virus away and in turn it would wipe all of my information. If I do that, would my email be clean? Or would it still be infected?
Basically, I have no idea how to take this virus or whatever it is off. I'm hoping there's another solution out there.
Thanks,
Adam
