hi, somehow a program got downloaded that installed a file called loader.exe on my machine. every so often it trys to access the net but my norton firewall catches it so it can't. i found the file in my WINNT folder but it won't let me delete it saying access denied, source file may be in use. how do i get rid of this thing? i ran a hijackthis and this is what i got, any help is appreciated Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.5 Scan saved at 12:50:50 PM, on 03/12/2003 Platform: Windows 2000 SP3 (WinNT 5.00.2195) MSIE: Internet Explorer v5.00 SP3 (5.00.2920.0000) Running processes: C:\WINNT\System32\smss.exe C:\WINNT\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINNT\system32\services.exe C:\WINNT\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINNT\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe C:\Program Files\Norton Personal Firewall\NISUM.exe C:\Program Files\Norton Personal Firewall\ccPxySvc.exe C:\WINNT\System32\CTsvcCDA.exe C:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe C:\WINNT\System32\nvsvc32.exe C:\WINNT\system32\regsvc.exe C:\WINNT\system32\MSTask.exe C:\WINNT\system32\stisvc.exe C:\WINNT\System32\WBEM\WinMgmt.exe C:\WINNT\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINNT\Explorer.exe C:\WINNT\System32\devldr32.exe C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive2k\AudioHQ\AHQTB.exe C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\CtNotify.exe C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive2k\Launcher\CTLauncher.exe C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\MediaDet.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe C:\PROGRA~1\Adaptec\EASYCD~1\CreateCD\createcd.exe C:\WINNT\System32\internat.exe C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\ypager.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files\GetRight\getright.exe C:\Program Files\Trillian\trillian.exe C:\Program Files\Arachnophilia\arach.exe C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe C:\Program Files\WS_FTP Pro\wsftppro.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\evntsvc.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe c:\WINNT\loader.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe C:\WINNT\system32\NOTEPAD.exe C:\unzipped\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer,SearchURL = http://solongas.com/main/sp.php R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,SearchURL = http://www.search-explorer.net/search_page.php R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://solongas.com/main/sp.php R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://solongas.com/main/sp.php R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://solongas.com/main/hp.php R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.search-explorer.net/search_page.php R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://solongas.com/main/sp.php R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = about:blank R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,HomeOldSP = http://approvedlinks.com/hp.htm O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\winnt\googletoolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll O3 - Toolbar: @msdxmLC.dll,-1@1033,&Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINNT\System32\msdxm.ocx O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\winnt\googletoolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Synchronization Manager] mobsync.exe /logon O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Disc Detector] C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\CtNotify.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] C:\WINNT\Updreg.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AHQInit] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive2k\Program\AHQInit.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Creative Launcher] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive2k\Launcher\CTLauncher.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AudioHQ] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive2k\AudioHQ\AHQTB.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.exe NvQTwk,NvCplDaemon initialize O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\evntsvc.exe -osboot O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [REGSHAVE] C:\Progra~1\REGSHAVE\REGSHAVE.exe /autorun O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccRegVfy] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccRegVfy.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ICQ Lite] C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe -minimize O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CreateCD] C:\PROGRA~1\Adaptec\EASYCD~1\CreateCD\createcd.exe -r O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Internat.exe] internat.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Yahoo! Pager] C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\ypager.exe -quiet O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.exe" /background O4 - HKCU\..\RunOnce: [ICQ Lite] C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe -trayboot O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe O4 - Global Startup: Exif Launcher.lnk = C:\Program Files\FinePixViewer\QuickDCF.exe O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\winnt\GoogleToolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll/cmsearch.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward &Links - res://c:\winnt\GoogleToolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll/cmbacklinks.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Cac&hed Snapshot of Page - res://c:\winnt\GoogleToolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll/cmcache.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Si&milar Pages - res://c:\winnt\GoogleToolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll/cmsimilar.html O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page - res://c:\winnt\GoogleToolbar_en_2.0.95-big.dll/cmtrans.html O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: ICQ (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: AOL Instant Messenger (TM) (HKLM) O9 - Extra button: ICQ Lite (HKLM) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ Lite (HKLM) O12 - Plugin for .asf: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\PLUGINS\npdsplay.dll O12 - Plugin for .asx: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\PLUGINS\npdsplay.dll O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll O12 - Plugin for .wma: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\PLUGINS\npdsplay.dll O12 - Plugin for .wmv: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\PLUGINS\npdsplay.dll O12 - Plugin for .wvx: C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Program\PLUGINS\npdsplay.dll O16 - DPF: {02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B} (QuickTime Object) - http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab O16 - DPF: {166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000} (Shockwave ActiveX Control) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/director/sw.cab O16 - DPF: {33564D57-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/6/E/F6E491A6-77E1-4E20-9F5F-94901338C922/wmv9VCM.CAB O16 - DPF: {3717DF55-0396-463D-98B7-647C7DC6898A} - http://www.search-explorer.net/toolbar/srchexpl.cab O16 - DPF: {8EDAD21C-3584-4E66-A8AB-EB0E5584767D} - http://toolbar.google.com/data/GoogleActivate.cab O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{CA02965B-9747-463B-ADC8-57AD92D4E4BF}: NameServer = 209.216.129.2 209.216.133.2

Open the task manager and end process on C:\WINNT\loader.exe. Then delete the file. You can also run Hijack again and fix all the R0 and R1 entries and the following: O16 - DPF: {3717DF55-0396-463D-98B7-647C7DC6898A} - http://www.search-explorer.net/toolbar/srchexpl.cab

ok, i deleted the file, didn't think that would be so easy. what do you mean by fix them? delete them? also do i have to worry about editing my registry or msconfig? some ppl were suggesting that i do that.

"do i have to worry about editing my registry or msconfig?" No Put a check mark by that line, hit fix and reboot your system.

thanks! everything seems to be back to normal now :)