Vista error

lukin

A mate of mine got a brand new lappie with Windows Vista installed.
Norton Internet Security was on it already so I just downloaded the updates and assumed he'd be OK.
However now he keeps getting this pop-up "Windows Explorer has stopped working" and he can't use Windows while it is on the screen.
When you close it down it opens up again.
Windows Defender also reports that there is a Trojan called Zlob on the machine, I don't know if this is the cause of the problem, (Symantec reports it's threat level as low).
After googling "Windows Explorer has stopped working" I got a load of hits but all the solutions involved being able to use Windows to fix it (which of course I can't).
I told him not to touch Vista (if it was me I would have formatted the yoke the minute I got it and installed XP instead) but he wouldn't listen.
I presume the solution is a format and re-install but before I do I want to know has anyone else come across this problem with Vista and can they help?
If so, I would apprciate it, thanks.

Edit:He took it back to the shop, it's malicious spyware called Spy Dawn which installed itself and has deleted some DLL's.
I don't know how it happpened because I downloaded the Norton definitions the very second we started it.

Shane O' Malley

Not sure why you think it is a Vista Problem, but Zlob is a remote control trojan which allows the attacker to perform actions on the compromised computer.

It is listed as low risk by Symantec because there are not that many copies out there in the wild. However when the computer is controled like that, it may download other more dangerous malware or be used for spamming, dos attacks etc.

Not sure of the source of the infection, but XP would not have prevented it.

Symantec reports that it is easy to remove, but is suspect that the reason that explorer was crashing was that Zlob tries to attach itself to the explorer process and may have damaged.

If it is only a new PC, best thing is to reinstall.

And get something better than symantec av

lukin

Shane O' Malley wrote:

Not sure why you think it is a Vista Problem, but Zlob is a remote control trojan which allows the attacker to perform actions on the compromised computer.

Probably cause there's always probs with a new OS.

Shane O' Malley wrote:

If it is only a new PC, best thing is to reinstall.

Yeah but we didn't make any recovery discs before the problem started and there's no Vista disc with the machine

Shane O' Malley wrote:

And get something better than symantec av

Thought Symantec was the best but when he gets it back from the shop I'll put AVG on it.

Nick_oliveri

lukin wrote:

Yeah but we didn't make any recovery discs before the problem started and there's no Vista disc with the machine

I hate corps that dont give you an OS disk. Dell have the same practices.
And they are surprised when people download it illegally.
Did they charge him for bringing it back for "repair"?

lukin

Nick_oliveri wrote:

I hate corps that dont give you an OS disk. Dell have the same practices.
And they are surprised when people download it illegally.
Did they charge him for bringing it back for "repair"?

Yeah, they are foing to do a "shop start" for him. €65.