windows update fakery

I clicked an icon , called "update",on the toolbar at the bottom of the
screen ran a full scan and "cleaning" of my computer. Could it have been a
fake? At the end it said to restart, which I did, but Windows would not
reboot, saying there was a file that was missing. The desktop is rearranged
and much data and pictures are gone. It was as if the computer was just out
of the box. I need to recover, but when I try to Restore to an earlier date,
the program won't show an earlier date than the present! Help, please.

Please state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; Vista x64 SP2) when
posting to this newsgroup.

You are seeing the effects of a hijackware infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan
(only!) in Safe Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting requested logs
in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware:
• http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075

• http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
• http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
• http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
• http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums.**

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


seabreeze wrote:
> I clicked an icon , called "update",on the toolbar at the bottom of the
> screen ran a full scan and "cleaning" of my computer. Could it have been
> a
> fake? At the end it said to restart, which I did, but Windows would not
> reboot, saying there was a file that was missing. The desktop is
> rearranged
> and much data and pictures are gone. It was as if the computer was just
> out
> of the box. I need to recover, but when I try to Restore to an earlier
> date, the program won't show an earlier date than the present! Help,
> please.