Disappearing taskbar and security centre virus

Hi.

How is your computer running?

Hi,
It is running fine, thanks. To be honest I haven't seen any issues for the last few posts.
However, I have now accumulated lots of thingxs on my computer:
- all the topics and potential removal actions that I mentioned above in Post 24.
- Helpasst_backup directory. I know you said earlier that this is back up from Help Assistent, but I don't remember seeing this before, and I can't find any other reference to Halp Assistant on my computer. If it's running in the background, then it seems quite well hidden. NB I do separately take backups periodically.
Thanks as ever.

Hi.

You can delete the HelpAssistant backup now.

Your computer is now clean. Now, time to remove the tools used, and update your computer to prevent vulnerability.

Updating System Restore
Now to get you off to a good start we will clean your restore points so that all the bad stuff is gone for good. Then if you need to restore at some stage you will be clean. There are several ways to reset your restore points, but this is my method:

• Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System tools > System Restore.
  
• On the dialogue box that appears select Create a Restore Point
  
• Click NEXT
  
• Enter a name e.g. Clean
  
• Click CREATE.

You now have a clean restore point.

To get rid of the bad ones:

• Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk Cleanup.
  
• In the Drop down box that appears select your main drive e.g. C
  
• Click OK
  
• The System will do a calculation of temporary/old files, and then display a dialogue box.
  
• Select the More Options Tab.
  
• At the bottom will be a System Restore box with a CLEANUP button click this
  
• Accept the Warning and select OK again, the program will close and you are done.

========

Removing the tools
Now, to remove all of the tools we used and the files and folders they created, please do the following:

Download OTC.exe by OldTimer:

• Save it to your Desktop.
  
• Double click OTC.exe.
  
• Click the CleanUp! button.
  
• If you are prompted to Reboot during the cleanup, select Yes.
  
• The tool will delete itself once it finishes.
  Note: If any tool, file or folder (belonging to the program we have used) hasn't been deleted, please delete it manually.

============

Service Pack upgrade
Please consider upgrading to Windows XP SP3, because it includes all previously released updates. It also includes a small number of new functionalities. Some of the updates that Service Pack 3 provides, you may not have. It is now available via Windows Update.

More info about SP3: Here

=====

Update Programs
Please download the newest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe.com

Before installing: it is important to remove older versions of Acrobat Reader since it does not do so automatically and old versions still leave you vulnerable.
Go to the Control Panel and enter Add or Remove Programs.
Search in the list for all previous installed versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Uninstall/Remove each of them.

Once old versions are gone, please install the newest version.



Please download the newest version of Java from Java.com.

Before installing: it is important to remove older versions of Java since it does not do so automatically and old versions still leave you vulnerable.
Go to the Control Panel and enter Add or Remove Programs.
Search in the list for all previous installed versions of Java (J2SE Runtime Environment). Please uninstall/remove each of them.

Once old versions are gone, please install the newest version.

================

Your computer is now clean. Now, time to remove the tools used, and update your computer to prevent vulnerability.

Updating System Restore
Now to get you off to a good start we will clean your restore points so that all the bad stuff is gone for good. Then if you need to restore at some stage you will be clean. There are several ways to reset your restore points, but this is my method:

• Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System tools > System Restore.
  
• On the dialogue box that appears select Create a Restore Point
  
• Click NEXT
  
• Enter a name e.g. Clean
  
• Click CREATE.

You now have a clean restore point.

To get rid of the bad ones:

• Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk Cleanup.
  
• In the Drop down box that appears select your main drive e.g. C
  
• Click OK
  
• The System will do a calculation of temporary/old files, and then display a dialogue box.
  
• Select the More Options Tab.
  
• At the bottom will be a System Restore box with a CLEANUP button click this
  
• Accept the Warning and select OK again, the program will close and you are done.

========

Removing the tools
Now, to remove all of the tools we used and the files and folders they created, please do the following:

Download OTC.exe by OldTimer:

• Save it to your Desktop.
  
• Double click OTC.exe.
  
• Click the CleanUp! button.
  
• If you are prompted to Reboot during the cleanup, select Yes.
  
• The tool will delete itself once it finishes.
  Note: If any tool, file or folder (belonging to the program we have used) hasn't been deleted, please delete it manually.

============

Service Pack upgrade
Please consider upgrading to Windows XP SP3, because it includes all previously released updates. It also includes a small number of new functionalities. Some of the updates that Service Pack 3 provides, you may not have. It is now available via Windows Update.

More info about SP3: Here

=====

Update Programs
Please download the newest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe.com

Before installing: it is important to remove older versions of Acrobat Reader since it does not do so automatically and old versions still leave you vulnerable.
Go to the Control Panel and enter Add or Remove Programs.
Search in the list for all previous installed versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Uninstall/Remove each of them.

Once old versions are gone, please install the newest version.



Please download the newest version of Java from Java.com.

Before installing: it is important to remove older versions of Java since it does not do so automatically and old versions still leave you vulnerable.
Go to the Control Panel and enter Add or Remove Programs.
Search in the list for all previous installed versions of Java (J2SE Runtime Environment). Please uninstall/remove each of them.

Once old versions are gone, please install the newest version.

Hi
I have done all of that thanks.
I still had some other files left:
- ESET which I removed by Add/rmv
- Hijackthis - ditto
- 3 Combo-fix directories - which I deleted.
Some Help Asst .exe files on my desktop - deleted
Some MB files on my desktop - deleted.

I also have 2 directories (empty) named "NV916284.TMP" or similar. Can I delete these?
And 3 directories named "5de2baedc3ac8e9e6c2275410292" or similar. That dir contains 3 files, eg "mrtsub.exe".

Hi.

You can delete the empty .TMP directories, but the others are legit and they are associated with service pack installs.

Thanks for all the help - The service is just great.
I would like to make a donation; how do I do this?

You're welcome, glad to help.

Here is the link to the donation stuff: http://www.GeekPolice.net/Donate-h29.htm