taskmgr.exe and regedit appear, and then vanish

[Guest]

These apps (taskmgr.exe and regedit) will only open briefly, then disappear

Rebooting does not solve this problem
Machine is Windows 2000 Server, and does have terminal services installed
It has all critical and recommended updates except those for Windows Media Player, and Windows was cleanly installed about a month ago
The last program installed was TightVNC 1.2.9, but taskmgr.exe did run for a few days following that installation

 

[Bob I]

Usual reason is that you have a virus/worm that is protecting itself by
stopping these so you can't remove it. Try one of the "online" scanners
to determine what attacked you, and you will probably have to start in
Safe Mode to remove it.

 

[Florian]

You could try to rename them and see if they startup then. If they do then
it definitely sounds like a virus/worm and you'd want to do more research.

Flo.

These apps (taskmgr.exe and regedit) will only open briefly, then disappear.

Rebooting does not solve this problem.
Machine is Windows 2000 Server, and does have terminal services installed.
It has all critical and recommended updates except those for Windows Media

Player, and Windows was cleanly installed about a month ago.

The last program installed was TightVNC 1.2.9, but taskmgr.exe did run for

a few days following that installation.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the great suggestion. It worked like a charm
It looks like I have my work cut out for me....

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The type of behavior you describe, which also often applies to
Taskmgr.exe and Regedit.exe, is typical behavior of more than one
virus/worm, the three below being the most common:

W32.Klez
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

W32.Yaha
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected]

W32.Spybot.Worm
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.spybot.worm.html


Because many of the newer viruses and worms, such as the
Spybot mentioned above, can disable antivirus applications whose
definitions aren't kept up-to-date, try using one or more of the free
on-line scanners to double-check your system.

Trend Micro - Free online virus Scan
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

McAfee Security - FreeScan
http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/mfs/default.asp

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp


Bruce Chambers

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