How to remove spool.exe

spool.exe

Last Updated on Saturday, 04 September 2010 10:17 Saturday, 04 September 2010 10:08

The file name spool.exe has appeared along with other names in a virus analysis report.

The installer is 176 KB file. It is identified as Trojan Win32 VB Inject
VirTool:Win32/VBInject.gen!AN [Microsoft]
Virus.Win32.VBInject [Ikarus]
Win32 VBInject is obfuscated Visual Basic compiled code. The code or file is usually encrypted and/or compressed, and is decrypted and decoded before it is injected into a process or dropped and executed.

It creates spool.exe and other files on the infected computer that you need to search and delete. You need to End the running process named spool.exe and also you need to remove its entry from windows startup

warning Statutory Warning: It is possible that some legitimate software may be using the same file names as that of the virus files. You do not have to delete these files, if they belong to some legitimate program installed on your computer. Use Windows Defender or SysInternal Process Explorer to differentiate between them. This article is based on available information on the internet. In case of dispute, please send me a note by adding a comment at the end of this page, or mail me on support(at)comprolive.com

You can use the Free online virus scanning and removal services listed on this link

Using System Restore

If you know the duration since your computer is infected, you can try to restore your computer at a prior date, that will be an easy way to undo the changes done by the virus

Using system restore in windows XP
Using system restore in windows Vista
Using system restore in windows7

Boot in safe mode

Sometimes you can not delete a file. You should boot in safe mode and then try to delete it.

How to boot in safe in windows XP
How to boot in safe mode in windows Vista
How to boot in safe mode in windows7

View Hidden Files

You need to enable to view hidden files and folders before searching.

How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows XP
How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows Vista
How to Enable to View Hidden Files and Folders in Windows7

Remove Processes from Task Manager

Press Ctrl Alt Del keys to open the Task Manager. Select Processes tab. You will see a list. Look for the names spool.exe in it. Select if found and press the End Process button. It will ask for your confirmation to end that process. Select Yes. You can end one process at a time.

You can find out if a process in Task Manager is good or bad by using Windows Defender. It shows the path of a process and its publisher. Harmful processes may be shown under Unknown Publisher in windows defender.

How to use Windows Defender in windows XP
How to use Windows Defender in windows Vista
How to use Windows Defender in windows7

Or you can use Sysinternal's Process Explorer.

How to use Sysinternal's Process Explorer

Removing entry from windows startup

The system configuration can be started in xp and in vista by typing msconfig in the run box/ start menu search box. In xp by clicking on Start > run . The windows startup is reversible. You can check / uncheck any entry from windows startup any number of times.

Open system configuration window. Click on the Startup tab. You will see a list all the programs that are scheduled to start with windows. Expand the middle column using your mouse pointer. That will show you the full path of the program. Locate and uncheck the boxes in front of these names "spool.exe" (also look for any other suspicious names) Press Apply , Press Close/Ok , Select "restart" at the next prompt

Deleting files

The computer will restart now. Delete the following files and folders. Boot in safe mode or boot in the dos prompt if needed. You can use windows search utility to search for spool.exe and find out if there are any other instances of this file present elsewhere in the computer.

Files
C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\S-1-5-21-606747145-764733703-839522115-1003\699c4b9cdebca7aaea5193cae8a50098_a7bcc1a4-f7a4-4502-8650-8579e607f7f7
C:\Program Files\spool\logg.dat
C:\Program Files\spool\spool.exe
[file and pathname of the sample #1]

(We do not know the name or the location of sample #1, it could be in your default download location or on the desktop or in a Temp folder. The files and folders in the Temp folder can be automatically removed, if you use a freeware temp files/ registry cleaner software like CCleaner)

Folders
C:\Program Files\spool

Registry Keys

Some of the registry keys will be automatically removed if you run Registry menu of CCleaner. For others you can see the report mentioned at the beginning of this article

Using CCleaner

You can easily remove the files in the temp folder by running CCleaner. You can set CCleaner to run automatically each time the computer starts.

Do not forget to run CCleaner > Registry menu to remove the obsolete registry entries.