Help if you could be so kind.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

I have an awful virus/trojan/ browser hijacker thingy.

It started with me not being able to turn my computer off because a recurring message about shutting down iex.exe . I had to actually pull the plug! I am not being allowed to connect to malwarebytes or microsoft and the browser will close down sites on me whenever it pleases. Now the recurring closing message has turned into one about shutting down CiceroUiWnd Frame. ( I did google that and see it has something to do with voice and handwriting - which I don't even use!)

Anyway, sigh, please help if you can. I am resigned to reformatting if I have to.

My computer is about a 5 year old Dell something running XPHome.

[BlueJazz]

1. Almost impossible to "Quick Fix". Umm...if you are able to save your files that you..

...either want or love, do it soon (CD or flash drive)

You could take it to a Tech OR you can buy a copy of XP Professional. (pretty cheap on Ebay)

Put in the disk (after rebooting)...when XP Pro starts the installation, do a NEW install and wipe out your hard disk....and install
Pro.


On Edit: Don't misunderstand...I and a lot of the techs here could fix your computer but to do it long-distance??? No :)

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. I understand completely about trying to walk someone through something fairly complex

long distance and intermittetly is pretty much a no-go. In my Op I mistyped - the program that it says repeatedly it can't shut down is iexplore.exe.

Do you have an idea, i.e. a name of my infection, so I might be able to Google a fix?

Sidenote: I have had a current subscription to Norton/Symantec Virus/Firewall/Internet security since day 1 as well as Adaware which I ran frequently. A long time ago my "restore" application fizzled and from what I read it seemed to be due to some Norton conflict that I was never able to resolve - so I chalked that off. THEN I got a terrible virus (little black bugs eating up your icons) that I had to get personal tech support from Norton about (cost about $100.00 for phone consult). And now this! What the heck good is all this protection if you still get all this crap?! And we are completely obsessive about only going on reputable, mainstream sites - it's just maddening. Sorry for the rant.

Anyway, I appreciate your replying to my question at all. Thanks.

[BlueJazz]

9. Most Techs don't care for Norton.

It's bulky, intrusive and tends to fight with other programs.

Avira (anti-Virus) is Free and it's rated ""superior" Look at this:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/170674/free_antivirus_software.html

[Why Syzygy]

10. The solution

I posted earlier was for the Trojan you typed in OP. With the additional information you've given, I suggest the Microsoft Windows (LiveOneCare) online scan. NOT the installed product.

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

You MAY have to update to SP3. You need SP2 for sure. It resolves registry mistakes and malware (virus/spyware). It will take several hours to run. It resolved an issue I had with the systray (caued by AVG) which had been an ongoing annoyance for a long time.

[Why Syzygy]

11. Quite a few of us

have phone support experience; and are used to troubleshooting long distance.

[Why Syzygy]

2. This is probably spyware. (Trojan)

Just a tip. In the future instead of pulling the plug, try holding in the I/O button for 10 or more seconds to see if it won't power off.

Please read through this thread. The part specific to file names and the registry won't apply. These scans take awhile, so plan to have your pc unavailabe for a while.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=242x26630

You may skip the Spybot portion, unless you still have an issue after Malwarebytes. Be sure to update Malwarebytes before the scan and run the FULL scan.

[hobbit709]

4. Boot up in Safe Mode

After the Dell start screen blanks hit the F8 key and pick the safe mode with networking option.

Run Malwarebytes in safe mode and let it heal the infections.

Before you reboot the computer afterwards, go to My Computer and Right Click on it. Select Properties.
Pick the System Restore and turn it OFF. It will give you a message about not being able to etc.

Unfortunately when you get an infection like this Windows acts like a virus and uses system restore to put the malware BACK on your system.

When it boots up in normal mode, run ALL your security scans again. Malwarebytes, Spybot, and your antivirus program.

If all the scans are clean, then you can turn System Restore back on the same way you turned it off.

Good luck.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. Thanks, I will give it a shot.

Do you think it will let me connect to Malwarebytes in the safe mode? I guess we'll find out.

(Everytime I post here, this horrible thing disconnects me from DU!)

[whistler162]

7. Safe mode with networking should.

[hobbit709]

8. Safe Mode with Networking should let you get online

The display will be in 640 by 480 resolution but you can use it.

[whistler162]

5. possibly this solution -

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/50833/

http://hemmer.home.cern.ch/hemmer/KB/Articles/Q000018.htm

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

12. DU's Computer Help Group RAWKS!!!!!! Thank you so much, everyone!

My issue appears to be resolved at this time. I did do the open in Safe mode with Networking and managed to bumble my way through the process to malwarebytes and download the program and run a full scan which found 7 infections in 20seconds, although the full scan took 20 minutes. I am able to browse, post and shutdown normally as of now. I give all of you the credit with all of your great advice.

I did a lot of reading and there IS an iexplore.exe virus which is apparently quite a nasty one. I hope my fix works, because apparently it can come back. Malwarebytes seems to have worked, but I did read that some program called www.prevx.com also does a good job at erradicating it, just in case anyone else encounters it.

What I also learned in perusing some general computer support forums is that LOTs of viruses now cloak themselves in the names of real and legitimate programs, making it that much harder for a non-techie type to find them.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

13. It came back, (sob!)

I actually expected it to, nothing that has as much discussion devoted to it could be that easy to get rid of. I bought the prevx virus software mentioned above. I hope it's not a ripoff. It SEEMS to have found and destroyed it, but we'll see. It also seems to have banished my Norton to a seat at the kiddie's table on my desktop instead of being in the systems tray. I don't know what to think about that, but I'm not too enamored of Norton now anyway, since it allowed me to get infected twice with two older, major viruses. I can't see how that could happen.

[mockmonkey]

14. I've used Prevx

It seemed to work ok and got rid of a nasty virus for me. I never renewed it and I don't remember why, probably money issues.

I don't care much for Norton since they renewed me for a 2 year subscription without notice because of a check mark that I never saw on an account page I never remember even seeing before saying to renew me automatically which I would never do. I never know what my financial situation it going to be month to month.

Plus Live Update was a piece of shit that always stopped working twice a year.

I use the free version of AVG, it's ok.

A friend sent me a link tonight asking me what this was...he could have mentioned that it was something that was going to fill my page with pop-ups and fake virus warnings. It messed up my Firefox. Luckily Malwarebytes got rid of that one. Sheesh!

I like to take at least one day a month and run Disk Cleanup, Defrag and all the virus things in safe mode just to keep up on things.

It's always something with computers.