Hijacked and can't get into Windows

[Guest]

It's safe to assume my laptop has been hijacked. I start up and get an error
message:

The application or DLL: C: WINDOWS\system32\WIDAP32.dll is not a valid
Windows image.

I tried getting in through Safe Mode, Commad Prompt or any other option and
consistently get the same message. It's impossible for me to get in.

Any assistance will help. Thanks in advance.

 

[Guest]

Download Ad-aware from www.lavasoftusa.com update it and perform a scan. Also for CWShredder (no update needed):
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml
Better if you can do it in safe mode.

 

[nrford]

If it's impossible for him to get into his system,
how is he going to run Ad-aware or anything else?



Download Ad-aware from www.lavasoftusa.com update it and perform a scan.
Also for CWShredder (no update needed):
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml
Better if you can do it in safe mode.

 

[nrford]

The only thing I can think of would be to install
your hard drive in another machine and run virus
and spam checkers on it from there using programs
already on the 2nd machine. (If you run anything
from your hard drive, you might infect the 2nd PC.)

If you cannot even access the drive when in the 2nd
machine, then you have a hardware problem, since
nothing could take over the 2nd machine without your
running something from your hard drive once there.

If you can access the drive but the virus and spam
checkers don't turn up anything, you may have to
just copy any data files you want to save from your
hard drive and reformat it.

 

[José Gallardo]

Ops! I'm sorry.

If it's impossible for him to get into his system,
how is he going to run Ad-aware or anything else?



Download Ad-aware from www.lavasoftusa.com update it and perform a scan.
Also for CWShredder (no update needed):
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml
Better if you can do it in safe mode.

 

[James B]

If he can't get Windows to load what help is telling him to download a
spyware removal program going to do?

Download Ad-aware from www.lavasoftusa.com update it and perform a scan.
Also for CWShredder (no update needed):
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml
Better if you can do it in safe mode.

 

[James B]

ERD or other boot disk like a WinPE would let you in and edit your startup
files to remove the link to that dll. Are you sure it's widap32 and not
wldap32? You could always console mode and repair the file or just do a full
repair install.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

 

[José Gallardo]

I have apologized. Are you never wrong?

If he can't get Windows to load what help is telling him to download a
spyware removal program going to do?

Download Ad-aware from www.lavasoftusa.com update it and perform a scan.
Also for CWShredder (no update needed):
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml
Better if you can do it in safe mode.

 

[Guest]

Hello, Can't help. Have a suggestion. If there is no hurry. Try to locate
"Knoppix v3.2 and up" this in a Linux Cd that boots and operates from the cd,
it runs Linux and uitilities and programs. Boots before Windows and allows
the user access to Windows files from the cd drive. Perhaps someone you know,
a friend, may be able to download "Knoppix" it is free. Such places like
"CheapBytes" and "Linuxcentral " will mail the cd for the cost of shipping.
http://www.knoppix.org
and http://www.knoppix.net

KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic
hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI
and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo,
educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for
commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on
a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of
executable software installed on it.
take care.
beamish.