# Please read here first BEFORE posting for help in this forum



## dvk01

Please do not just post a Hijackthis log with* NO* other information or a general request asking "Is my log clear?"

Such requests are unlikely to be answered and waste everybody's time.

If you need help please give *Full details of what is wrong* along with a HijackThis log.

The more details you give in your initial post, the more likely you will get quick and efficient help.

This site (along with all other malware cleaning forums) is extremely busy with a limited number of helpers. Most helpers will scan through the requests for help quickly and answer the requests they know more about first.

Over 50% of malware doesn't show at all in a HJT log so asking "is my log clean?" is an impossible question to answer and all anyone can say is that there are no obvious signs of malware in a log but that doesn't mean you are not infected. We need to know what is wrong, such as: pop ups, diverts, strange messages or warnings etc.

Hijackthis is a first line tool to examine certain areas of the computer. It does not show everything and lots of malware is hidden from it

To download Hijackthis:

Edited by Cookiegal for new download instructions:

Please *click here* to download *HijackThis*.

Save the *HijackThis.msi* file to your desktop.
Double-click the * HijackThis.msi* file on your desktop. If you get a security warning asking if you want to run this software because the publisher couldn't be verified click on Run and follow the prompts to install the program.
It will install to C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis by default. Please do not change this default destination. 
A HijackThis icon will be created on your desktop.
Double-click the *Hijackthis* icon to launch the program.
Click on the *Scan* button. It will scan and open the resulting log automatically in Notepad.
Save the log file and copy and paste the entire report in your next reply.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do not fix anything on your own. Wait for a qualified helper (gold or blue shield) to assist you.*

*EDITED BY COOKIEGAL TO ADD THE FOLLOWING:*

*Effective October 30th, 2008* a new procedure has been implemented so that everyone can easily see if posters are receiving assistance or not, even if they've replied to their own thread. In the past, this led us to believe they were receiving assistance as helpers looked for threads with 0 replies first when looking for posters to help.

Now, when a user starts a new thread in the Malware Removal & HijackThis forum, the thread is automatically tagged *"New"* which appears to the left of the thread title. The tag *"New"* remains there even if the thread starter replies back to their own thread to add additional information. This also means that the thread starter can now post a reply to "bump" their thread back up to the top as is done in other forums. However, we do ask that posters be patient and wait at least 24 hours before doing so.

When a helper replies to a thread they will change the tag to read *"In Progress"* so that other helpers will know that the poster is now receiving assistance.

When the thread is solved then the thread starter should click on the "Mark Solved" button that appears on the upper left side of the first post in the thread so that it can be tagged as "Solved".

Threads will automatically close after 45 days of inactivity.

*IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING CORPORATE/COMPANY OWNED COMPUTERS

Please do not request assistance for corporate/company owned computers. Many changes/deletions are made during the clean up process, some of which may involve uninstalling programs, deleting folders/files, changing settings and/or removing policies etc. As we have no way of knowing for sure if these are actually needed for company operations, malware issues in these cases should be handled by your own IT Departments in order to avoid any undesirable results. *

*Note:* Duplicate threads will be merged, deleted or closed at Moderator discretion.


----------

