A day later, found out that we were infected with the W32.pinfi virus.

Cleared it off (use Norton Anti-virus) and now computer acting funky--

we use IE 6.0.xx--problems are many:

pages lock up if more than one browser window open at a time

computer temporarily 'freezees' when entering text into a text box and either 'arrowing-down' or 'tabbing' to next text box. Freeze lasts about 20 seconds, then cursor appears.

Upon "entering" or clicking "okay" tab (or other 'entry' tab after text box--like on Google, or the "Post message" button at the bottom of this screen), the computer will temporarily freeze for about 20 seconds, then proceed to the next page.

I am on broadband internet connection, and do not think that it is the internet connection that is causing the hangups.

WE have tried uninstalling IE 6 to re-install, but computer freezes at the uninstall page.

Also, we use Outlook, and as of the day we downloaded the software, Outlook has prompted us for password and log-in (we use hotmail) at each opening of Outlook, and does not save this information as it has done in the past 5 years we've used it.

When using Outlook Express, this problem isn't evident.

I've continued running virus scans on the computer, and feel that my only option from this point is to totally wipe out the hard-drive and re-format it, although I'm a bit...hesistant to do this.

Any troubleshooting tips I can get? Anything would be helpful, and please let me know if I can provide more info to help ya out.

system,add/remove program,add/new hardeare etc.

Also i cant find win98setup.

I hope you can help me.

Cheers,

Here the quick way to remove it:

Before you can delete that temp file (that is the source of infection), you will need to remove the registry entry.
First, run a full system scan. Then,
Click Start > Run > type regedit and click OK
Click the + next to the following keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Windows
Current Version

Scroll down and click on the Explorer Folder (not the + sign) Look in the right hand window for PINF. Right click on this entry and click delete. Collapse the registry tree, close regedit and reboot.

1. Start - Run - Type regedit - Enter - Go to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer

In the right window : right click on the PINF folder and delete it.

2. Delete all files in C:\WINDOWS\TEMP and C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Temp. Empty the recycle bin.

3. If on a network got to Start - settings - network connections - right click on LAN and choose disable.

I then 'right-clicked' on 'MyComputer' on the desktop and the dialog box gives the option for 'System Restore', disable this, make sure it is NOT ticked. Then reboot!

I can't delete these files. There are two. One is write protected and the other is in use constantly (even in safe mode)

Here is the copy of first step from some elses post, plus I will post mine at the bottem. But but do this first and follow mine and 2nd step.

Symantec (Norton Antivirus Site):
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.pinfi.html
Here the quick way to remove it:

Before you can delete that temp file (that is the source of infection), you will need to remove the registry entry.
First, run a full system scan. Then,
Click Start > Run > type regedit and click OK
Click the + next to the following keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Windows
Current Version

Scroll down and click on the Explorer Folder (not the + sign) Look in the right hand window for PINF. Right click on this entry and click delete. Collapse the registry tree, close regedit and reboot.

Double click 'My Computer' icon and click 'Tools', 'Folder Options'.
Click the 'View' tab.
Check 'show hidden files and folders' and uncheck 'hide protected operating system files'

OK, once you have done above procedures, some ppl still can't delete the *.tmp files and few *.exe files... Reboot your computer with WinXP installation CD and go into repair mode. Now, delete all the *.tmp files that was listed from th anti virus program as unrepairable. Second locate all the *.exe files that was on the list and rename them with diffent file extension, perhaps "123" or something else.

reboot the computer then rescan for virus with extension you created. This time anti virus program should be able to repair the files. Once done, rename those files that you renamed back to its original file extension.

just downloaded a file from kazaa and was just hovering my cursor towards the file to open it up, when AVG Resident Sheild warned me that it had detected the Win32 Parite virus.

It recommended a full scan (which is currently still in progress and I see that it has detected 1 infected file so far containing the Win32 Parite virus.)

Just ran a search of the Win32 Parite virus whilst the scan continues and realise from this thread what a total bitch of a virus this one can be.

In there I tried the AVG heal function but it wouldn't heal. So I tried the full delete option and it successfully deleted the Win32 Parite.

Hoping thats the end of it.

AVG is a FREE AntiVirus Scanner by the way and certainly would recommend it if you don't have any kind of virus protection. Also AVG periodically supplies you with the lastest virus definitions for FREE so you keep uptodate with the latest protection measures against new viruses.

1. I got NAV2k3 and searched my entire machine, only to find 1123 infected files, and 1122 fixed files. The one last file that wasnt fixed was a .tmp (which NAV2k3 CANNOT download no matter how up-to-date your virus def. are)

2. I rebooted in safe mode and scanned again. Found a few more files infected, along with just about every EXE found on my machine. I found out that, it generates random .tmp files that hold the code to the virus inside. These viruses have a random 3 character name, followed by a number. (I had mna1.tmp and ouj6.tmp) I went into my Temp folder c:/docs and settings/*USERS*/local settings/temp and I deleted the entire folder, not just the files inside, but everything. I went into my other users folders and deleted their temp to. It seems it really only stores itself inside the Temp folder.

3. I checked online and found that it adds a registry key called PINF inside HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer -i used regedit and deleted that as well.

4. I rebooted in safe mode once again, and scanned my machine for a final time. No infection, no unfixed files, gone

you may want to rename .exe as .rar and extract the contents somewhere before killing the exe and then rescan the contents to see if it is damaged..

apparently trojan remover "saves the exe's if the man who said this is not a monkey:

Trojan Remover version 5.06 at:
http://www.simplysup.com/tremover/details.html
I have been saved myself from a very bad corruption by this program, which is the only one to restore a computer to the original configuration as it was before the corruption.