Multiple services running; computer very slow; Outlook and Excel files corrupted

[Sharon]

FYI, I noticed that the created Addition.txt looks like another language??

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,



They call me TwinHeadedEagle around here, and I'll be working with you.



Before we start please read and note the following:

• At the top of your post, please click on the "Watch thread" button and make sure to check Watch this thread...and receive email notifications. This will send an email to you as soon as I reply to your topic, allowing me to solve your problem faster.
• Please do not install any new software during the cleaning process other than the tools I provide for you. This can hinder the cleaning process. Please do not perform System Restore or any other restore.
• Instructions I give to you are very simple and made for complete beginner to follow. That's why you need to read through my instructions carefully and completely before executing them.
• Please do not run any tools other than the ones I ask you to, when I ask you to. Some of these tools can be very dangerous if used improperly. Also, if you use a tool that I have not requested you use, it can cause false positives, thereby delaying the complete cleaning of your machine.
  
• All tools we use here are completely clean and do not contain any malware. If your antivirus detects them as malicious, please disable your antivirus and then continue.
• If during the process you run across anything that is not in my instructions, please stop and ask. If any tool is running too much time (few hours), please stop and inform me.
• I visit forum several times at day, making sure to respond to everyone's topic as fast as possible. But bear in mind that I have private life like everyone and I cannot be here 24/7. So please be patient with me. Also, some infections require less, and some more time to be removed completely, so bear this in mind and be patient.
• Please stay with me until the end of all steps and procedures and I declare your system clean. Just because there is a lack of symptoms does not indicate a clean machine. If you solved your problem yourself, set aside two minutes to let me know.
  
• Please attach all report using
  
  button below. Doing this, you make it easier for me to analyze and fix your problem.
  
• Do not ask for help for your business PC. Companies are making revenue via computers, so it is good thing to pay someone to repair it.
• If I don't hear from you within 3 days from this initial or any subsequent post, then this thread will be closed.

Download

Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit to your desktop.

• Double-click the icon to start the tool.
• It will ask you where to extract it, then it will start.
• Warning! Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit needs to be run from an account with administrator rights.
• Click in the introduction screen "next" to continue.
• Click in the following screen "Update" to obtain the latest malware definitions.
• Once the update is complete select "Next" and click "Scan".
• When the scan is finished and no malware has been found select "Exit".
• If malware was detected, make sure to check all the items and click "Cleanup". Reboot your computer.
• Open the MBAR folder and paste the content of the following files in your next reply:
  • "mbar-log-{date} (xx-xx-xx).txt"
  • "system-log.txt"

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Please re-run Farbar Recovery Scan Tool to give me a fresh look at your system.

• Right-click on
  
  icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator to start the tool.
  (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
• Make sure that Addition option is checked.
• Press Scan button and wait.
• The tool will produce two logfiles on your desktop: FRST.txt and Addition.txt.

Please include their content into your next reply.

 

[Sharon]

Here are the results from the FRST and MBAR. Thanks!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Excellent. How is your PC now?

 

[Sharon]

It seems good so far (I don't see all those processes running now). My Internet Explorer is presenting pages oddly (all left justified, etc) including this site. I still can't open Outlook (says my Outlook.pst is not an Outllook data file), and various Excel files are saying they are not in the right format either. Are those lost causes?

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Uninstall some programs

We need to uninstall some unwanted/unneeded programs.

• Press the
  
  + R on your keyboard at the same time. Type appwiz.cpl and click OK.
• Search there for each entry mentioned below, right-click the entry and click Uninstall one at a time

The list of programs to uninstall:

• System Optimizer Pro

After completing uninstalls, please manually reboot your machine!

Note: If you get the message like: An error occurred while trying to uninstall, just press Yes.



Try to reset Internet Explorer --> http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/923737


Try to repair Outlook by following this guide --> https://support.office.com/en-za/ar...412-86c4-60458afc5253?ui=en-US&rs=en-ZA&ad=ZA

 

[Sharon]

Uninstalled the programs you listed/rebooted. Repaired Internet Explorer, all is well there now. I don't seem to have the scanpst.exe file that Outlook repair wants me to run...hunting that down online maybe. Hoping maybe there is a repair deal for the Excel too...progress being made though, thank you much!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Let's try with this:

http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/272227

 

[Sharon]

Thanks again! That particular pst apparently is never going to be a happy camper, but I was able to create a new one from links in that article, to get Outlook at least to open and view my other .ost files. : )

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Excellent

Is there something else I can help with?

 

[Sharon]

I've tried Microsoft articles and How Tos to "repair", "extract data" from the damaged Excel file, changing the extension and opening in html or xml or txt, trying to revert to last saved copy..... None of it has worked. Unless you have a last ditch effort for that file, I think I'll have to revert to backup (which is unfortunately a year ago, shame on me lol). Otherwise, I'm good to go, thank you! I'll make a donation so you can have some beers : ).

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

I don't think you'll be able to restore functionality of excel files in any way. They are probably permanently disable by malware and cannot be used anymore.

 

[Sharon]

It looks like every file that is a .txt, .doc, .jpg is now inaccessible after that recent malware. I see all kinds of software out there that implies it can fix this, but I don't want to run the risk of installing some random software and having problems again . Any recommendations? Thanks much!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Yes, that was probably some Crypto malware variant that made your files inaccessible. Unfortunately we can do nothing about it.