XP Virus w/ Norton 360 Ineffective

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

My computer is running windows XP (latest service pack), Norton 360 with latest updates.  A virus that has turned all the icons and start menu items  to have as extensions .ink instead of the excutable .exe.  I have run out of ideas.  Help.  Thanks in advance

2

My computer is running windows XP (latest service pack), Norton 360 with latest updates.  A virus that has turned all the icons and start menu items  to have as extensions .ink instead of the excutable .exe.  I have run out of ideas.  Help.  Thanks in advance

3

Those icons / start menu items ARE .ink files.  Your system is set to show all file extensions.  You can reset the default views back in explorer (Windows file explorer not Internet Explorer) under Tools > Folder Options > View.  Click on Reset Folders and you will be back to normal. 

 

If you need anything else on this post back here.  Thanks.

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dbrisendine wrote:

Those icons / start menu items ARE .ink files.  Your system is set to show all file extensions.  You can reset the default views back in explorer (Windows file explorer not Internet Explorer) under Tools > Folder Options > View.  Click on Reset Folders and you will be back to normal. 

 

If you need anything else on this post back here.  Thanks.

 

Thanks for the details -- I had this appear the other day when I booted up to my VISTA secondary installation after being off-line for a few weeks and wondered what on earth had happened! Not only all those links but every single module of Lotus SmartSuite had put an icon in the system tray .....

 

I found that msconfig was loaded with startup stuff that was not there previously there and disabling them fixed the visible changes. I always have show file extensions set to ON.

5

In XP, setting the “unhide protected system operating files”  will also do some bizarre things on the desktop.  I will have to remember the msconfig start up area also.  Thanks, huwyngr!

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dbrisendine wrote:
In XP, setting the "unhide protected system operating files"  will also do some bizarre things on the desktop.  I will have to remember the msconfig start up area also.  Thanks, huwyngr!

 

Like the desktop.ini icons -- they show up in VISTA and maybe in WIN 7 as well IIRC .....
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If I view the protected operating system files, the desktop gets a little crowded.