I have a dilemma! My niece has a Toshiba Satellite Pro Laptop. It is running MS Windows XP Pro and has Service Pack 3 updates.

It is loaded with MS Office and has Norton Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition Security software. The Laptop is her company’s to allow her to do work at home. Unfortunately, she appears to have let one of her teenage sons use it on the Internet. I think that they have been places they should not have and/or have downloaded something they shouldn’t.

Now the machine is stuffed with (a) Trojan(s) and/or virus(es).

It has definitely been infected by a download of “ANTIVIRUS 2009” (see http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5005108AAghcnC for one explanation of it) so it appears that it is infected by the zlob Trojan, and possibly other things.

The problem is that I have tried updating the definitions of the installed Norton, tried doing a Windows update and other things but once I try to go near a security type site I get a response saying that I am not connected to the internet or the site is not available.

I tried loading Windows Defender. It allowed the download and install but once I tried to check for updates it said that the program cant check for updates and it gives an error code 0x80070422 but I suspect that it caused by the Trojan too.

I have tried to download Lavasoft’s Adaware but again it allows the download and install but not the definition updates.

Also tried downloading the Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program. It allowed the download of the loader it will not run the install exe.

I have even tried running in safe mode to the same effect.

As a last resort I tried running a system restore but it will not go on from the “Next >” on the final “Confirm Restore Point Selection” screen.

I am not a novice but this has me beat!

Is there a way out? Or is it a rebuild of the PC, and keep the kids off in future!!! I have spent about 5 hours so far trying various things so maybe I should cut my losses but don’t want to be beaten by these cyber yobs!

Any help will be appreciated.

I have other PCs available so can download anything on one PC and move to the other if I can get programs, definitions updates etc to run on the Laptop.

Thanks

trubmij:helpme:

Sorted the problem thanks to
http://tech.amikelive.com/node-144/t...removal-guide/