error message since virus attack HELP!

Hi All,

I need some help with an error message. Firstly I am no expert but know the basics of computer operation and I would really appreciate any suggestions or help (before I give up, throw laptop out of window and get a Mac!). Here goes with the story:

I had a virus attack (malware/ trojan type), which AGV sorted out as soon as it happened. After this was sent to the virus vault and I rebooted the computer, the desktop had been replaced with a black screen and all the icons had gone including all the icons in the start menu and some of the menu options in the start menu (on the right of icons in menu).

Also all my document and pictures folders appeared to be empty along with various other folders. However, after several reboots, with the same black screen I noticed that a picture had reappeared in the folder but it disappeared again. I concluded that the pics etc were still there so I carried out a system restore to a date before the virus attack and that solved the desktop problem but left two things:

1. several icons and folders appearance was transparent (I have solved this by painstakingly unchecking hidden checkboxes) and

2. I now get an error message on start up and every 20 minutes or so.

The error message reads can't initialize mapi.log
Access to to C\Users\NAME\AppData\Local\Temp\Mapi.log is denied

THe last part sometimes states WAB.log is denied etc.

Laptop: Toshiba Equium L40-17M
Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit

I have searched all over for a solution but I can't find anything that matches exactly.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Sean.

Welcome

For the all the problems, if you can do a system restore from before the virus, the problems will be solved
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html
If necessary try in safe mode.

Thank you for your help Richc46. Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum/ thread. I will try your suggestions and hopefully it will sort the problem.

Once again, thanks for the help.

Regards, Sean.

You are welcome. Dont worry about the correct forum, Moderators will move it if necessary. Our only concern is that we get your computer up and running again.

Hi,

My friend had a similar issue and I did a system restore and installed Microsoft Security Essentials. The computer seems fine now but I keep getting the "can't initialize mapi.log" error referred to above.

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Hello seant and welcome to the forums

Can you do the following for me please? Just to make sure the virus has gone, you can't take any risks when malware is involved

CKScanner

Please download CKScanner from here to your Desktop.

Make sure that CKScanner.exe is on the your Desktop before running the application!

Double-click on CKScanner.exe and click Search For Files.
After a very short time, when the cursor hourglass disappears, click Save List To File.
A message box will verify the file saved
Attach the log CKFiles.txt that has been created on your desktop with your next post

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Download and install MBAM from here
Run a full scan and attach the log with your next post for me to analyse

OTL

Download OTL to your desktop.
Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed to let it run uninterrupted.
When the window appears, underneath Output at the top change it to Minimal Output.
Under the Standard Registry box change it to All.
Check the boxes beside LOP Check and Purity Check.
Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of these files, one at a time, and post it with your next reply.


Once OTL has completed its first scan it will save notepad copies of the scans in the folder that OTL was started from. Unless set to produce an Extras log it will only produce OTL.txt in subsequent scans.

A copy of an OTL fix log is saved in a text file at

:\_OTL\MovedFiles
in most cases this will be C:\_OTL\MovedFiles

Tom