Just to be quick, a couple days ago my virus/spyware scanner Spyhunter 3, which has been generally good so far, marked the ctfmon process as a spyware to be removed. So I removed it via the scanner's removal thing. It's never let me down before, right?
Well now my office tools won't work easily any more! I have XP professional and everytime I try to open say, Word or AIM, I get the window for Widnow's Installer that then asks me to insert the CD ROM. Eventually, after it says "no we can't do this without the CD!" and pressing cancel a bunch of times, the program will finally open, but slowly.
I don't have the XP CD, and all I get online is stuff about removing ctfmon, not getting it back. I have no idea why Spyhunter got rid of it as spyware, and now i'm getting ticked off becuse even maximizing the AIM window from the shortcut bar makes the damn installer thing pop up and slow my computer while it uselessly chugs along.
How can I get my XP to run smoothly again?
Posts
So I googled it.
http://antivirus.about.com/b/2004/05/05/spyhunter-ad-campaign-an-enigma.htm
Am I double fucked? :x
God dammit this is too complicated for me
NNID: Hakkekage
Spybot S&D
AVG Antivirus.
Also I have AVG antivirus, but I've never actually seen it do much, and it's never gotten rid of anything, I don't think. And everytime I try to update it says "update unsuccessful."
NNID: Hakkekage
I am going to kill something soon. I uninstalled it but I highly doubt just using the add/remove program thing is going to remove it completely. I'm trying to download the Google Pack right now, but because ctfmon is fucking gone the stupid windows installer bullshit won't let it work.
Fuck it all to fucking hell. I've had so many computer problems lately. Aarrghrgrhgrhgrhrgrhgrhrgrhgrhghrgrhgrh
NNID: Hakkekage
These. And Spybot Search and Destroy.
You're.. you're kidding, right?
Oh crap. Major brainfuck. Shit.
I meant Lavasoft Ad-Aware.
Back to the ctfmon problem (Capture the Flag, mon!)..
Are you clicking the "Install" button from the Google website, or are you downloading it to your computer and then trying to install it? If it's not on your HD yet, try what I said before (Sorry I wasn't too specific). Put the file on a USB drive and install it on the bunked up computer.
Black: Eventually it worked, because the installer thing will bitch and moan for a about 5-10 minutes and delay the program but eventually let the program go.
EDIT: So once I finish cleaning up my computer of pests, how do I actually get ctfmon back? Do I need the CD?
NNID: Hakkekage
I'm running spybot and ad-aware now, and I suspect Spyhunter hasn't been fully removed yet either. AND my OS is still gimped.
NNID: Hakkekage
Please help Everything I can find on the web is about removing ctfmon, not getting it back when some douchefuckingtwatsnaggle malware cons you and gets rid of it.
NNID: Hakkekage
Seriously, any software program with the words "spy..." you steer clear of, regardless of what they claim to do. They're all mostly rubbish.
Just use a solid anti-virus program like AVG in the future, it's generally all you need if you are smart/careful.
NNID: Hakkekage
water spirals the wrong way out the sink
Firewall: Sygate Personal Firewall
Anti-Spyware: Both Lavasoft Ad-Aware Free Edition and Spybot Search and Destroy
General Maintenance: CCleaner
Where? Filehippo
Cost? $0
Basically the windows installer thing that pops up won't let me use AIM anymore, and I can't even open up MS Word at all now. :x I might just kill a bitch.
NNID: Hakkekage
Also hippo I just checked both folders, and ctfmon isn't there I think spyhunter removed both of them.
Am I just able to download it from somewhere and force it into my WINDOWS folders? A couple weeks ago when another system32 file (hal.dll) went corrupt/missing I ambulanced my HD over to my friend's house and he just copied his file into my prgram files, and my computer worked again. Of course right after I got spyhunter3 because when the computer booted up Antivirus was rampaging and I panicked and just paid for the 'full' version of the deceptive malware.
The good thing is I have backed up most of my files already as a precaution from this event.
NNID: Hakkekage
To restore an older configuration:
- In the Start menu, go to All Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Restore.
- Select "Choose a different restore point".
- Select a restore point that's old enough to be from before you installed that SpyHunter shit.
This should revert your windows configuration back to the state where it worked. After you've done this, install AVG and AdAware.
I have to reinstall, don't I . I don't even have a CD! The hell do I do?
NNID: Hakkekage
As ctfmon.exe is associated with Office, I'd be willing to bet that if you can get Office reinstalled, ctfmon will come with it. But, it sounds like .msi's aren't working for you, so... I don't know how else you'd do it.
Unfortunately, judging from this, missing that particular program isn't the cause of your OS being fucked, as it's an Office program, and shouldn't affect your OS at all.
Is there some kind of recovery program/partition that came with your machine?
august: Other than system restore, I don't know what you mean. Chances are no.
NNID: Hakkekage