Need help with my laptop, I think I got a virus

[triggrhappy94]

I consider myself a pretty savy computer person, not on the level of an IT guy, but still.
And I've dispatched my share of viruses, but I'm having trouble getting rid of a problem (havent diagnost it as a real virus yet).
I have Windows 7 on my laptop, so that means when ever a program tries to run I'll have to give it permission, but this also leads to more annoyences. I keep getting a pop up saying taskmgr.exe is requesting permission to run. I've gotten this problem before with jucheck.exe, where no matter what you do it'll just keep popping up and asking for permission to run, untill you hunt it down in "Roaming" files and delete. But, I can do it with this, because I can't find it to delete it and AVG doesnt recognize anything that's causing it.

To sum it up: taskmgr.exe keeps asking for permission to run, wont go away.

Thanks

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

My suggestion is to download and run a scan with Malwarebytes [http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=mncol;1]. It generally picks up a hell of a lot more than AVG. If that doesn't catch it, try restoring windows to an earlier point by using Windows Recovery. However remember that files you gained or modified since the restore point will be as they were before.

Note: You do know taskmgr.exe is just the task manager right?(if it is indeed only trying to run taskmgr.exe it isn't actually an issue)

NOTE 2: If you open the task manager and go to processes you can right-click and "Open File Location". So if there is another program that is opened that is actually some kind of malware/virus, finding it there would allow you to delete an executable. Though it's more likely that there is a service or script somewhere else in a tmp folder that would cause the exe to appear again.

 

[Erana]

Note: You do know taskmgr.exe is just the task manager right?(if it is indeed only trying to run taskmgr.exe it isn't actually an issue)

This.

If there's anything running that you aren't immediately familiar with, you should google it. If there's something suspicious, even with a seemingly normal program, google search for malware masquerading as something normal.

 

[superstringz]

If you're having trouble deleting files, and your anti-virus is not helping, get a live cd linux distro (puppy linux is good at this), boot from cd, back up any files you want to keep and then start deleting files you don't know about. Use Caution: With luck, you'll get the virus. Without luck, you'll get system32.

 

[Samurai Silhouette]

Norton 360 v5
External HD
OS installation disk

1. Back up everything that can't be replaced on XHD
2. Reformat computer
3. Install Norton
4. Update everything, especially Norton
5. Virus scan XHD
6. Return computer to normal


It only took me an hour to reformat and restore my computer and it runs as if I just bought it. Norton is possible the best antivirus out there with massive support and constantly updating. Gotta have a computer that could handle it though.

 

[Fooz]

Norton 360 v5
External HD
OS installation disk

1. Back up everything that can't be replaced on XHD
2. Reformat computer
3. Install Norton
4. Update everything, especially Norton
5. Virus scan XHD
6. Return computer to normal


It only took me an hour to reformat and restore my computer and it runs as if I just bought it. Norton is possible the best antivirus out there with massive support and constantly updating. Gotta have a computer that could handle it though.

yeah man, norton is really good, this thread prompted me to do a full system scan

 

[DannyJBeckett]

Personally, I've found Norton and AVG to be more trouble than they're worth. I'm running Vista (I KNOW, I know), and I've got Microsoft Security Essentials installed. It's going pretty well so far, no real complaints.

 

[Kryzantine]

If you can't find it, remember you can always do a system restore. It sucks and it takes a bit of time, but it generally solves system file problems. I actually recently had an insane bug where I booted up my laptop and the goddamned desktop system file was missing, had to do a system restore on that. Worked, though.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

You know for the record I don't run active Anti-virus and I rarely do full scans but when I do... it's completely clean. If you know what you're doing you really don't need anti-virus. And you certainly should never pay for it, it's a complete waste of money when free antivirus will keep you completely clean even if your lazy with your browsing and downloading habits.

 

[Comando96]

taskmgr.exe stands for Windows Scheduler Engine

... this for you should be an "oh shit" moment as you have a virus, running under the name and credentials as... task manager...

Your computer if this is a virus... really doesn't have long and will not wake after you turn it off one last time...

Don't use an anti-virus program, you need to find it manually.

type taskmgr into the advanced search, searching all of the computer for such a file.

You should only find 1 and that is the genuine Task Manager.
...If you find 2... your in big trouble.
If they are both in System 32... oh shit again... but they can't be in the same section.

I'd need to delete one of them and additionally then run a program like CCleaner and run a "Wipe all free space" cycle so that all of the stuff you think you deleted, is actually removed instead of being marked as available to be overridden.

...consider taking this to a professional instead of the internet because this is either an error or a fuck up your computer virus.

You know for the record I don't run active Anti-virus and I rarely do full scans but when I do... it's completely clean. If you know what you're doing you really don't need anti-virus. And you certainly should never pay for it, it's a complete waste of money when free antivirus will keep you completely clean even if your lazy with your browsing and downloading habits.

Ever heard of polymorphic viruses? No?

Well neither has any other company apart from Norton Security who in the last year miraculously went from non-existent protection to protection as good as any other free virus program and are pioneering a way to counter-act polymorphic viruses by... making their own polymorphic virus and letting it patrolling your system looking for them.

Historically getting BUYING anti-virus software has been a total scam but now it seems to actually be worth it.

 

[Fayathon]

Norton 360 v5
External HD
OS installation disk

1. Back up everything that can't be replaced on XHD
2. Reformat computer
3. Install Norton
4. Update everything, especially Norton
5. Virus scan XHD
6. Return computer to normal


It only took me an hour to reformat and restore my computer and it runs as if I just bought it. Norton is possible the best antivirus out there with massive support and constantly updating. Gotta have a computer that could handle it though.

*snipped for duplication*

yeah man, norton is really good, this thread prompted me to do a full system scan

I sincerely hope you both are joking, Norton is garbage as far as AVs go.

OP, get Avast, it has a boot scan option that will scan your computer before Windows can even load so it'll catch viruses that are buried in the OS fairly well. Also, get Spybot Search and Destroy and Malwarebytes on top of that.

Avast! [http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download]
Malwarebytes [http://www.malwarebytes.org/]
Spybot [http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/]

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

Malwarebytes, S&D, Avast. Trust me, ditch the fucking AVG. That thing caused me more problems than anything.

snip

snip

I sincerely hope you both are joking, Norton is garbage as far as AVs go.

OP, get Avast, it has a boot scan option that will scan your computer before Windows can even load so it'll catch viruses that are buried in the OS fairly well. Also, get Spybot Search and Destroy and Malwarebytes on top of that.

Avast! [http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download]
Malwarebytes [http://www.malwarebytes.org/]
Spybot [http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/]

These two quotes. Seriously, OP, I've had personal experience with AVG and it's really lackluster when compared to a lot of other freeware (and a few paid, like Norton and McAfee) security programs. If I didn't have a corporate license for ESET from my dad, I'd be using Avast, but I already use the other two.

Really, I'm an IT guy. So is Fayathon. You can trust us.

 

[Comando96]

These two quotes. Seriously, OP, I've had personal experience with AVG and it's really lackluster when compared to a lot of other freeware (and a few paid, like Norton and McAfee) security programs. If I didn't have a corporate license for ESET from my dad, I'd be using Avast, but I already use the other two.

Really, I'm an IT guy. So is Fayathon. You can trust us.

When did you last actively try Norton?

Since a year ago they severely improved upon their software and started up counter measures for polymorphic viruses, the MRSA of computer viruses.

Dunno how Norton suddenly got competent... someone probably stole something but they got better none the less.

Avast is perfectly fine but Norton are weirdly pioneering the new threat and taking their defence up to the next level, as well as getting generally up to the level of other free ware in general terms xD

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

snip

When did you last actively try Norton?

Since a year ago they severely improved upon their software and started up counter measures for polymorphic viruses, the MRSA of computer viruses.

Dunno how Norton suddenly got competent... someone probably stole something but they got better none the less.

Avast is perfectly fine but Norton are weirdly pioneering the new threat and taking their defence up to the next level, as well as getting generally up to the level of other free ware in general terms xD

Last I tried Norton was in '09, hoping that it had gotten competent. It was garbage then, and I doubt it's changed much. I hate to doubt you, but I still don't trust Symantec, and probably never will again. I'd rather just use the freeware that has been proven time and time again to work well.

Also:

Historically getting BUYING anti-virus software has been a total scam but now it seems to actually be worth it.

No, NO, NO! You're basing this on the actions of one company, on a claim that may not even be legitimate. Seriously, man. If Norton has a track record for being stupid when it comes to viruses, what makes you think that it suddenly got smart?

Let me put it to you in gaming terms, as that topic is easier for the Escapist's userbase to comprehend. If Sega made a string of bad Sonic games (they did), and then promised a good one (they did), we would want proof, right? We got proof: Sonic Generations. Or how about Square? They made a string of arguably bad FF games starting with X, but are promising a good one with Versus XIII, and we've seen real-time gameplay footage, real-time cutscenes, and pre-rendered cutscenes as proof.

What I'm saying is, Symantec needs proof before most people are going to switch to Norton. They'll still have the blind computer-illiterate followers, but most tech-savvy people are going to keep their distance until the proof is sufficient enough for them to want to use Norton.

 

[Comando96]

What I'm saying is, Symantec needs proof before most people are going to switch to Norton. They'll still have the blind computer-illiterate followers, but most tech-savvy people are going to keep their distance until the proof is sufficient enough for them to want to use Norton.

Well that is simple. Norton needs to start catching a few polymorphic viruses.

It has improved its general service above the previous "its hard to get in but once in PC fucked" software but...

OK I was hoping not to but I'm gonna try to explain what a polymorphic virus is.

Poly meaning many.
Morphic meaning changing.

Basically this is a highly complex virus which has a sort of shell protecting it.
The base code still has a task to do, fuck up the computer, alter information, collect data, turn the computer into a bot that can be called upon for... stuff. This is a normal virus.

However a polymorphic virus is contained within a code which results in the actual algorithm for the virus, changing. It will still mean the same but its form will change. Additionally the file size will change, the file type will change, the file location will change, the file name will change the file credentials will change, the location on the ram, the location on the HDD and even the amount of processing power it requires.
It does this why? Well... you can't track the bloody thing. It could even appear on the desktop in front of you but you wouldn't see it as it would move before the screen refreshed.
I think the smallest a virus can be us just over 4kb in data... so... thats just incredibly small.

No one knows how to track them... so I assume that some autistic genius (never underestimate them) has thought of a process which may catch them out......... and that involves somehow another one that reports back to Norton.

-------------------------

The thing with very long continuing game developments where one picks up after the last...
A friend tried to get me into FF and... I hate the game play I hate the characters for all of them, not giving a shit about the fate of anyone and the cut scenes... don't get me started. FF is not a game for me... they are probably good... I have no right to say xD
Also Sonic. I... kinda liked the "bad" games. Last one I bought was... the fire ring one... that tipped me into never buying another one ever again xD Looking back I can't see the appeal of any of them as I have grown up a lot in those years.

Norton will have results of success in a year or two... or you'll never hear a word if they fail xD

My friend says (he watches a lot of porn...) that the amount of viruses it catches is slightly higher compared to avast which he used to use (or he is just watching more or the internet is more virus dense). I am not sure as I still use Avast because I will always be the penny pinching cheapskate I have been for years, but if Norton cracks polymorphic viruses... we mostly will all have 1 and it will be worth it to stop the next level of virus.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Hehehe, arguement over Norton is amusing.

I'm not too competent against viruses myself but I trust Avast now (ditched AVG after it failed to protect me twice in a row), Malwarebytes and Superantispyware. I use Zonealarm's free firewall too.

I've heard mixed reports about Windows Security Essentials so I'll have to say check that out too maybe.

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

Hehehe, arguement over Norton is amusing.

I take pleasure in debating subjects of my career field. This is fun for me. Also, your new forum title is amazing.

snip

OK I was hoping not to but I'm gonna try to explain what a polymorphic virus is.

Poly meaning many.
Morphic meaning changing.

You didn't really have to. I didn't know about them before your first post on the thread, then I researched them. Thanks for reinforcing it, though.

Basically this is a highly complex virus which has a sort of shell protecting it.
The base code still has a task to do, fuck up the computer, alter information, collect data, turn the computer into a bot that can be called upon for... stuff. This is a normal virus.

However a polymorphic virus is contained within a code which results in the actual algorithm for the virus, changing. It will still mean the same but its form will change. Additionally the file size will change, the file type will change, the file location will change, the file name will change the file credentials will change, the location on the ram, the location on the HDD and even the amount of processing power it requires.
It does this why? Well... you can't track the bloody thing. It could even appear on the desktop in front of you but you wouldn't see it as it would move before the screen refreshed.
I think the smallest a virus can be us just over 4kb in data... so... thats just incredibly small.

Yeah, that's what I understood from my research. A virus that is completely variable in most elements. This begs the question: How does Norton track them? Is it looking for similar code signatures between scans? Well, that could lead to the problem of finding a legitimate program's code in the virus, and instead purging that legitimate program. It opens up a whole slew of potential issues.

No one knows how to track them... so I assume that some autistic genius (never underestimate them) has thought of a process which may catch them out......... and that involves somehow another one that reports back to Norton.

Okay, so the file is reported back to their servers where they can personally analyze them. That makes sense, then. However, there still could be issues with this system. Polymorphic code is just hard to try and deal with, period. I don't really see this solving many problems.

-------------------------

The thing with very long continuing game developments where one picks up after the last...
A friend tried to get me into FF and... I hate the game play I hate the characters for all of them, not giving a shit about the fate of anyone and the cut scenes... don't get me started. FF is not a game for me... they are probably good... I have no right to say xD

I can respect your opinion. I have to ask, though. Is it just because of the hate for games like FFVII and FFXIII that drives you to hate the whole series? Trust me, you need to dig deeper to find the real gems. For the best ones, I recommend 3 games: FFIV, FFVI, and FFIX. You can emulate all three, but I find that it's easier to just buy FFIX on the PlayStation Store. In these three, the gameplay is similar, yet has its own style for each. The story is engaging and has likable characters, and the cutscenes (at least for FFIX) can rival some of the later PS2 titles in quality.

Also Sonic. I... kinda liked the "bad" games. Last one I bought was... the fire ring one... that tipped me into never buying another one ever again xD Looking back I can't see the appeal of any of them as I have grown up a lot in those years.

You judged the future of the series based on Secret Rings? Oh...oh god, no. Trust me when I say this, it's an oddball in the series.

My friend says (he watches a lot of porn...) that the amount of viruses it catches is slightly higher compared to avast which he used to use (or he is just watching more or the internet is more virus dense). I am not sure as I still use Avast because I will always be the penny pinching cheapskate I have been for years, but if Norton cracks polymorphic viruses... we mostly will all have 1 and it will be worth it to stop the next level of virus.

I'm sure that if they are successful, the polymorphic virus detection technology will spread like wildfire to other protection developers, including the freeware ones, and we will be right back where we started. Those are my feelings on the issue.

TL;DR: You brought up a lot of good points, but I think that Norton will still fall behind once the other AV companies get this new detection software and modify it to suit their own programs.

 

[Comando96]

Let the snipping begin.

Spoiler: Don't click me!

Basically this is a highly complex virus which has a sort of shell protecting it.
The base code still has a task to do, fuck up the computer, alter information, collect data, turn the computer into a bot that can be called upon for... stuff. This is a normal virus.

However a polymorphic virus is contained within a code which results in the actual algorithm for the virus, changing. It will still mean the same but its form will change. Additionally the file size will change, the file type will change, the file location will change, the file name will change the file credentials will change, the location on the ram, the location on the HDD and even the amount of processing power it requires.
It does this why? Well... you can't track the bloody thing. It could even appear on the desktop in front of you but you wouldn't see it as it would move before the screen refreshed.
I think the smallest a virus can be us just over 4kb in data... so... thats just incredibly small.

Yeah, that's what I understood from my research. A virus that is completely variable in most elements. This begs the question: How does Norton track them? Is it looking for similar code signatures between scans? Well, that could lead to the problem of finding a legitimate program's code in the virus, and instead purging that legitimate program. It opens up a whole slew of potential issues.

Oh yes, what they would look for would be anomalies which when they tried to track to their location of origin, could not be found, or does not logically add up as a possible source meaning it moved location on the RAM and additionally something then replaced it which could not have sent it, like a texture sending a request for saved internet passwords.

It would be very simple in theory to track them as they would leave a trail. The problem is simple, Norton would need to confirm the viruses location and destroy the virus within the space of 1 time-slice, or upon suspicion, freeze the whole computer and track it down so that the virus is getting no processor time and therefore cannot random change itself.

No one knows how to track them... so I assume that some autistic genius (never underestimate them) has thought of a process which may catch them out......... and that involves somehow another one that reports back to Norton.

Okay, so the file is reported back to their servers where they can personally analyze them. That makes sense, then. However, there still could be issues with this system. Polymorphic code is just hard to try and deal with, period. I don't really see this solving many problems.

I tell a lie. You can track them... however not in practical terms due to the processor itself. to catch the virus you would need to processes it, ie analyse all data processed, recognise the suspect program, confirm target program and terminate the target program. However if it is getting a fair time slice then while it has changed all its details, the program searching for it if lucky has only just finished 1/1000th of the necessary analysing of the processed information the previous slice, and that isn't then including the other 3 processes required.

Mainly Norton would be looking for the type of requests given to the processor so that detection is easier... and then... something else... :s

There would be 1 other way to find them. If you removed all information onto the HDD off of the Ram, then you'd have a solid version of the virus, and if you kept it there... somehow... to be read by an external force you could theoretically find them. But that would take time. A lot of it.

-------------------------

The thing with very long continuing game developments where one picks up after the last...
A friend tried to get me into FF and... I hate the game play I hate the characters for all of them, not giving a shit about the fate of anyone and the cut scenes... don't get me started. FF is not a game for me... they are probably good... I have no right to say xD

I can respect your opinion. I have to ask, though. Is it just because of the hate for games like FFVII and FFXIII that drives you to hate the whole series? Trust me, you need to dig deeper to find the real gems. For the best ones, I recommend 3 games: FFIV, FFVI, and FFIX. You can emulate all three, but I find that it's easier to just buy FFIX on the PlayStation Store. In these three, the gameplay is similar, yet has its own style for each. The story is engaging and has likable characters, and the cutscenes (at least for FFIX) can rival some of the later PS2 titles in quality.

I just don't like the type of game they are. I just don't xD
I can't remember which ones it was... may have been 7 may have been 10, I just... no.

Also Sonic. I... kinda liked the "bad" games. Last one I bought was... the fire ring one... that tipped me into never buying another one ever again xD Looking back I can't see the appeal of any of them as I have grown up a lot in those years.

You judged the future of the series based on Secret Rings? Oh...oh god, no. Trust me when I say this, it's an oddball in the series.

Liked Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. Sorta liked Sonic Adventure DX Directors cut. Liked Sonic Hero's. like sonic gems and mega collection. Shadow the Hedgehog... going down hill. Sonic Riders now on a hover-board going down the same hill. Sonic rings, fuck it, I'll read the reviews for the games before I buy them. Sonic Rush 1&2 I bought, seeing as they can't fuck up the hand held version but after that no more. Now I've just... lost the appear of them.

I have good memories of Sonic Rush and Adventure 2 battle but thats it.

My friend says (he watches a lot of porn...) that the amount of viruses it catches is slightly higher compared to avast which he used to use (or he is just watching more or the internet is more virus dense). I am not sure as I still use Avast because I will always be the penny pinching cheapskate I have been for years, but if Norton cracks polymorphic viruses... we mostly will all have 1 and it will be worth it to stop the next level of virus.

I'm sure that if they are successful, the polymorphic virus detection technology will spread like wildfire to other protection developers, including the freeware ones, and we will be right back where we started. Those are my feelings on the issue.

You can copy right algorithms and software, but its not done often or strictly enough. If they have a good legal department they will get their money one way or the other :s
Free ware will follow but with a few years delay and in that time Norton with extra funding could go far to bash a few competitors and further itself... ideally. If it truly is reformed then it could really excel. If it just got lucky when releasing '10 who knows!