Posts by flagstar

I did remove Zonealarm now and putting in new Comodo firewall which hope to be better in it's performance and it did. Luckily I ask that.

But that didn't solve the main problem until I try to disable Avast! and it's working again (no lag whatsoever). When I switch AV on again, same issue occur...

Did Avast! do something in background when I play MMO? It seems like it's scanning every move other player had and once it's done, it let go of the frame and scan another frame.

How I should correct this? What should I suppose to set on Avast! in order to let me play MMO without any problem?

Owh, didn't notice that avast and zonealarm can conflict with each other. I've been long wanted to remove Zonealarm because it's been hogging on my netbook too much and slow down startup tremendously... sometimes it can't even stuck at initialize state which is, no firewall is on till I shut down...

Any recommendation which firewall I should use to replace zonealarm? I'm on XP so I'm sure I need a free firewall at least to protect my own computer...

Here are my security specs currently...
- Avast! Free AV (just switched from Avira)
- MBAM (done quick scan at least 1 month or so)
- Spyware Blaster (updated every 2 weeks)
- ZoneAlarm (6 month ago ?maybe?)

Well, recently I got pissed off with Avira pushing me into installing update in order for me to allow ask.com toolbar to be installed. I hate toolbar because it eat up the browser page and bog down processing speed.

And afterwards, I switched to Avast! which most people recommend it after AVG11. I installed it and I have to say I like it but somehow, after I installed Avast!, one of my MMORPG start to get this unknown lag where i'll always get left behind after a quick arena battle but in my screen, the battle is still ongoing.

Frankly, I'm not sure if Avast! is the culprit for that kind of lagging in CosmicBreak MMORPG but certainly after I installed Avast!, the next day, I get that kind of lag everytime i'm inside arena. It doesn't happen other than arena, just in 'Arena' battle.

My best bet is not joining arena till next maintenance update which is Thursday but I think I'll try again just to be sure. If I got the same problem again, maybe I should disable Avast and try again.

p/s: does avast also have issue with zonealarm firewall?

Well maybe the cable inside the desktop has wrong connection. Open your desktop casing and check a cable with name 'Ac'97' or 'HD audio' embedded on the head cable.

If it's HD audio, then follow uv4u post and you should be fine...

hello friend , first don't worry about this cookie, these are used for tracking Ur behavior on the net , now come to the point , first try to restore Ur system using msconfig command , and if restore doesn't work , try to uninstall Ur all antivirus/ spyware program and then install a avast (available free for trial mode but full functional) now schedule this for boot time scan , surly this will work for you.

Do you mean clear up unwanted startup in MsConfig or restore using System restore? Agree with caperjack, I've never know that can be done with msconfig...

Sorry for the late reply...

Well just want to clarify things a bit. Hope you don't mind...

Does the clicking sound come from your speaker or from your computer? (if your computer is a desktop, not a laptop)

If you have disable your AV for this test, did you re-enable it?

If possible, just want to make sure your system is entirely clean, do an online scan. Use Kaspersky, McAfee, or any online AV scan to confirm that no common malicious files bothering you...

Charging a very high cost ($199) just to remove something isn't worth it. Don't get fool even from official tech help unless you really trust their work...

Hi,

what kind of clicking noise did you hear? When does it happen etc. starting computer, shutdown, watch movies?

Tracking cookies is not exactly a spyware/malware, it's just what your browser always create to store your username and password for some sites. Anti-spyware marked it as dangerous because hacker can steal your confidental document within those cookies so it's advices to delete it.

I can't find any malicious threat in your log so I think your system is clean but I would say wait for a senior members to help you out in advance in case I'm missing some important point...

Reformat is only for last option. Until all the solutions we have suggested did not work, then we will ask the original poster to reformat their computer or laptop. Do not anyhow tell people to reformat their laptop!!

He did say he had reformat before and problem still persist so it's wise to do another reformat and check whether problem still occur...

Charging $199 just to remove a possible spyware threat? It was way too much for a service and even with half-price deal, it's still expensive. It's like no difference from anti-virus scam which tell you that your computer has malicious virus whereas you don't have one in the first place.

Tracking cookies is common but not harmful. It is essential for fast browsing after you've open a web site for the first time but these traces sometimes can be picked up by hackers to steal your confidental document so some anti-virus/spyware marked it as dangerous and should be remove...

CD drive you mean? It should provide the cable connection is proper and CD drive is in working condition.

I mean did he try to use another cd that has content in it (not blank) and see if the drive can still read the files inside the cd...

You'll need full format if problem persist... It could be virus or anything... If you have two or more partition on your HDD, you have to backup every important document out (not all files) on external drive (eg. pendrive, external HDD) because some virus/malware may reside in any partition and trigger those problem...

Do as jakob say in previous post but in addition, format all partition listed available

What is your computer specs? Are you using desktop or laptop?

We need to know about it so we can search for the problem easily and come up with possible solution for it...

Try this just in case...
* Go to device manager and select the hardware with yellow exclamation mark
* Uninstall it just in case
* Click on scan for hardware changes icon and a window will pop up
* Select no to update driver from windows update (if any)
* Select install from a list or specific location
* Select Don't search.
* Select any compatible driver listed in the box and click next.
* See if the hardware works and confirm if no yellow icon show up in device manager

high quality graphic card isn't worth it for mobo with pentium 4 core. It'll make buying good graphic card a waste of money. I agree you should upgrade your motherboard at least an intel i series which can drain more graphic card ability or... you should just buy a brand new desktop. You can get some of the latest one for about $700 USD and above plus, a new graphic card is inside already...

Does it recognize a used cd? just to be sure it's still working as read...

All those problems actually proves for your first answer. It's the graphic card.

If you have another VGA port behind of your CPU, shutdown your computer and unplug power cable and monitor vga cable just in case. Then open your desktop casing, unscrew any component to remove graphic card and removed it.

Plug your vga cable to integrated vga port, plug back power cable and boot. Normally it'll goes to windows without any problems but also sometimes, monitor won't show anything... Probably you won't have an appropriate driver installed for integrated graphic card so you'll need to find a driver for it.

After you've installed all required drivers, just use the computer normally and see if same problems come up. If nothing show up, all run smooth without BSOD, freeze etc. than that means you just confirm it's your graphic card that caused the problem...

Of course, you can try chkdsk first before you try this method just in case it wasn't graphic card problem...

Did you try to upload it with another browser? eg. Firefox, Chrome, Opera
If other browser can upload your data without any problem, then there's a problem with your IE9...

explorer.exe is where your windows operate. If you force to end process it, it'll took out your desktop icon and taskbar for a moment then come back on with new explorer.exe... Sometimes in some cases, you'll need to restart in order to get it back up...

Simply to say, explorer.exe is what you see on your desktop and without it, you only have wallpaper on your monitor.

This is merely a suggestion of course... click on start menu and click run. In the box type CMD and a windows will appear... Just type in this line below

chkdsk c: /f /x /r

it should prompt you it'll do it on next restart. enter 'y' and click enter, then restart your windows. Your windows will reboot and it'll come up with check disk screen. Just let it run and left your computer for a moment. It might take 1 hour or longer. If it find some errors, it'll correct it automatically and once it done. Try to see if you still have those problems...

I can't give any suggestion for cheap graphic card for your usage but just to confirm your graphic card is working properly or not. Have you try to uninstall and reinstall graphic driver before?

If you still want to get a new graphic card anyway, I would suggest getting nVidia 430Gt or earlier since you still use XP and P4 processor... (Just a suggestion)

If your infected computer has working CD-Rom at least, then try to create Kaspersky Live CD instead. If you have already have Kaspersky running on other computer, open KAV and search for 'Create Rescue Disk', it'll burn a live cd for you and once done, insert it into the infected computer and reboot.

Follow all the instruction on the screen. Then open KAV scan and start scanning. This might take a while...

or use Malwarebytes software as Gerbil suggested. Mostly it'll find almost all infection and removed it immediately... You just need to download, install and run either quick or full scan...

Are you using desktop or laptop?

If you're using desktop, try to open the casing and check whether HDD and DVD-Rom cable were connected to the right port eg. Sata O, Sata 1

Most probably it's BIOS has gone wrong. Did you access BIOS before?

If your BIOS has the option to select SATA/IDE or Enhanced/Compatible, try to change any of it and try to run windows again. Usually you'll get BSOD if you selected the wrong setup for your HDD..

For Windows 7, it normally set to SATA to run properly...

First check out if your CD or media file is not corrupted. Later on check if your cd/dvd drive is connected properly.

if it is able to write disk up to 99%, it means it was connected properly... It have to be either cd/dvd rom problem, software problem or driver problem. Correct me if i'm wrong...

Also, did you try to burn other data using other software?

Try to check whether your cd/dvd-rom has correct drivers install. If not, reinstall driver for your cd/dvd-rom and try to burn again. If the problem persist, download a small .iso format file (any would do) for example MHDD3.6.iso from internet and burn it using windows default cd burner (just right click the .iso file and select 'burn with' "windows cd/dvd burner" or that has windows title in it.

If that won't work, then there's something wrong with your cd/dvd-rom hardware. If you have an external dvd-rom burner, try to use it and burn any cd/dvd and see if it works...

Can you get into BIOS and how far can you boot up your computer before the problem show up?

The last time you boot your laptop normally, did you done anything significant on your laptop?

Probably HDD, RAM or BIOS problem if you can't boot your computer even with reinstalling windows.

Yeah, maybe I will... Thanks again for replying and helping me...

Unfortunately he hasn't and the last time he used, his friends use his computer and do something he don't know and afterwards, the problem occur...

I've reinstall windows 7 ultimate for him and it works, it getting through every process without any problem. I've also reinstall drivers for him and now the desktop runs good...

Apparently, I've try using KAV Rescue Disk 10 but couldn't find anything. Try correcting with Mini XP as well but no avail.

During bootup, I didn't hear any beeping sound at all, it just booting normally like it always does.

No matter what I do, it'll always still the same. Stuck in between loading screen and login screen. I think I'll stick with reformatting whole disk since my friends want to use his pc badly...

Thanks for helping anyway...

Didn't help at all... I'm certain that the hardware had got anything wrong at all.
Using any bootable pendrive and even live cd works which confirmed RAM, power supply and bios works properly...

In startup, it was able to pass BIOS and windows loading screen and that's it. Afterwards it just show nothing on the screen except mouse cursor which can be movable. No windows, no task manager or anything, just black screen. I've let it wait for almost an hour but no luck as well...

Well, it stay blank just after windows 7 logo loading and it won't even get to login screen at all. Not even in safe mode would help. I can still access bios though...

Hi, I have a problem with my friends dekstop.

He said he can't login windows and all he get was a total black screen so he gave it to me for checking...

Initially, after windows 7 splash screen, it should prompt to login window, but it didn't. Instead, it just show black screen with a functional mouse cursor which didn't help at all.
I even try to boot in safe mode, restore more and everything in F8 but get the same problem...

So I try to use chkdsk to solve it in repair windows and found some errors so I thought it should be okay now but no change. Startup repair using vista recovery disk also with zero outcome. I try to restore his pc with system restore but apparently he doesn't even have a single restore point I can use.

I even try to use quick KAV live cd to scan it whether it could be virus problem in windows directory but nothing show up.

My last resort is just to format it but if anyone could help before I formatted is really appreciated. Just to note that I cannot access into his windows 7 in any way except with live cd and/or bootable disk.

Windows 7 Ultimate
Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB DDR2 RAM

I would suggest upgrading just to 256 or 512mb RAM because they won't sold good version of older RAM for older motherboard anymore because the manufacturer just stop manufacturing it years ago. You can only get cheap compatible RAM worth for Celeron system...

AFAIK you need at least an internet connection to activate your windows. There's no other way I'm afraid...

Or you could reformat again and disable the popup since you never use it for internet purpose...

I finally solved it...
After a while searching for the solution, I found this one site and at the end of the post, it tells you to do this

run Regsvr32 "C:\WINDOWS\system32\msxml3.dll"

suggested by AndyDitter in computing.net

Then I done it in run and at last, Admin Tools now is working back...
Thanks guys for helping though but I really appreciate it. Seriously...

I'll come here again if I got new unsolved problem... Thanks again...

And so no rootkit was found...
I suspected first this was a rootkit or similar after MBAM and Avira can't detect any problem/infection in the computer...

And the Administrative Tools files still unable to be access...

What I've try so far

sfc /scannow = Didn't fix it, also mess up my Seven Transformation Pack files

create new account with admin access = Also the same

Safe Mode?? = Haven't try it yet

Scan for virus/malware = not found anything

Scan for rootkit = also ended up nothing

Reinstalling MMC ver. 3.0 = It say I have the latest update in my computer and aborted

I can't think of anything else to do to fix this thing. Formatting is already out of mind since the only one at fault is the Admin Tools only but I fear it'll affect other .msc files too... Can anyone give suggestion here??

I can't get it finish on the first run. It got error pop up message and need to close while it's scanning...

Now I'm more suspicious that something is hid inside my computer system somewhere...

Oh, I forgot to disable my av and disconnect the internet. Sorry my bad, I'll try again now...

Ok I'll try that...
Also have try Avira Anti-Rootkit and found nothing...

Sophos Anti-rootkit just found unknown hidden files which is pretty much trusted for me. I'll try another anti-rootkit just to confirm if it's was a rootkit attack...

Thanks... will try it and run for a scan...
Will post the results in the next post

I have done Full scan with MBAM before but nothing came up and I used the latest update.

Could it be possible that my computer may infected with rootkit something that couldn't be detected by anti-virus and anti-malware?

Yes, it does exist in the path mentioned but clicking on that too popup similar message.

I did get some weird infection where my AV suddenly disable, firewall and automatic updates disable,msconfig also disable every hour or so before but my av and mbam couldn't detect what went wrong. After restart, everything went back to normal, except for the inaccessible Admin Tools.

Also tried with another account but no luck... I mean this works on all users before this and now it's like, missing or something...

MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\**.msc

This may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or was created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you do not have sufficient rights to the file.

Or so it says in the mesage popup

Yes, I'm using admin account, not the one in safe mode. Haven't try out whether it would work in safe mode yet.

The tools works before about 2 months ago then I can't even access to any of it in the Tools folder.

I also have try reinstalling MMC 3.0 from windows support but it stated I have the newer version than the the installer and aborted.

Hi, and I need some help...

I'm not remembered much what happened before I got this problem but now I can't access to any of the mmc files in the administrative tools folder currently. Registry Editor and Task Manager still working normally, only the tools in the Administrative Folder...

I have tried using command sfc /scannow but the problem still persist.

Before I move on to the next step like reinstalling and stuff, I just want to make sure it won't affect my system or damaged it so I need you guys help.

I'm using Windows XP SP3 on eee PC 900HA

Thanks in advance...

Try to disable network and try DDS scan again. Also post a HiJackThis log as well...

HiJackThis and MBAM log found nothing that's suspicious and then Automatic Update was turn off and it say Anti-Virus might not installed properly also all running system become slower and slower till I decide to restart it.

Frankly, soon after I restart, I was able to login normally and all system run like nothing happen, I was able to open msconfig back and check nothing suspicious on the startup either. Maybe it was a stupid joke program set up in some website to scare me out...

Anyway thanks for helping guys... Really appreciate it...

Hi, I don't have much time left when I think my computer got infected and I'm afraid of turning off my computer now...

I was online for some time until I got a shutdown coundown box that will shutdown my computer automaically after 1 minute but I managed to stop it by using cmd shutdown -a. Then there's a notification popup that say my antivirus has been disable and when I try to re-enable it, it was grey out. At this point I already knew this was a malware...

So I try to open up msconfig but it was locked and need admin for it but I'm running under admin at that time. And it also happen to search box in explorer but luckily the hidden file function still working well. And then my pc started to get slower by time.

I try to open my Avira AV Control Centre but it was sooo slow I had to closed it. MBAM still works and updated with latest database after the infection and found nothing on quick scan (full scan is on the way)

In Task Manager, the process that I find might be virus is avwsc.exe, rundll32.exe and wscntfy.exe since it doesn't show up on normal usage.

Please help me... I'm not sure the exact problem here and how to remove the virus I don't even know it's name.

Right now the important working programs are regedit, taskmanager, mbam, zonealarm, show hidden files... I'm …

No I didn't. I thought it would be useless anyway since they don't have proper driver for xp.

I finally fix it by reformatting the whole drive and install Win7 instead and what luck, it finally got the proper driver for the VGA and automatically installed it and work but it weren't so powerful enough to run graphic-based like XP does before. Maybe adding up more RAM would be useful...

Anyway, thanks for helping out guys... All of it was helpful...

Yeah it would be easy if I had one. Unfortunately this computer was second handed and the real owner never give any CD for the desktop except the OEM XP CD. But I think it's useless anyway if MSI best driver couldn't correct the issue...

I've tried to install every driver that might work including RAID Driver but the only driver I could install properly was VIA 4in1 driver for BIOS but it doesn't solved the graphic problem. The graphic driver properties was still empty. I also tried force install the driver provided by MSI website but no avail. Maybe my MB were broken after all and I should get either a new motherboard or AGP card...

Yes, it was written at the motherboard and it worked before I formatted my HDD...

If I'm not mistaken, it was VIA VT8237R.

I've even let Windows go online since the winXP was OEM version but still won't found anything that worked. The last time I remembered before I formatted it, it has different driver installed and it work fine. It has a weird name and I don't remembered the name for the driver but I'm sure it was third-party driver...