Taskbar/desktop flashing and nothing will open

[deltafoxtrot]

My daughters laptop has suddenly gone mad!!! She was using firefox- chatting on a forum- and had her pictures folder open. For no apparent reason her pictures folder closed, then task bar disappeared, then firefox closed. She also had imvu messenger open and that was ok. The task bar started flashing and the desktop icons disappeared for about 10 seconds and then also started flashing, and the background changed to one she used about 3 changes ago. She decided to shutdown by pressing the on/off button. When it started again it was still flashing so she turned it off.
This morning it is still doing the same thing- I shut it down from the task manager, restarted in safe mode and did a systems restore. When it rebooted it was still flashing. Automatic things such as the AV update worked, but the windows button and task bar wont open anything.
All her AV is up to date. Anyone got any idea of what might be happening and how to fix it? Thanks

[twiggs]

Do you have AV rescue disks?
Sounds like a virus or malware of some kind.

[Keef]

Sounds very like a virus to me.

Could be generic6.agkv

Which AV package is she using? There's a mention of a similar problem and solution here (http://forums.techguy.org/malware-removal-hijackthis-logs/684096-flashing-desktop-trojan-virus-help.html).

The fix that worked for him was to run this (http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware.shtml).

No experience of it here. I use AVG which has served me flawlessly for some years.

[Bushfiva]

If it's a trojan, it could be Vundo. VundoFix can be downloaded from http://www.atribune.org/ccount/click.php?id=4 (http://www.atribune.org/ccount/click.php?id=4).

[deltafoxtrot]

Thanks for all the replies. I thought it might be a trojan but wasn't sure how to get in to scan it. Have managed to do that- run an AVG scan with the Malwarebytes- thanks Keef!!- which picked up a Zlob trojan. Restarted in normal mode and the problem was still there :{.

We have always found AVG to be really good too, not sure what's going wrong here.

I will continue on with trying to get it sorted tomorrow. I haven't checked for vundo though I may. Not quite sure what direction to head at the moment, any further suggestions are most welcome :)

[Tarq57]

I have in the distant past found AVG AV a bit lacking when it comes to trojans, or at least the one that got my computer.
Trojans generally require something with a better detection/clean engine, that knows based on the detection where the important nooks and crannies are that the beast is likely to hide to re-spawn its nasty self.
Prior to whizzing over to a forum where they do HJT analysis/disinfection, you may wish to try Superantispyware (http://www.superantispyware.com/) (which I've read mainly very good reports about) and/or Asquared (http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/)
I'd run both, in turn, and then repeat in safe, and if nothing further is found, delete all the system restore points (where it is also likely to hide) then hopefully you're good to go.
If you have bank/CC passwords or important data, OR the above doesn't appear to fix it, it would definitely pay to go to a specialist forum. Or reformat/reinstall.

[deltafoxtrot]

Thanks Tarq. I was going to do what you suggested, and/or post to an expert forum but she decided to take the quick way out and we formatted. I will keep your suggestion in case it ever happens again

[Tarq57]

'S ok. A clean OS is a happy OS.
It might pay to install one of those on the "new" pc anyway, and she might want to consider something like Threatfire (http://www.threatfire.com/) as an antimalware/behaviour blocker. Runs fine in tandem with my Avast AV.
Plenty other good security protocols around, freebies a lot of them, too.