My mother is running XP on a laptop with Mcafee on it. I rebuilt it for her but neglected to put Windows defender on it. Today she started getting a pop up alledgedly from AVG saying that she has a virus and then if she clicks certain buttons, it asks her for money. She never installed AVG so I am assuming this is some sort of malicious software. Right after it started happening, I had her run a mcafee scan and it reported no problems. I verified that her DAT files were up to date.She is now unable to run most exe's (including task manager)when she tries, she gets another AVG pop-up. She is also unable to run Internet Explorer. So, I cannot have her download Windows Defender. There is an entry for this in her start menu and in all programs. It even has an unstall option, just for kicks I had her click it just incase she really did install something legit and it expired. But that just opened a window saying she had a trial version and she needed to pay to get the full version. I doubt that it was really AVG.I saw a few other people have run into this but they were just complaining about having to deal with it, but not posting the solution. Has anyone encountered this and fixed it? I am comfy with regedits and pretty much anything else I need to do, I would prefer to not have to rebuild it. Any help would be appreciated.2 people need an answerI do too

Hi you say your pretty savy with the system?Have you tried going to msconfig and shutting off all startup programs and non essential services and then try starting in safemode with networking.If you can get into safemode.Download this program and run it sounds like a bug I ran into a few years back and is very annoying.When you shut off all start programs and non essential programs it usually stops the pop-up as it needs to start from somewhere. Go to the control panel,system,system restore and check the box shut off system restore and restart the system in safemode and run Malwarebytes.If there is a bug Mal will remove it.If that being the case once you rid of the bug start the system and return to control panel,system,system restore and turn it back on.When you turn it off to start it will prompt you that all restore points will be destroyed and that is what you want because the bug will stay in the restore point and be ever present.PS.Always remember close is open in HACKERS terms.They know most peoples actions will be to try and get rid of the window which actually activates the bug.Just because most of them couldn't spell their way out of a wet paper bag doesn't mean they are stupid.Any time that happens do not click the close button.Instead click start and shut the system down or you risk activating the bug.Upon restart the window will be gone.Hope you get it worked out.There is nothing worse than a 300$ paper weight.