Troubleshooting issues after running Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit
Certain rootkits will delete Windows services and change Windows settings that can cause Windows not to operate properly. These problems, which typically appear after the rootkit has been removed, include loss of network connectivity, the Windows Firewall no longer starting, or Windows Update no longer working. To fix these types of issues, Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit includes a program called fixdamage.exe that can be used to resolve many of these issues.
When run, fixdamage.exe will scan your computer for deleted or incomplete Windows services and broken Layered Service Providers. It will then recreate any missing or damaged services and repair the Layered Service Provider chain. Last, but not least, fixdamage will restore all the default Windows Firewall rules if necessary. This will typically resolve most issues with broken network connectivity and Windows services that do not start properly.
To run fixdamage, open the mbar folder that you extracted when you download the program. Inside that folder you should see a program called fixdamage.exe. Double-click on that file and the program will launch as shown below.
fixdamage.exe
Simply press on the Y key on your keyboard and the program will perform any necessary fixes. When it has finished, you be shown a message that says press any key to exit. Press any key on your keyboard and the fixdamage screen will close. For the changes to go into effect, you now need to manually restart your computer.
Once your computer restarts and you log back in, Windows should be operating properly again.