Windows Explorer Crashing

[Merlebird]

So today, after having some noticeable but not unworkable crashing and lag for a few days (ever since my professor required us to download the Respondus LockDown browser via Internet Explorer - oh, the irony), my laptop apparently decided it had had enough of its symptoms being ignored and kicked it up a notch. Now, whenever I boot it up outside of Safe Mode, it goes through its normal boot-up processes, then says it can't locate gonaludu.dll and terminates Windows Explorer, leaving my laptop little more than a very expensive nightlight. I can't get it to stay conscious long enough to run Firefox, let alone download anything, so ERUNT is out (unless I could put it on a jump drive and install it in Safe Mode? I'm not terribly computer literate). To make matters worse, I went scouting for quick fixes over on Google and found a website that told me to turn off System Restore and search for gonaludu.dll in Safe Mode (which I couldn't find), so that's gone. Am I beyond hope? Do I just need to get all my important files off my laptop and do a total system wipe? Any help (or hope!) would be thoroughly appreciated.

[pskelley]

Welcome to Safer Networking, I wish to be sure you have viewed and understand this information.
"BEFORE you POST" (READ this Procedure before Requesting Assistance) http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288
All advice given is taken at your own risk.
Please make sure you have read this information so we are on the same page.

You must have read and followed the "Before you Post" instructions, anything else will waste your time and mine.

To tell you the truth, I do not know if I can help you or not. It does sound like malware but it is hard to diagnose with no more information than I have. We will try a multi-purpose tool that targets what I think you have. You will need to bring it to the infected computer so keep in mind it is 2.87 MB's in size.

A word of warning: Neither I nor sUBs are responsible for any damage you may have caused your machine by running ComboFix on your own. This tool is not a toy and not for everyday use

Download ComboFix from here:

Link 1 (http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/sUBs/ComboFix.exe)

* IMPORTANT !!! Save ComboFix.exe to your Desktop

Disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware applications, usually via a right click on the System Tray icon. They may otherwise interfere with our tools
See this Link (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic114351.html) for programs that need to be disabled and instruction on how to disable them.
Remember to re-enable them when we're done.


Double click on ComboFix.exe & follow the prompts.

As part of it's process, ComboFix will check to see if the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed. With malware infections being as they are today, it's strongly recommended to have this pre-installed on your machine before doing any malware removal. It will allow you to boot up into a special recovery/repair mode that will allow us to more easily help you should your computer have a problem after an attempted removal of malware.

Follow the prompts to allow ComboFix to download and install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console, and when prompted, agree to the End-User License Agreement to install the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console.

**Please note: If the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is already installed, ComboFix will continue it's malware removal procedures.


http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ken545/RcAuto1.gif

Once the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console is installed using ComboFix, you should see the following message:

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ken545/whatnext.jpg

Click on Yes, to continue scanning for malware.

When finished, it shall produce a log for you. Please include the C:\ComboFix.txt in your next reply along with a New Hijackthis log.

*If there is no internet connection when Combofix has completely finished then restart your computer to restore back the connections.

Tutorial if needed
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/combofix/how-to-use-combofix

If you are successful at running combofix, you should then be able to install HJT and post a log as directed.
Download Trend Micro Hijack This™ to your Desktop
http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/hijackthis/HJTInstall.exe
Doubleclick the HJTInstall.exe to start it.
By default it will install HijackThis in the Program Files\Trendmicro folder and create a desktop shortcut.
HijackThis will open after install. Press the Scan button below.
This will start the scan and open a log.
Copy and paste the contents of the log in your next reply.

Good luck...Phil

[Merlebird]

Phil, thanks so much for your prompt response, your help and your encouragement. I've read over the "Before You Post" guidelines, so next step will be to get a hold of an external hard drive and back up my files before we start. It might take a couple days to get the external hard drive sent over (long story about computer problems running concurrently with family issues - when it rains, it pours), so please bear with me.

[pskelley]

Due to the lack of feedback this Topic is closed.

If you need this topic reopened, please request this by sending the moderating team
a PM with the address of the thread. This applies only to the original topic starter.

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 your helper a private message (pm). A valid, working link to the closed topic is required.

Everyone else please begin a New Topic.