> ...I removed Norton...after the Norton subscription ran out.
You should have uninstalled Norton *and* run the Norton Removal Tool &
installed a replacement AV App *before* your Norton subscription expired.
Don't waste your time trying to clean up that computer. Back-up any
personal data (none of which should be considered 100% trustworthy at this
point) then format the HDD & do a clean install of Windows. Please note
that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT fix this!
HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method 1 in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307
After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a local network (i.e., other computers) and
before using a flash drive or SDCard that isn't brand-new or hasn't been
freshly formatted:
4 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pypc.aspx
Other helpful references include:
HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c
HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b
Tip: After getting the computer fully-patched, download/install KB971029
manually:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971029
NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the computer
when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows is
reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
appropriate removal tool before installing any updates, Windows Service
Packs or IE upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application
(which will require WinXP SP3 to be installed).
Norton Removal Tool
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe
McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe
Also see:
Risks & Benefits of P2P file sharing
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/data/downloadfileshare/filesharing.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/mmpc/archive/2008/10/06/the-cost-of-free-software.aspx
Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx
Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx
Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
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 or Geek Squad) computer repair shop.
--
~PA Bear
WillH wrote:
> no this is the first post I've made about this problem (it only happened
> today) I removed Norton before I put AVG on and it was a few weeks after
> the Norton subscription ran out.
>
> I'll look at the things that you suggest and let you know how I get on.
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>> [Have I been assisting you this week in an MS Answers forum, Will?]
>>
>> Had your Norton subscription expired before you replaced it with AVG
>> Free?
>>
>> Did you run the Norton Removal Tool before you installed AVG Free?
>>
>>> Yesterday I had the @XP Security Center@ virus on my PC
>>> which I deleted
>>
>> Your inability to "run any programs" was caused by the hijackware
>> infection
>> so I can assure you that you have much more work to do!
>>
>> 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!
>>
>> Microsoft PCSafety provides home users (only) with no-charge support in
>> dealing with malware infections such as viruses, spyware (including
>> unwanted software), and adware.
>> https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&prid=7552&st=1
>>
>> Also available via the Consumer Security Support home page:
>> https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com/
>>
>> Otherwise...
>>
>> 1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/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.
>>
>> 2a. WinXP => 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
>>
>> 2b. Vista or Win7=> Run this scan instead:
>> http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/whatsnew.htm
>>
>> 3. Now run a thorough check for hijackware, including posting requested
>> logs in an appropriate forum, not here. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!!
>>
>> Checking for/Help with Hijackware:
>> • http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>> • http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
>> • http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
>> • http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware
>>
>> **Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
>> http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachinesforum/index.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 or Geek Squad) computer repair
>> shop.
>>
>>
>> WillH wrote:
>>> I'm curretnly running avg v9 (free). I used ot have Norton but stopped
>>> it
>>> 2
>>> years ago.
>>>
>>> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>>>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>>>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>>>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
>>>>
>>>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
>>>> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>>>> bought
>>>> it)?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> WillH wrote:
>>>>> I'm using Windows Xp Media Edition V5.1 SP3
>>>>>
>>>>>> I have a serious problem on my PC and wondered if anyone had any
>>>>>> ideas.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I re-booted my PC and after it came back up there were no icons in
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> system tray. When I tried to run any program from my task bar or
>>>>>> desktop
>>>>>> the system displayed the window which asks which program you would
>>>>>> like
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> use to open the file (even though the files are all exe). I can open
>>>>>> Word,
>>>>>> Excel, PPT by double clicking on a relevant file(.doc .ppt .xls).
>>>>>> however
>>>>>> I can't open Outlook by clicking on a .pst file. I also can't run
>>>>>> things
>>>>>> from the 'run" window (like regedit, ipconfig etc). Also I can't run
>>>>>> anything from the control panel.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> when I "right click" on the desktop and try to create a new shortcut
>>>>>> I
>>>>>> get
>>>>>> the message "rundll32.exe - application not found" (even though
>>>>>> rundll32.exe is in the Windows\system32 folder).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have managed to get File Explorer working and can run that from the
>>>>>> task
>>>>>> bar. However when I navigate to a folder and try to run a program
>>>>>> directly
>>>>>> from the folder I get the result above.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any help appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> .
>>
>> .