Spyware or Virus? "Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft Office"

[tinacart]

I've gotten this weird thing a few times this week. Everything is
normal,
and then all of a sudden my computer tries to do something where it
runs
some program or something (that part flashes by so quickly that I don't
know
what it's doing really), and then a box comes up saying "Please wait
while
Windows configures Microsoft Office 2000 Professional".

Then another window comes up asking me to insert the MS Office 2000
Professional
disk. Simultaneously a popup for computer registry software comes up.

It's the computer registry software popup that concerns me the most.
Anyone else experience this? I asked one other person and they are
having the exact same problem and it began about the same time.

 

[Pennywise]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

|>I've gotten this weird thing a few times this week. Everything is
|>normal,
|>and then all of a sudden my computer tries to do something where it
|>runs
|>some program or something (that part flashes by so quickly that I don't
|>know
|>what it's doing really), and then a box comes up saying "Please wait
|>while
|>Windows configures Microsoft Office 2000 Professional".
|>
|>Then another window comes up asking me to insert the MS Office 2000
|>Professional
|>disk. Simultaneously a popup for computer registry software comes up.
|>
|>It's the computer registry software popup that concerns me the most.
|>Anyone else experience this? I asked one other person and they are
|>having the exact same problem and it began about the same time.

Might be too late, but MS says to open Office in safe mode until
further notice.
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/trojan.mdropper.h.html

It's also a rootkit
http://tech.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1166014.php/Trojan_exploits_Word_vulnerability
short http://tinyurl.com/kjcfk

RootkitRevealer
http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/rootkitrevealer.html

 

[Pennywise]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

|> MS says to open Office in safe mode until
|>further notice.

Woops wrong link - and it's Word
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1966714,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594
short http://tinyurl.com/egmu4

 

[Tina]

Hi Penny:

Thanks for the info. Scary stuff!

I don't think it's this problem, though. It seems to only happen when
I'm online and to my knowledge I've not downloaded or opened any Word
documents in the last week or so.

Thanks again!

PS - love the toe-licking signature!

 

[Tina]

I have more information about my experience. Right after I get
prompted with the "Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft
Office 2000," I get a pop-up ad that appears to be from a company
known as SoftwareOnline.com.

I understand the Attorney General's office has fined them for their
advertising practices...perhaps this is a remnant of that?

 

[steam3801]

I have more information about my experience. Right after I get
prompted with the "Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft
Office 2000," I get a pop-up ad that appears to be from a company
known as SoftwareOnline.com.

I understand the Attorney General's office has fined them for their
advertising practices...perhaps this is a remnant of that?

Sounds like adware. Run the usual options (Adaware, Spybot S&D,
Windows Defender)

 

[Malke]

I have more information about my experience. Right after I get
prompted with the "Please wait while Windows configures Microsoft
Office 2000," I get a pop-up ad that appears to be from a company
known as SoftwareOnline.com.

I understand the Attorney General's office has fined them for their
advertising practices...perhaps this is a remnant of that?

Your computer is not free of malware and/or you haven't upgraded to
Service Pack 2. You didn't tell us what version of XP and service pack
level you have so that is just a surmise on my part.

Here are general malware removal steps:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local version of BigStoreUSA). They can
clean it up for you and update it where necessary.

Malke