TBPS.EXE and Pib.exe: Help!

[quietman1920]

OK. Task Manager: Ineffective- they wrap around essential processes. Tried removing them in safe-mode. Their names are no longer on the remove list, but Spybot shows they are still there. Tried spybot in safe mode: still no dice; still attached to open processes.

A friend said to download the Microsoft anti-spyware beta, but it demands an official version of IE to download (it checks) and in order for me to have cable access, I need to use Comcast's version of IE. Ressult: can't download it.

My next possibility is to try to destroy those files & directories in the fires of Mt. DOS, in the land of C-prompt....

[andrewas]

Actualy, the MS anti-spy beta asks but does not demand you validate your copy of windows. You should be able to download it regardless of what browser you run.

EDIT] Just click 'continue' to start the validation, and then 'no, take me to the download. Works for me on firefox.

[ 05-19-2005, 09:29 AM: Message edited by: andrewas ]

[quietman1920]

Sadly, it gives me the dreaded 403 error...

[Bungleau]

Man, that sucketh. If the tools don't do it (including Spybot, AdAware, and HiJack This), then I'd start the manual approach. Stop any non-essential tasks. Find the files and delete them manually. Look for any places where it might be hiding itself to reinstall on boot (startup routines and so on). Crawl the registry looking for references, and delete what it's related to (caution there, rookie registry crawlers! you can nuke the registry if you're not careful).

Final levels of attack include booting from a startup disk so you can clean the thing out without that copy of Windows being loaded. After that, a repair install of windows (or back to a restore point, if you need). Make sure to clean out the critter that holds old files in case you need them again later; I forget what it's called, but it can put things back in after the restore point.

And throughout the process, remember that backing up your data to something else is not just a good idea... it may be your last hope.

[quietman1920]

I'm sorry to be re-activating a long-dead post, but I fixed the problem. I downloaded the M$ anti-spyware to my work computer and emailed it home through my yahoo account. It took a few minutes to set up, but once it did, it found stuff Spybot had completely missed. It cleared up the immediate problem, permanently stopped the re-infection, and even found old files from programs I uninstalled 2 years ago.

Long story short: it combed out every problem and now self checks every night at 2AM. I know M$ isn't for everyone, but it was the right choice for me this time.

[Larry_OHF]

One should never have to apologize for keeping us up to date with how a problem was solved, especially if it might help somebody else learn from the procedure.

Thanks!

[a_decent_1]

Reload all the software ...