Computer start up problems (reader_s.exe seems related) [Archive]

littleEd

2009-02-23, 22:40

A week ago my computer began to have serious problems. I believe my firewall disabled (I may have done this by mistake) and soon after I was recieving 'virus' messages from AVG. I would click to remove them and 5 minutes later it would pop back up. I decided to ignore the alert and wait till I was ready to shut down to deal with it, soon after the list of issues was very long (maybe 100+ items) and i selected them all and clicked to remove again. I remember seeing sndvol32 in the list as well as other windows related programs.
I restarted and my computer would not allow me into windows, it would have a message saying it will close explorer.exe because it is not safe.

I went into safe mode and ran various scans with spybot and AVG. Spybot found a few issues witch still reoccur. Also, sndvol32.exe seems to no longer exist (and i'm sure some other windows programs are the same)

I opened msconfig and disabled any start up items that have "READER_S.EXE" in them and find that I am then able to log onto windows in normal mode. However, after about 2 hours, my computer slows down and programs have issues.
Anytime i want to log into the computer normally, I can just go into safe mode and disable reader_s from starting.

Here is my HJT log

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 3:26:37 PM, on 2/23/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16791)
Boot mode: Safe mode with network support

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\reader_s.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\VRT2D.tmp
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
E:\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable\FirefoxPortable.exe
E:\PortableApps\FirefoxPortable\App\firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\7z.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\actcontroller.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\ndetect.exe,C:\WINDOWS\system32\undname.exe,
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\GRA8E1~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {C69206EF-35C1-4113-8405-D54B92F6F07C} - c:\windows\system32\oftbfir.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [services] C:\WINDOWS\services.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UserFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -u
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UltraMon] "C:\Program Files\UltraMon\UltraMon.exe" /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TrueImageMonitor.exe] C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageEnterpriseServer\TrueImageMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] "C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe" /tray
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NVRaidService] C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvraidservice.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LogitechQuickCamRibbon] "C:\Program Files\Logitech\QuickCam\Quickcam.exe" /hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [amd_dc_opt] C:\Program Files\AMD\Dual-Core Optimizer\amd_dc_opt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AcronisTimounterMonitor] C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageEnterpriseServer\TimounterMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [reader_s] C:\WINDOWS\System32\reader_s.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [BgMonitor_{79662E04-7C6C-4d9f-84C7-88D8A56B10AA}] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\Lib\NMBgMonitor.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AnyDVD] "C:\Program Files\SlySoft\AnyDVD\AnyDVD.exe"
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [reader_s] C:\Documents and Settings\Edward J\reader_s.exe (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [reader_s] C:\Documents and Settings\Edward J\reader_s.exe (User 'Default user')
O4 - .DEFAULT User Startup: CamTrack.lnk = C:\Program Files\DigitalPeers\CamTrack\camtrack.exe (User 'Default user')
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Shortcut to SetPoint.lnk = C:\Program Files\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: Web Anti-Virus statistics - {1F460357-8A94-4D71-9CA3-AA4ACF32ED8E} - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0\SCIEPlgn.dll
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: PalTalk - {4EAFEF58-EEFA-4116-983D-03B49BCBFFFE} - C:\Program Files\Paltalk Messenger\Paltalk.exe
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search && Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O15 - Trusted Zone: http://staplescanada.webprint.com
O16 - DPF: {0B79F48A-E8D6-11DB-9283-E25056D89593} (F-Secure Online Scanner 3.1) - http://support.f-secure.com/ols/fscax.cab
O16 - DPF: {0CCA191D-13A6-4E29-B746-314DEE697D83} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/2008.10.10_v5.5.8/FacebookPhotoUploader5.cab
O16 - DPF: {0EB0E74A-2A76-4AB3-A7FB-9BD8C29F7F75} (CKAVWebScan Object) - http://www.kaspersky.com/kos/english/kavwebscan_unicode.cab
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (Installation Support) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\Yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {5C6698D9-7BE4-4122-8EC5-291D84DBD4A0} (Facebook Photo Uploader 4 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/FacebookPhotoUploader3.cab
O16 - DPF: {5D6F45B3-9043-443D-A792-115447494D24} (UnoCtrl Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/EN-US/a-_UNO/GAME_UNO1.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1172507809890
O16 - DPF: {7B297BFD-85E4-4092-B2AF-16A91B2EA103} (WScanCtl Class) - http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/webscan.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (MSN Games - Installer) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/ZIntro.cab56649.cab
O16 - DPF: {BD393C14-72AD-4790-A095-76522973D6B8} (CBreakshotControl Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/Bankshot.cab57213.cab
O16 - DPF: {C3F79A2B-B9B4-4A66-B012-3EE46475B072} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsPAClient.cab56907.cab
O16 - DPF: {F5A7706B-B9C0-4C89-A715-7A0C6B05DD48} (Minesweeper Flags Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MineSweeper.cab56986.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{5E9C637C-0A68-4E49-835E-95B60DEAEA59}: NameServer = 64.71.255.198
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{C9F5821E-FF54-4F20-8018-2A2C8E54E5B2}: NameServer = 64.71.255.198
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\GR99D3~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgrsstarter - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\avgrsstx.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: vxnfvfjc - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\oftbfir.dll
O23 - Service: Acronis Scheduler2 Service (AcrSch2Svc) - Acronis - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedul2.exe
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Adobe Systems - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Apache2.2 - Apache Software Foundation - X:\servers\xampp\apache\bin\apache.exe
O23 - Service: Ares Chatroom server (AresChatServer) - Ares Development Group - C:\Program Files\Ares\chatServer.exe
O23 - Service: AVG8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: Canon Camera Access Library 8 (CCALib8) - Canon Inc. - C:\Program Files\Canon\CAL\CALMAIN.exe
O23 - Service: CcEvtSvc - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\CcEvtSvc.exe
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: gearsec - GEAR Software - C:\WINDOWS\system32\gearsec.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1150\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Process Monitor (LVPrcSrv) - Logitech Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LogiShrd\LVMVFM\LVPrcSrv.exe
O23 - Service: MSCSPTISRV - Sony Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared\AVLib\MSCSPTISRV.exe
O23 - Service: mysql - Unknown owner - X:\servers\xampp\mysql\bin\mysqld-nt.exe
O23 - Service: NBService - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Nero\Nero 7\Nero BackItUp\NBService.exe
O23 - Service: NMIndexingService - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ahead\Lib\NMIndexingService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PACSPTISVR - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared\AVLib\PACSPTISVR.exe
O23 - Service: Remote Packet Capture Protocol v.0 (experimental) (rpcapd) - CACE Technologies - C:\Program Files\WinPcap\rpcapd.exe
O23 - Service: SonicStage Back-End Service - Sony Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared\AVLib\SsBeSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Sony SPTI Service (SPTISRV) - Sony Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared\AVLib\SPTISRV.exe
O23 - Service: SonicStage SCSI Service (SSScsiSV) - Sony Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sony Shared\AVLib\SSScsiSV.exe
O23 - Service: VMware Authorization Service (VMAuthdService) - VMware, Inc. - C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Player\vmware-authd.exe
O23 - Service: VMware DHCP Service (VMnetDHCP) - VMware, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnetdhcp.exe
O23 - Service: VMware Virtual Mount Manager Extended (vmount2) - VMware, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\VMware Virtual Image Editing\vmount2.exe
O23 - Service: VMware NAT Service - VMware, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\vmnat.exe

--
End of file - 12155 bytes

Blade81

2009-02-25, 17:57

Hi

Unfortunately your system has been infected with Virut file infector. Only working solution in your case is complete reformat (all partitions affected).

littleEd

2009-02-25, 22:01

How do I know exactly which partitions are affected?

My computer has a few drives on it:
C: this drive only has XP and programs installed on it
X: larger drive for file storage (i think i have my documents set to save here!)
E: & F: these are 2 partions on an external drive that i use.

Thank you.

littleEd

2009-02-25, 22:05

I also forgot to ad

Drive E: on my external, contains all my portable programs (Firefox portable, and various other files),

Blade81

2009-02-26, 08:02

Hi

As said in my previous post, all drives used with this system are affected. If you for example just reformat OS partition and infection is also on your external drive then it won't be long until you'll have same symptoms.

Blade81

2009-03-03, 22:09

Due to inactivity, this thread will now be closed.

Note:If it has been four days or more since your last post, and the helper assisting you posted a response to that post to which you did not reply, your topic will not be reopened. At that point, if you still require help, please start a new topic and include a fresh HijackThis log and a link to your previous thread.

If it has been less than four days since your last response and you need the thread re-opened, please send me or MOD a private message (pm). A valid, working link to the closed topic is required.