Missing msls52.dll??

[cookaboy]

Hi there,

 

I am running a Sony VAIO laptop and recently my windows XP has failed to start up. It manages to reach the log in screen and once the password has been typed in it comes up with the desktop background but fails to go beyond there. The start menu does not appear, neither does any icons.

 

All that comes up is that the applications such as lsass.exe, userinit.exe and EXPLORER.EXE do not work because they are missing msls52.dll??

 

Basically it says -

 

lsass.exe - Unable To Locate Component

- This application has failed to start because msls52.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

 

I had found this solution (Security Forums :: View topic - LSASS errors - probable malware..) on another site, however it is a little bit beyond me as i do not have the windows XP installer disks.

 

Any help is very much appreciated!!!

 

Thanks guys,

 

Cookaboy

[iac505]

I have just encountered exactly the same issue :(

 

I have been able to get into regedit (in safe mode) but cannot find the missing file msls52.dll (or parts of it) anywhere. Reason I searched for it myself was that I read elsewhere that someone else who had this same issue was able to locate the "string" elsewhere and renamed parts of the registry.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated !

 

Thanks,

iac505

[Jelly Bean]

If you both have the same error please do the following:

 

iac please make a new thread for your results.The Security Team will help you both further.

 

Your computer appears to be infected with Malware. Malware is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is a combination of the words malicious and software. The expression is a general term used by computer professionals to mean a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.

 

It is in your best interest to note the following:

1. Please disable your resident security applications (such as AVG, Spybot, WinPatrol, etc.) before performing the below procedure so that they do not interfere with the process.
   
2. Perform all the steps in the order listed to avoid any conflicts.
   
3. If unsure, please stop and voice your doubts.
   
4. You might be required to go offline during the disinfection process. Therefore, it is recommended to print off the instructions below for ease of reference.
   

If you stick to the above guidelines, all should go smoothly.

 

 

 

================================================

STEP 1

1. Download ATF-Cleaner by Atribune.
   
2. Save the file to your Desktop.
   
3. Double-click on the file to run the program.
   
4. On the Main tab, check the Select All button.
   
5. Next, click on the Firefox tab (if applicable) and check the Select All button.
    
   Note: If you would like to preserve your saved passwords in Firefox, then click No at the corresponding prompt.
   
6. Now, click on the Opera tab (if applicable) and check the Select All button.
    
   Note: If you would like to preserve your saved passwords in Opera, then click No at the corresponding prompt.
   
7. Press the Empty Selected button and click OK to acknowledge the corresponding prompt.
   
8. Click on the Exit button to quit the program.
   

================================================

STEP 2

1. Please click here to download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.
   
2. Save the file to your Desktop.
   
3. Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
   
4. At the end, make sure a check mark is placed next to:
   1. 
      
   2. Update Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
      
   3. Launch Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
      

[*]Click Finish.

[*]The program will download and update itself if it finds the necessity to do so. Please allow this.

[*]Once the program has loaded, select Perform full scan, then click Scan.

 

 

Note: Depending on your computer specifications, the scan may take some time to complete. Please wait patiently and do not interrupt the process.

[*]When the scan is complete, click OK, and then Show Results to view the results.

[*]Make sure that every entry is selected, and click Remove Selected.

[*]Restart your computer.

================================================

STEP 3

1. Please click here to download SUPERAntiSpyware (Free Version).
   
2. Save the file to your Desktop.
   
3. Double-click SUPERAntiSpyware.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
   
4. Open SUPERAntiSpyware.
   
5. Under Configuration and Preferences, click the Preferences button.
   
6. Click the Scanning Control tab.
   
7. Under Scanner Options make sure the following fields checked:

   [*]Click the Close button to leave the control center screen.

   [*]On the main screen, under Scan for Harmful Software click Scan your computer.

   [*]On the left, make sure you check mark All the Fixed Drives.

   [*]On the right, under Complete Scan, choose Perform Complete Scan.

   [*]Click Next to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer.

   [*]After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click OK.

   [*]Make sure every entry has a check mark next to it and click Next.

   [*]A notification will appear that Quarantine and Removal is Complete. Click OK and then Finish to return to the main menu.

   [*]Restart your computer.

   ================================================

   STEP 4
   1. Please visit the ESET Online Scanner, using Internet Explorer to initiate the scan.
       
      Note: If you are running Windows Vista, then you will need Administrative privileges to complete the latter part of the procedure. To do so, right-click on the Internet Explorer icon in the Start Menu and select the Run As Administrator option in the shell context menu.
      
   2. Check mark the YES, I accept the Terms of Use box.
      
   3. Click the Start button.
      
   4. Click the Install button on the following screen.
      
   5. Click Start. This will will initialize and update the scanner engine.
      
   6. Check mark the box beside Remove found threats.
      
   7. Click the Scan button. This will start the scan. Please be patient while it is in progress.
      
   8. Restart your computer.
      

   ================================================

   STEP 5
   1. Click on Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools and select System Restore.
      
   2. Choose the radio button marked Create a Restore Point on the first screen and click Next. Give the restore point a name then click Create. The new point will be stamped with the current date and time. Keep a note of this so you can find it easily should you need to use System Restore.
      
   3. Next, click on Start > Run, type Cleanmgr and click on OK.
      
   4. Click on the More Options tab.
      
   5. Click the Clean Up button in the System Restore section to remove all previous restore points except the most recent one.
      

   This will remove any infected files that have been backed up by Windows. The files in "System Restore" are protected to prevent any programs changing those files. This is the only foolproof way to ensure the deletion of those files.

    

   Note: Do not clear restore points on a regular basis as doing so will clear all previous restore points even those that you may need. System Restore is a useful tool to revert your computer back to a working condition if something goes wrong.

    

   Re-enable all your security applications and please return here and tell us how the computer seems to be operating.

Close browsers before scanning
Scan for tracking cookies
Terminate memory threats before quarantining

[cookaboy]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

I appreciate your thorough and detailed approach, and the time and effort you put into explaining this to me. However, I cannot even access my desktop. My desktop background loads and that is literally as far as I can go - no start menu, no icons.

 

I am writing to you now through my other computer, a mac, and this is how I am accessing the internet and therefore this blog.

 

I was recommended by a colleague to download TRK in order to try and sort the problem, but it is still all a little beyond me!

 

Thanks,

 

Cookaboy

[Jelly Bean]

Have you tried restarting the computer and repeatedly tap F8 and then you should get a list of choices.

 

Try last known good config or safe mode?

 

Do either of these work?

 

It may take a few tries and restarts to reach the menu choices.

[cookaboy]

Hi Jelly Bean,

 

Yeah thanks for your time and effort and everything but my dad took the laptop today and restored it to the factory settings. It had been a week now and he was fed up of me promising to him that I could sort it.

 

So cheers anyway.

 

Good luck to anyone else who faces this problem. Everyone I've read has pretty much just given up!

 

I had tried your previous suggestion as well.

 

Thanks again

[Jelly Bean]

Oh your back up and running thats good,thankyou for posting back and letting us know.