tell.exe

[Yoda]

Using the skillset only available to a 13-year old, my lad has managed to download some nasty krap onto his PC.

Using Adaware, Trojan Hunter and some Anti-virus software, I've managed to get rid of the vast majority.

What's left are self-spawning copies of a process called tell.exe and a number of IEEXPLORE.EXE's

These just soak up 100% of the CPU.

Any advice on removal?

(Needless to say, the laddo has had a severe talking to and now nows that I regularly check the history files of his and his sister's machines.)

 

[Spikehammer]

Try Hijack This!

Check where the IEEXPLORER.EXE is (folder location), if it's in C:\ Windows or the C:\Windows\System 32 could be malware.

You could try this as well: Click 'start' then 'search all fiiles and folders' and enter "iexplore.exe". let the system pull up all the files it finds. Identify(and keep) any that are C:/Program Files/Internet Explorer AND C:/Program Files/Online... (these two types are your explorer and whatever is running) the rest of them just delete files one at a time. Reboot and check that IEis running ok, if it is dump those that you deleted and are now in your Recycle Bin.

You may be better off reformatting/reinstalling if theres not much to be saved.

 

[centaur]

If you're using XP and before doing any further 'weeding' turn off the system restore until you have cleared all the rest of the crap. Then you can turn it back on.

Semi regular checks with an online malware checker like Kaspersky or http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ will help a bit too

 

[Yoda]

Thanks. I think I've managed to clear up most of the crud with several passes of Grisoft anti-virus.

I've only today come across the System Restore function. It would seem to me that if I rewind to a couple of days ago when things were normal that should get rid of the krud. Turn System Restore on and off to clear down the versions, and then let Grisoft do its stuff to delete any stranded exe's that are left floating around.

Is that a Cunning Plan?

 

[Yoda]

Bugga.

It wouldn't Restore back to a previous version. Tried to go back to several but on reboot I was getting an "Unable to restore to xxxxxxxxx" messge.

There were still some nasties and popups floating around and something was taking control of the CD-ROM. Have bitten the bullet and the machine has gone into the techy workshop for a full wipe and rebuild.

He had been pulling down some music files, possibly from a site called Livewire, so it could be the krap came from there?

 

[Bigtwin]

He had been pulling down some music files, possibly from a site called Livewire, so it could be the krap came from there?

Do you mean Limewire?

If so, Pro is apparently a lot better than the free one, and it's not a lot of dosh.

 

[Yoda]

Do you mean Limewire?

If so, Pro is apparently a lot better than the free one, and it's not a lot of dosh.

Yep - I've got the FingerTrouble Virus which corrupts the perfectly spelt words as they leave my brain into utter garbage by the time they're typed. LimeWire it is/was.

Thanks for the info. Appreciated.