[Split] themed32.dll

[ricadia]

Has anyone managed to solve this themed32.dll virus yet?

My PC got this infection a couple of days ago and in similar circumstances to this person. I've been googling every few hours hoping someone will come up with a simple fix but it appears to have flummoxed the so called 'experts'.

Looks like I'm going to have to do a clean re-install of XP.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello ricadia,

You had posted into another member's malware-removal topic. That is frowned upon and against the rules for that sub-forum.

I have split off your post.

Let me know if you have resolved your issues.

[ricadia]

Hello Maurice,

I'm sorry if I broke the forum rules. My comment was posted out of frustration that none of the usual anti-virus 'experts' appear to either have software that protects against this virus or whatever it's technical tag is, or have come up with a way to restore the computers of people who have unhappily downloaded it.

I have been hoping that Elise or another malware expert on your site would find a simple solution as I still have the problem.

I am waiting for an external hard disk drive I bought online (purchase made by telephone I hasten to add) arrives so that I can save all my valuable documents and files before re-installing Windows XP. If you have a better solution that repairs my PC insteadplease let me know.

regards

Richard Harris aka ricadia

Hello ricadia,

You had posted into another member's malware-removal topic. That is frowned upon and against the rules for that sub-forum.

I have split off your post.

Let me know if you have resolved your issues.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello Richard,

There is no "simple" fix for this malware, which is a bleeding-edge one.

Now, if you have a recent backup of this system, you should use that to restore the system.

As to protection software, one always needs to have layered protection up-front.

Antivirus app up-to-date

anti-malware up-to-date

windows security updates up-to-date

software-firewall

hardware router

offline backups of system, including mirror image backup of system

With the latter, one can revert to a recent working system in a short period of time.

For Windows XP, I would also add to the list above, having the Recovery Console installed is a big plus.

In the long term, you'd be safest to wipe the HD and do a clean-new install of XP, followed immediately by

1- install of antivirus & get it up-to-date (don't use, if any, any trial edition of AV, such as from factory)

2- install of anti-malware & get it up-to-date

3- check MS Windows Update

Can you start your XP in Safe Mode with Networking?

Even though you may not have a Taskbar, can your get Task Manager started ? (by pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL keys)

Do you have the Windows XP operating system CD? If so, it makes possible booting from CD into the Recovery Console.

Again, a new install would be safer (certainly faster) than going back & forth over several days to diagnose & attempt fixes.

[ricadia]

Hi Maurice,

Thanks for your reply.

I've used a copy of the service pack 3 files I had on a separate CD to open up explorer.exe so I have some functionality. I have Recovery Console installed that I can jump into on boot up (leaving the service pack CD in the disk drive seems to throw up this choice screen).

I already tried System Restore but the malware has erased or made inaccessible previous restore points so I can't get back to a settings that pre-dates the infection. Is that what you meant about back up?

I don't know what Recovery Console offers but I don't want to try anything that wipes my files before I have a chance to copy them to an external disk drive.

I note what you say about reinstalling as opposed to days spent trying to apply fixes.

I have been hoping that by now someone would have identified the source of this problem and also how to fix it.

I have been watching Elise trying to help Oceanic but it doesn't yet look like this is successful.

I'm wondering whther to abandon Internet Explorer in future and use a different web browser although I note that someone using Firefox is similarly afflicted. Any suggestions?

regards

Richard

Edited June 21, 2010 by Maurice Naggar

[Maurice Naggar]

Richard,

Advise me if you have been able to login to Normal mode, otherwise Safe Mode with Networking. Or if have been able to start Windows Explorer.

Watching the other topics (such as one that Elise has) is ok, but do NOT use the same procedures, as yours is likely a bit different.

I would like to see if you can run some reports.

Please print out, read and follow the directions here, skipping any steps you are unable to complete.

Please post here Gmer.txt log

the DDS logs

If unable to get any reports, at least let me know if your system Windows folder is C:\Windows or C:\Winnt

and how familiar you are with Recovery Console

[Maurice Naggar]

Due to the lack of feedback this topic is closed to prevent others from posting here. If you need this topic reopened, please send a Private Message to any one of the moderating team members. Please include a link to this thread with your request. This applies only to the originator of this thread.

Other members who need assistance please start your own topic in a new thread. Thanks!