Ok, did everything as you told me, no problems.
Observations:1) Prior to doing the fix.reg part, I was having issues with notepad. Everytime I tried to save as or open a file, I would get an error message after about 5 seconds telling me that notepad had a problem, do I want to send an error report to Microsoft. Clicking on any of the actions would close notepad without allowing me to save or open a file. After doing the fix.reg part, the error message flashes for a split second and it shuts down notepad automatically without input from me.
2) Prior to doing the fix.reg portion, Symantec kept notifying me about the following:
Scan type: Realtime Protection Scan
Event: Virus Found!
Virus name: Downloader
File: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\fafbafcfeffcc.dll
Location: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32
Computer: MAINDESKTOP
User: SYSTEM
Action taken: Clean failed : Quarantine failed : Access denied
Date found: Monday, October 22, 2007 7:07:17 PM
After the fix.reg, it notifies me about the above and the one below:
Scan type: Realtime Protection Scan
Event: Virus Found!
Virus name: Downloader
File: C:\WINDOWS\system32\39cc32cbcc91896677c55831a8bb222b.TMP
Location: Quarantine
Computer: MAINDESKTOP
User: SYSTEM
Action taken: Clean failed : Quarantine successful : Access denied
Date found: Monday, October 22, 2007 7:07:17 PM
3)Microsoft Defender has been finding the following 3 items throughout all this:
Adware:Win32/Adbreak Alert Level = Medium
- file:C:\WINDOWS\settn.dll
- file:C:\WINDOWS\liqui.dll
- file:C:\WINDOWS\liqad.dll
- file:C:\WINDOWS\kvnab.dll
- file:C:\WINDOWS\kkcomp.dll
- file:C:\WINDOWS\xadbrk.dll
Spyware:Win32/CnsMin Alert Level = High
- regkey:HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{BB936323-19FA-4521-BA29-ECA6A121BC78}
- bho:HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\EXPLORER\BROWSER HELPER OBJECTS\{bb936323-19fa-4521-ba29-eca6a121bc78}
- file:C:\Program Files\3721\assist\asbar.dll
- file:C:\Program Files\3721\helper.dll
- folder:C:\Program Files\3721\assist\
- folder:C:\Program Files\3721\
Adware:Win32/INetSpeakWebsearch Alert Level = High
- file:C:\WINDOWS\iexplorr23.dll
I haven't taken any action on these items. Beyond this, there is a window that pops up once in a while with what I believe to be an error message. I don't know for sure since it only pops up for about a split second before disappearing.
However, as mentioned in a previous post, the computer is behaving much better than it had previously. I don't have that annoying "You have spyware" wallpaper, and I don't get redirected to their website to purchase their product, nor do I get the fake alert bubble from the task bar anymore. Also, now I have access to the task manager.
Awaiting further instruction, oh spyware master.