Mac OSX 10.6.8 Malware problemsses

[Orison]

I have a Mac OSX 10.6.8 with Snow Leopard .
It has not been updated.
I had Genio on for a while.I recently accidentally downloaded MacDefender.

I now have the following problems
My dock and all of the icons have disappeared and I can't recover them.
My email accounts have disappeared.
All I have is a blue screen
The only thing I can access when I reboot is u torrent.
From there I can get to the Apple Icon and access Recent a items.This gives me access to a limited History file from some days ago, to Safari in the top dialog box and thence to limited search facilities and uploads.I can also access my System Preferences.
I deleted caches, history's and cookies. I cannot use my email. Researched forums on my iPad and registered here.I download and tried to use MalawareBytes but as I only have 10.6.8 and cannot upgrade at mount to 10.7 ( is this possible under normal circumstances?) I cannot use it or debug my system.
I did manage to delete some of the notified malware using the Malaware Bytes but it seems I have other remaining issues.

I get Genio pop ups even though I have deleted it. I thought I might have Google Chrome problems and malware issues simultaneously but I am not able to delete this or access it in any way. I suspect I may have a false Google Chrome icon, doesn't look right. I tried GC forums but nothing of use there.

Finally I tried backing up my hard disk onto an external 1TB hard drive using Time Machine but it will only allow me to access my Mac HD 2 and not the external drive.

Can anyone please suggest a sequence of solutions that might sort this out please? I can't think of anything else to do.
Thank you in advance.

 

[JohnDS]

Boot from your OS 10.6 DVD (boot while holding down the C key) and open Disk Utility. Use it to restore your existing internal drive to the external drive. Then erase your internal drive and install a new installation of 10.6.8. When you are asked to set up a username, use a different one from the one you are using now.

Then update to a newer OS and install MalwareBytes. Use it to scan your old drive. Then use Migration Assistant to bring back the data and setting from your old drive. It should import your old user profile and you can then reboot into it.

 

[Orison]

Boot from your OS 10.6 DVD (boot while holding down the C key) and open Disk Utility. Use it to restore your existing internal drive to the external drive. Then erase your internal drive and install a new installation of 10.6.8. When you are asked to set up a username, use a different one from the one you are using now.

Then update to a newer OS and install MalwareBytes. Use it to scan your old drive. Then use Migration Assistant to bring back the data and setting from your old drive. It should import your old user profile and you can then reboot into it.

 

[Orison]

Thank you very much John.
I'm not sure I still have a disc.
It may be in storage so I will go and look tomorrow.
Do I need to back up all of my information on my two HD's before Inus the disc?
Is there any other way without the DVD?
Thanks again for your time.

 

[JohnDS]

You only need to backup your boot drive for the time being. You need to somehow get a fresh system onto your boot drive. If you don't have the original DVD, do you have another Mac or can you borrow one? You can do an install from one Mac to another in a variety of ways.

If you call Apple, they will ship you a replacement DVD for your computer at a nominal cost.

 

[Orison]

You only need to backup your boot drive for the time being. You need to somehow get a fresh system onto your boot drive. If you don't have the original DVD, do you have another Mac or can you borrow one? You can do an install from one Mac to another in a variety of ways.

If you call Apple, they will ship you a replacement DVD for your computer at a nominal cost.

 

[Orison]

Ok thank you.
I will look for the disc and then see what I can do.
Appreciate the swift reply,
Cheers

 

[bobdamnit]

I have a Mac OSX 10.6.8 with Snow Leopard .
It has not been updated.
I had Genio on for a while.I recently accidentally downloaded MacDefender.

I now have the following problems
My dock and all of the icons have disappeared and I can't recover them.
My email accounts have disappeared.
All I have is a blue screen
The only thing I can access when I reboot is u torrent.
From there I can get to the Apple Icon and access Recent a items.This gives me access to a limited History file from some days ago, to Safari in the top dialog box and thence to limited search facilities and uploads.I can also access my System Preferences.
I deleted caches, history's and cookies. I cannot use my email. Researched forums on my iPad and registered here.I download and tried to use MalawareBytes but as I only have 10.6.8 and cannot upgrade at mount to 10.7 ( is this possible under normal circumstances?) I cannot use it or debug my system.
I did manage to delete some of the notified malware using the Malaware Bytes but it seems I have other remaining issues.

I get Genio pop ups even though I have deleted it. I thought I might have Google Chrome problems and malware issues simultaneously but I am not able to delete this or access it in any way. I suspect I may have a false Google Chrome icon, doesn't look right. I tried GC forums but nothing of use there.

Finally I tried backing up my hard disk onto an external 1TB hard drive using Time Machine but it will only allow me to access my Mac HD 2 and not the external drive.

Can anyone please suggest a sequence of solutions that might sort this out please? I can't think of anything else to do.
Thank you in advance.

Since you have access to System Preferences, the easiest way would be to create a new Administrator account and merge all your files from the old account to the new one. Then delete the old account. This should at least get you a mostly working system again.

Thats only temporary, though. Mac malware likes to install itself where anyone can enjoy the madness! So we need to really remove them.

Here are steps for removing Mac Defender:

1. Open the Macintosh HD.
2. From the sidebar, click Applications to open the Applications folder.
3. Open the Utilities folder.
4. Open the Activity Monitor.app.
5. Highlight the the malware program (may be named Mac Defender, Mac Security, or Mac Guard).
6. Click the Quit Process button. Click Force Quit. Close Activity Monitor.
7. Go back to the Applications folder.
8. Drag the malware program (either MacDefender, Mac Guard, or Mac Security) program to the Trash. Empty the Trash.
9. From the sidebar, click Macintosh HD.
10. Open the Library folder.

Open the following folders within the Library folder. Verify that remnants of the malware are not located in these folders. If found, drag to the Trash. Empty the Trash.

-StartupItems
-LaunchAgents
-LaunchDaemons

11. Close the Library window.
12. Open the Downloads folder of your web browser. If a .ZIP file and/or the application of the malware program is here, drag to the Trash. Empty the Trash.
13. Open Spotlight. Enter the name of the malware program. If any references to the malware program are found, delete. Empty the Trash.
14. Restart the computer.

If the pop-ups do not reappear, you have successfully removed the malware program.

And now the steps for removing Genio:

http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-genieo/

You should now have a clean system and can update to 10.7/8/9/10/11 if you'd like.

 

[Orison]

Bobdamnit Thank you.
Just tried what I can of your advice, but I'm pulling blanks.
I can't access my hard drive or startup drive. If I try untorent cancels the restart. I bypass that by going to restart, it reboots but with the u torrent screen again. Basically a loop. I have tried to load a WD hard disk to save my files to but this too is proving impossible to load....software and other features will not load, then I can't access the HD to load that anyway?

I tried reversing the sequence of removing Geneio first as I cannot access the functions and accounts/ disks etc to remove Defender. I read the information carefully. Snow Leopard seems to require a " slightly different" method, not specified. Typed in the ' Library/Launch ' prompt but Safari does not recognize it.
So no access to that either. As I said I can only go through Systems Applications and I seem to be limited in what I can do there.

Very frustrating.
If you have any other ideas, that would be great.
Thanks Again and Happy Thanksgiving

Since you have access to System Preferences, the easiest way would be to create a new Administrator account and merge all your files from the old account to the new one. Then delete the old account. This should at least get you a mostly working system again.

Thats only temporary, though. Mac malware likes to install itself where anyone can enjoy the madness! So we need to really remove them.

Here are steps for removing Mac Defender:



And now the steps for removing Genio:

http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-genieo/

You should now have a clean system and can update to 10.7/8/9/10/11 if you'd like.

 

[bobdamnit]

Can you boot in recovery mode? Power down the machine, hold command+R, push power, and continue holding command+R until it boots to recovery. If I remember correctly, 10.6.8 should have updated your recovery partition to reinstall 10.6.8. Luckily, it also gives you the option to preserve your files.

This will erase all installed applications, however anything inside your home folder should stay safe.

 

[Orison]

I found the grey Applications disk. It did nothing at all when I inserted it. Loaded up audibly but no other effects.
I tried rebooting but, for some reason 10.6.8 is the only operating system that does not allow this. Hence, one cannot upgrade to an OS that would/ will permit it.
It seems that the age of the operating system, the nature of whatever malware and the combined effects have created some kind of perfect storm to lock me out!
Hmmmmm!
Tricky.
Thanks again for kind advices.
Should I order a new disc from Macintosh?
The one I have is in good condition...is Applications the correct disc?
Cheers

 

[JohnDS]

You have to hold down the C key while booting to boot from the DVD.

Alternatively, hold down the option key while booting and that should bring up the boot picker which will allow you to choose the DVD.

I think Applications may be the wrong disk. Should say System or System Install or something like that.

See if you can find another disk.

 

[Orison]

You have to hold down the C key while booting to boot from the DVD.

Alternatively, hold down the option key while booting and that should bring up the boot picker which will allow you to choose the DVD.

I think Applications may be the wrong disk. Should say System or System Install or something like that.

See if you can find another disk.

Just going to the Mac Store to see if they can sell me a System disk. Then I can try again to complete the process here.Thanks

 

[Orison]

Thanks everyone who helped me. I really appreciate it.
Finally got this sorted out.
Contacted Mac Support- very helpful despite the fact my computer is a late 2009 and out of date for their help.
Tried various options- booting into safe mode by turning off and then turning back on and pressing Shift key to boot into safe mode. This brought back my dock and my front screen but did not allow me internet access.

Suggested solution came in form of an e-mailed handout( which I accessed via the 'back door route in non-safe mode, one of my three emails was working by going to Recent items under Apple Icon, then Safari then log onto internet and get Yahoo). Initially it seemed I would have to type in every address from the sheet to delete Mac Defender, Mac Keeper and Geneio etc. There was a huge list of them. Then a lady from Apple Support suggested a quicker and double sided solution- get rid of the malware and , bonus, upload an updated OS simultaneously.

Once in safe mode I installed the ethernet cable to my modem and downloaded El Capitan OS X Version 10.11.2 from the free app in the App Store. It took some time but in the process deleted all of the malware and I have a new OS. It seems a lot slower then the previous OS X Snow Leopard but it has a much stronger firewall.

I can't access the Finder Window I used to rely on so heavily- the one that list what I did 'today', 'yesterday' last month etc..... and from which I could load downloads from u torrent etc. by clicking the relevant line in the Finder. All I have now is a series of coloured dots as some kind of marker? Got to work this out.I found my movies and music under Macintosh HD but can't access any as yet...one movie is just converting so I might be able to olay it that way>

Anyway it's a much improved situation- Thanks again to all.

Thanks everyone who helped me. I really appreciate it.
Finally got this sorted out.
Contacted Mac Support- very helpful despite the fact my computer is a late 2009 and out of date for their help.
Tried various options- booting into safe mode by turning off and then turning back on and pressing Shift key to boot into safe mode. This brought back my dock and my front screen but did not allow me internet access.

Suggested solution came in form of an e-mailed handout( which I accessed via the 'back door route in non-safe mode, one of my three emails was working by going to Recent items under Apple Icon, then Safari then log onto internet and get Yahoo). Initially it seemed I would have to type in every address from the sheet to delete Mac Defender, Mac Keeper and Geneio etc. There was a huge list of them. Then a lady from Apple Support suggested a quicker and double sided solution- get rid of the malware and , bonus, upload an updated OS simultaneously.

Once in safe mode I installed the ethernet cable to my modem and downloaded El Capitan OS X Version 10.11.2 from the free app in the App Store. It took some time but in the process deleted all of the malware and I have a new OS. It seems a lot slower then the previous OS X Snow Leopard but it has a much stronger firewall.

I can't access the Finder Window I used to rely on so heavily- the one that list what I did 'today', 'yesterday' last month etc..... and from which I could load downloads from u torrent etc. by clicking the relevant line in the Finder. All I have now is a series of coloured dots as some kind of marker? Got to work this out.I found my movies and music under Macintosh HD but can't access any as yet...one movie is just converting so I might be able to olay it that way>

Anyway it's a much improved situation- Thanks again to all.

PS

Movie just finished it's 'conversion' process and now it's available to play!
Cool!