Cannot find file error message

[marty183]

My antivirus program reported a virus in a file "openme.exe". It could not clean the file. I then tried the online virus checkers from Norton, McAfee, FixItAV and PC-cillan, All report the virus, none can clean it. I then did the following
1- Removed the file Openme.exe from the WINNT folder (running Win2K). Do not know if this file belongs to another program or not. Don't believe so because all programs seem to work..
3- Now get error message to effect that 'cannot find openme.exe, pathname or...' on bootup. After clicking OK
computer works fine.
4- Trying to find out how to eliminate the error msg, Looked for 'openme in registry. Found one in
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon"
its in "SHELL , its components are REG_SZ Explorer.exe.openme.exe
5- I deleted the SHELL item
6- Rig would not completly boot up. It hung up on the blue screen just before the icons normally appear. Tried
booting to last known good configuration, no help, same hangup.
7- Did a complete restore from a Drive Image , image I had just made on 3/10. Thanks to Drive Image, I recommend it.
8- Must have had the virus prior to 3/10 because the file was still there, removed it, and now am back to the
bootup error message.
9- A friend told me to modify the key by just deleting the reference to openme. Kind of leary, don,t want another
restore if I can help it. Does anybody concur with my friend or have any other suggestions.
All help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Marty J

 

[ShadowGrafix]

you might want to try to run (sysedit) and remove anything having to do with it...also try and remove it from

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

it may be located there as well....you can also remove certain software from their to disable it from the startup process.....

who needs msconfig...lol

Good Luck

<<**Just Another Guru**>>

 

[Kento]

&quot;5- I deleted the SHELL item&quot;

That was your mistake. Never delete shell explore.exe from anywhere. Your friends advice was correct. Go to that registry key you mentioned and right click on the &quot;Explorer.exe openme.exe&quot; value in the right pane and select Modify. Then delete ONLY the openme.exe part, leave explorer.exe there, and then click ok and close regedit then restart the computer and the error should be gone.

 

[marty183]

Thanks to all who responded.
I tried the suggestion that my friend gave me and removed the reference to 'openme' in the following registry key
&quot;HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon&quot;
its in SHELL , its components are REG_SZ Explorer.exe.openme.exe
Worked.
ms config was a good setup. Anybody that wants and can copy it from one of the Win9x's can put it in the C folder, it will work. I personaly like Startup Cop.
Marty 183

 

[marty183]

I deleted the reference to openme,exe in the following key in the registry and it worked fine.

&quot;HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon&quot;
its in &quot;SHELL , its components are REG_SZ Explorer.exe.openme.exe
Thanks to all
Marty