Error with C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts [Archive]

Sondra

2009-10-23, 03:04

This started when using McAfee for antivirus, but it quit and starting having a pop up about "Windows Enterprise Defender and asking for money." So I have done the following:
1. I swtiched to AVG for antivirus.
2. I ran spybot search and destroy, but I got about a host file at C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.
3. I ran Malware Bytes Antimaleware and ran the fixes.
4. I ran SuperAntiSpyWare and ran the fixes.

Then, I found this forum, and have followed the instructions in the 'read before you post' thread.

1. I turned the Teatimer off.
2. I created a backup at ERUNT
3. I downloaded HJT
4. I ran the scan and got the following message:

For some reason your system denied write access to the Hosts file. If any hijacked domains are in this file, Hijack This may NOT be able to fix this.

If that happens, you need to edit the file yourself. To do this, click Start, Run and type:

Notepad C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

And press Enter. Find the line(s) Hijack This reports and delete them. Save the file as ‘hosts.’ (with quotes), and reboot.

For Vista: simply, exit HijackThis, right click on the HijackThis icon, choose “Run as administrator”.

5. I clicked 'ok,' and I got this message:

You have an particularly large amount of hijacked domains. It’s probably better to delete the file itself then to fix each item (and create a backup).

If you see the same IP address in all the reported 01 items, consider deleting your Hosts file, which is located at C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

Here is a copy of the log file:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 7:49:03 PM, on 10/22/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16915)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.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:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgchsvx.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgrsx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\Update Service\IntuitUpdateService.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\SoftwareUpdate\YahooAUService.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\WALGRE~1\WALGRE~1\data\xtras\mssysmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\WINWORD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\MSWorks.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\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&p=%s
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ae
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.as
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.at
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.az
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ba
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.be
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.bg
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.bs
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ca
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.cd
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.gh
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.hk
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.jm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.mx
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.my
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.na
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.nf
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.ng
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ch
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.np
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.pr
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.qa
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.sg
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.tj
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.tw
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.dj
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.de
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.dk
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.dm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ee
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.fi
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.fm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.fr
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ge
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.gg
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.gm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.gr
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ht
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ie
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.im
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.in
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.it
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ki
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.la
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.li
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.lv
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ma
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ms
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.mu
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.mw
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.nl
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.no
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.nr
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.nu
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.pl
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.pn
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.pt
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ro
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ru
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.rw
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.sc
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.se
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.sh
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.si
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.sm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.sn
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.st
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.tl
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.tm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.tt
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.us
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.vu
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.ws
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.ck
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.id
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.il
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.in
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.jp
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.kr
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.ls
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.ma
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.nz
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.tz
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.ug
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.uk
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.za
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.co.zm
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.af
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.ag
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.ar
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.au
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.bn
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.br
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.by
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.bz
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.cu
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.ec
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 google.com.fj
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 www.google.ae (http://www.google.ae)
O1 - Hosts: 64.86.16.97 www.google.as (http://www.google.as)
O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O2 - BHO: SingleInstance Class - {FDAD4DA1-61A2-4FD8-9C17-86F7AC245081} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\YTSingleInstance.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn1\yt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] "C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Component Manager] "C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (reboot)] "C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe" /runcleanupscript
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG9_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SUPERAntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Walgreens PhotoShow Media Manager] C:\PROGRA~1\WALGRE~1\WALGRE~1\data\xtras\mssysmgr.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Google Photos Screensa&ver - res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\GPhotos.scr/200
O9 - Extra button: Rip YouTube File - {38E51477-DDB4-4aed-9D61-D0C193E10749} - C:\Program Files\AllMusicConverter\YouTubeRipper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Rip YouTube file embedded in this page - {38E51477-DDB4-4aed-9D61-D0C193E10749} - C:\Program Files\AllMusicConverter\YouTubeRipper.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
O16 - DPF: {01016526-5E80-11D8-9E86-0007E96C65AE} (SmartAccess Ctl Class) - https://install.charter.com/diskless/bin/ssctlsma.dll
O16 - DPF: {18C3FD15-74F6-4280-9C98-3590C966B7B8} (SkillGam Control) - http://www.worldwinner.com/games/v47/skillgam/skillgam.cab
O16 - DPF: {48DD0448-9209-4F81-9F6D-D83562940134} (MySpace Uploader Control) - http://lads.myspace.com/upload/MySpaceUploader1006.cab
O16 - DPF: {5ED80217-570B-4DA9-BF44-BE107C0EC166} (Windows Live Safety Center Base Module) - http://cdn.scan.onecare.live.com/resource/download/scanner/wlscbase8942.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1171474653031
O16 - DPF: {8A94C905-FF9D-43B6-8708-F0F22D22B1CB} (Wwlaunch Control) - http://www.worldwinner.com/games/shared/wwlaunch.cab
O16 - DPF: {A52FBD2B-7AB3-4F6B-90E3-91C772C5D00F} (WoF Control) - http://www.worldwinner.com/games/v57/wof/wof.cab
O16 - DPF: {CF969D51-F764-4FBF-9E90-475248601C8A} (FamilyFeud Control) - http://www.worldwinner.com/games/v47/familyfeud/familyfeud.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgrsstarter - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free E-mail Scanner (avg9emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free WatchDog (avg9wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: Google Software Updater (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Intuit Update Service (IntuitUpdateService) - Intuit Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\Update Service\IntuitUpdateService.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee SiteAdvisor Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\McAfee\SiteAdvisor\McSACore.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - Unknown owner - c:\program files\common files\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (MpfService) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: SMServer - SMServer - C:\WINDOWS\system32\snmvtsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Yahoo! Updater (YahooAUService) - Yahoo! Inc. - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\SoftwareUpdate\YahooAUService.exe

--
End of file - 12382 bytes

When I downloaded AVG, it asked me to removed McAfee, so I uninstalled McAfee.

Shaba

2009-10-24, 11:13

Hi Sondra

Download HostsXpert (http://www.funkytoad.com/download/HostsXpert.zip) and unzip it to your desktop.

Open HostsXpert that you earlier unzipped on your desktop

Click "Make Hosts Writable?" upper right corner (if available)
Click "Restore Microsoft's Original Hosts File" and then click OK
Close HostsXpert
Note; IF you used any custom Hosts (eg. MVPS Hosts), you will have put them back manually

Please post back a fresh HijackThis log afterwards :)

Sondra

2009-11-01, 21:12

I downloaded HostsXpert, but I could not find a place to click "Make Hosts Writable?"

I could find "Restore Microsoft's Original Hosts File" and then clicked OK. I got a pop up:

ERROR: CANNOT CREATE FILE C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ETC\hosts

Shaba

2009-11-01, 21:53

Download OTMoveIt (http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/OTM.exe) by Old Timer and save it to your Desktop.
Double-click OTM.exe. (Vista users, please right click on OTM.exe and select "Run as an Administrator")
Copy the lines in the codebox below.

:files
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ETC\hosts

Return to OTMoveIt, right click in the Paste Instructions for Items to be Moved window (under the yellow bar) and choose Paste.
Click the red Moveit! button.
Copy everything in the Results window (under the green bar), and paste it in your next reply.
Close OTMoveIt
Note: If a file or folder cannot be moved immediately you may be asked to reboot the machine to finish the move process. If you are asked to reboot the machine choose Yes. In this case, after the reboot, open Notepad (Start->All Programs->Accessories->Notepad), click File->Open, in the File Name box enter *.log and press the Enter key, navigate to the C:\_OTM\MovedFiles folder, and open the newest .log file present, and copy/paste the contents of that document back here in your next post.