Problems opening applications/cpu usage skyrocketing...

[Guest]

Alright, so i'm running Xp on a Sony Vaio that's a few years old, but still
has enough power inside of it to where i shouldn't be having the problem that
started to surface last week. As of about a week ago, i started notice
serious performance issue when it came to applications running, or anything
functioning.

The basic gist of what is happening is various applications simply wont
open, and some applications that do open cause my CPU usage to skyrocket to
100%, where it then stays until i end the process. The applications that
don't open turn into processes and munch on my CPU power, but they never
actually open. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this, and i cannot
come up with something all of these applications have in common.

Applications such as Nero, Sygate Personal Firewall, Bit Comet, and others
will simply turn into processes on my Task Manager, but never open.

Web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox will open, but
oftentimes cause my CPU usage to again hit 100% when visiting sites that i
have visited (and still do) on a regular basis with no problem in the past.

In the control panel, my add/remove programs will allow me to click on a
button to change/remove, but nothing will happen from that point on.

Outlook Express will allow me to open the program, log in, but when i
attempt to view any messages, it freezes up.

I can double click on an installer for an application, and it will then turn
into a process but never into an application

I'm trying basically everything i can think of to figure out and resolve the
problem, but i've been unsuccessful. I haven't found anything useful on
Microsoft.com (perhaps i'm not looking in the right place), and nothing i've
tried to do on my own has worked.

All of these problems that i mentioned were practically non-existant a
couple of weeks ago. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary
that would change things, but who knows, maybe i did...

Thanks for any help...

 

[Guest]

Robert
OH MY GOSH, I am having the same problems. I have tried everything to no
avail. Have you found a fix? I even somehow, got in and did a restore, for a
day or so, I thought I had fixed it, but now its back to the same thing. I
can not even open restore, or for that matter any programs. I freeze up
constantly. My performance is terrible. I can get onto internet and check
mail, but nothing else. I have downloaded free virus software and scanned
from the site, in hopes to find and cure this problem, however, I now believe
it is a operating problem....Can anyone help???????
Lisa

 

[Guest]

HELP, I am having the exact same problems. I cant use any programs, open them
or anything. I have tried everything. I even somehow (dont know how) got into
system restore, and restored it back, it worked for a day or so, but right
back to the same freezing games. I even downloaded a free trial virus
software thinking it would locate a virus and fix it, to no avail. I assume
it is my operating system, but how do I fix it????
HELP, anyone??? Please
Lisa

 

[Jim]

Alright, so i'm running Xp on a Sony Vaio that's a few years old, but still
has enough power inside of it to where i shouldn't be having the problem that
started to surface last week. As of about a week ago, i started notice
serious performance issue when it came to applications running, or anything
functioning.

The basic gist of what is happening is various applications simply wont
open, and some applications that do open cause my CPU usage to skyrocket to
100%, where it then stays until i end the process. The applications that
don't open turn into processes and munch on my CPU power, but they never
actually open. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this, and i cannot
come up with something all of these applications have in common.

Applications such as Nero, Sygate Personal Firewall, Bit Comet, and others
will simply turn into processes on my Task Manager, but never open.

Web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox will open, but
oftentimes cause my CPU usage to again hit 100% when visiting sites that i
have visited (and still do) on a regular basis with no problem in the past.

In the control panel, my add/remove programs will allow me to click on a
button to change/remove, but nothing will happen from that point on.

Outlook Express will allow me to open the program, log in, but when i
attempt to view any messages, it freezes up.

I can double click on an installer for an application, and it will then turn
into a process but never into an application

I'm trying basically everything i can think of to figure out and resolve the
problem, but i've been unsuccessful. I haven't found anything useful on
Microsoft.com (perhaps i'm not looking in the right place), and nothing i've
tried to do on my own has worked.

All of these problems that i mentioned were practically non-existant a
couple of weeks ago. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary
that would change things, but who knows, maybe i did...

Thanks for any help...

How about telling us such things as:
CPU speed
RAM size
Disk size
Pagefile size
Display adapter

Jim

 

[Guest]

:

How about telling us such things as:
CPU speed
RAM size
Disk size
Pagefile size
Display adapter

_________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Jim...hope this will help:

1.4 GHZ
384 MB Ram
40 gig HD (975 MB available on my C Drive, 1.75 GB available on my D drive)
Paging File size (MB) 576-1152, with it hovering lately between 150 and 180
Display Adapter: ATI Radeon 9600 Series

 

[Chuck]

Alright, so i'm running Xp on a Sony Vaio that's a few years old, but still
has enough power inside of it to where i shouldn't be having the problem that
started to surface last week. As of about a week ago, i started notice
serious performance issue when it came to applications running, or anything
functioning.

The basic gist of what is happening is various applications simply wont
open, and some applications that do open cause my CPU usage to skyrocket to
100%, where it then stays until i end the process. The applications that
don't open turn into processes and munch on my CPU power, but they never
actually open. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to this, and i cannot
come up with something all of these applications have in common.

Applications such as Nero, Sygate Personal Firewall, Bit Comet, and others
will simply turn into processes on my Task Manager, but never open.

Web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox will open, but
oftentimes cause my CPU usage to again hit 100% when visiting sites that i
have visited (and still do) on a regular basis with no problem in the past.

In the control panel, my add/remove programs will allow me to click on a
button to change/remove, but nothing will happen from that point on.

Outlook Express will allow me to open the program, log in, but when i
attempt to view any messages, it freezes up.

I can double click on an installer for an application, and it will then turn
into a process but never into an application

I'm trying basically everything i can think of to figure out and resolve the
problem, but i've been unsuccessful. I haven't found anything useful on
Microsoft.com (perhaps i'm not looking in the right place), and nothing i've
tried to do on my own has worked.

All of these problems that i mentioned were practically non-existant a
couple of weeks ago. I don't remember doing anything out of the ordinary
that would change things, but who knows, maybe i did...

Thanks for any help...

Robert,

How does your computer connect to the internet? If you're behind a NAT router
(and you should be), then you can start up in Safe Mode With Networking, and
should be able to access the internet and the below mentioned services and
websites.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315222

How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, non-viral malware. Have you
downloaded these programs before? Download them again, as the latest version
may be needed to keep up with the current level of malware being attempted
constantly - get the absolutely most current version of each product listed.
They're all free - and most pretty small, so they download quickly enough.

Start by downloading each of the following additional free tools - and download
each individual product from each link as listed:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
HijackThis <http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt/>
LSP-Fix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
WinsockXPFix <http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. AdAware, CWShredder, and Spybot S&D have install
routines - run them. The other downloaded programs can be copied into, and run
from, any convenient folder.

First, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows.

Disable System Restore.
<http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.htm>

Run Stinger. Have it remove all problems found.

Run CWShredder. Have it fix all problems found.

Next, run AdAware. First update it, configure for full scan
(<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=11150>), then scan. When
scanning finishes, remove all Critical Objects found.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it, then run a scan. Trust Spybot, and
delete everything ("Fix Problems") that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and please post a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

Finally, improve your chances for the future.

Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

Consider using an alternative browser, like Firefox, for the majority of your
browsing activities.
<http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates&id=4507&t=61>

Block Internet Explorer ActiveX scripting from dangerous websites (Restricted
Zone).
<https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/main.htm> (IE-SpyAd)

Block known dangerous scripts from running.
<http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html>

Block known spyware from installing.
<http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html>

Make sure that the spyware detection / protection products that you use are
reliable:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly for security updates.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).

Maintain your Hosts file (merge / eliminate duplicate entries) with:
eDexter <http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <http://accs-net.com/hostess/>

Secure your operating system, and applications. Don't use, or leave activated,
any accounts with names or passwords with trivial (guessable) values. Don't use
an account with administrative authority, except when you're intentionally doing
administrative tasks.

Use common sense. Yours. Don't install software based upon advice from unknown
sources. Don't install free software, without researching it carefully. Don't
open email unless you know who it's from, and how and why it was sent.

Educate yourself. Know what the risks are. Stay informed. Read Usenet, and
various web pages that discuss security problems. Check the logs from the
security products that you use regularly, look for things that don't belong, and
take action when necessary.

How did I get infected in the first place?
http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=3051
Essential tips for infection prevention
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=24339
http://www1.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/prevent.php

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

what do i do to fix this????

Robert,

How does your computer connect to the internet? If you're behind a NAT router
(and you should be), then you can start up in Safe Mode With Networking, and
should be able to access the internet and the below mentioned services and
websites.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315222

How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, non-viral malware. Have you
downloaded these programs before? Download them again, as the latest version
may be needed to keep up with the current level of malware being attempted
constantly - get the absolutely most current version of each product listed.
They're all free - and most pretty small, so they download quickly enough.

Start by downloading each of the following additional free tools - and download
each individual product from each link as listed:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
HijackThis <http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt/>
LSP-Fix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
WinsockXPFix <http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. AdAware, CWShredder, and Spybot S&D have install
routines - run them. The other downloaded programs can be copied into, and run
from, any convenient folder.

First, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows.

Disable System Restore.
<http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.htm>

Run Stinger. Have it remove all problems found.

Run CWShredder. Have it fix all problems found.

Next, run AdAware. First update it, configure for full scan
(<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=11150>), then scan. When
scanning finishes, remove all Critical Objects found.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it, then run a scan. Trust Spybot, and
delete everything ("Fix Problems") that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and please post a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

Finally, improve your chances for the future.

Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

Consider using an alternative browser, like Firefox, for the majority of your
browsing activities.
<http://www.spreadfirefox.com/?q=affiliates&id=4507&t=61>

Block Internet Explorer ActiveX scripting from dangerous websites (Restricted
Zone).
<https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/main.htm> (IE-SpyAd)

Block known dangerous scripts from running.
<http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html>

Block known spyware from installing.
<http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html>

Make sure that the spyware detection / protection products that you use are
reliable:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly for security updates.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).

Maintain your Hosts file (merge / eliminate duplicate entries) with:
eDexter <http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <http://accs-net.com/hostess/>

Secure your operating system, and applications. Don't use, or leave activated,
any accounts with names or passwords with trivial (guessable) values. Don't use
an account with administrative authority, except when you're intentionally doing
administrative tasks.

Use common sense. Yours. Don't install software based upon advice from unknown
sources. Don't install free software, without researching it carefully. Don't
open email unless you know who it's from, and how and why it was sent.

Educate yourself. Know what the risks are. Stay informed. Read Usenet, and
various web pages that discuss security problems. Check the logs from the
security products that you use regularly, look for things that don't belong, and
take action when necessary.

How did I get infected in the first place?
http://forums.net-integration.net/index.php?showtopic=3051
Essential tips for infection prevention
http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=24339
http://www1.spywareinfo.com/articles/hijacked/prevent.php

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

thanks, i am fixed
it was microsofts antispyware that was using my cpu at 100% as i went into
task manager, right clicked, set priority to low, i was then finally able to
open add/remove programs and remove it. Occording to microsoft, it didnt
download correctly...its gone, i am up and running and it will not be coming
back! will stick to zone alarm now!

 

[Chuck]

thanks, i am fixed
it was microsofts antispyware that was using my cpu at 100% as i went into
task manager, right clicked, set priority to low, i was then finally able to
open add/remove programs and remove it. Occording to microsoft, it didnt
download correctly...its gone, i am up and running and it will not be coming
back! will stick to zone alarm now!

That's good to hear. Thanks for taking the time to update us. Did you consider
describing your experiences in microsoft.private.security.spyware.general, where
they try to benefit from their experiences with the MSAS Beta?

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

Hey, thanks for the detailed plans, chuck. I had time today to sit down and
start going through your checklist, but i've run into a few problems:

None of the free online virus scans will actually scan my pc. They all
mentioned that my ActiveX controls must be blocked or turned off, so i
followed their directions to make sure all boxes that needed to be checked
are...and they are. My activeX settings are exactly what each one of those
sites is demanding, and yet, apparently not.

So, i went looking around on MS's site and tried to download a new version
of ActiveX, but thanks to my cpu usage problem, the installer will not
install. CPU usage skyrockets to 100% without fail, and then it just sits
there.

I moved on, thinking that perhaps after i went through the next set of
instructions from you, it might help the previous problem. I downloaded all
of the free tools you gave me links for, but unfortunately, i was unable to
install some of them. Stinger and Shredder worked just fine and did their
thing (stinger found a "bagel" virus in a few files and removed it, and
Shredder found a couple of items and removed them as well), but i was unable
to install ad aware, spybot, or hijack this because of the random cpu usage
problem i'm having.

Any ideas? I appreciate the help you've given me so far, and perhaps you or
someone else will have an idea on where i should go from here...

Robert

 

[Chuck]

Hey, thanks for the detailed plans, chuck. I had time today to sit down and
start going through your checklist, but i've run into a few problems:

None of the free online virus scans will actually scan my pc. They all
mentioned that my ActiveX controls must be blocked or turned off, so i
followed their directions to make sure all boxes that needed to be checked
are...and they are. My activeX settings are exactly what each one of those
sites is demanding, and yet, apparently not.

So, i went looking around on MS's site and tried to download a new version
of ActiveX, but thanks to my cpu usage problem, the installer will not
install. CPU usage skyrockets to 100% without fail, and then it just sits
there.

I moved on, thinking that perhaps after i went through the next set of
instructions from you, it might help the previous problem. I downloaded all
of the free tools you gave me links for, but unfortunately, i was unable to
install some of them. Stinger and Shredder worked just fine and did their
thing (stinger found a "bagel" virus in a few files and removed it, and
Shredder found a couple of items and removed them as well), but i was unable
to install ad aware, spybot, or hijack this because of the random cpu usage
problem i'm having.

Any ideas? I appreciate the help you've given me so far, and perhaps you or
someone else will have an idea on where i should go from here...

Robert

Robert,

HijackThis runs without installation.

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. That's all.

Boot your computer into Safe Mode.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315222

Install AdAware and Spybot from Safe Mode. Reboot and run both AdAware and
Spybot, but only update their databases.

Reboot in Safe Mode.

Run AdAware and Spybot, as specified before.

Run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the HJT
Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and please post a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>

Most of the expert forums make a prior requirement that you run AdAware or
Spybot first, to clean up the most easily removed problems, giving a smaller HJT
log to work on. If you can't get AA and / or SSD to run under Safe Mode, be
sure to indicate that you did not do this, and indicate why. Be patient, and
don't get discouraged if it takes a while for them to help you. And please post
here link(s) to your post(s).

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

Thanks again, Chuck, but no can do. CPU usage goes to 100% in safe mode as
well, and i cannot run adaware, spybot, or hijack this.

Any suggestions?

 

[Chuck]

Thanks again, Chuck, but no can do. CPU usage goes to 100% in safe mode as
well, and i cannot run adaware, spybot, or hijack this.

Any suggestions?

Robert,

Can you access it thru the network, before logging in? I can probably come up
with some tools that might get you a start anyway.

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

Chuck,

I don't think i'm able to do that, but i figured i'd try something really
quick tonight/this morning, so i created a new user account for XP and logged
into my computer with the new account, and now everything that i've tested
that wouldn't work before does. It's late, so i didn't go through everything,
but Hijack opened, outlook express works, and i quickly tried one of the
online virus scans to see if it would find my activex settings, and it did.
Being under a new account, i'd have to re-download ad aware and such to try
those, but i imagine they'll function as well.

So, question. I could be wrong, but it would seem that whatever problem i
have/had is related to my other xp user account. What should i do? Will
deleting that user account take care of my problems? If i'm not having those
problems under this account, and if i go through the various steps you
outlined and they all work and function and do their job, couldn't i just
switch over to this new user account, and just delete the old? Also, if the
problem is linked to that user account, does that narrow down what the
problem could've been?

Robert

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,

I don't think i'm able to do that, but i figured i'd try something really
quick tonight/this morning, so i created a new user account for XP and logged
into my computer with the new account, and now everything that i've tested
that wouldn't work before does. It's late, so i didn't go through everything,
but Hijack opened, outlook express works, and i quickly tried one of the
online virus scans to see if it would find my activex settings, and it did.
Being under a new account, i'd have to re-download ad aware and such to try
those, but i imagine they'll function as well.

So, question. I could be wrong, but it would seem that whatever problem i
have/had is related to my other xp user account. What should i do? Will
deleting that user account take care of my problems? If i'm not having those
problems under this account, and if i go through the various steps you
outlined and they all work and function and do their job, couldn't i just
switch over to this new user account, and just delete the old? Also, if the
problem is linked to that user account, does that narrow down what the
problem could've been?

Robert

Robert,

That's good news! Whatever the problem is, it didn't affect the administrative
functions? If you can get by with the new account, and aren't missing any
settings, then it sounds like you're OK.

Remember though, if you don't ever figure out what you did wrong before, how do
you ensure that you don't create the same problem again?

So now you can go and try to reload functionality into the new account,
carefully, to give you almost what you had before. Obviously, you will be
making changes slowly this time. Keeping the old account for comparison might
be a good idea, at least until you figure out where you went wrong.

So if the problem, whatever it was, was so invasive that you couldn't even run
HijackThis in Safe Mode, how did you get a new account created?

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

Chuck,

That's what has been throwin me off. The problem is very invasive, but
seemingly random. Certain programs and abilities would work, some wouldn't,
but there didn't seem to be any pattern or similiarities. For instance, i
was able to create a new user account under the control panel, but i couldn't
add/remove programs from the control panel...so, i dunno.

I'm not sure if i should keep that old user account or not...i don't see
myself figuring out the issue any time soon, and i'm just ready to move
beyond it. I am going to go through and slowly take care of all the steps
you outlined for me under the new user account, and hopefully that will make
things easier for me in the long run.

Thanks,

Robert

 

[Chuck]

Chuck,

That's what has been throwin me off. The problem is very invasive, but
seemingly random. Certain programs and abilities would work, some wouldn't,
but there didn't seem to be any pattern or similiarities. For instance, i
was able to create a new user account under the control panel, but i couldn't
add/remove programs from the control panel...so, i dunno.

I'm not sure if i should keep that old user account or not...i don't see
myself figuring out the issue any time soon, and i'm just ready to move
beyond it. I am going to go through and slowly take care of all the steps
you outlined for me under the new user account, and hopefully that will make
things easier for me in the long run.

Thanks,

Robert

Robert,

Well, if there's little chance of you figuring out the cause of the problem, and
you just want to move on, then it's probably best that you delete the old
non-working account. Just be glad that, whatever you did, it didn't affect
settings in Default User (which is what new accounts start from).

Just apply all usable security precautions, make any further changes carefully
and deliberately, and remember what changes you make (log changes for instance).
Then if you start seeing problems again, check the log, and determine what you
just did.

Just don't make that list of precautions static. Keep aware of what's going on,
and add to the list. Frequently.
http://www.cert.org/
http://isc.sans.org/index.html?type=0
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/main.htm
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security

--
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck sonic net.

 

[Guest]

I have somewhat the same problem...when I try to open a file, it will try to
open it but then nothing happens..I have to go into task manager and wait for
the program to open...and its happening more and more..and its also doing it
with outlook express...can someone help..I am running xp ...thank you rags