"WinPC Defender" nastyware - solutions?

[geoff]

Our home laptop (Dell, running Win XP) has a case of this nastyware. I've run PCTools Spyware Doctor on it and also RegRun. SD didn't even find the malware.  RR at least found it and removed the .exe file...but there are still problems, with the machine's performance now fairly unpredictable.

Any suggestions please about how best to fix this, other than moving off into orbit and nuking the whole thing?

geoff

[vorsprung]

what exactly are you trying to do?

[pcolbeck]

Dust off and nuke it from orbit.

Seriously though I never trust a PC that has been infected. Backup the data and then format the PC and re install.

[vorsprung]

The only place I can see any reference to "winpc defender" is on websites trying to sell you anti spyware software

There is no CVE entry for it, or entries about it on SecurityFocus or Kaspersky Lab: Antivirus software

[liam_whippet]

'Windows Defender' is a M$ product - the updated version of 'Microsoft Anti-Spyware' - is that what you've got?

Try Control Panel | Add & Remove Programs, and see if you're given the option to remove it.

[geoff]

'Windows Defender' is a M$ product - the updated version of 'Microsoft Anti-Spyware' - is that what you've got?

Try Control Panel | Add & Remove Programs, and see if you're given the option to remove it.

No - it's a version of this

Dust off and nuke it from orbit.

Seriously though I never trust a PC that has been infected. Backup the data and then format the PC and re install.

I'm just priming the warheads

[JohnP]

might malwarebytes help ?

[Wibble]

Whenever Windows gets a bit slow I just format and reinstall.  I keep all almost all my documents on a seperate partition and have the install disc so it's easy, though takes a few hours.  And then there is the updates for windows.  You'll be amazed how fast windows is afterwards thobut.