I couldn't find "RUN" on my start Menu, please what could be the cause?? could it be virus? help me!!!!

It's not compulsory u see the run program on ur start menu. . .dont panic. .just go to All programs. . .Click on Accessories. . and u'll find it there. . .if u're using windows vista. .u can just type 'run' in the search box on the start menu. .

@nana
Thanks so much for your concern, i just did it but couldn't find it

if ur using Vista to make it appear just hole the "windows" button and hit R,it shud pop up .alternatively right click ur taskbar and goto customize ur start menu scroll down and tick it,it shud pop on yous start menu

@Pein
Thank you very much, I don't use Vista, I use the normal window XP proffessional. Is the same thing applicable to Xp professional?

it is posible that you may have had a virus in which case you may have to tweak via the registry.

to enable run on the start menu,
click on your taskbar,
select properties,
select start menu from the tabs
click on customize
select advanced tab


, you should see 'run command '
among the unticked options.tick it select ok. if this doesn't work, you probably have had a virus which has hidden/disabled run via the registry

@OYB
I have did exactly what you asked me to do and thank also for the picture explanation, still i couldn't find the run command there, i guess it's virus? if it is what can i do, i have an anti virus, though it is not up to date.
Thanks.

then do update ur antivirus.depends o the one uv got tho and hw effective it might be

the great brontok is what removes the run dialog. im sure if you click tools on the explorer menu bar you wont see folder options, same thing if you go to control panel. without ru, you cant enter registry even via the system32 folder as its also disabled there.

solution?

FORMAT.

I just did what 'PEIN' told me to do, I hitted the help the window button and pressed R, it sad "THIS OPERATION HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT ON THIS COMPUTER. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR." Maybe a rat here has been playing with it and changed some settings??

mayb or ur infected.like neoteny said it might be the very popular brontock,natsy little bugger this one.ull need a very good AV.nod32or kaspersky shud get it out but to really b on d safe side, format

download this app

reg toy

google it.

all the virus has done is alter some registry settings. you may find that you cannot access the following

like neo said - folder options
run
regedit
taskmanager

regtoy enables you to tweak your registry via the gui

it requirs .net framework 2.2, though, so you need that (if you dont already have it installed). cheers

I use Nod32

how often do you update it?

an antivirus is only as good as its most recent update.

going by everything you've written i think you do have a virus/spyware

try using spyware doctor to scan for it.

the big problem with formatting is this - you back up your fils, which typically includes the files brotonlk is hiding in. you format reinstall, and the moment you revisit a particular folder, its biz as usual

I just switched user's account now to GUEST, and i found run on the start Menu, but some programes are not accessible.

guy, FORMAT!

oyb:


going by everything you've written i think you do have a virus/spyware

try using spyware doctor to scan for it.

spyware doesnt corrupt system files or mess up registry. all it does is send info about your net usage and choke up your computer and bandwidth in the process. there is no doubt about it: you have brontok, and its going to be in any flashdrive u have recently used in the infected box. it will disguise itself as Newfolder.exe or assume the name of whatever foldder its hiding in plus the .exe extension.

@Neotony
Thanks a lot, yes, i recently inserted a flash drive with a lot of virus, what do you think i can do?
thanks in advance.

a lot of people wont agree with me, but antiviral programs are quack and wack. most of them are just bloatware that happily gobble up ram and cpu resources without really doing much besides pretending to be on guard and only alerting you of threats. they pretend to wipe your box clean ( and sometimes damage key system files worse than the virus,like avast and nod32) but leave tell tale traces of the infection behind.

dude, if its brontok (and it is, or its many variants), kindly FORMAT. don't even back up folders and programs that have exe. just copy individual files off that box.

when you reinstall windows, either install a shell pack or an icon set to differentiate real folders from mimicked ones. or just go to tools, folder options, view, and uncheck HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN FILE TYPES

this way when you see a folder with a .exe extension (usually of size 200kb) you know its brontok and you can delete it.

also, windows vista protects your system files by denying ownership sometimes even to you, the admin.

me, i don't use antivirus and im never infected because im careful.

if it is brontok, its possible that antivirus apps are seeing it but can't delete it because its a running process. download process explorere or any third party task manager. you should see new folder .exe running among the processes. select it, and pick the option kill process. then run your antivirus.

i got hit by brontok last year and that worked. i used regtoy to restore my system settings, though i was never able to recover the folder options, though that can be done by creating a new profile ( like u did using guest) and transferring all your files to it. kaspersky will find and kill brontok - maybe u shld download it.


i know kaspersky works because a cafe i used to visit had brontok . i knew this because i was seeing my old friend new folder.exe, folder name .exe in my flashy. kaspersky wiped em out like that.

But Brontok doesnt take away Run

Gamine:

But Brontok doesnt take away Run

brontok DOES remove the run command. it has so many variants with different names but brontok is the generic name. it also infects and kills all the exes it can find and jumps across networks and flashdrives.

d'uh!   

oyb:

if it is brontok, its possible that antivirus apps are seeing it but can't delete it because its a running process. download process explorere or any third party task manager. you should see new folder .exe running among the processes. select it, and pick the option kill process. then run your antivirus.

i got hit by brontok last year and that worked. i used regtoy to restore my system settings, though i was never able to recover the folder options, though that can be done by creating a new profile ( like u did using guest) and transferring all your files to it. kaspersky will find and kill brontok - maybe u shld download it.


i know kaspersky works because a cafe i used to visit had brontok . i knew this because i was seeing my old friend new folder.exe, folder name .exe in my flashy. kaspersky wiped em out like that.

for where! you never ever see newfolder.exe as a running process. infact, brontok is so good at hiding all its processses that most antivirus can't see it. sometimes you see eksplorasi.exe and  spoofs of smss.exe and isass.exe, but the newest strain is a bitch to dig out.

modern viruses employ rootkits to hide deep inside the system and return false flags to the antivirus program, so it remains hidden. if your precious antivirus does not have an anti-rootkit, forget it. you could be infected without you ever knowing no matter your antivirus.

Yes, i see something like isass.exe anytime i log on to my comp. I am sure it's a kinda virus. Please what can i do, i don't wanna format my laptop anymore because it gives me prob. what can i do please save me!!!! What the hell are this virus self!!!!!!!!!!!!

isass.exe is the main payload of certain viruses, particularly ones that mess with firewalls and open backdoors into your box. it is mostly mistaken that this backdoor allows hackers to infiltrate: not always so. mostly it allows a flood of other malware to bypass your firewall and set up shop in your precious box, things like adware, spyware etc. isass.exe comes mostly via worms and since brontok itself is a kind of mailer worm it comes with isass.exe.

becareful though: i said spoofs above, and that is true. there IS a windows system file known as Lsass.exe, but it starts with an L looking like an i. the one that actually starts with an i is the virus.

smss.exe is the harder one to remove as there is also an actual windows component with that name, the Session Manager SubSystem which handles sessions in a running box. the bitch is that both the process and the viral one have the same spelling, but normally you are supposed to have only one instance running. do not delete this if you don't want to format your lappy.

that is why i recommend a format.


as to your other question: a virus is a small piece of malicious program written by antivirus vendors to make you a slave to their antivirus bloatware.

you may not see nee folder.exe if you are using taskmanager .however, i use process explorer. i have been using process explorer as my default task manager for the past two years( the same process explorer that revealed sony bmg´s rootkit.)

Now the virus is down with my laptop, I posted earlier that I couldn't find RUN on the start Menu, now, the CONNECT TO, on the start Menu is also gone, so i can't switch internet connection, maybe from LAN to any other kind. Please what can I do??

UNLEASHED:

Now the virus is down with my laptop, I posted earlier that I couldn't find RUN on the start Menu, now, the CONNECT TO, on the start Menu is also gone, so i can't switch internet connection, maybe from LAN to any other kind. Please what can I do??

<anger
FORMAT!! </anger>

@UNLEASHED
you practically have no choice now but to format,possibly both of them.

http://www.sophos.com/support/disinfection/brontok.html

http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2006/12/08/how-to-clean-brontok-virus/

the above are links to brontok removal tools( i am assuming its brontok - it may not be)


http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2007/06/28/restore-task-manager-regedit-and-folder-options-disabled-by-virus/

http://www.majorgeeks.com/RRT_Remove_Restrictions_Tool_d5635.html

the above is a link to -RRT (Remove Restrictions Tool) 1.0, which should restore your diabled options.


in case it is not brontok,

download this standalone kaspersky tool from this link

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4515.html

download process explorer from this link

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

boot the system into safe mode (tap the f8 key when booting to bring up the safe mode dialog)

run the kaspersky tool.

after it cleans up, run the restrictions removal tool.

in the event theres a mesage like 'lsass.exe /newfolder.exe cannot be deleted, the file is currently in use' open process explorer, navigate to the newfolder.exe, or whatever the process that cannot be deleted is, and kill it. then run the kaspersky tool again.

@OYB
I really appreciate you guys, You asked me to download a standalone Kaspersky tool but i use NOD 32, that was before I format it, now I have formatted it and i have free version of AVG. Can I still download the Kaspersky standalone tool??
Thanks in advance.

the tool is freeware

its not an antivirus per se , its a virus removal tool ( for emergencies) like mcafee avert stinger , or MS malicious software removal tool.

you can download kaspersky antivirus or internet security from their website. however, note that unless you keep replacing keys( they keep blacklisting warezed keys via updates) keeping it up to date won't be easy.

sorry about yr format. . .

AVG is not that reliable.(in my opinion) kaspersky and NOD32 are good . . .if you update them regularly. an antivirus is only as good as its most recent update.

never run more than one antivirus tool at once.