Desktop Security 2010 - just got me ...

[davidcrofter]

Hi folks, a couple of days ago I was hit with the Desktop Security 2010 virus ...

I have followed the removal process successfully but find I now have a few problems:

Windows Media Player will not play anything as it first of all came up with an error that a Codec was missing and took me to a blank page to install this "codec". I re-run the malwarebytes programme again and now it just comes up with an other error:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/C00D11B1

windows media streaming plugin works fine.

The same scenario goes for Nero Show Time followed the exact same pattern and now it will only play sound - the window for the video doesn't actually come up so is treating everything as purely an audio file. Re-installed Nero from the Disc and same scenario.

VLC Player plays fine.

Even the preview pane in my ConvertX To DVD does not display anything if running a conversion that goes fine??


So without having to re-install Windows 7 again can anybody offer up any solutions to this problem - has the virus corrupted something or has the fix actually quarantined an important part of the system, would rolling back to an earlier setting be worth contemplating??

Any help appreciated
thanks
dc.

[smargh]

http://live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe

Enable the options to verify files & hide Windows entries. Look in the codecs section. Disable dodgy ones, or anything without a valid MS signature.

[davidcrofter]

http://live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe

Enable the options to verify files & hide Windows entries. Look in the codecs section. Disable dodgy ones, or anything without a valid MS signature.

Thanks, tried that and still the same unfortunately.

Anybody else have any ideas??

[Flash477]

Have you tried removing media player and then adding it again?

[smargh]

As above: try removing the Media Player via from "Programs & Features" -> Windows Features, reboot, then add it again & reboot.

Or just use VLC. I never use WMP.

If you have System Restore enabled & haven't deleted restore points, try restoring to a point before the malware infection. Make a backup first though.

Or try Sysinternals' Process Monitor (http://live.sysinternals.com/procmon.exe) to try to figure out what it's trying to find (file or registry entry) and failing on - then either putting the file back or copying the registry entry from another PC. Win7 can be used fine when unactivated for a very long time, and perhaps you could put the second copy in a virtual machine. If you don't have the resources for that, I don't mind either getting the entries or files from my Win7 x64 PC or putting Win7 x32 into a VM - I have a Technet subscription for just this kind of stuff.

[davidcrofter]

Have you tried removing media player and then adding it again?

Yeah tried that as well mate - still the same unfortunately.

[Disturbedguy]

Are you sure that you have completely removed Desktop Security 2010?
As in made sure there are no registry keys still lurking about?

I recently cleared this from someones laptop and they havent had a problem since.

[davidcrofter]

As above: try removing the Media Player via from "Programs & Features" -> Windows Features, reboot, then add it again & reboot.

Or just use VLC. I never use WMP.

If you have System Restore enabled & haven't deleted restore points, try restoring to a point before the malware infection. Make a backup first though.

Or try Sysinternals' Process Monitor (http://live.sysinternals.com/procmon.exe) to try to figure out what it's trying to find (file or registry entry) and failing on - then either putting the file back or copying the registry entry from another PC. Win7 can be used fine when unactivated for a very long time, and perhaps you could put the second copy in a virtual machine. If you don't have the resources for that, I don't mind either getting the entries or files from my Win7 x64 PC or putting Win7 x32 into a VM - I have a Technet subscription for just this kind of stuff.

Had a look at that programme and to be honest I don't think I would know where to start - I will probably do a clean install of windows as it seems about the easiest as I have only had it installed for 3 or 4 weeks.

thanks for your help though.

[Jay]

I was hit by that one as well, XP fully upto date, firefox, AVG and didn't go to anything odd so I have no idea where it came from.

Luckly for me a good mate of mine gave me a nice new copy of Windows 7 Pro x64 that I hadn't used so I just formatted it, its not worth the risk.