Please help - Variety of Issues

[go4urs]

I dont even know where to start. A few weeks ago a variety of problems started after someone started fooling around with my computer. I think they were trying to make a static ip or something. I dont know if it worked.

I began having problems with my internet connection. I reset my modem and router but still had problems. I still am unable to access the Belkin page for my settings. 192.168.2.1 or 2.2 doesnt work. So if you can help wih that, I'd appreciate it.

Yesterday morning when I booted up a balloon popped up saying another network was available. I dont remember what it was, but it seemed legitimate, like Gateway Network or Microsoft Network or something. I'd never seen anything like it before. Anyway, I right clicked, but didnt select the option. I was able to work online for awhile then suddenly I lost all network connections. AOL, local, everything. I couldnt get back online for anything. Today, upon reboot I was able to get online for maybe 5 minutes. I still wasnt able to connect to Belkin, but was temporarily able to access my neighbors linksys. I can do that everytime I reboot, but I can never access my Belkin. The computer wired to the router still works.

Then in the middle of all this, I got one of those blue screens telling me I may need to turn of caching or shadowing in the BIOS. Of ocurse no one in the word can tell me how to do that. When I hit the F key on restart, it says setting are loading, but never loads.

HHHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP

When I go into Intel, I cant find a specific problem. It just says that it cant connect to Belkin. I havent installed any new drivers or anything lately. There were a couple of downloads. Spybot found some ICQ keystroke monitor that wasnt there a few weeks ago. I was deleted.

I dont know which, if any of these is the problem. I guess they are all problems. Typing this letter is the longest I've been able to stay online, but I'm still cant access my own router. I dont know what to do or why this is happening.

[Suspishio]

What would I do in these circumstances? Assuming you've tried a wired connexion from the PC and it gives the problems you described:

1/
I'd have a look in my system files (windows\system32) to see what new files had appeared during the period when this other person had access to your PC. I'd then reach a conclusion as to whether or not a trojan had been introduced.

2/
If a trojan had been introduced, I'd slave my hard disk to the other PC and get my data off. Then I'd reformat the HDD, put it back in the original PC and rebuild Windows etc.

3/
If no trojan had been introduce, I'd still stream off my data and then try to repair my system with the Windows CD. There is no need to install any Belkin software - so I'd get that uninstalled if it's there after repair. Then a wired connexion should work from your PC.

Let us know.

[go4urs]

What would I do in these circumstances? Assuming you've tried a wired connexion from the PC and it gives the problems you described:
1/
I'd have a look in my system files (windows\system32) to see what new files had appeared during the period when this other person had access to your PC. I'd then reach a conclusion as to whether or not a trojan had been introduced.
2/
If a trojan had been introduced, I'd slave my hard disk to the other PC and get my data off. Then I'd reformat the HDD, put it back in the original PC and rebuild Windows etc.
3/
If no trojan had been introduce, I'd still stream off my data and then try to repair my system with the Windows CD. There is no need to install any Belkin software - so I'd get that uninstalled if it's there after repair. Then a wired connexion should work from your PC.

Let us know.

Hellol Suspishio! and others

I remember you. I still havent fixed the last problem you were helping me with - now this. No, I never tested the router directly to laptop. I"ve only ever used it wirelessly. A friend was using my computer on Ebay. When they left, I tried to check my mail and couldnt get on line. I will try to plug the Belkin into the laptop though, to see what happenes.

Okay, do you mind explaining why I'm 'rebuilding Windows" That sounds complicated and serious.
1. Is that the fix for the blue screen (re: the Bios), the internet access, or the inability to confgure my router - or all three?
2. Do we know what caused this (and by we, I mean you - I certainly dont know)
3. Okay, I can go into System32, but I wouldnt know what was introduced or what to really look for. I dont remember exactly when the person was here, but it was some weeks ago. Initially the only problem after that was that I couldnt access the router. So I came here. Then other things began to happen. I'm not entirely sure that one of my 'fixes' hasnt made it worse.

I ran SPYBOT, is there something else I can use to make sure I dont have ay Trojans?
Oh yeah, the laptop locks all the tme now too.

Gateway Tablet on Windows XP Intel Pentium M 1.73GHz .99 GB RAM

[Suspishio]

Hi go4urs - sorry about your bad situation there.

OK - lets's approach this from a different angle ans give the cuckoo who put you in this the doodoo the benefit if doubt for not having introduced a trojan.

So what situation do we have?

1A/
You are unable to wirelessly log onto or via your Belkin router;

1B/
You are able to operate wirelessly through an ad-hoc connexion which is prolly not close enought to stay with you for long.

Conclusion: Your network card is functioning correctly and your TCP/IP settings are fine.

2a/
Your cuckoo tried messing around with static IP addresses, you say.

2b/
The wired PC, you say, still works with the Belikn.

Conclusion:
Due to 1B above, the TCP/IP settings for your wireless connection seem to be alright (they should be set to "Obtain IP Address Automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically").

Thus the problem could lie in the Wireless LAN settings of the Belkin Router. You said that you reset the router (presumably to factory default). Now, I don't know what securty settings, if any, you had set for wireless on the router. If you only RESET the router, security settings wouls be maintained across the reset; if the cuckoo had messed around with these settings, you might be suffering the problems. So holding the RESET button down for at least 10 seconds puts you to facorty default which clears all programmed settings.

SO TRY THAT.

3A/
Your blue screen - a software crash caused either by bad code in a driver or by a hardware problem.

3B/
Your BIOS message on memory - if out of the blue then it suggests a RAM problem.

3c/
Your system locking - usually the same causes as 3A & 3B

Conclusion:
You may have, independently of the Belkin problem, bad RAM, badly seated RAM or a rogue device driver clashing on memory (the latter is common but I suspect not the case ere unless the cuckoo added and invoked a device driver).

The easy option here is to reseat your RAM,clearing out any dust; you could download a RAM integrity test and put it through some heavy cycles. If the problem persists, you'll be into a cycle of uncertainty as to cause; RAM, motherboard, driver etc.

OR, there could be a trojan in your system that has corrupted a system file causing the memory crash at boot. But then Spybot or AVG shold find it.

In summary, you may well have two independent problems with independent solutions.

Me? I'd save my data and rebuild the damn software system.

Keep us posted.

[bobbyraw]

I dont even know where to start. A few weeks ago a variety of problems started after someone started fooling around with my computer. I think they were trying to make a static ip or something. I dont know if it worked.

I began having problems with my internet connection. I reset my modem and router but still had problems. I still am unable to access the Belkin page for my settings. 192.168.2.1 or 2.2 doesnt work. So if you can help wih that, I'd appreciate it.

Yesterday morning when I booted up a balloon popped up saying another network was available. I dont remember what it was, but it seemed legitimate, like Gateway Network or Microsoft Network or something. I'd never seen anything like it before. Anyway, I right clicked, but didnt select the option. I was able to work online for awhile then suddenly I lost all network connections. AOL, local, everything. I couldnt get back online for anything. Today, upon reboot I was able to get online for maybe 5 minutes. I still wasnt able to connect to Belkin, but was temporarily able to access my neighbors linksys. I can do that everytime I reboot, but I can never access my Belkin. The computer wired to the router still works.

Then in the middle of all this, I got one of those blue screens telling me I may need to turn of caching or shadowing in the BIOS. Of ocurse no one in the word can tell me how to do that. When I hit the F key on restart, it says setting are loading, but never loads.

HHHHHHEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPP

When I go into Intel, I cant find a specific problem. It just says that it cant connect to Belkin. I havent installed any new drivers or anything lately. There were a couple of downloads. Spybot found some ICQ keystroke monitor that wasnt there a few weeks ago. I was deleted.

I dont know which, if any of these is the problem. I guess they are all problems. Typing this letter is the longest I've been able to stay online, but I'm still cant access my own router. I dont know what to do or why this is happening.

if u see a key logger u ar in big caca, run a scan to get rid of these. as for the bios shadow that has to be done in bios, i am not sure what bios version u have but it normally in the memory section. u just have to leaf through, THIS MESSAGE IS NOT CRITICAL SYSTEM GIVES THIS ERROR WHEN IT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO REPORT. got the message one and disable bios shaddow and still got the same error. so be carefull.

[Suspishio]

if u see a key logger u ar in big caca, run a scan to get rid of these......

@ bobbyraw

He wouldn't be in big caca if all he had to do was scan to get rid of he key logger; and he's run Spybot - one of the better scanners, I'd say. Also, a key logger trojan wouldn't cause the freeze out in wireless mode on the Belkin.

His big caca is the struggle to get wireless connectivity to his router and to rid himself of the blue screen/freeze events.

Courses of action have been suggested and we'll see what happens. If that doesn't work, we'll have to go throught the HJT round to make sure of what's in his system.

[go4urs]

Hi go4urs - sorry about your bad situation there.

OK - lets's approach this from a different angle ans give the cuckoo who put you in this the doodoo the benefit if doubt for not having introduced a trojan.

So what situation do we have?

.

Huh? What? No, just kidding. The cuckoo is definetely gone. It was a temporary house siting situation.

First, let me thank you for all you help.

I already reset the modem by holding it down 10 seconds. Thats when I started posting here. I'm afraid to do it again, because ultimately I had to call Westell(modem) and Belkin to get back online. We seemed to do a lot of reconfiguring. I thought everything would work fine after that, but I still cant get to the Belkin page. I changed the settings back to say obtain ip address automatically.

On the laptop, I think the IP address is the static one, but I'm not sure. Its 192.168.1.47. Isnt that static? It is different than the default. When I do COMMAND then IPCONFIG thing on the desktop (it runs Windows ME) a quick scroll on the black screen ends with Ethernet Adapter : IP Address, Subnet Mask both are 0.0.0.0.

If I do anything else, IPCONFIG, WINCONFIG, IPCONFIG \ALL either nothing happens, or the black screen scrolls fast, then disappears. (Sorry, I think I just introduced another issue.)

The ram idea is interesting. Can you recommend a ram integrity test and tell me how to reset ram?

This computer is still under warranty. The locking issue has been happening for a while. When it took it back to the store they kept telling me it was a spyware issue. Even though at that time I was pretty sure I had never downloaded anything, or even used it that much. Should this be covered under warranty? Is there any way to prove this is a hardware issue that should be covered? The Spybot tests comes back negative now. I dont have AVG since it doesnt appear to be free anymore. Should I get it?

Ummm, just out of curiousity, how does one rebuild a software system

[go4urs]

if u see a key logger u ar in big caca, run a scan to get rid of these. as for the bios shadow that has to be done in bios, i am not sure what bios version u have but it normally in the memory section. u just have to leaf through, THIS MESSAGE IS NOT CRITICAL SYSTEM GIVES THIS ERROR WHEN IT DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO REPORT. got the message one and disable bios shaddow and still got the same error. so be carefull.

Phoenix BIOS. I'm not sure if thats the complete name, but I know its Phoenix. Once I get in, I see anything that says Caching or Shadowing. . . Do you know what I'm looking for exactly?

[Suspishio]

I already reset the modem by holding it down 10 seconds. Thats when I started posting here. I'm afraid to do it again, because ultimately I had to call Westell(modem) and Belkin to get back online. We seemed to do a lot of reconfiguring. I thought everything would work fine after that, but I still cant get to the Belkin page. I changed the settings back to say obtain ip address automatically.

I'm amazed you can't get onto the Belkin router with 192.168.2.1 if you can get onto the internet. When I had a Belkin router I got on with HTTP://192.168.2.1 although the book said not to use the http:// prefix; can't think why because the browser adds the prefix!

If you're using 192.168.1.1 then you won't get onto the Belkin page; I'm not aware of any Belkin router that uses this IP address for itself.

It's a pity that you haven't noted the changes that Belkin & Westell recommended; and how was that done without getting onto the Belkin page - have you got a second computer?

On the laptop, I think the IP address is the static one, but I'm not sure. Its 192.168.1.47. Isnt that static? It is different than the default. When I do COMMAND then IPCONFIG thing on the desktop (it runs Windows ME) a quick scroll on the black screen ends with Ethernet Adapter : IP Address, Subnet Mask both are 0.0.0.0.

You shouldn't have a static IP address in the laptop; it should be set to obtain the address automatically. This goes hand in hand with the Belkin setting to turn DHCP Server ON. Was this done when you were conversing with Westell and/or Belkin? Or was DHCP turned off in the Router? It should be on. 192.168.1.47 won't work as a static IP address as it's outside the normal DHCP address range of the Belkin (192.168.2.3 - 192.168.2.100); UNLESS in your session with Belkin, they asked you to change the address range which I doubt.

If I do anything else, IPCONFIG, WINCONFIG, IPCONFIG \ALL either nothing happens, or the black screen scrolls fast, then disappears. (Sorry, I think I just introduced another issue.)

If you have the "black COMMAND screen", surely you can scroll up and down in the window to see what it says? Anyway, if all your IP addresses are wrong, it doesn't matter at this stage what it says!

The ram idea is interesting. Can you recommend a ram integrity test and tell me how to reset ram?

Perhaps you could look at this link.
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/RAMProblems.htm

But as the computer is under warranty, if the RAM tests detect an error it needs to go back to the vendor.

It is more likely that there is an active device driver screwing Windows up. We'd need to know the Blues Screen error to further assess this.

This computer is still under warranty. The locking issue has been happening for a while. When it took it back to the store they kept telling me it was a spyware issue. Even though at that time I was pretty sure I had never downloaded anything, or even used it that much. Should this be covered under warranty? Is there any way to prove this is a hardware issue that should be covered? The Spybot tests comes back negative now. I dont have AVG since it doesnt appear to be free anymore. Should I get it?

AVG is still free at http://free.grisoft.com/doc/download-free-anti-spyware/us/frt/0

If AVG doesn't find anything, then IMO, you don't have a virus/trojan.

The blue screen or freezing should be cobvered under warranty.

Ummm, just out of curiousity, how does one rebuild a software system

One puts the Windows system CD in the drive, boot from it (Ithink you can hold down C whilst booting to boot off the CD) and with the repair option, format your hard disk and reinstall Windows. Get your data off first. But I don't think this is necessary if you don't have a virus/trojan.

[go4urs]

AVG is still free at http://free.grisoft.com/doc/download-free-anti-spyware/us/frt/0
If AVG doesn't find anything, then IMO, you don't have a virus/trojan.

.

What the *@#&! is going on. Oh, my gosh this is so crazy! I went to download AVG, and the computer wont let me. It says it is "not a valid Win32 application"

I few weeks ago, I tried AVG, but it keep asking for money to remove what it found. I used Spybot and deleted the AVG.

I click download
I click Run or Save
Then it says the Publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?
I click Run

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.blah blah bla\avgas-setup-7.5.1.43[1].exe is not a valid Win32 application.

Help

[katemccrew]

Hi - I 'm new to all of this and have an issue that is driving me nuts! I THINK that it is related to this post......

I believe that I have a key logger hacker type of thing going on in gmail and or my computer???

I am your basic average Joe (but a gal) not a computer wizard etc...

Ihad a former tenant who was a weird freaky computer psycho. Somehow he has resurfaced - might even be on my tmobile phone but now I sound paranoid.

He is definately able to see, somehow, what I type. He emails and comments about what I have sent off to friends.

When I type in gmail I see a green long rectangular box in the corner of the screen. It lights up as I type with each key. The thing is - I don't ever remember seeing it before (for the few years that I have used gmail??).

How do I, a non-priestess of the computer - get rid of this guy???

Thank you,

Kate

[Suspishio]

Call the police for a start as you appear to have firm evidence to back the accusation that he's hot you hacked.

Anyway, we can take a look at what's running on your PC if you read the first sticky post in the Virus section and then do two things:

1 Repost your problem in that forum
2 Attach a Hijack This Log as per the sticky post

If you've written your post in this thread on the same PC, then he's onto your enquiry. So act fast before he disables you completely.

[katemccrew]

thanks but I am soooo confused on this site - go to the virus forum and do a hijack this log?
where is the virus forum?
thanks

[katemccrew]

where and what is the sticky note? and where do I go to get to the virus section?

I want to get rid of a key logger hacker....

thanks

[Suspishio]

If you click this link, you'll be taken to the post I mentioned in the forum where this issue belongs.
http://www.daniweb.com/forums/thread83821.html

Click on the link and do what the thread says.

Close the thread and open your own new thread re-stating your problem and posting the log you produced as a result of the action above.

We might thenbe able to see if there's anything hacking you.

[katemccrew]

Thanks - I am doing as you said. NOt sure where the actual results are - but will post in the other forum what they might be. Which leads me to ask you how I post a new question? I've posted on boards before but I do not see any obvious way other than to reply to what is already there -

Thank you,
Kate

[Suspishio]

You click on the orange box "Start New Thread" just above your name banner and start typing when you're presented with the message window..

[katemccrew]

Thanks but there is nothing orange next to my name banner - in fact there is no name banner except at hte top of the page and there is nothing else there.

I know this is irritating you which is why I stick to Art and Writing and let technical people do what they do.

I really want this guy off of my computer. I do not see how to even get to the Virus Forum. This is the most confusing site I have ever been on.

I search for Virus Forum and it then offers many choices.

I have the log and want the hacker out.

Please advise.

I did post the results somewhere in some virus forum area - but god knows how or where.

Thanks,
Kate

[katemccrew]

I think that I finally have it sorted - very confusing.

Okay - another thing that keeps happening on my computer is that 'scripts have stopped running on the page" it asks "do you want to continue running scripts on the page" I have no idea what that means.

and when I sign on there has been a system error etc... says it's serious.

any ideas?

[go4urs]

Kate I dont know if you are going to get replies by posting under my post. I think you need to start a new post to get the most replies. I surely cant help you. I havent resolved my issues.

[Suspishio]

Kate I dont know if you are going to get replies by posting under my post. I think you need to start a new post to get the most replies. I surely cant help you. I havent resolved my issues.

Yeah - she's started her own thread,

[Suspishio]

What the *@#&! is going on. Oh, my gosh this is so crazy! I went to download AVG, and the computer wont let me. It says it is "not a valid Win32 application"

I few weeks ago, I tried AVG, but it keep asking for money to remove what it found. I used Spybot and deleted the AVG.

I click download
I click Run or Save
Then it says the Publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?
I click Run

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner.blah blah bla\avgas-setup-7.5.1.43[1].exe is not a valid Win32 application.

Help

Did I read you right - you're running Windows ME? The shittiest Windows release ever!

Looking back over this thread, three things come to mind:

1/
SPYBOT is perfectly adequate to find malware. AVG is a second opinion that's also trusted by people here. I Gave you the URL - did that download work OK?

2/
I also provided specific advice regarding the Belkin situation and static IP addresses. Has this advice been completely followed?

3/
Are you ready yet to stream off your data, wipe your hard disk and renbuild Windows and your apps?

[katemccrew]

Yeah - she's started her own thread,

Thanks -

unfortunately now - I cannot get on my computer at all:(

Very very very depressing.

Good luck with your stuff and thanks for your help.

[go4urs]

Hello you

You wouldnt believe that I just got my computer back from Best Buy warranty repair a few days ago. I'm still having problems. They said they replaced the motherboard. I'll probably be back to ask you more questions :-)
It still locks up on me, I thought that wouldnt happen with the new motherboard. I dont know whats going on.

[Suspishio]

if they put a new mobo on but didn't do anything to the system disk then it seems that Windows is not in a state of grace. Isn't that what we've thought all along? Possible malware or something corrupts the system files?

I think you're gonna have to re-make your software environment.

What do you think?