explorer.exe won't load, virus/malware

[pabloalee]

Hi, I really need help please..!... about 4 days ago, I stupidly downloaded a keygen for a program I wanted to unlock and when I double-clicked on the keygen.exe my explorer.exe shutdown, so the desktop dissapeared and so did the bar where the Start button and the time is...I can only see my wallpaper (sorry for my bad english)...and every time I start windows (even on safe mode) after I login, explorer.exe shutdowns and I if I try to load it with the task manager, it appears for like 4 seconds and then it dissapears again.

I have tried restoring windows (when I try to do that a message appears telling me that no changes were made and that windows couldn't be restored), running Spybot, AVG, Norton..and they didn't find anything. Is there something else I can do besides reinstalling Windows XP? ( I lost my cd :( )

Thanks in advance

[Serunson]

are you running all 3 anti-virus programmes at once?

[pabloalee]

only AVG and norton..but I installed AVG Free after the problem...and I can't choose which programs to run at startup from msconfig because a message appears saying that I gave to login from an administrator account..and when I do that..the same message appears...

[dcc]

Running two anti virus programs is not good, running Norton and any other anti virus at the same time is guaranteed to cause problems. In situations like this you should run you scans in safe mode, you might also want to run scans with Adaware and Asquared.

If you think that you are bug free you could try a last good configuration or a system restore.

[gerbil]

some groups are proud of their keygens, and they are clean. others i think are paid by developers to make keygens to teach ppl a lesson. you can test em b4 you run them, you know. and you can sandbox them also.

[pabloalee]

i uninstalled norton...and that caused me more problems cos now my msn messenger and winamp don't work...an error message appears when i open them and they close....I tried reg cleaner and nothing happened....I tried a system restore and it didn't work either....my explorer.exe still doesn't load and now my msn messenger and winamp (and who knows what other program) neither :(

[gerbil]

you may be in trouble.... you could try running sfc with your install cd. Because you ran a keygen it does not have to be a virus etc, just a malicious pgm.... often they give you an ad loading trojan. You could try re-installing your shell:
regsvr32 /s /i shell32.dll
but who knows what problems you have really? Sorry...

[Your PC medic]

I'm sure this is not the last time I will be reminding people in this community of this, but there is NO safe way to engage in illegal activity. And be certain, using key generators and downloading copyrighted content for free through whatever torrent program you may be using IS illegal. Not sort of illegal. ILLEGAL. That being said, this behavior is also a wonderfulkl way to pick up some very nasty malware, as you have experienced. Please do not advise anyone in these forums or anywhere else to do illegal things in order to fix the problem they encountered BECAUSE they did illegal things. Also, there is absolutley NO TRUTH to any statements about one anti-virus program being better in any way than any other. Your malware problems are the fault of YOUR behavior. NOT the behavior of your security software.

Lastly, if you want your computer fixed, and these forums aren't doing the trick, please hire a professional.

[gerbil]

Please don't get yur foot caught in a stirrup when you get off that high horse of yours.
"Please do not advise anyone in these forums or anywhere else to do illegal things in order to fix the problem they encountered BECAUSE they did illegal things." - We do not.
" Also, there is absolutley NO TRUTH to any statements about one anti-virus program being better in any way than any other. " Utterly false statement of yours. Take time to read some reviews written after standardised tests have been run on several suites.
"Your malware problems are the fault of YOUR behavior. NOT the behavior of your security software." Not necessarily true. You should be very aware that AV bulletins are written in RESPONSE to new threats, and some AV companies issue them many times throughout the day. Not all AV detection is by behavioural analysis of processes.
Cheers. [ I do rather doubt that the threadmaker is still searching for help on this after two years...]