Possible virus or mal ware issue

Question

Upon cleaning out a friends computer I used CC cleaner and windows defender it resolved three out of four issues. Upon clicking on the users name and windows loads I get an error box:::::windows cannot find file did you type it in correctly:::::the line is windows\system32\printer.exe

If you click this box closed the screen goes a pyhsical memory dump begins and it asks if any hardware has been installed recently if so uninstall, try safe mode.....

If you leave it alone and move it to the side you can perform your tasks but eventually in minutes or hours it will go to the blue screen.

I know he had several bugs in the system this one seems more tricky.

Any ideas or help much appreciated, many thanks

Answer 1

ccleaner only removes temporary files. Windows Defender is garbage. It doesn't find or remove squat.

Since your computer probably has a ton of infections you don't know about, here is my standard cleaning procedure:

NOTE: on badly infected computers, you may have to install and run the scans from safe mode. Some programs will be actively disabled or damaged by the infections. When this happens, just pick another cleaning program until you find one which isn't knocked out. Then reboot and try some of the others. Lather, rinse and repeat until you have a clean system.

How to start in safe mode:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorial...

Visit http://www.majorgeeks.com

Download, install and run the following:

(drive cleaner)

http://majorgeeks.com/CCleaner_Slim_No_T...

ccleaner slim (removes junk and temp files so that the scans have fewer files to look through)

(anti-virus) Pick one, some infections disable cleaning programs, so try another until you can start removing the infections.

Dr Web Cure it

AVG

AntiVIr

Avast

If your wallpaper has been changed (and you can't change it back).

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Wallpaper_Hija...

If you have an infection that says something like “your computer is infected with 258 malware infections. Click here to download a cleaning tool”. DON'T download it! Use the Smitfraudfix tool instead:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/files/sm...



(anti-spyware) (This first group will detect and remove the worst infections. The 2nd group will clean up the stragglers).

Superantispyware

Malwarebytes Rouge Remover

Malwarebytes anti-malware

Threatfire

spyware doctor starter edition

ad-aware 2008

spybot search and destroy

Counterspy

AVG anti-spyware

Download and run combofix

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix...

Once you get the infections cleaned off, you have to repair the damage.

Download, install and run

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4899.h...

Dial-a-fix

Go through everything. This will fix a bunch of things that infections love to break. If you still have problems, (parts of windows is broken) you may need to do an Windows repair install or get some other tools to correct the changed settings. Tweak UI can be helpful (or dangerous in the wrong hands).

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/twea...

Good luck

LKB

Answer 2

This seemed to pop up in October of last year.  Here's a forum thread about the issue that might provide you some help.