Member Avatar for JGagne5

Hello,

This is my first post, and I'm not too sure what my next step should be...

The problem started yesterday, and I suspect it's related to a virus that was supposedly removed by AVG.

Here's what's going on:
- Windows Explorer crashes every 3 seconds; it restarts, then the message box pops up again
- Right after that message comes up (on startup), my laptop claims run32dll.exe has stopped working
- Other programs seem to be going wonky: I've seen Windows Defender message, Synaptics ,
Windows Task Scheduler, etc.
- I've run AVG scan, 6 threats were found, along with tracking cookies... removed all of it.
- I tried opening HiJack This, but it won't open either.
- No Uninstall option in Remove A Program.

I have no idea what to do next. Everyone always asks for a HiJack This log, but how do I run it if it won't open?

Other things that may help:
- I'm a noob with computers
- I'm running Vista Home Premium
- I'm using an HP Pavillion laptop
- 3 GB Ram
- 220 GB HDD
- I'll give other details if needed and I'll respond quickly :)

Please help, and many thanks in advance.

Justin

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Dani AI

Generated

A few focused next steps and cautions that build on ’s removal of the Winlogon persistence (the likely cause of the explorer crashes) and ’s System Restore suggestion.

Immediate priorities: isolate the machine from the network and back up personal data from a clean environment (boot from a trusted rescue USB or attach the drive to another clean PC). Copy only documents, pictures and media — do not transfer installers, archives or executables until those files are scanned on a different, up‑to‑date system.

Suggested cleanup workflow (in this order): boot Safe Mode (F8), run current on‑demand scanners from a clean USB or a bootable rescue ISO, then repair common infection side‑effects. Check and clean the HOSTS file at %windir%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and reset networking/stack and file integrity with these commands (run as Administrator):

netsh winsock reset
netsh winhttp reset proxy
sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /f

Fix installer/uninstall and persistence issues: re‑register the Windows Installer service, inspect Services and Scheduled Tasks, and use an autorun/startup inspector to find leftover malicious entries. Re‑register Installer with:

msiexec /unregister
msiexec /regserver

Then review HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall for corrupt entries and examine startup locations (Run keys, Scheduled Tasks, services, drivers, shell extensions). Many scanners that are blocked in normal mode will run from Safe Mode or from a bootable rescue environment; renaming a scanner executable is sometimes a short workaround but carries risk.

If system instability or core component damage persists, a clean OS reinstall is the safest long‑term fix after backing up. Before restoring anything, scan backups on a different, fully patched machine or with a bootable scanner. Final notes: avoid editing the registry unless comfortable (registry mistakes can render Windows unbootable), keep the OS and security software current, use least‑privilege accounts, and avoid untrusted/ cracked software and torrents.

Member Avatar for mario20055

If you have system restore in place, try going back to a date where the computer was working properly and that you suspect that the virus wasn't in your computer yet.

you can access sytems restore by going to Start menu --- All Programs--- Accessories-- System Tools ---- System Restore

Hope this helps

Member Avatar for JGagne5

Tried System Restore; didn't work - said there was a hardware failure or something of the sort...

Member Avatar for JGagne5

Update: I've solved the explorer.exe and run32dll.exe problem... A virus probably accessed the registry and added "Taskman"
with the value run32dll.exe in winlogon. I removed it, and now explorer works fine.

However, the problem is NOT resolved. Here's what I'm still experiencing:
- Can't uninstall programs in Control Panel (The Uninstall / Change button is simply not there) - HOWEVER, a few recently
added files can apparently be uninstalled; does this have something to do with the virus changing registry or files?
- Certain programs don't run: Malware bytes, Hijack This, etc.
- Programs requiring Internet don't install correctly - notably Spyware Doctor [Smart Update can't update] and Spybot S & D
(I can, however, access the Internet...)
- Computer is running a little slower than before the virus (I managed to speed it up a little since my last post - don't know how)
- AVG Free 8 detected no threats when I ran a system scan last night
- BitDefender trial can't scan past a file named SOFTWARE.sys, so it doesn't reach the fixing part
- Kaspersky won't install because of AVG, and I can't uninstall AVG - the uninstaller says the program isn't installed, yet it obviously is.
- Whenever I use Google and click a link, it brings me to the wrong site - mostly ads, or similar products, most likely more viruses
- I'm still clueless as to what to do next.

Also, I removed 4 threats with smaller fractions of BitDefender scanning:
- Application.Generic.30184
- Application.Pwcrack.Cain.GL
- Worm.Generic.47369
- Worm.Generic.47845

The last 2 couldn't be removed because they were in an archive - I deleted the whole folder containing the archive.
In regards to these threats, they didn't seem to cause much damage because I only started getting symptoms July 2nd.

Finally, if it helps, I know exactly what caused the virus. It was a torrent download, Network Magic Patch. The patch totally
screwed up my laptop. I'm ashamed I had to download a patch in the first place, or that I even had uTorrent on my computer,
but I have removed uTorrent and Network Magic altogether. No more torrents for me; I've learned my lesson the hard way.

Thank you all for viewing this, and for trying to help.
Justin, a teen who won't be using torrents for the rest of his life :|

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