Malware apparently removed but startup very slow and System Restore is blocked

[dkamin]

I downloaded a sound file translation program called Softonic, which evidently came with Malware. I suddenly had a toolbar in Firefox that offered to post to facebook and other social media. I ran Spybot but received a message that I needed to have administrator privileges to go deeper, but accessing the system administrator and running Malwarebyes Antimalware didn't help. I was able to remove the translator and the toolbar, which was called Shareware or something (sorry, don't remember the exact name) by using Add and Remove programs.

Some months ago I had a virus which a more computer-savvy friend helped to eradicate with the aid of the Forum. This time he tried simply using System Restore, but the program wouldn't work. My friend theorizes the Malware was eliminated but there's a corrupted linked file in the system that keeps looking for it during startup, hence the delay. Hope someone will help, since the long startup is annoying but I'm also concerned that the Malware is still lurking. Thanks, dkamin

[tashi]

Hello dkamin,

I ran Spybot but received a message that I needed to have administrator privileges to go deeper,

How can I get administrator rights under Windows Vista / Windows 7 / Windows 8?

This time he tried simply using System Restore, but the program wouldn't work.

FYI:

• Please do not use System Restore trying to remove an infection. Doing so would only serve to destroy a known restore point (dirty or not) and won't remove the malware. Let your helper advise you as to when a System Restore flush is called for.

Please see the sticky which includes guidelines for this forum in post #1 and instructions in post #2 on how to provide the preliminary DDS and aswMBR logs used for analysis.

http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288

Then start a new topic providing the logs as shown in that FAQ with a link back to this thread and a volunteer analyst will advise you when available.

Best regards.