Virus on my N8 - Need to Hard Reset

[N8]

Guys any development or good news regarding the hard reset not affecting Ovi Store application?

I think I have a %&@# virus on my N8 transferred onto it via one of my computers. The phone in itself is perfectly fine, no issues whatsoever but only when I connect to any of my computers to transfer images/videos... anti-viruses detect worms/trojans on the phone.

What's most annoying is that all images/videos vanish from the phone in case I re-start it or even if I copy/paste on to the computer - although they ARE there in the phone, I can see them via the computer but not directly on the phone.

So I'd like to start clean and do a hard-reset but do not wanna lose Ovi Store (is that it or does a hard-reset affect something else too?)

Any wise words?

[rajhot]

I think only with the 3 key reset Qt components are getting deleted with normal hard reset(*#7370#) its working fine

[N8]

Thanks mate. One more confirmation of this and then that's what I'm gonna do.

[tabasco]

I don't know if virus coding in a (windows) computer would effect a S^3 operating system. Of course the first thing to do, is to fix your computer. Then read this:

WARNING - Please Read Before you Attempt to Hard Reset N8

and this:

Please note that it is not wise in general to use the 'three-fingered suicide' as a method of troubleshooting issues with your phone, this procedure is intended to attempt to revive a device that will not boot, in which circumstances you already know that everything is going to be lost before starting.

Nokia Support Discussions - N8 Maps problem after hard reset - Nokia Support Discussions

[buxz777]

if you do hard format check you can get your phone running again ve done it twice and have mas and ovi store back working but its a nightmare and takes a while

you have to hard format , then flash via phoneix , then install some qt apps , then install ovi , theninstall nokia maps , thn load map data back on , then load up yur movies ad mp3s again , then download your apps again

it easily took me a few to lots of hours of the day to get things how they were

i don think the virus will affect the phone but just the pc you plug it into

why not just format the mass memory and micro sd card

[N8]

you have to hard format , then flash via phoneix , then install some qt apps , then install ovi , theninstall nokia maps , thn load map data back on , then load up yur movies ad mp3s again , then download your apps agai

Dude, if just that one line from you went over my head faster than the speed of light then I can imagine what a pain it must be to actually do it. Thanks, I will never think of a hard-reset ever again.

[N8]

Btw, learning from another post that formatting mass memory might help... if I do that, will I lose Ovi store/maps or anything else? As far as I think... this looks like the best solution: formatting mass memory, just like a normal computer USB (which frequently carry viruses). What say geniuses?

[buxz777]

forma of mass memory will loose you map data any any info stored on there

the virus wont effect the phone , it will only effect your pc when connected or corrupt your memory card or mass memory

like i said best thing to do is format your mass memory and format the memory card do this by gong to file manager on phone then hold your finger on mass memory itll bring option up one is to format , do this , if you have a memory card do this as well

you will obvously loose the data but do you want to back up data that has a virus in it??? so count your loses and format the memory card and mass memory via file manager

connect phone to pc does it still have trojan warning

if so connect phone in mass stoarge mode , go to my computer , then format the mass memory via the pc instead and see if this works

you can also use *#7370# this will wipe phone to factory without wiping ovi maps and qt components like ovi store

please back up your contacts before doing any of this at least that way they are safe anything else can be restored later like settings etc

[mkr100001]

Can't you run a virus scan from your computer on the phone?

[N8]

Ok, I will format the mass memory (E on my unit... so all I will lose is landmarks, contacts, pics and videos stores right? Anything else?!?! Stuff like ovi stores and the likes discussed in the hard-reset post?!

And no memory card for me yet - just the phone's built in memory.

Btw I have my contacts and map landmarks already backed up on ovi, so no issues retrieving those.

[Moz]

What virus is it throwing up?

Bare in mind some virus scanners pick up the "autorun,ini" file on the phone as a virus, when it's not.

[mkr100001]

Can't you run a virus scan from your computer on the phone?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[N8]

Sorry, been too busy to connect the phone to the comp. Will do soon.

But on the file manager on the phone, E: (mass memory) only has one folder called download and a file called install_nokia_ovi_suite. All other folders like images, cities, video etc have vanished as the virus clean-up from the computer deleted those folders.

My question then: If I format mass memory, won't it become completely blank? Then where will all my images and videos get saved if there won't be a designated folder for them?

[dynomot]

Format the mass memory on the phone to regain all the default folders. You could also recreated them from Windows on a PC, if you can remember them all. Remember that maps will want re downloading and all your'media files will be lost. Also any applications installed on the mass memory will require re installing.

[Moz]

Don't format anything until you connect via mass media to explore the drive first. Then if nothing it there, then format.

[N8]

That's the thing... the phone's E: is showing nothing except a couple of folders. If I take a few pics, they're all there fine. But if I restart my phone, they're all gone. Now when I connect it to the comp, again, just like the phone... E: is nearly empty. Where are all the pics going then?! This is driving me nuts...

No problem re-installing maps/applications/themes/games.

Format the mass memory on the phone to regain all the default folders.

Now, are you 100% sure? Just format E: and all default folders will be back on their own? If yes, I'm gonna do a format right away.

[Chris_Skylock]

dude, your files DIDNT VANISHED. It was hidden.

select tools from your folder, folder options, click on VIEW, tap on the hide protected operation files, then tick on the SHOW files

seriouslly, THIS IS NOT A PHONE VIRUS.

please download MALWAREBYTES ANTI MALWARE and seek from from online malware analyst. I myself is a malware analyst.

I was laughing all the way in this topic. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[buxz777]

no one said it was a phone virus but that his mass memory had become corupt/infected

it could be hidden folders but how did they just become hidden and why does his n8 loose images after being rebooted

[Chris_Skylock]

the mass memory was injected with a malware code via a PC host. It happened to my hard drive and all folders became windows system folders which are hidden.

seriouslly, un-hide the folders and create a new one and just copy them. once copied to a new folder, format the mass memory. clean the infected PC. I know what happened.

[dynomot]

Formatting the mass memory will reinstall blank folders for images etc. It will be like the mass memory out of the box. They could just be hidden when your trying to view them on the PC. Are you sure you have a virus ?

Like everyone else posting on the forum I cannot be held responsible for anyone's actions taken from my advice. I know as much or as little a the next poster. All I can tell anyone here is that I post in good faith.

[buxz777]

the mass memory was injected with a malware code via a PC host. It happened to my hard drive and all folders became windows system folders which are hidden.

seriouslly, un-hide the folders and create a new one and just copy them. once copied to a new folder, format the mass memory. clean the infected PC. I know what happened.

so basically he has been infected/corrupted like the forum was telling him and also formatting the mass memory is a good step to take like the forum was telling him :-) lmao :-) so you were laughing at advice that we have given him but yet you are givig the same kind of advice :-)

iam not having ago mate but weve all spent time helping him and then you pop along and say the whole topics had you in stiches yet you give roughly the same advice as us ie clean pc , format mass memory etc etc

your inputs always appreciated as is any users input but mayb be just a bit softer in your approach as it could wind up/annoy previous users that have tryed to help out the op :-)

hope your well and having a good day mate

[Chris_Skylock]

i dont mean to sound like a jerk but this topic put a smile on me when I got my own set of personal problems. I apologize for any confusions and inconvenience.

I was just looking to make me smile because Im so desperate that could possibly end my life.

Anyway, let's work together to help this person

[Evil Genius]

I was just looking to make me smile because Im so desperate that could possibly end my life.

yeah, if i was a malware analyst, i'd probably feel like that too...

[Chris_Skylock]

nah. after reading some parts of the problem, it kinda looked like on my case and some of my clients' case so I was wondering if it's the same. - files disappearing and such.

If he/she can see the same files hidden then his/her computer is infected. He/she can always use RECUVA to recover the files if ever the mass memory has been formatted.

anyway, im not in the mood to do some analysis as I will just pass it down to a fellow analyst. I took my rest on malware treating for a bit as I have my own personal life and work at the Nokia Store

[N8]

Guys guys... sorry for being the reason of annoyance to you all. Didn't mean to in any way.

Just downloaded malwarebits anti-malware, computer is being scanned as of now... 15mins into it and already see 2 infections. Will take care of that, then next step... will connect the phone, scan it and see if folders are hidden at all. Will update soon.

BIG THANKS to all once again for the help as well as patience, much appreciated.

[Moz]

As a side note, if you want your username updating, let me know.

You can be the only user called N8

[N8]

Yes please Thought its not possible so never asked lol. N8 is a cool nick to have.

Quick update: quarantined 3 of the infections on the comp that anti-malware showed. Connected the phone, immediately noticed it opened the mass memory showing the missing folders as well as pics, videos etc. which were not appearing in the phone mysteriously. Anyway this is a positive step.

Now, on the phone... just for the heck of it, rebooted it... still the same thing, all pics and images vanish. Went to E: and still the same two folders appear ONLY.

So the 2nd bit, with the phone, will try tomorrow. Late in the night here... the Mrs. is complaining

[mkr100001]

nah. after reading some parts of the problem, it kinda looked like on my case and some of my clients' case so I was wondering if it's the same. - files disappearing and such.

If he/she can see the same files hidden then his/her computer is infected. He/she can always use RECUVA to recover the files if ever the mass memory has been formatted.

anyway, im not in the mood to do some analysis as I will just pass it down to a fellow analyst. I took my rest on malware treating for a bit as I have my own personal life and work at the Nokia Store

no....you can't.

I have tried that before. It doesn't work.

[Chris_Skylock]

have you tried DEEP SCAN. anyway, you cant recover files if it was replaced by the same name (deleted pic001 and then new one with file name pic001)

it helped me.

--

anyway, make a new folder similar to the hidden folder and copy the pics there.

if your folder is named IMAGES, make a folder called IMAGES1 and copy the pics from the IMAGES folder. delete the IMAGES folder and rename the IMAGES1 folder into IMAGES. Do this on the rest of the folder that was converted into system folders

[mkr100001]

have you tried DEEP SCAN. anyway, you cant recover files if it was replaced by the same name (deleted pic001 and then new one with file name pic001)

it helped me.

--

anyway, make a new folder similar to the hidden folder and copy the pics there.

if your folder is named IMAGES, make a folder called IMAGES1 and copy the pics from the IMAGES folder. delete the IMAGES folder and rename the IMAGES1 folder into IMAGES. Do this on the rest of the folder that was converted into system folders

lol

no, you can't recover files if they have been overwritten with anything.

well....it's hard but RECUVA won't do squat for you

[Chris_Skylock]

oh. so overwritten is the word. You cant recover files if it was OVERWRITTEN by the same files and the same name at the same time.

Anyway, once delete, it's a chance-chance of recovering. I tried mine and i recovered almost all my files.

I do hope you got yours back by transferring the files from the hidden system-made folders. and i do hope you got your PC fixed. Malwarebytes Anti Malware is not enough but it's a first aid as we call it

[N8]

THANK YOU ALL, problem sorted.

Formatted the mass memory from the phone, and as dynmot pointed out, empty default folders automatically are restored. Rebooted the phone several times and connected to the comp as well - no issues, nothing is vanishing and everything is visible on both phone and comp.

Installed the new Ovi Maps, downloaded maps directly through the phone. Awesome..!