This thread's last reply is from June 16, 2005, 4:58 AM UTC. Software, malware, and removal-tool
advice below may be out of date — treat specific steps and download links with caution.
thefuse
i finally worked out how to use dll compare and these are the files from the bottom section, dont know if they enlighten you anymore
* DLLCompare Log version(1.0.0.127)
Files Found that Windows does not See or cannot Access
*Not everything listed here means you are infected!
________________________________________________
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\folder.htt Tue May 10 2005 2:16:42p ...H. 13,122 12.81 K
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\desktop.ini Tue May 10 2005 2:16:42p ...H. 266 0.26 K
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\zllictbl.dat Mon May 30 2005 6:16:18p ...H. 4,212 4.11 K
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\vsconfig.xml Tue May 31 2005 3:45:54p A..H. 890 0.87 K
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SFP\mscreate.dir Mon Jun 14 2004 1:28:52a A..HR 0 0.00 K
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SFP\IE\mscreate.dir Mon Jun 14 2004 1:28:52a A..HR 0 0.00 K
________________________________________________
2,033 items found: 1,986 files (6 H/S), 47 directories.
Total of file sizes: 231,458,845 bytes 220.73 M
askey127
My recommendation is that you do a full data backup and re-install the system.
The symptoms you describe CAN be caused by parameters written into the file folder.htt
It is an HTML-like template and can be edited with notepad. It basically controls how a page looks and behaves, and is customizable. Desktop.ini just locates it. This file can be corrupted and replicated by malware infections. Then even after the malware is gone, all the templates can remain incorrect. If you can find representative samples of 'folder.htt' in a good working W98SE system, you might get away with replacing them directly. Original versions of the file come with the installation for the system or IE4.
The file folder.htt is hidden, so to change, rename, edit, or make a copy to work on, you would have to first boot using a W98 boot floppy to DOS, and use a command prompt line like:
ATTRIB -h -s C:\Windows\System\folder.htt
There is some info from Microsoft here http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;%5BLN%5D;Q181689
You have two actions you can take if you want to use the system for repair attempts without a clean re-install. You may need the W98SE CD for either.
Either may or may not work. You can try them if you wish.
(1) Under Start, Settings, Control Panel, choose Add/Remove and scroll all the way down to Microsoft Internet Explorer
Choose Remove. When the dialog comes up, choose Repair instead of Remove.
(2) Under Start, Programs, choose MSDOS Command Prompt. Type "sfc /scannow" without the quotes. sfc is known to be buggy in W98, but will attempt to replace corrupt system files.
askey127
thefuse
thanks for all your help askey
will try to do all that you advised
askey127
If you try sfc /scannow from the command line, it may work best if you install the W98SE CD and enter it from Start, Run, rather than from a DOS box.
askey127
thefuse
call me stupid but i dont know how to get sfc/scannow to start or even how to get to it in the first place
askey127
Put your CD for W98SE in the CD drive.
If it autostarts, click Exit.
You click on Start, Run.
When the box comes up, type sfc /scannow
(There is a space between sfc and /scannow).
Let it do its thing.
askey127
thefuse
if i type in sfc /scannow i get the message, 'the command line parameters are not valid. The following parameters are not recognized, "scannow"
askey127
thefuse,
If the command line parameter doesn't work, see whether you can run the system file checker from the windows interface.
MS instructions are here : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/185836/EN-US/
A possible complication of using this tool and its remedy are listed here : http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=192832
askey
