We've come across a strange virus/malware issue with some of our XP workstations on our network (our Windows 7 and Server 2003 machines are unaffected). It appears to have something to do with the conime.exe file. First sign is a slowdown in internet/network responses. In task manager, the processes are jumping all over the place and bouncing up and down between 25-100% of CPU usage. The C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file then becomes bloated to over 4mb in size with a bunch of unintelligible text and will not allow access to be edited (it can be deleted however). Other signs include the inability to boot to safe mode and, in our case, our AVG a/v becomes unusable. Nothing seems to detect this infection, including Malwarebytes, Windows Defender, etc. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Malware/Virus Issue
- Thread starter JeffG
- Start date
deanj20
New Member
Did you run rkill.exe before trying to run Malwarebytes or AVG?
Can you post a HijackThis! Log from an infected machine?
Here is a eHow on how to remove the conime.exe malware - it seems to match what you are describing - maybe it will work? http://www.ehow.com/how_5171666_remove-conimeexe.html
Also, what happens when you try to boot into safe mode? Have you tried running msconfig and disabling all Startup processes and non-Microsoft services, and then running safe mode?
Can you post a HijackThis! Log from an infected machine?
Here is a eHow on how to remove the conime.exe malware - it seems to match what you are describing - maybe it will work? http://www.ehow.com/how_5171666_remove-conimeexe.html
Also, what happens when you try to boot into safe mode? Have you tried running msconfig and disabling all Startup processes and non-Microsoft services, and then running safe mode?