WinCodecPro is a fake video codecs pack that advertised as a pack that contains all the video codecs and uses scare tactics to trick you into buying the fake software. WinCodecPro distributed through the use trojans. Once infected with the trojan your computer will display large amount of alerts that tells you that your media player, system or codecs are corrupted and that you should purchase WinCodecPro in order to fix these problems. These alerts are fake and generated by the C:\Program Files\MediaSystem\wmptray.exe. The file is a main component for this trojan.
A few fake alerts that WinCodecPro trojan generates:
Warning
Fatal Error: Windows can’t play the following media formats: AVI;ASF;WMV;AVS;FLV;MKV;MOV;3GP;MP4;MPG;MPEG;MP3;AAC;WAV;WMA;CDA;FLAC;M4A;MID. Update your video codec to resolve this issue.
Warning
Media codec has been destroyed. Risk of losing all your audio video files high. To resolve this issue, update your media codec immediately.
Warning
Critical media error! Your media driver is unstable. Video driver is corrupt and can no longer save your monitor settings. Driver is in critical mode. To restore your media drivers, update your video codec immediately.
Warning
Fatal Error: Can’t play audio video files. Update your video codec immediately to resolve this issue.
Warning
Internal error! Media player has been corrupted. Immediately update your video codec to resolve this issue.
Ignore these fake alerts and use the free instructions below for removing the WinCodecPro trojan, wmptray.exe and any associated malware from your computer.
Symptoms in a HijackThis Log.
O4 – HKLM\..\Run: [WmpTray] C:\Program Files\MediaSystem\wmptray.exe
Use the following instructions to remove WinCodecPro trojan and wmptray.exe (Uninstall instructions).
1. Using SmitfraudFix (by S!Ri).
- Download SmitfraudFix
- Reboot your computer in Safe Mode by doing the following:
1. Restart your computer
2. After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon appears, press F8.
3. Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear
4. Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode. - Double-click SmitfraudFix.exe.
- Press the number 2 on your keyboard and the press the enter key to choose the option Clean (safe mode recommended).
- You will be prompted : “Registry cleaning – Do you want to clean the registry ?“; answer “Yes” by typing Y and press “Enter” in order to remove the Desktop background and clean registry keys associated with the infection.
- The tool will now check if wininet.dll is infected. You may be prompted to replace the infected file (if found); answer “Yes” by typing Y and press “Enter”.
- The tool may need to restart your computer to finish the cleaning process; if it doesn’t, please restart it into Normal Windows.
2. Using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
- Download MalwareBytes Anti-malware (MBAM). Close all programs and Windows on your computer.
- Double Click mbam-setup.exe to install the application. When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure a checkmark is placed next to Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, then click Finish.
- If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select “Perform Quick Scan”, then click Scan.
- The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
- When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
- Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
- When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.
Note: If you need help with the instructions, then post your questions in our Spyware Removal forum.
My daughter’s computer running Windows XP Media Center has been hit with what appears to be multiple viruses. Have Run McAfee, Super Anti-Spyware, SmitFraudfix, etc. but still have WinCodecPRO popups and all files are encrypted(they all have added file extensiion .encrypt), can’t access Task Manager, says \
i wuz havin d same prob. kip on gettin the fatal error pop ups n my speakers stoped working. i used smithfraud to delete it. n it works…the pop ups are gone n no more error messages.
BUT my speakers are stil not working! m sure its caused my the trojan ting…can any1 help me out please!
jenny, looks like you need reinstall sound drivers.
– Right click on ‘My Computer’ and from the menu that appears, select properties.
– Then in the window that appears click on the device manager tab. You will now see a list of all the deviced that are installed in your computer.
– Click on the plus sign beside ‘Sound, video, and game controllers’. for every item that appears under ‘Sound Video and game controllers’ select it and click on remove.
– You will get a dialog box asking you if you are sure if you want to remove that device, just click ok.
– After you are done with that, reboot your computer.
Patrik, I had the same problem as jenny and did what you recommend. but it dident work.
Andrew, then manually reinstall sound card drivers.
I did the SmitfraudFix and the Malwarebytes, but I am still getting the Fatal Error messages… and the desktop background. And I have no sound. I don’t know what else to do.
Erica, please make a new topic in our Spyware removal forum.
Never mind…. I don’t know what I did… but I think it’s fixed… the desktop background is gone, so is the Fatal Error messages… and my sound is back.
I tried to download smitfraudfix but got the message that source could not be found. (to remove wincodecpro trojan) Thanks
Don, just have checked smitfraud link. It works for me. Try use Malwarebytes Anti-malware or ask for help in our Spyware removal forum.