computer problems.

[GaryK]

You can always ask James for help. I gather he has as much experience with these things as I do.

[colinian]

so assuming there's a problem with the MBR, what do i do?

 

(almost right after i put up my last post, it said there was a visual run time problem or something and i'm back to my background being up with no icons and just this browser window to work with. bah.)

If your MBR (Master Boot Record) has been trashed, you won't be able to boot the computer at all. If it's damaged, there is a tool for fixing it. There are also tools for restoring the backup MBR even on a trashed PC as long as you have a boot diskette.

 

Some websites that have tips and repair/restore instructions:

 

http://www.sysint.no/nedlasting/mbrfix.htm for most versions of Windows

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058 for Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/919529 for Windows Vista

http://www.s2services.com/diskrepairfreeware.htm a list of available MBR tools

 

BTW, the Recovery Console method described on some of these sites might not work if all you have for your PC is a Windows restore CD provided by the PC manufacturer. Some restore CDs contain only a restorable dump of Windows as it was originally installed on your PC. If you use that kind of restore CD you will lose all of your data and installed software. So, make sure you know what the result is going to be of whatever it is you're doing! That's also true of the suggestions and software from the websites I listed above.

 

Colin

[GaryK]

If your MBR (Master Boot Record) has been trashed, you won't be able to boot the computer at all. If it's damaged, there is a tool for fixing it. There are also tools for restoring the backup MBR even on a trashed PC as long as you have a boot diskette.

I'm not well enough yet to debate this issue. I'm willing to concede that it's actually the VBR that can do the most damage since it contains the executable files for loading the OS along with any thing else the VBR might want to load. This is why it's hard to get rid of some infections. I'll post more when I'm coherent. Still on massive doses of Demerol.

 

Standard disclaimer: I've got a wicked migraine. I'm on heavy-duty narcotics. I claim ownership of my mistakes even if I might not be aware of them right now.

[JamesSavik]

Colin beat me to the punch.

[ixyam]

Try this link , they are computer security geeks and they have an on-line help <www.security-forums.com> an post into Hijack this ... they have helped thousand of people using free security programs on the web.

Btw I am posting in the Mac section and other ... bet you won't guess my nick there.

Btw ...I am not a geek ...right ???

Ixyam

[YaP]

A friend of mine had a similar problem with a trojan - well, actually a trojan that downloads other trojans ... really nasty.

I got rid of it using SpyBot S&D running in protected mode, and Kaspersky Anti-Virus (I totally agree with Gary though.. most Virus scanner do their job, and i stick with what works fine for me ).

 

It sounds to me like you have caught one of those trojans that actually load other malware..

 

Did you "Immunize" your system with SpyBot S&D ? It actually writes a bunch of entries to the "Hosts" file in windows and blocks access to those suspicious servers this way, which helps - even if you still have that trojan - to prevent that it re-loads more malware...

 

The one my friend had caught was actually not in the MBR, but launched itself via some (multiple) registry entries.

If you know what "beast" you actually caught (the Virus Scanners usually give you a name for the beast), I could try to look up some information on it. For my friends computer i had to remove some registry entries and delete some files in protected mode to finally get rid of it...

 

Hope you get it fixed !

[TalonRider]

I won't download the yahoo tool bar. The last time I did, I wound up with 24 pup's (potentially unwanted programs). I got rid of it and lost the pups as well.

[rknapp]

I'll weigh in with some advice; Ditch Limewire. That is likely one of the sources of the adware, and the adware (Spyware, mallware, I consider it all much the same) is, from the sound of it, causing much of the trouble. There are plenty of other sources, of course, but Limewire is a known route. I've heard some claims that if limewire is obtained directly from the company, it is no longer (which means they once did, and may again) bundled with maulware.

 

Any program that auto-updates is a potential security breech. With an auto-update, the people behind the program can install anything on your system. I don't let any program, including windows, auto-update.

 

Get a decent firewall. These help a great deal.

 

I very much like both Adaware and AVG.

 

Good luck.

CJ

I agree 100% on Limewire. Not only does the program itself open you up to spyware/malware, the things you download open you up to virus' and trojans.

 

Sorry- no word from Billy.

 

I know a lot of people won't like this but here goes: I use Norton Internet Security. Why? Because it has everything I need in one bundle: firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, email filtering.

 

I update it every year and not having to worry about this firewall, that anti-virus and those spyware killers is worth $30.

 

Downside: NIS is a resource hog especially when it is scanning the system but if you are running a fast system with enough memory, it won't be so bad. Just scedule it to run when you are at work or asleep.

OW MY VIRGIN EYES!!!! All of those mentioned benefits of NIS are available through AVG in a much more compact and efficient package. Not to mention free. You can get a paid version with additional features, but I don't need any of those features. Plus, it updates every day with new virus definitions. I have it set to download these updates when powering the computer on. Yes, that delays start-up a bit, but only if you're on a bad internet connection. The update files are small and download/install rather quickly.

 

Another bad point about Norton is that if you ever choose to uninstall it, you'll have to format the drive. Simply uninstalling it won't do it since there are many registry entries and such that remain. The only way to uninstall it complete is to format the drive (PITA), go through the ENTIRE system and manually delete anything having to do with Norton and/ore Symantec (PITA), or find a specific program that does that for you (heard of 'em, but never seen 'em).

 

Well, I'm a woefully irresponsible and lazy computer user. My general approach to these things is to completely ignore them until it gets so bad I have to do a system recovery, and then when that quits working I buy a new computer. Like I said, lazy and irresponsible, but I justify it by pointing out how quickly old computers become obsolete anyway.

I'm disappointed in you Kevvers...

 

so assuming there's a problem with the MBR, what do i do?

 

(almost right after i put up my last post, it said there was a visual run time problem or something and i'm back to my background being up with no icons and just this browser window to work with. bah.)

That sounds to me like Windows Explorer is crashing on you. It happens to me occasionally (usually indicates that 2000 doesn't like what I'm making it do or there is a bigger underlying problem on the drive -- the already mentioned programs have taken care of me just fine so far). If it's happening to you a lot, then formating the drive is your only option.

 

Related to the MBR: How old is the drive? The main drive in my desktop right now is about five years old and I'm considering replacing it. It presently has information (drivers and such) for two complete system builds and it also has a small need for a format (accidentally deleted a windows .dll file when I was attacked by virus'/trojans prior to commencing a full assault on the system with my previously posted virus removal procedure -- 2000 bitches about that file everytime it boots) so I figure getting a new drive will save me some trouble and also prevent me from being in a big bind if/when the drive goes to the big PC in the sky. It might easier to simply replace the drive and start fresh (KEVVERS this applies to you to! It's cheaper than buying a new system everytime yours is too slow). If the drive is relatively new then I would suggest trying to save it before ditching an otherwise perfectly good drive.

[rknapp]

I won't download the yahoo tool bar. The last time I did, I wound up with 24 pup's (potentially unwanted programs). I got rid of it and lost the pups as well.

I don't download toolbars of any kind. They present the risk of infection with virus' and malware, they clutter up your browser (mine is configured so that the top is as thin as humanly possible), and they probably slow down the browser overall.

[PatrickOBrien]

That sounds to me like Windows Explorer is crashing on you.

 

 

You know, I was thinking that too, but I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure I knew what I was talking about. I'm not all that knowledgeable in computers myself, so I have a tendency of sounding like an idiot. O_o

[Drewbie]

I don't download toolbars of any kind. They present the risk of infection with virus' and malware, they clutter up your browser (mine is configured so that the top is as thin as humanly possible), and they probably slow down the browser overall.

 

 

And make it slow

[rknapp]

You know, I was thinking that too, but I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure I knew what I was talking about. I'm not all that knowledgeable in computers myself, so I have a tendency of sounding like an idiot. O_o

When all you have is the desktop background and maybe a window that may have been maximized (and a blank area under the window where the system toolbar should be) that means Windows Explorer has crashed and the only way to restore it is to restart. It happens rarely, but it just sounds to me as though he has a much more serious problem than virus' and the like, probably a result from some of the virus' infecting key OS files, or they're overloading the OS.

[PatrickOBrien]

When all you have is the desktop background and maybe a window that may have been maximized (and a blank area under the window where the system toolbar should be) that means Windows Explorer has crashed and the only way to restore it is to restart. It happens rarely, but it just sounds to me as though he has a much more serious problem than virus' and the like, probably a result from some of the virus' infecting key OS files, or they're overloading the OS.

 

 

I've had it happen before, but I was able to start it again by doing a ctrl-alt-del bringing up the task manager. Then I went to file, and selected new task. Then I just typed in explorer.exe

 

I think he mentioned that he couldnt bring up the task manager, so I doubt this would help him.

 

^_~

Edited April 4, 2008 by wrathofmagneto

[Jack Frost]

Install

 

ZoneAlarm firewall

Spybot spyware killer

Lavasoft Ad-Ware spyware killer

Firefox (f**K IE)

 

Those are my loyal defenses against the crual Internet wonderland.

 

 

 

But I had a nasty trojan horse a couple months ago that took me an hour to kill it off. But ever since then i get a blue screen (it means PC crashing) once or twice per day. anyone know how to stop the blue screen? And this is a new laptop...just a few months old. :S

[YaP]

But ever since then i get a blue screen (it means PC crashing) once or twice per day. anyone know how to stop the blue screen? And this is a new laptop...just a few months old. :S

 

 

The blue screen should show some info about what actually crashed (very probably a system service or device driver).. that may help in finding the cause of this (i.e. which driver/software you should maybe re-install to get the original file back....)

[Jack Frost]

Then I'll have to be quick enough to catch the name of the file and write it down because I only have like five seconds to catch the info. I just know I'll get a blue screen eventually soon.

 

Is there another way to find out?

[rec]

I would try reloading the operating system and its updates. A file may have gotten corrupted--particularly, a driver.

 

Install

 

ZoneAlarm firewall

Spybot spyware killer

Lavasoft Ad-Ware spyware killer

Firefox (f**K IE)

 

Those are my loyal defenses against the crual Internet wonderland.

 

 

 

But I had a nasty trojan horse a couple months ago that took me an hour to kill it off. But ever since then i get a blue screen (it means PC crashing) once or twice per day. anyone know how to stop the blue screen? And this is a new laptop...just a few months old. :S

[Jack Frost]

Well I got it again. Here is the description.

 

Signature of the problem:

Problem event name: BlueScreen

System version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.6

Regional setting identifier: 3084

 

Additional information on the problem:

BCCode: a

BCP1: 00000000

BCP2: 00000002

BCP3: 00000000

BCP4: 81C36023

OS Version: 6_0_6000

Service Pack: 0_0

Product: 256_1

 

Files helping to describe the problem:

C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini040508-01.dmp

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-75223-0.sysdata.xml

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER92FB.tmp.version.txt

[ixyam]

Have you tried this link ? <www.security-forums.com> It's a communauty of computer experts worldwide , and they have an on-line help which is free and have solved thousand of problems of this kind . They ask you to download safe and tested programmes and analyse the problems , they find what kind of virii , trojans etc and walk you through the removal procedures .

Good luck

Ixyam

[YaP]

Well I got it again. Here is the description.

 

Signature of the problem:

Problem event name: BlueScreen

System version: 6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.6

Regional setting identifier: 3084

 

Additional information on the problem:

BCCode: a

BCP1: 00000000

BCP2: 00000002

BCP3: 00000000

BCP4: 81C36023

OS Version: 6_0_6000

Service Pack: 0_0

Product: 256_1

 

Files helping to describe the problem:

C:\Windows\Minidump\Mini040508-01.dmp

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-75223-0.sysdata.xml

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER92FB.tmp.version.txt

 

So your system is set up to make a dump and reboot in case of a "blue screen".. thats why don't see much/for long on the screen...

 

I suppose the info you would see on the blue screen is in those files.. i don't know if i can help, but i will try if you send me the files

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER-75223-0.sysdata.xml

C:\Users\Jack\AppData\Local\Temp\WER92FB.tmp.version.txt

 

best

Pete