Recovering Windows Post malware

Hi my name is James and I recently, thru Whatthetech, cleaned up some malware on my PC (Gateway desktop) at this link

Trojan.BHO, Removed Malware.. this one remains

I cannot view any video on IE9, and have updated Java, and webpages that come up onscreen are unformatted or missing sections

I get the following pop up messages everyday:

Message window
mdmcls.exe has stopped

Check online for a solution
Close the program

Message window
Microsoft Windows Search Indexer has stopped

Check online for a solution
Close the program

Would appreciate any ideas on how to get my computing experience back to 100%

thanks

~James

Hi James, Sorry to hear of the trouble with your computer, but at least its good news that the malware has been cleared …. I took a glance at your logs over in the malware removal forum to get a handle on the situation, these are the things that immediately jumped out… 1 You had some pretty nasty infections on the machine (thankfuly now gone) 2 Someone had at some time installed P2P file sharing (thankfully now gone, as its a major vector for the distribution of malicious code) 3 On a quick look at your logs, I could see no firm evidence that files downloaded via P2P where their provenance was not 100% and beyond question, had been deleted………… were they? 4 Your boot drive is around 95 to 96% full…..this is way, way too high, Windows needs "elbow room" to operate effectively and at the moment it is being choked. 5 It is recommended that you free up 15% of your C drive and preferably 20% if you want a chance of it running correctly.( but first see step 6) 6 It is difficult to determine what damage has been caused to your Windows installation, so it would be wise before taking any steps to make sure that your back up/copy/archive of everything that is important to you on your machine (stuff you wouldn't want to lose) is 100% up to date, accurate, reproducible and with an extra copy kept safe offsite on removable media. 7 Do you have a disc image made with Acronis, Symantec, Paragon etc or one of the free disc imaging applications, made when your machine was running fast and smooth and free from malicious elements and unwanted or unnecessary files? 8 Have you run chkdsk with the r switch from a command prompt with elevated privileges..?….if not then please do this, but only after you have completed steps 5 and 6 above. Note the command is: chkdsk /r and the space needs to be there, accept the warning push Y and then reboot….Don't attempt to use your machine or allow it to be switched off until chkdsk has completed… it could take an hour or two for it to complete all 5 passes…….. 9 When chkdsk has completed it will reboot you machine, so now run the Windows Protected System File checker to make sure that any damaged Windows Protected System Files are corrected or replace with new ones…. the command (once again run with elevated privileges) is: sfc /scannow note the space, it need to be there. this is a quicker scan than chkdsk but let it run to completion. Next reset Internet Explorer to default….. Open IE>Tools>Internet Options> Advanced>Reset>OK Close down your computer, wait 30 seconds with a blank black screen, then restart, next wait 5 minues by the clock before testing it and see if there is any improvement Do not perform any of these steps until you have completed steps 5 and 6. do step 6 first!) 10 if there is no improvement then boot into safe mode with networking and try connecting only to www.bbc.co.uk for a short test, make sure you are operating behind a hardware firewall such as is found in most routers, do not download any emails or surf anywhere apart from the above site (your Anti virus and other protections will not be operating in safe mode) 11 Let us know how this goes and the amount of free disc space now showing on your computer….Start>Computer>Right click on C: drive>Click Properties Regards paws

Hi Paws: I've seen you handle on the other websites and read your entries. I was impressed with your professionalism and tact. I will do as you ask as I already backed up when problems started last month but will do a more recent backup and remove some files to free up disc real estate. ~James

Hi Paws:

let me address some the points in your last post.

3 On a quick look at your logs, I could see no firm evidence that files downloaded via P2P where their provenance was not 100% and beyond question, had been deleted………… were they? They were all deleted. Having trouble removing Vuze Remote Toolbar though

4 Your boot drive is around 95 to 96% full…..this is way, way too high, Windows needs "elbow room" to operate effectively and at the moment it is being choked. Removed files totalling 145 GB which > 20% of HD

5 It is recommended that you free up 15% of your C drive and preferably 20% if you want a chance of it running correctly.( but first see step 6)
See above

6 It is difficult to determine what damage has been caused to your Windows installation, so it would be wise before taking any steps to make sure that your back up/copy/archive of everything that is important to you on your machine (stuff you wouldn't want to lose) is 100% up to date, accurate, reproducible and with an extra copy kept safe offsite on removable media.
Windows backup performed today on removable media

7 Do you have a disc image made with Acronis, Symantec, Paragon etc or one of the free disc imaging applications, made when your machine was running fast and smooth and free from malicious elements and unwanted or unnecessary files?
I made 5 Gateway System Recovery DVD Disks after I unpacked PC after purchase.


Regards,

~James

Ok James, All understood thanks. Try doing a defrag and let us know how your machine is responding How did the chkdsk and sfc scans go? Regards paws

Hi Ok, all undesrstood
The System File Checker won't affect your sound., it just replaces damaged or missing Windows protected files with good copies…
However the fact you can't run chkdsk is worrying…yes run it as "Administrator" at the balck screen accept the warning, and push Y and reboot.
If it still won't run then its indicating possible damage to your hard drive (beginning to fail etc) That's why I wanted you to make sure your back up was good)
Try step 10 in my original post…see if there is any improvement

as a next step download the manufacture's hard drive disc checking utility burn it as a bootable CD and then boot from it..start with a short test and then the more comprehensive one…
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

Have you tried setting up a new account for yourself just to see if your old one has some corruption in it?
Scroll down the following link until you see "Create a new User Account"
http://www.vista4beginners.com/Manage-User-Accounts?page=1
Did you have a disc image etc made before all the trouble started ?
Regards
paws

Hi Loopi, Sorry I meant James
All understood…thanks. Good news about the sound. Well done

As for setting up a new account.. I meant a new user account in Windows…
Start>Conrtol Panel>User accounts and make a new user account with Admin status

Regards
paws

Hi Greyhome, Sorry… post went in the wrong topic…. ( Trying to do too many things at the same time…. ) I'll get back to you as soon as I can Regards paws PS I've now edited my post to you ( post 12…)

Hi Paws: I created a user account within Windows with administrative rights What is the next step? ~James