Please help-- Spybot "cannot create file"

[fs_tills]

Hi,

Last night I was hit by a serious malware attack. The first time I ran Spybot, I came up with over 100 instances of spyware, and Spybot deleted the majority of them. The second and third time I ran Spybot, I got this message (screencap below) whenever I tried to "Fix Selected Problems":



So how do I fix this?

Thanks, I appreciate any and all help. I keep getting pages redirected to ad sites, and going to google.com keeps leading me to google.de, etc. Really bad.

[BillGio]

Are you logged in as an Administrator? That would explain the popup.

Also, for badly infected computers, I highly recommend that you run the scan while NOT connected to the Internet. This prevents any external interference with the scan.

You should also terminate any unneeded background programs. They can also interfere with your scan on badly infected computers.

[fs_tills]

Hi BillGio, I am logged in as administrator, that's the only account on my computer.

Should I try to run the scan again with no internet connection?

Thanks.

[BillGio]

Well, yes, I'd run the scan with no internet connection (no connection at power-on boot). BUT, I'd also check the permissions on the Windows Hosts file.

1. First, make sure that you are not running any other security applications that has an option to lock the Windows Hosts file (I suspect that this is the problem).

2. Next, go to Sybot's Tools > IE Tweaks. Look at the box for "Lock Hosts file".
- If the box is checked, uncheck it, wait five seconds, then check it again, wait five seconds, then uncheck it.
- If the box is unchecked, check it, wait five seconds, then uncheck it.
Hopefully, this will cycle and reset the permissions on the Hosts file.

If neither of the above work, then you need to check the Microsoft Knowledge Base on how to fix the permissions on the Windows Hosts file.

[fs_tills]

I restarted my computer, removed my wireless card and ran Spybot-- making sure that "Hosts File" was unchecked, as you suggested. Again, however, came up with the same malware results, and was told that Spybot "cannot create file."

Really need help here, thanks in advance.

[BillGio]

I restarted my computer, removed my wireless card and ran Spybot-- making sure that "Hosts File" was unchecked, as you suggested...

Did you follow my instructions EXACTLY? I did NOT suggest unchecking the hosts file box in SpyBot - I recommended cycling the permissions.

Do you have any other applications on your computer, like a security suite, the also locks the hosts file? And did you check the Microsoft Knowledge Base on how to fix the permissions on the Windows Hosts file?