Girlfriend has attacked computer

[Blackdog]

Right gentlemen I need your services.

The missus, in her own adorable way, has ballsed my PC. She was trying to download a codec for WMP and has picked up some sort of crapware. Its done the usual browser switch, which I've been able to undo using Chrome, however I have a weird file in C:/Users/Blackdog/Appdate/Roaming named Yontoo. According to msconfig this is trying to start a whole load of nonsense when I startup and I'd like to delete it, and in doing so smite its ruin upon the mountainside.

The problem is windows says that the file is in use, and therefore beyoned deleting every time i start my pc. Any ideas? I will douse productive answers in reputation points if that encourages you

*Edit* Please could a mod insert a "U" in the title in place of my misspelled "I." I'll pay real money for this.

 

[OneZeoN]

Sorry I cant help...only give advice.

I use this moto...NEVER let the missus touch my stuff

Seems to work well and I've always got a long stick to hand if she needs reminded haha
Im sure someone here will know what to do though so good luck!

 

[Blackdog]

Yes in hindsight this seems like great advice

 

[steaky360]

Does it appear in the task manager? Might be worth trying to end process on it if it appears and trying to uninstall (if it appears in control panel)/delete it.

There is a way to delete stuff through command prompt but im not sure how exactly. I presume you've ran a virus checker over it to make sure its not a virus/malware thats dealt with by them?

 

[Blackdog]

Yeah mate Ive run bulldog on it and scanned using malware bytes. The weird thing is it doesn't show up in task manager, and i disabled its ability to run on startup using msconfig, yet it still claims to be in use. Ill try command prompt later, but having finished work two hours ago to find some weird stuff on my pc I just dont have the energy and must sleep.

 

[ubuysa]

If you start in Safe Mode can you delete it? If you run Windows 7 you can use a tool called Unlocker from http://www.emptyloop.com/unlocker/ that lets you remove locking handles so you can delete files (use with care though!). Sadly it doesn't run under Windows 8.

Failing both of those, boot the Windows install DVD, select repair and open up a command prompt. You'll be able to delete it from there for sure....sorry I mean "smite it upon the mountainside" from there of course.

Edit: I just found Unlocker 64-bit here and it works just fine under 64-bit Windows 8.

 

[kruppsy]

You could also try this one...part of the malwarebytes portfolio...not used it myself though.

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/fileassassin/

 

[Boozad]

Would a System Restore sort it out?

 

[ubuysa]

Would a System Restore sort it out?

It should do, it's worth a try in any case. Good call.

I take regular disk images with Macrium Reflect Free so in cases like this all I have to do is restore the last image and any rubbish like this is gone.

 

[DeadEyeDuk]

I wasn't sure how to read that thread blackdog.

On the one hand I thought that maybe your GF's computer had been attacked by some form of crapware;
or
On the other hand, that as is the case, your computer has been attacked due to something your GF did;
or
In fact the most likely of all explanations for the title...your GF had attacked your computer with [insert blunt/heavy object of choice here] and bollocksed it up

(I'm pretty sure mine is tempted to do that sometimes...)

 

[rickne]

yontoo is familiar. I removed it via add/remove programs. Then a spybot search and destroy . No further problems.

 

[Blackdog]

I wasn't sure how to read that thread blackdog.

On the one hand I thought that maybe your GF's computer had been attacked by some form of crapware;
or
On the other hand, that as is the case, your computer has been attacked due to something your GF did;
or
In fact the most likely of all explanations for the title...your GF had attacked your computer with [insert blunt/heavy object of choice here] and bollocksed it up

(I'm pretty sure mine is tempted to do that sometimes...)

The only way that would come about were if she didn't get her MMO fix.The precious.

Thanks for all your help guys, I think i have got rid of it, cheers.

 

[keynes]

The only way that would come about were if she didn't get her MMO fix.The precious.

Thanks for all your help guys, I think i have got rid of it, cheers.

you may want to create a password to avoid any more issues in the future

 

[kruppsy]

you may want to create a password to avoid any more issues in the future

I was looking into doing this on my laptop, can you set up a profile for someone (other half) so they they can access applications but can't install anything, maybe with a website blocker so there's no chance of you getting something dodgy? Can Windows do all that or would that be spread over a couple of programs.

 

[Blackdog]

I was looking into doing this on my laptop, can you set up a profile for someone (other half) so they they can access applications but can't install anything, maybe with a website blocker so there's no chance of you getting something dodgy? Can Windows do all that or would that be spread over a couple of programs.

Good shout, I'm making another user account right now.

 

[steaky360]

I hate that user account thing. I'd rather just take the kettle plug out of the PSU whenever I went out

 

[vanthus]

I was looking into doing this on my laptop, can you set up a profile for someone (other half) so they they can access applications but can't install anything, maybe with a website blocker so there's no chance of you getting something dodgy? Can Windows do all that or would that be spread over a couple of programs.

You can set up a standard account in "user accounts" accessible from the control panel,this means they can't alter anything in your own "administrator account" and limits them to what they can do.You can also set up "parental controls" for this account and make further restrictions.

 

[kruppsy]

I hate that user account thing. I'd rather just take the kettle plug out of the PSU whenever I went out

Do you mean take it out with you? You could use it as a belt! Classy!

 

[kruppsy]

You can set up a standard account in "user accounts" accessible from the control panel,this means they can't alter anything in your own "administrator account" and limits them to what they can do.You can also set up "parental controls" for this account and make further restrictions.

I thought you could...think I'll be setting one up also.

 

[SlickShoes]

System Restore or just wipe the drive and re-install Windows, re-installing Windows, drivers and programs will probably take less time than all the trouble shooting you will do trying to remove malware.