Please Do the Following:


1. Set System and Hidden files and folders to show:

For Vista:

1. Click the (Vista Icon) and click on Computer.
2. Click Organize and click on Folder and Search Options.
3. Click on the View tab.
4. Uncheck the Hide Protected Operating System Files (Recommended) box.
5. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
6. If you see a warning message, click Yes.
7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK.

For XP:

1. Right-Click My Computer choose Explore, click on Tools, Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Place a tick next to Display content of System folders, (answer OK to warnings)
4. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
5. If you see a warning message, click Yes.
6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK.

For 98/2000/ME:

1. Double-click the My Computer icon
2. Click on the View menu, click Folder Options
3. Advanced Settings box, under the "Hidden files" folder, click Show all files.
4. If you see a warning message, click Yes.
5. Click Apply.
6. Click OK.

2. Disable System Restore to prevent re-infection.
(If you have/use it.) Deckard's System Scanner that you will run shortly after will re-enable it.

Vista:

1. Click the (Vista Icon) and right click on Computer and select Properties.
2. Click on System Protection (click OK if you are prompted with a warning).
3. Uncheck all of the boxes in the list of Available Disks for Automatic Restore Points.
4. Click Apply.
5. Click OK.

WinXP.

1. Click the Start button.
2. Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
3. On the System Restore tab, check Turn off System Restore or Turn off System Restore on all drives.

WinME.

1. Click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
2. Double-click the System icon.
3. If the System icon is not visible, click View all Control Panel options to display it.
4. On the Performance tab, click File System.
5. On the Troubleshooting tab check Disable System Restore.
6. Click OK. Click Yes, when you are prompted to restart Windows.

3. Download the following scanning software. Save the installation files to your desktop. Do NOT run them yet.


HijackThis
Deckard's System Scanner




4. Boot into Normal Mode and run Deckard's System Scanner! (All Users)

• Please now Close all applications and windows.
• Double-click on dss.exe from your desktop to run it, and follow the prompts.
• When the scan is complete, a text file will open - Main.txt
• An additional text file, Extra.txt,will open as well.
• These two text files (Main.txt and Extra.txt) are the logs that you need to post.

5. Post your logs in the HijackThis! Forum

When you post:

Please include all requested logs from this PreWork.



Please include a detailed description of the problem you are having, be as specific as possible, and tell us any symptoms, scans you may have already done, other than PreWork, and also any hard or software that you may have installed prior to the odd behavior starting.









The PCHF Security Team