Please help! Had Defender virus warning - Now desktop icons have vanished!

redmandarin · 9 December 2008 at 8:09PM

Hi guys, I've searched but can't find an answer to this one.

Last night I was searching for an events supplies company (for a charity) and I clicked on a link. I left the room briefly and when I returned there was a Windows Defender box stating that a virus had been detected, asking did I want to fix it. There was also a Windows box that said Windows is shutting down.

I clicked on fix and almost immediately after, Windows shut down. I re-booted (not in safe mode) and ran ccleaner, and full system scans with Defender, AVG Anti-virus and also ran Spyware Doctor. All showed no problems.

Today all the desktop icons have disappeared (including the Start button). I've managed to bring up the task manager via ctrl/alt/delete, so I can answer any questions about what it shows.

I'm using Windows XP and Explorer 7, with Sunbelt installed.

Any help on why this has happened and how I can fix it would be most appreciated. Please be gentle with me! Thanks!

Edit - I'm currently writing this via a friend's pc

Cornball · 9 December 2008 at 8:44PM

I got this last night as well. Really threw me! I was finally able to log in using my guest log in and googled until I found these instructions. They seem to have worked for me:

Trojan.Zlob.G is an old modification of Zlob trojan (Symantec described this threat 3 years ago). But today russian scammers use "Trojan.Zlob.G" name to scare users and force to download and than purchase Perfect Defender 2009 rogue anti-spyware. Special trojan (usually Vundo) displays fake "Security center alert" stating that your PC is seriously infected with Trojan.Zlob.G infection.

This solution works for the latest Trojan.Zlog.G popup problem where no internet connection works and repeated fake warnings to 'activate' Defender anti-virus program.

No use running any ant-virus/soyware programs, they don't seem to detect this latest Trojan. Only manual removal works perfect:

Start in safe mode (press F8 at startup) ensuring you aren't connected to the net.

I have Vista so I went here: Users\(Your user name here)\Appdata\Roaming\Google

Delete everything in this folder.

I think this is for Windows XP:
their location would be C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Google\

Delete:
kjzna1562565.exe
spcffwl.dll
T-Scan (entire folder)

More help here:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081208193915AAlCs4x

MikeWhitehead · 9 December 2008 at 8:57PM

In your task manager, under the processes tab, is there an "explorer.exe"? If not, in Task Manager go to File > New Task(Run...) and type "explorer" and Ok it. That should bring up your desktop icons and the task bar etc.

Reluctant_spender · 9 December 2008 at 8:57PM

if you can either via downloading or from a clean machine and transferring via flash drive or disk download and run the following programme;
Malware Bytes

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.

Make sure you are connected to the Internet.
Double-click on mbam-setup.exe to install the application.
When the installation begins, follow the prompts and do not make any changes to default settings.
When installation has finished, make sure you leave both of these checked:
- Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
- Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Then click Finish.
MBAM will automatically start and you will be asked to update the program before performing a scan. If an update is found, the program will automatically update itself. Press the OK button to close that box and continue. If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here and just double-click on mbam-rules.exe to install.
On the Scanner tab:
- Make sure the "Perform Quick Scan" option is selected.
- Then click on the Scan button.
If asked to select the drives to scan, leave all the drives selected and click on the Start Scan button.
The scan will begin and "Scan in progress" will show at the top. It may take some time to complete so please be patient.
When the scan is finished, a message box will say "The scan completed successfully. Click 'Show Results' to display all objects found".
Click OK to close the message box and continue with the removal process.
Back at the main Scanner screen, click on the Show Results button to see a list of any malware that was found.
Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
When removal is completed, a log report will open in Notepad.
The log is automatically saved and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.
Copy and paste the contents of that report in your next reply and exit MBAM.

Note: If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove, you may be asked to reboot your computer so it can proceed with the disinfection process. Regardless if prompted to restart the computer or not, please do so immediately. Failure to reboot normally (not into safe mode) will prevent MBAM from removing all the malware. MBAM may make changes to your registry as part of its disinfection routine. If you're using other security programs that detect registry changes, they may alert you after scanning with MBAM. Please permit the program to allow the changes.

MikeWhitehead · 9 December 2008 at 9:22PM

Sorry but you say you've already cleaned it etc so I assume that the machine is no longer infected. Why are people therefore posting links to software or advising to do a system restore? The reason icons and the task bar aren't showing will be due to the user shell not being loaded (explorer.exe).

Reluctant_spender · 9 December 2008 at 9:24PM

or infected and therefore stopping it from loading.

Also there could be something else in the background.

Surely it is better to be safe.

MikeWhitehead · 9 December 2008 at 9:28PM

redmandarin wrote: »

I clicked on fix and almost immediately after, Windows shut down. I re-booted (not in safe mode) and ran ccleaner, and full system scans with Defender, AVG Anti-virus and also ran Spyware Doctor. All showed no problems.

OP by all means go with the suggested scanning route first if you wan't to be doubly sure, guess it can't hurt to use alternative software.

Cornball · 9 December 2008 at 9:32PM

MikeWhitehead wrote: »

Sorry but you say you've already cleaned it etc so I assume that the machine is no longer infected. Why are people therefore posting links to software or advising to do a system restore? The reason icons and the task bar aren't showing will be due to the user shell not being loaded (explorer.exe).

The virus is not being caught by anti virus programs. Not sure why. My flatmate is an IT manager and he had a difficult time with it.

OP, my desktop icons were in my recycle bin for some reason. I just moved them back.

MikeWhitehead · 9 December 2008 at 9:36PM

Cornball wrote: »

OP, my desktop icons were in my recycle bin for some reason. I just moved them back.

Explain the start menu also not appearing - and don't say recycle bin

. I'm an IT Engineer, I see the disappearing shell issue all the time.

explorer.exe

redmandarin · 9 December 2008 at 9:39PM

Thanks for all your help.

MikeWhitehead - I checked, but there's no explorer.exe listed under processes, so I tried to go to file, but now the cursor has frozen.

Reluctant_Spender - I've got Malware Bytes already installed, luckily (I had to use it once before).

Please can someone tell me how to turn off the machine without the mouse and with no icons or taskbar? I will then re-start, follow the instructions to bring up the icons and taskbar, and then connect to the internet, update and then run Malware Bytes in safe mode, and tell you the outcome. Thanks!

Reluctant_spender · 9 December 2008 at 9:44PM

ctrl. Alt and Delete - this brings up the task manager.

press Alt and F and use the right arrow key and move to Shutdown and then the down arrow key to shut down

Please help! Had Defender virus warning - Now desktop icons have vanished!

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