Virus that Might Have Corrupted Applications?

[hi_im_bob]

So my computer is kinda old and is clearly dying but I think this is a virus issue. My compute which is very old has been acting up a lot recently. For example something happened to my video card which from research the only known solution was to uninstall it. Needless to say my computer has been running very slow. I was recently surfing the web when my computer froze (as it often does) but this time it wouldnt unfreeze after a minute so I ctrl alt del my firefox. The second I did windows internet security kept going nuts every time i clicked firefox it would say I had a virus on firefox and wouldnt let me open firefox then it would scan and say i had like 20 different viruses, it was a total pain. Every time I tried to turn it off it would say I needed to pay to do that so it was just an endless circle. Some how I managed after three scans with ESET nod32 antivirus to get rid of it or so I thought.

Now my problem is pretty much any application I try and use it will say no longer exists. For example clicking on firefox it will ask me what I want to open up firefox.exe with, I click open with firefox and then after like 3 error messages it will open firefox. The same thing with internet explorer, and itunes. I tried downloading a file from firefox to update firefox thinking i needed to update it. But when i download the file windows says the file does not exist even though it is right there on my desktop. Itunes I can only open by clicking a song, I even went into the cdrive then to program files, itunes and when I click on the application from there it shows the C://desktop..../programfiles/itunes does not exist.

Help?

Thanks for just reading all of that

 

[Slapshot136]

1. windows internet security - I have never heard of this, do you mean MSE (Microsoft security essentials)?
2. I think you should re-install the affected programs, the virus(es) likely deleted some parts of it and that is the cause of the errors

 

[hi_im_bob]

1) No it was had a name something like windows internet secutiry. Im pretty sure it was part of the virus because anytime that I tried to turn it off, remove the firewall etc it would say i needed to sign up for it and input some information so I think that was just part of the virus. And supposidly since my computer removed it, it no longer shows up.

2) This happens with ccleaner and firefox
I download something simple, like CCleaner. I download it to my desktop. I try to install it, but before anything happens an error shows up that says C:\Documents and Settings\Alex\Desktop\ccsetup229.exe does not exist.

 

[Icyculyr]

Try creating a new account and do the same thing - try a limited account (standard).

 

[Slapshot136]

1) No it was had a name something like windows internet secutiry. Im pretty sure it was part of the virus because anytime that I tried to turn it off, remove the firewall etc it would say i needed to sign up for it and input some information so I think that was just part of the virus. And supposidly since my computer removed it, it no longer shows up.

that's why I asked.. it sounded fishy

2) This happens with ccleaner and firefox
I download something simple, like CCleaner. I download it to my desktop. I try to install it, but before anything happens an error shows up that says C:\Documents and Settings\Alex\Desktop\ccsetup229.exe does not exist.

in that case it's not the applications themselves, but windows, you should try booting up from a restore or installation cd and then do the "system repair" and let it work for a while - that should fix it, if not you might need to reinstall windows

 

[hi_im_bob]

Yeah I think its just windows, Ive been having issues with it for about a year and this would be my third reinstallation of windows within a year, I think im just gonna hold out for a couple more months till I get a new computer for college but thanks for the help

 

[hi_im_bob]

Have a quick question added on to all of this... so like I said I cant install things but I can also no longer use the add/remove program files in the control pannel. I have been manually uninstalling things by going into the program files and running the unistall.exe from there. Some of these programs this wont work or there is no uninstall.exe is there some alternative way short of just deleting the folder from the program files folder?

 

[kingkingyyk3]

Try Malwarebyte Anti-Malware to remove the virus first.

 

[Samael88]

Try Malwarebyte Anti-Malware to remove the virus first.

This may work, not 100% sure if it will though.
Here is a good link for downloading it.
http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=mncol

Download, install, update and then do a complete scan.
I have had several of these through the years and I have noticed that it is easiest to remove them manually. This one in particular I had one heck of a problem removing from my uncles computer.

Do you know your way around a computer?
Are you familiar to the following words:
Processes
Windows Registry

If you are I can explain to you how to remove it, else you would probably have to format your comp, it depends on what version of the virus you are up against and your computer skills.