Virus ?

[Aqua]

I started my machine today and had a quick browse on the web (all saved sites nothing new) and the screen froze.

After switching off and re-starting i now have the desk top up for a few seconds then it disapperars for a few seconds and so on for 3 or 4 times then the desk top disapperas for good with just the acer wallpaper showing. The mouse can move about, but there is nothing to click on.

When i restart the password page stays constant without any problems till i put the password in, then the above starts to happen again.

I dont know if this is part of the problem, but last night i had the Microsoft Genuine Advantage down load pop up, so i clicked the ballon and left it to it. Might this be causing the fault, my machine has a genuine Windows XP system (the laptop with XP was bought from PC World).

I have tried system restore, but can only go back to when the machine was switched on this morning for the first time.

The laptop is Acer Extensa 5620Z, less than a year old

Help please....

 

[TonyWarrington]

Can you boot into Safe Mode?

If you can run your antivirus and antispyware applications and see if anything flagged

EDIT: I do not believe that MS Genuine Advantage would stop your system in such a way. AFAIK it issues a warning that you do not have a legal copy of windows and prevents you using Microsoft updates

 

[Estrella]

I very much doubt its a virus. The WGA update could have caused an issue, if for what ever reason it didnt install correctly.

I would recommend a chkdsk /p and /r , but I bet you didnt get a geniune XP disk , just a recovery disc.

Actually , now i come to think about it the last few Acer's I sold required the user to create their own rescue CD's /DVD's. Did you create any or were you supplied with any? It may be possible to do a non destructive reinstall / repair.

 

[dave.m]

Systen Restore to before yesterday.

 

[Aqua]

Thanks for your help everyone.

The current situation is the machine stays on, with the desk top icons and the bottom tool bar flashing on for 12 seconds, disapperaing for 5 seconds and then re-appearing for 12 seconds and so on.

I can use an open application (as i am doing now) but the desk top is coming on and off while i am typing this.

I am running a full system AVG scan which has started flagging up cookies etc.

Will update later.

 

[TonyWarrington]

If it relates to Microsoft Genuine Advantage have you tried removing this via control panel add remove programs?

Have you tried booting computer in Safe Mode? Turn computer on and tap the F8 key while system booting. From the menu select Safe Mode.

In Safe Mode do you still get the same flashing icons?

I do not know for sure if this problem is virus/trojan related but it does appear to exhibit some traits of trojan called vundo?

If you have not got it you may want to try Superantispyware http://www.superantispyware.com/ which may help.

Again this should be run in Safe Mode.

 

[Alison556]

As said above, start in safe mode and I've found that the free online scan from BitDefender was really good - my brother had a nasty virus on his PC a couple of weeks ago and it wasn't being picked up by his antivirus (AVG) or Norton (free online scan) but I tried BitDefender and a huge amount of trojan and backdoor hijackers came up. Removing them cured it!

 

[Aqua]

Problem solved (or so it appears) thank you so much to everyone who added a comment on here.

Especially thank you to Tony Warrington for his advice regarding the use of Superantispyware, i tried that and it found 'Adware.Vundo Variant/Resident' and then removed it from the system.

The computer now boots up properly and stays stable without the icons disappearing.

Once again thank you everyone i am so very grateful...

Aqua.