Web access problem following a virus infection

[WPKenny]

I recently cleaned a friends PC of over 30 virii that had been steadily choking her pc until my sister volunteered me to see if I could fix it.

Well I got rid of all the virii by removing the HDD and plugging it into an external enclosure on my own pc since her pc refused to pretty much do anything.

Her pc's limping along now but it's infinitely more usable. The trouble is she's lost her recovery disk so can't just wipe and start again.
Aside from liggle niggles her biggest remaining issue is that she can't get into secure websites. E.g. She can do all her shopping on Tesco's online but when it comes to paying she gets a 404.

I've just called her to talk about it but she's out so before she phones me back can anyone suggest a few things to try in order to get her secure website access back?

I'm going to review security certs and the hosts file with her but I REALLY don't want to have to treck all the way back over to her house and spend a 3rd evening and more petrol on it.

 

[MYstIC G]

re-install internet explorer

 

[WPKenny]

I see that in the windows components bit in control panel. Once uninstalled, I assume you just tick the box to re-install it, will it be asking her for her windows disk which she hasn't got?

 

[MYstIC G]

tbh I'd not do it like that, I'd download the installer from MS.com m8 and reinstall it over the top of the existing install.

 

[Trem]

I thought everyone got that error on Tescos site. Its a pile of shit.

Does she have trouble on other sites, maybe get her to try her banks webby to see if she can log into that.

Or maybe get her to try Tesco through Mozilla(if Tesco accepts it).

 

[WPKenny]

She says it's not just tesco but I've not spoken to her in any detail.

If re-installing IE doesn't work I'll get her to try firefox but she's not all that computer savvy so I want to keep everything as familiar as possible.

Thnx guys.

 

[Lazarus]

prolly a crap suggestion (flame - as if i give a shit).

Can you install firefox and then the extension to allow her to view in IE?

it might provide more stability

 

[Mellow]

a) Use a removal tool like Adaware in safe mode, more than once till the results are 0 infected items.

b) Look at the host file and make sure the dodgy software hasn't put a million and one entries in it.

c) Do a search for *.tmp files on the entire C: drive and delete them all. (probably best to do in safe mode as some may be locked/in use)

d) On the Connections tab of Internet Explorer properties. Select the Setup option and run through setting up a "fresh" connection to the internet.



P.S Download all Windows/Office security updates
http://update.microsoft.com
http://office.microsoft.com

Also using the Tesco website online may be a problem due to potential spyware infection that has already sent her details out across the internet. Get her to close her account and re-open a new one.

 

[WPKenny]

a) Use a removal tool like Adaware in safe mode, more than once till the results are 0 infected items.

b) Look at the host file and make sure the dodgy software hasn't put a million and one entries in it.

c) Do a search for *.tmp files on the entire C: drive and delete them all. (probably best to do in safe mode as some may be locked/in use)

d) On the Connections tab of Internet Explorer properties. Select the Setup option and run through setting up a "fresh" connection to the internet.



P.S Download all Windows/Office security updates
http://update.microsoft.com
http://office.microsoft.com

Also using the Tesco website online may be a problem due to potential spyware infection that has already sent her details out across the internet. Get her to close her account and re-open a new one.

I ran Spybot S&D several times on her pc. I installed Adaware but unfortunately it would crash part way through scanning every time in both safe and normal boot modes.
I never thought of deleting all the .tmp files, I'll suggest that when she eventually gets round to calling me.
She's not on a dial up connection so it's simply set not to dial. She's on wifi to her router which at the time I went round was totally unsecure so that was one of the first things I fixed.
I did ask her to run Windows Update after I left last time but I don't know whther she's done that.

/me taps his fingers waiting for her to call.