WARNING: The following section includes step-by-step information on how to edit the Windows Registry, a large database containing system and program settings that are essential to how the OS (operating system) operates. Follow Registry-editing instructions to the letter and be sure to make a backup of your Registry before you begin. (Registry errors can render your computer inoperable if you don't have a backup.) This procedure differs depending on the OS you use. For more information on backing up and editing the Registry, see these articles: "Protect Yourself" and "Register Here."

How To Get Rid Of Winkiller.A

There is no utility available to repair the damage caused by Winkiller.A. The fix is simple enough, but you will need access to a machine with clean system files to replace the ones that have been changed. Once you have the files, follow these steps:

Don't reboot your computer!

Find a computer that is uninfected and, using My Computer, locate and copy these files onto a floppy diskette or some other type of removable storage device:
C:\Windows\Winsock.dll
C:\Windows\Win.com
C:\Windows\Wininit.exe
C:\Windows\System32\dllhost.exe

Copy the clean files to the corresponding drive on the infected machine through My Computer (C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\).

Open the C:\Windows\win.ini file with Notepad and delete the semicolon marks at the start of each line.

Delete the Winkiller.A executable (X1 installation.exe and/or Slideshow Install.exe) so that you don't inadvertently run it again.