[rigsinkerJ]

Hi, im new here and one of the torrents i downloaded was infected possible with malware or a virus. it prevented me from launching norton 360 and i even tried using the 'Auto fix" tool which didnt help in normal mode or safe mode because Windows said my"hal.dll file was corrupt or missing--when i had to restart as instructed. so i restored my system which got back my personal files but of course not the recent software. i dont know what i should do next. by the way, im running on " Windows XP mediacenter edition, version 2002, service pack 2". i dont know where the operating CD's are and i dont know what else i should do next......Thanks.

[ElfBane]

Start here...
http://pcsupport.abo...ssinghaldll.htm .

[rigsinkerJ]

ElfBane, on 22 August 2012 - 01:28 PM, said:

Start here...
http://pcsupport.abo...ssinghaldll.htm .

I just found out from a friend that i have a trojan/virus in my system. i didn't understand some of the instructions you linked me. --some of those instructions i cant perform because system restore doesn't get rid of the virus and i don't have the operating disc anymore to start over. Is there a way that i could download an anti-virus software ( that works in safe mode)or go to a free online scan & threat removal website- and hopefully get fix the hal.dll file?

[ElfBane]

DL MalwareBytes Anti-Malware here... http://www.malwareby...warebytes_free/ .

DL the free version and install and update it.

This is an on-demand AV program and shouldn't interfere wih Norton360.

Run MBAM and see what it finds.

[rigsinkerJ]

it found about 4 threats and it restarted the PC- which also removes those threats. how do i know if my PC is "clean"? How can i tell if the hal.dll file is fine?

[ElfBane]

rigsinkerJ, on 24 August 2012 - 10:16 AM, said:

it found about 4 threats and it restarted the PC- which also removes those threats. how do i know if my PC is "clean"? How can i tell if the hal.dll file is fine?

Can you duplicate the "hal.dll" fault? IOW, just do what you did to cause the fault, if it doesn't happen, then the problem may be fixed.

[johhny]

You can refer the link:

http://pcsupport.abo...ssinghaldll.htm

[rigsinkerJ]

so, i scanned the PC in safe mode again and found two threats ( registry data) related, but i keep removing them, and they keep coming back. why arent the safe mode scans working? what do u advise i do? ( i havent tried the previous advice because i dont understand what it means. )

[LiveBrianD]

Do you know what the malware is called? Your best bet is to look up a guide for it, or reinstall Windows (personally, I don't trust a machine that's been infected until I do that).

[rigsinkerJ]

here are the two threats i always "get removed". but they keep coming back. also my free trail of Anti-Malware expires tomorrow.

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[ElfBane]

rigsinkerJ, on 05 September 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

here are the two threats i always "get removed". but they keep coming back. also my free trail of Anti-Malware expires tomorrow.

The malware "PUM.Disabled..." is probably a rootkit. Googling "PUM.Disabled" (- quotes) brings up a whole big laundry list of help... some of which want money for said help. I recommend you try a couple of rootkit removers (google it, there are free ones out there) first.

If that doesn't remove the problem, then I recommend subscribing to a dedicated malware removal site and going thru the process of manual removal.

[ElfBane]

BTW, just uninstall the paid version of MBAM. The free version is just as good except that it's on-demand instead of real-time. The free version is found here... http://www.malwareby...warebytes_free/ .