I just fixed an odd virus: the “Open With” Virus. Everything I tried to open including my usual anti-virus programs prompted a dialog box asking what I wanted to open the AVG with. Of course that’s silly, you can’t open AVG with another program like Microsoft Word or Adobe Reader. It kept me from doing anything. That’s why it’s called the “Open With” virus. The virus asks, What would like to open that with? Oh, I think I’ll open Internet Explorer with Civilization 4 (I have sons). And I’ll open itunes with Instant Messenger. See, it doesn’t make sense, and moreover it doesn’t work, in fact nothing works, and you are stuck. You are deep in the doo doo of Malwareland.
You're in the deep doodoo of Malwareland.
Some techs say you have to reformat if you get this virus, but Ms Ducktoes hates that word “reformat”. I’ve seen it make a grown man cry. And then when he cries, I cry, and then I get a sinus headache and my mascara runs down my cheeks. So I find it much better and less embarrassing to do this instead:
Right click on the program you want to run, such as AVG. From the choices displayed, click on “Run as” and pick your own user. There’s a box you have to uncheck too. I ran AVG and it quarantined the virus. Then I was able to do the usual virus clean up.
But if you don’t have an anti-virus on the computer already what do you do? Install Malwarebytes on another computer. You’ll get a set up icon on your desktop. Stick a flash drive (you can buy them at any electronics store) into the usb port and go to My Computer (Start > My Computer, or just “Computer” on Vista) and you’ll see all your drives, your hard drive or drives, your dvd player, and now the flash drive. Click on the flash drive. A window will open. Now drag the set up icon of Malwarebytes into the flash drive’s window. Remove the flash drive.
Then put the flash drive into the infected computer. It will probably have to install as a drive. Go to My Computer. Find the Malwarebytes set-up icon. Right click on it and “Run As” your user. Let it install and run and do it’s thing.
After that go to this page on my blog, click these words here and follow the rest of the instructions.
If you want, Ducktoes Computer Repair can fix your virus. Click here to read more about our remote service. Or click here to book remote appointment. http://ducktoes.com/book_online.php We’ll get back to you.
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11 users responded in this post
It took me a long time to search on the web, only your site explain the fully details, bookmarked and thanks again.
- Kris
This fix worked great! I was stumped with this for a couple of days and would have never thought of using Run As.
Really very important article about this type virus. It also guide us how you can handle with this virus. Thx for sharing us the informations.
This didn’t work for me! Please help! I did a full computer scan using AVG and no threats were detected. Any other suggestions?
Did you try the Malwarebytes? If that doesn’t work go into Safe Mode with Networking by hitting f8 as your computer boots up. Then run the Malwarebytes in Safe Mode. Or if that doesn’t work run Combofix in Safe Mode. You can download that here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/anti-virus/combofix
Let me know.
Downloaded the Malwarebytes’ Anti-malware 1.51 and it worked! Thanks a lot. My computer is working fine now
Great!!! Thanks for letting me know it worked for you.
If anyone has the Open with virus and can’t get rid of it, we can fix it remotely. Email admin@ducktoes.com or call 403-483-0105.
Yea – I got caught up in thinking there was nothing I could do about those kinds of things, early in my time as an entry level technician. As I got more curious and wanted to sit there and rid computers of viruses (to figure it all out) rather than reformat, I started to realize stuff like this.
Thanks, Ryan, for your great comments.
Thank u so much. Other sites had very lengthy & tedious processes to go through to remove this virus. You are my hero.
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