After 25 years of messing around  with computers I have finally caught my first virus on my newest 3 month old machine (Intel core 2 Quad 2.4 Ghz, 4 Gb mem, Win XP Pro Sp2).  This virus is particularly tough.  It prevents me from getting on the 'net with either Internet Explorer or Firefox, although I can access the net with Outlook Express and get my email.  I tried to get rid of it using both AVG and Avast! with no luck- both programs found viruses named "Win32:Trojan-gen{other}", and "Win32/Heur" but when they tried to send them to "Chest" (Quarantine) they failed. I also tried to restore my machine with Windows Restore, but after going through the motions, it posted the message "Your system cannot be restored. Try another restore point."  I tried three different restore points with the same result.  Any ideas as to how I can get rid of this baddy?

   If all else fails, since it is only 3 months old, I would say to save all of your data files and new things that you have put on it to CDs, DVDs, or some other device and restore the computer back to its beginning state using the Restore CD that came with the computer.

Google  "COMBOFIX.EXE"

Download and save the file.

Run COMBOFIX.EXE.

If you get a message "your system does not have Microsoft...." say NO

Let it finish.

I have used this on many computer that were hopeless.

Good luck

Use Speed Startup:  Don't overlook the obvious.  I have used Speed Startup to analyse just what is loading when the power comes on.  I have found it to be a very effective way of identifying malware that should not be there.  When you find a listing that suggests that it is malware clean that particular program by placing it into the "backup" folder  ...  it won't load or start ... test your machine.  Once you've tested the new configuration use "SpeedStart" to delete the file.  And Oh, very important, don't forget to disable the System Restore point before you do this work and turn it back on after your testing.  Obviously you don't have Speed Startup otherwise it would have asked you if you wanted to let a strange program start running (you don't allow anything like that to happen!).  Try the "trial version" and while you're at it try the "trial version" of regvac.  Any of his programs are effective and extremely well written and I've see a lot in the past 45 years of programming.  When I try to help friends with their computer the first thing I do is download the trial version of "SpeedStart" and show them how to use it.  Then I tell them to buy it.