Computer with Alzheimers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gina
  • Start date Start date
G

Gina

My computer is starting to degrade pretty quickly and I'm
afraid that in a few days it may stop working completely.
There are a few problems with the computer and I have run
out of ideas on how to fix them as I have assured that
this is not a sasser worm problem but may be another
virus that my Norton 04 and AdAware isn't picking up.
When I attempt to log on at the sign-on screen of XP, I
am delivered to the plain blue desktop first start screen
with only the bare bones icons appearing. The computer
will not let me access my documents folder, will not save
my preferences for ANY program that has a type-in field
(AIM, E-mail accounts), and will not save website history
in the IE bar. The computer is also painfully slow,
including the internet even though I'm using an ethernet
connection. Also, I am not able to download any files
that are hyperlinked. The CD drive is also non-accessible
when I attempt to burn files or back anything up to it.
This problem has escalated to this recently... the
symptoms sprung up slowly and are gaining speed. The only
thing I can think of is to do a fresh install with the
compaq restore disks, but since I can't back up I would
lose everything. Someone please help!
 
My computer is starting to degrade pretty quickly and I'm
afraid that in a few days it may stop working completely.
There are a few problems with the computer and I have run
out of ideas on how to fix them as I have assured that
this is not a sasser worm problem but may be another
virus that my Norton 04 and AdAware isn't picking up.
When I attempt to log on at the sign-on screen of XP, I
am delivered to the plain blue desktop first start screen
with only the bare bones icons appearing. The computer
will not let me access my documents folder, will not save
my preferences for ANY program that has a type-in field
(AIM, E-mail accounts), and will not save website history
in the IE bar. The computer is also painfully slow,
including the internet even though I'm using an ethernet
connection. Also, I am not able to download any files
that are hyperlinked. The CD drive is also non-accessible
when I attempt to burn files or back anything up to it.
This problem has escalated to this recently... the
symptoms sprung up slowly and are gaining speed. The only
thing I can think of is to do a fresh install with the
compaq restore disks, but since I can't back up I would
lose everything. Someone please help!
Click to expand...

Norton and AdAware are good. But there are other security tools that complement
them - and may find things they don't.

Try these free online virus scans:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional carriers of infection.

First, download LSP-Fix and WinsockXPFIx from <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>,
and CWShredder from <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>. All are
free.

Next, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, then run CWShredder.
Have it fix all variants.

Now check for, and remove, spyware. Get HijackThis
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155> and Spybot S&D
<http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>. Both free.
1) Install and run Spybot. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a
scan ("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and make all recommended deletions.
2) Install and run HijackThis. Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
3) Have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the following
forums (and post it here):
<http://forums.net-integration.net/>
<http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/>
<http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

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/

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 with:
eDexter <http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <http://accs-net.com/hostess/>

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
-----Original Message-----
Okay, that sounds like a serious problem.

Restart your computer into safe mode. Run Norton
Click to expand...
Antivirus. It should find something, so follow the
prompts.
Otherwise, get back to us.

-Operator
.
Click to expand...

Operator,
Unfortunately I have already attempted this route, Norton
only found uwa.exe, which has been on the computer for a
while now and I haven't been able to get rid of it. (I
rescanned it today just to be safe) Before, it wasn't
causing any damage becuase it's only Adware
(Adware.Squire the computer tells me) so I was just
letting it alone. I'm not sure if this is causing the
problem. Other problems with the computer now include
start menu items missing (which have a tendency to come
and go), not being able to open a word processor (word or
works) without it asking me to register and then telling
me I don't have enough memory, and also not being able to
run windows media player as it asks me to register and
set preferences over and over and over again, never
letting me from the screen. Still don't know what's up
with this thing.
 
Antivirus. It should find something, so follow the
prompts.

Operator,
Unfortunately I have already attempted this route, Norton
only found uwa.exe, which has been on the computer for a
while now and I haven't been able to get rid of it. (I
rescanned it today just to be safe) Before, it wasn't
causing any damage becuase it's only Adware
(Adware.Squire the computer tells me) so I was just
letting it alone. I'm not sure if this is causing the
problem. Other problems with the computer now include
start menu items missing (which have a tendency to come
and go), not being able to open a word processor (word or
works) without it asking me to register and then telling
me I don't have enough memory, and also not being able to
run windows media player as it asks me to register and
set preferences over and over and over again, never
letting me from the screen. Still don't know what's up
with this thing.
Click to expand...

"It's only Adware" so you left it on your computer? Adware IS your problem.
Go to http://www.aumha.org and visit the Parasite section for instructions
for removing the cause of your computer getting slower and slower.

steve
 
"It's only Adware" so you left it on your computer? Adware IS your problem.
Go to http://www.aumha.org and visit the Parasite section for instructions
for removing the cause of your computer getting slower and slower.

steve
Click to expand...


Steve,
The only reason that I left it on my computer was because
it could not be removed by any means that I attempted,
period. It made itself to be seen as a vital system
process that could not be removed or shut down, even in
safe mode. I removed the functional components of the
program and it was no longer functioning but the one file
still remained. I know how to take care of spyware (my
college's resnet forces one to know as it is a great
vehicle for such). I was not so much worried about the
slowing down of the computer as much as the other problems
it was having. Strangely, last night I rebooted from safe
mode after running the usual virus scan, and it seems that
the computer is mostly fine again. I can burn CDs without
it telling me 'incorrect function', the computer's speed
is back to normal, and it remembers my auto-fill fields.
Most of the problems are gone. The only changes I made
were to follow most of the instructions given for
configuring your XP for the bet performance given earlier.
If anyone has any clues as to what this may have been...
 
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