Can not open desktop anymore after virus infection

[Alberto]

Hello,I am running windows XP and since this morning ,after rebooting
computer,I am getting the following message:

Windows.exe unable to locate component.
This application has failed to start because WININET.dll was not
found.Reinstalling the application may fix the problem.
This happened right after I deleted a file infected with a virus.I am using
AVG and was asked by the program to delete and reboot,so I did,and now I can
not open my desktop.
Any information appreciated
Thanks

Alberto
My computerell ,Pentium4,2.8 Ghz,WinXP Home Edition,

 

[News Reader]

windows.exe is the virus. so your computer is still infected. you propably
have to repair or reinstall windows. use your windows xp install cd to do
the work.

 

[=?iso-8859-1?Q?Daniel_Mart=EDn?=]

Can you boot up the computer in Safe Mode? If so, once started, open Start, Run, type (without quotes) 'msconfig', click OK and select the Startup tab. If there is a 'windows.exe' entry (this is a virus), uncheck it.

Then expand the Wininet.dl_ file from the Windows XP CD (\i386 folder) to the \System32 location of your hard drive (if that file were missing). Note that the file must have the '.dll' extension once copied. Reboot the computer and see if you can start normally.

You can also expand the file from the Recovery Console if you are unable to start XP even in Safe Mode. Use the expand command.

More information:

W32.HLLW.Nulut Worm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.hllw.nulut.html

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314058

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654

 

[Alberto]

Daniel and News Reader,we have done exactly what you suggested,and ended up
reinstalling WinXP successfully,brought the computer back to life,checked
for viruses and everything.
Our computer seems to be totally back to normal now.
Thanks kindly to both of you.
Regards

Alberto


Can you boot up the computer in Safe Mode? If so, once started, open Start,
Run, type (without quotes) 'msconfig', click OK and select the Startup tab.
If there is a 'windows.exe' entry (this is a virus), uncheck it.

Then expand the Wininet.dl_ file from the Windows XP CD (\i386 folder) to
the \System32 location of your hard drive (if that file were missing). Note
that the file must have the '.dll' extension once copied. Reboot the
computer and see if you can start normally.

You can also expand the file from the Recovery Console if you are unable to
start XP even in Safe Mode. Use the expand command.

More information:

W32.HLLW.Nulut Worm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.hllw.nulut.html

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314058

How to install and use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307654