Will I have to reformat my hard drive?

I visited a music lyrics site and Avast antivirus software went off and something loaded onto my computer. I chose the delete option a few times offered by Avast until it didn't appear any more but something remains that continually loads spyware and alters my history and favorites in IE and delivers popups to a page on smileys and another on screen savers.. AdAware deletes them all except 3bvxVfWCodec.dll I also notice there is a 3bvxVfWCodec.cpy.dll file in the \Windows\System32 folder.

The garbage just keeps on coming. Will I have to back up crucial data and reformat my hard drive? Assistance to avoid this drastic measure would be greatly appreciated.

Here's the hijackthis log:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 4:11:26 PM, on 4/14/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
E:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
E:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
E:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe
E:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
E:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
E:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe
E:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\iexplore.exe
E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
E:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashmaisv.exe
E:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe
E:\program files\steam\steam.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\PANICW~1\POP-UP~1\PSFree.exe
E:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
E:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIRW.exe
E:\Program Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\ICQ\ICQ.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
E:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.antiwar.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "allaboutsearching.com"); (E:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\k6tt7p8x.slt\prefs.js)
N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.search.defaultengine", "engine://E%3A%5CProgram%20Files%5CNetscape%5CNetscape%5Csearchplugins%5CSBWeb_01.src"); (E:\Documents and Settings\Tom Loeber\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\k6tt7p8x.slt\prefs.js)
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - E:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] E:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "E:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] "E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe" /tray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "E:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Mirabilis ICQ] E:\PROGRA~1\ICQ\ICQNet.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iexplore] E:\WINDOWS\System32\iexplore.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Hpppta] E:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP PrecisionScan\PrecisionScan\hpppta.exe /ICON
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [csrss] E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] E:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ashMaiSv] E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashmaisv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "E:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "e:\program files\steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PopUpStopperFreeEdition] "E:\PROGRA~1\PANICW~1\POP-UP~1\PSFree.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "E:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ATI Remote Control] E:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIRW.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Star Downloader - E:\PROGRA~1\STARDO~1\sdie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open Picture in &Microsoft PhotoDraw - res://E:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office\1033\phdintl.dll/phdContext.htm
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Messenger (HKLM)
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Backgammon - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/at0_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chess - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/ct1_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Cribbage - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/it1_x.cab
O16 - DPF: {33564D57-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/6/E/F6E491A6-77E1-4E20-9F5F-94901338C922/wmv9VCM.CAB
O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} (RdxIE Class) - http://software-dl.real.com/1893b44ec52629effa23/netzip/RdxIE601.cab
O16 - DPF: {5C7F15E1-F31A-44FD-AA1A-2EC63AAFFD3A} - http://www.atelys.com/src/Speedup.ocx
O16 - DPF: {88D969C0-F192-11D4-A65F-0040963251E5} (XML DOM Document 4.0) - file://E:\TempEI4\EI40_\msxml4.cab
O16 - DPF: {8A0DCBDA-6E20-489C-9041-C1E8A0352E75} - http://download.getmirar.com/875457/files/installer.cab
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.installengine.com/engine/isetup.cab
O16 - DPF: {9D0A9D98-5221-430A-A02D-76F0827C82D1} (ADialer Class) - http://www.dialer-shop.com/im6/celebrita.cab
O16 - DPF: {C5E28B9D-0A68-4B50-94E9-E8F6B4697514} (NsvPlayX Control) - http://www.nullsoft.com/nsv/embed/nsvplayx_vp3_mp3.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {DB893839-10F0-4AF9-92FA-B23528F530AF} - http://deposito.hostance.net/dialer/1014021.exe
O16 - DPF: {DE70D9E3-C55A-11CF-8E43-780C02C10128} - http://dl0.netreplicator.com/go.exe

 

Run Hijack This again and put a check by these. Close all windows except HijackThis and click "Fix checked"

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =

R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing

N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "allaboutsearching.com"); (E:\Documents and Settings\Tom Loeber\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\k6tt7p8x.slt\prefs.js)

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iexplore] E:\WINDOWS\System32\iexplore.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [csrss] E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe

O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} (RdxIE Class) - http://software-dl.real.com/1893b44...ip/RdxIE601.cab

O16 - DPF: {88D969C0-F192-11D4-A65F-0040963251E5} (XML DOM Document 4.0) - file://E:\TempEI4\EI40_\msxml4.cab

O16 - DPF: {8A0DCBDA-6E20-489C-9041-C1E8A0352E75} - http://download.getmirar.com/875457/files/installer.cab

O16 - DPF: {9D0A9D98-5221-430A-A02D-76F0827C82D1} (ADialer Class) - http://www.dialer-shop.com/im6/celebrita.cab

O16 - DPF: {DB893839-10F0-4AF9-92FA-B23528F530AF} - http://deposito.hostance.net/dialer/1014021.exe

Restart to safe mode.

How to start your computer in safe mode

First in safe mode click on My Computer. Go to Tools > Folder Options. Click on the View tab and make sure that "Show hidden files and folders" is checked. Also uncheck "Hide protected operating system files" and "Hide extensions for known file types" . Now click "Apply to all folders"
Click "Apply" then "OK"

Now find and delete:

The E:\WINDOWS\System32\iexplore.exe
The E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe file

*Note: Only delete these files found in these locations. csrss.exe can also be found in C:\Windows\System32 and iexplore.exe can be found in the C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer folder. DO NOT delete the ones found in those locations.

Empty the recycle bin


Turn off System Restore:

On the Desktop, right-click My Computer.
Click Properties.
Click the System Restore tab.
Check Turn off System Restore.
Click Apply, and then click OK.
Restart your computer.

When you are sure you are clean turn it back on and create a restore point.


Go here and do an online virus scan:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Be sure and put a check in the box by "Auto Clean" before you do the scan. If it finds anything that it cannot clean have it delete it or make a note of the file location so you can delete it yourself.

 

I printed and followed your directions carefully. Trend Micro reported no virus but the problem continues. 3bvxVfWCodec.dll and 3bvxVfWCodec.cpy.dll file in the \Windows\System32 folder are still installed into memory and can not be deleted though AdAware and Spybot are no longer flagging the first as a problem.

Here is a hijackthis log I just did:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 7:36:53 AM, on 4/15/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
E:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
E:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
E:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe
E:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
E:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
E:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
E:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
E:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashmaisv.exe
E:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe
E:\Program Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe
E:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIRW.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe
E:\WINDOWS\System32\wuauclt.exe
E:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
E:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Desktop\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.antiwar.com/
N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "http://home.netscape.com/"); (E:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Application

Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\k6tt7p8x.slt\prefs.js)
N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.search.defaultengine", "engine://E%3A%5CProgram%20Files%5CNetscape%5CNetscape%5Csearchplugins%5CSBWeb_01.src");

(E:\Documents and Settings\My Name\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\k6tt7p8x.slt\prefs.js)
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - E:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] E:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "E:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMax4PNP.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] "E:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe" /tray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "E:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Mirabilis ICQ] E:\PROGRA~1\ICQ\ICQNet.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Hpppta] E:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP PrecisionScan\PrecisionScan\hpppta.exe /ICON
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] E:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ashMaiSv] E:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashmaisv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "E:\Program Files\Adaptec\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [csrss] E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "e:\program files\steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PopUpStopperFreeEdition] "E:\PROGRA~1\PANICW~1\POP-UP~1\PSFree.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "E:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ATI Remote Control] E:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIRW.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Star Downloader - E:\PROGRA~1\STARDO~1\sdie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open Picture in &Microsoft PhotoDraw - res://E:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office\1033\phdintl.dll/phdContext.htm
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Messenger (HKLM)
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Backgammon - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/at0_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chess - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/ct1_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Cribbage - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/it1_x.cab
O16 - DPF: {33564D57-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/6/E/F6E491A6-77E1-4E20-9F5F-94901338C922/wmv9VCM.CAB
O16 - DPF: {5C7F15E1-F31A-44FD-AA1A-2EC63AAFFD3A} - http://www.atelys.com/src/Speedup.ocx
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004033001/housecall.antivirus.com/

housecall/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.installengine.com/engine/isetup.cab
O16 - DPF: {C5E28B9D-0A68-4B50-94E9-E8F6B4697514} (NsvPlayX Control) - http://www.nullsoft.com/nsv/embed/nsvplayx_vp3_mp3.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {DE70D9E3-C55A-11CF-8E43-780C02C10128} - http://dl0.netreplicator.com/go.exe

Thank you for paying attention to this.

 

I should mention that AdAware now finds HuntBar and can't remove it. Also some files have been dumped on my desktop having names like "backup-20040414-224217-148" which I suspect were made by Trend Micro and can be deleted.

 

Those backup files are created by Hijack This. For future reference you need to move Hijack This from the desktop. It should never be run from there, because it create backups of everything you fix with it and it will make a mess of your desktop with all the backups. You need to create a folder somewhere like in My Documents and put Hijack This in it and run it from there. That way it will store the backups in that folder and not scatter them all over your desktop.

Run Hijack This again and put a check by these. Close all windows except HijackThis and click "Fix checked"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [csrss] E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe

Restart to safe mode and delete:

The E:\WINDOWS\csrss.exe file

Also while in safe mode delete the 3bvxVfWCodec.dll and 3bvxVfWCodec.cpy.dll files.