Comp Help?

[The Forsaken]

awtqo.dll

It's on my comp without my approval, and I can't delete it. I'm positive it's an infected file giving me all sorts of downloaders and what not. I've exhausted my options, being adaware, spybot, and my virus scanner(AVG). Anyone have any ideas?

[Kyzarius]

its definatly a trojan.

If you dig around on google you can find various sets of removal instructions.

[Calron]

http://www.superadblocker.com/definition/awtqo/

[The Forsaken]

its definatly a trojan.

If you dig around on google you can find various sets of removal instructions.

Been there tried those. Still can't delete it even in safe mode or delete before startup.

[Kinicky]

Let me know if you figure it out, and how you did it. That link says it is a Vundo variant, and I know I have had a vundo trojan on my computer for some time, and it has evaded all my attempts to remove it.

['tarako]

'hmmm. I would suggest getting a mac. or if you want to keep your current machine switch to linux. the penguin has no viruses.

[The Forsaken]

http://www.superadblocker.com/definition/awtqo/

Worked for me! Thanks man.

[Grumpy]

hmmm.... a file that you can't remove. Anyone know how that is possible?

[Calron]

Why wouldn't it be possible? You can't "delete" your system registry, or its vital drivers or components. Its just the same thing applied to malware.

[Pali]

hmmm.... a file that you can't remove. Anyone know how that is possible?

Because any code you can program (for instance, the code for deleting a file) is a code you can program a way to get around.

[Cycel]

There's also a classic scheme where a virus will install itself through two redundant files. When one detects that the other is deleted, it immediately recreates it.

[Twinblades713]

There's also a classic scheme where a virus will install itself through two redundant files. When one detects that the other is deleted' date=' it immediately recreates it.[/quote']

That's a b**** move. Never heard of that one before.

[Kyzarius]

That's a b**** move. Never heard of that one before.

wow, you havent done much coding that involves file creation heh.

[Calron]

Cleverly designed malware can recreate itself when it isn't completely deleted. In fact, its almost impossible to tell if you are actually "deleting" anything from your computer. For example, when you uninstall a program, there are still entries in the system registry and other structural files that remain. Its not overly difficult to design a program that can repair itself even if its obvious components are deleted.

Another method is for a program to insert components in other important files on your system so that you can't really delete it. The moral of the story is you don't try and "delete" malware manually, because only the flimsiest malware can be removed that way. Most malware requires a removal program that can iterate through your files and detect known signatures/traces of the malware.

[Twinblades713]

wow' date=' you havent done much coding that involves file creation heh. [/quote']

I really, really haven't... So's y'all know I'm not out of highschool. I dunno if that has anything to do with it. I'm into computers, but not that much.

[mya]

I come from the time of MS-Dos. And i hate when windows will not let me delete a file.

There is always a way to remove a file, if not just corrupt it.

[L-A]

I come from the time of MS-Dos. And i hate when windows will not let me delete a file.

There is always a way to remove a file, if not just corrupt it.

I come from that time as well

If all you want to do is delete a file, put in your MS-DOS 6.22 boot disk, boot in and delete it. Its gone. If its really stubborn deltree is your friend

However, like Calron said, most malware cannot be defeated like this. Best bet is to make like an IT pro and visit www.google.com Find the removal instructions and follow them.

L-A

PS - Windows isn't the great hasstle everyone makes it out ot be when it comes to malware and spyware. A good virus scanning program and firewall will go a long way to making your system a hard target for this kind of stuff.

AVG has a suite that has all this - I think it works out to $0.50 a week once you do the maths on the licence. It includes (amongst other things) virus scanner, updates and firewall. A very small price to pay if you're using your computer every day.

If you're cheap I think AVG still has a free version, augment it with Sygate for a good firewall, AdAware (is it still free?) and probably Spybot (though you have to actually think about what you're doing to use this one).

[Aulian]

I come from that time as well

If all you want to do is delete a file, put in your MS-DOS 6.22 boot disk, boot in and delete it. Its gone. If its really stubborn deltree is your friend

However, like Calron said, most malware cannot be defeated like this. Best bet is to make like an IT pro and visit www.google.com Find the removal instructions and follow them.

L-A

PS - Windows isn't the great hasstle everyone makes it out ot be when it comes to malware and spyware. A good virus scanning program and firewall will go a long way to making your system a hard target for this kind of stuff.

AVG has a suite that has all this - I think it works out to $0.50 a week once you do the maths on the licence. It includes (amongst other things) virus scanner, updates and firewall. A very small price to pay if you're using your computer every day.

If you're cheap I think AVG still has a free version, augment it with Sygate for a good firewall, AdAware (is it still free?) and probably Spybot (though you have to actually think about what you're doing to use this one).

Im using AVG at the moment but the updates have stopped working on my computer. Bastards. I wrote an email but they havent replied...

[L-A]

Im using AVG at the moment but the updates have stopped working on my computer. Bastards. I wrote an email but they havent replied...

AVG EOL'd some of there free stuff a while back now - it was only a matter of time before the free updates went the same way.

Seriously man, $0.50 per day (or was it per week, I'd have to check current pricing) - virus and firewall and other goodies. I bet you spend more on booze in any given week (let alone if you gotta take one of those upmarket sheep out for dinner and dancing on a Friday night )

Of course, you could not worry as Dharg puts a RAT on your PC and the next time I visit ebay I can bid on Dumela :mad: With that current set of eq I reckon the characters a steal at $AU10.

L-A

[Hegemon]

Try using a Ubuntu LiveCD, which is essentially a Linux operating system which you can run off your CD/DVD drive without altering your hard drive.

From it, you can go into your hard drive and delete the file(s) while they are "cold", and thus hopefully remove the problem.

I use it to backup entire Hard Drives to my External USB Drive before reformating which IMHO is the ONLY way to get rid of the infection.