Post-BSOD problems ? caused by security updates

[StarStuff]

Very scary and weird things happening recently, and the only system
changes have been the installation of the latest security updates. BUT
-- the problems didn't start until a day or two AFTER I installed the
updates, so I can't be sure that's what's causing this.

Here's the gist:

After working perfectly normally, yesterday morning when I turned on my
computer I got the dreaded BSOD with the message "STOP: c000021a {Fatal
System Error}" and a system shutdown. Several reboots later, the system
came up but neither my PS/2 mouse nor my PS/2 keyboard would work. My
cordless USB mouse worked, though, and removing the PS/2 adapter from
my keyboard and plugging it into a USB port got it to work.

I used the opportunity to burn copies of my vital files, then rebooted
and again got the BSOD. Multiple reboots didn't bring the system back
up, so I rebooted in safe mode and did a system restore from a point a
week ago. Thank God, now I no longer get the BSOD and the system comes
up normally.

However, when I have shut the system down completely and then boot up,
neither my PS/2 mouse or keyboard will work. The USB mouse does work.
If I restart the computer, the PS/2 mouse and keyboard will then work.

Also (and this may be a side effect of the security updates), I now
notice that if I right-click START and then click on EXPLORE, the
desktop now shows invisible shortcuts to My Documents and Network
Places (they don't show up on the actual desktop, only in the EXPLORE
list) and I can't delete them -- they just show back up again.

I have scanned the system with Spyware Doctor (no infections found),
Registry Mechanic (shortcuts with missing targets only, attributable to
files I moved recently) and PC On Point (some additional problems found
and fixed). No effect on the problems mentioned above.

So far, no problems using any programs or saving any files in Word or
anywhere else, as others are reporting.

Any thoughts? Also, having used System Restore to a point before I
installed the security updates, do I need to install them again (and if
so, should I)?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[All Things Mopar]

Today StarStuff commented courteously on the subject at hand

Very scary and weird things happening recently, and the
only system changes have been the installation of the
latest security updates. BUT -- the problems didn't start
until a day or two AFTER I installed the updates, so I
can't be sure that's what's causing this.

Here's the gist:

After working perfectly normally, yesterday morning when I
turned on my computer I got the dreaded BSOD with the
message "STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}" and a system
shutdown. Several reboots later, the system came up but
neither my PS/2 mouse nor my PS/2 keyboard would work. My
cordless USB mouse worked, though, and removing the PS/2
adapter from my keyboard and plugging it into a USB port
got it to work.

I used the opportunity to burn copies of my vital files,
then rebooted and again got the BSOD. Multiple reboots
didn't bring the system back up, so I rebooted in safe mode
and did a system restore from a point a week ago. Thank
God, now I no longer get the BSOD and the system comes up
normally.

Why a week ago? Windoze does a System Checkpoint approximately
every 24 hours. Can I assume you tried newer RPs that didn't
help?

Incidently, /before/ I install /any/ Critical Updates, I
/always/ set my own RP because Windoze doesn't always do it,
besides which I can tell what was changed. And, I have
Autoupdate set to "notify" so I don't get hosed while I'm
sleeping.

However, when I have shut the system down completely and
then boot up, neither my PS/2 mouse or keyboard will work.
The USB mouse does work. If I restart the computer, the
PS/2 mouse and keyboard will then work.

I assume these devices didn't get turned off somehow in your
BIOS?

Also (and this may be a side effect of the security
updates), I now notice that if I right-click START and then
click on EXPLORE, the desktop now shows invisible shortcuts
to My Documents and Network Places (they don't show up on
the actual desktop, only in the EXPLORE list) and I can't
delete them -- they just show back up again.

You said below that you scanned your system for malware, but
this one sounds exactly like an infection.

I have scanned the system with Spyware Doctor (no
infections found), Registry Mechanic (shortcuts with
missing targets only, attributable to files I moved
recently) and PC On Point (some additional problems found
and fixed). No effect on the problems mentioned above.

Spy Bot Search & Destroy?

So far, no problems using any programs or saving any files
in Word or anywhere else, as others are reporting.

Any thoughts? Also, having used System Restore to a point
before I installed the security updates, do I need to
install them again (and if so, should I)?

Except for security related thingies, I would expect rolling
back your system to before you did whatever CUs you think
caused your pain would definitely require you to re-download
and re-install them, or at least re-install off your HD. But,
and this is a really big "but", you'll need to figure out
somehow which one killed your system, or if it was some
coincidental effect.

In another NG, I've been emphatically told that Windoze cannot
corrupt itself. I know that is incorrect, but is it possible
that your Registry was corrputed on the save that is made each
time you shut down? A backup is automatically made of the
/previous/ correctly written save, but that is long gone, not
to mention that it may be corrupt as well.

One final sort of smart-ass comment: the time to think about
full system and data backups is /not/ right /after/ you have a
problem. I back up my files to external HDs before leaving the
PC and I just recently started imaging my system with Acronis
True Image 9.0. I hope I never need to find out if TI is as
good an imager as people say it is ...

 

[StarStuff]

Today StarStuff commented courteously on the subject at hand

I always strive to be courteous.

Very scary and weird things happening recently, and the
only system changes have been the installation of the
latest security updates. BUT -- the problems didn't start
until a day or two AFTER I installed the updates, so I
can't be sure that's what's causing this.

Here's the gist:

After working perfectly normally, yesterday morning when I
turned on my computer I got the dreaded BSOD with the
message "STOP: c000021a {Fatal System Error}" and a system
shutdown. Several reboots later, the system came up but
neither my PS/2 mouse nor my PS/2 keyboard would work. My
cordless USB mouse worked, though, and removing the PS/2
adapter from my keyboard and plugging it into a USB port
got it to work.

I used the opportunity to burn copies of my vital files,
then rebooted and again got the BSOD. Multiple reboots
didn't bring the system back up, so I rebooted in safe mode
and did a system restore from a point a week ago. Thank
God, now I no longer get the BSOD and the system comes up
normally.

Why a week ago? Windoze does a System Checkpoint approximately
every 24 hours. Can I assume you tried newer RPs that didn't
help?

No, there were I think two more recent restore points, but not knowing
for sure when the evil entered my machine I picked a date a week prior
to be reasonably safe. Not so, as I will explain in a bit, but at least
the computer does start up and I can work with it, which is more than I
could do Saturday morning.

However, when I have shut the system down completely and
then boot up, neither my PS/2 mouse or keyboard will work.
The USB mouse does work. If I restart the computer, the
PS/2 mouse and keyboard will then work.

I assume these devices didn't get turned off somehow in your
BIOS?

I did nothing to the BIOS and as far as I know, nothing was done either
by a malicious something or other, or by the Microsoft updates.

Also (and this may be a side effect of the security
updates), I now notice that if I right-click START and then
click on EXPLORE, the desktop now shows invisible shortcuts
to My Documents and Network Places (they don't show up on
the actual desktop, only in the EXPLORE list) and I can't
delete them -- they just show back up again.

You said below that you scanned your system for malware, but
this one sounds exactly like an infection.

I have scanned the system with Spyware Doctor (no
infections found), Registry Mechanic (shortcuts with
missing targets only, attributable to files I moved
recently) and PC On Point (some additional problems found
and fixed). No effect on the problems mentioned above.

Spy Bot Search & Destroy?

No, but today I downloaded a copy of AVG Free and scanned for viruses;
it did find 11 infected files which I "healed" or deleted. I am finding
no difference in the problems I mentioned, that is, the phantom
shortcuts to My Documents and Network Places. I'm thinking this is
something the new updates did to my system, which annoys me as they're
absolutely useless -- what use is a shortcut that doesn't show up on
your desktop? I would like to know if other users are finding this
showing up on their systems following the latest updates.

*Now, to the new and alarming problem: *When I downloaded the AVG
program, the site advised that before installing I reboot in safe mode
and run another program called "vcleaner" to check for infections. Note
that I had already run Spyware Doctor, Registry Mechanic and PC On
Point, corrected any problems they found, and also done a system
restore (from safe mode) that enabled me once again to load Windows. So
I should have had no problem going into safe mode again, right? Well, my
system froze in safe mode, and continues to freeze in safe mode, and so
if I ever have to do another system restore I'm not going to be able to
get at it! Safe mode is supposed to always let you in, and here I can't
use it, but I can boot into Windows normally. And my PS/2 mouse and
keyboard won't respond, but plugged into USB they will, and that too is
supposed to be the other way around.

So far, no problems using any programs or saving any files
in Word or anywhere else, as others are reporting.

Any thoughts? Also, having used System Restore to a point
before I installed the security updates, do I need to
install them again (and if so, should I)?

Except for security related thingies, I would expect rolling
back your system to before you did whatever CUs you think
caused your pain would definitely require you to re-download
and re-install them, or at least re-install off your HD. But,
and this is a really big "but", you'll need to figure out
somehow which one killed your system, or if it was some
coincidental effect.

I'm understandably leery of going back to the Microsoft well until I
understand what's going on with my computer and especially why I can't
boot up in safe mode. Any advice on how to figure this one out will be
GREATLY appreciated!

I back up my files to external HDs before leaving the
PC and I just recently started imaging my system with Acronis
True Image 9.0.

I can't afford an external HD, or the number of zip disks it would take
to back up my entire system. All the files I need to save fit on about
five DVD RW disks. Everything else is just programs, which I can just
reinstall if worse comes to worse.

Brings up another question: Would it be, in your opinion(s), wiser to
just wipe the HD and reinstall Windows from scratch, than try to figure
out what went wrong where?

And if something did screw with the BIOS, how would I find out? What
would I do about it?

Thanks for your input, Jerry.

 

[All Things Mopar]

Today StarStuff commented courteously on the subject at hand

I can't afford an external HD, or the number of zip disks
it would take to back up my entire system. All the files I
need to save fit on about five DVD RW disks. Everything
else is just programs, which I can just reinstall if worse
comes to worse.

I won't to argue with your budget but you may find a small one
within your means, they get down below $1 gig these days, half
that on sale. I often see 40-60 gig drives in the $30-40
range, a truly small price to pay for some security, not to
mention whatever value you place on your time.

Brings up another question: Would it be, in your
opinion(s), wiser to just wipe the HD and reinstall Windows
from scratch, than try to figure out what went wrong where?

The last time it happened in my household, to my daughter's
PC, it was a bad malware infestation. I found it simpler in
the end to do a nuke and reinstall. What will tell the tale
for you is how complicated your software and hardware config
is. If you have all your install and driver CDs, then go for
it. If you have the budget for it, maybe buy Acronis True
Image to image your HD and get you back faster if it ever
happens again. I think it's $49 to download.

And if something did screw with the BIOS, how would I find
out? What would I do about it?

I don't know if somebody screwed with your BIOS, SS, I was
just trying to "think outside the box" and suggest ideas that
you may or may not have thought of. I would simply start with
this: go into your BIOS setup whatever way your PC uses -
usually hitting the Del key during boot-up, and select
whatever menu item says "restore defaults". Then, carefully go
through all the menus to see that anything you may have
customized originally gets restored.

Thanks for your input, Jerry.

You're welcome. I don't think I really helped you all that
much, and I do wish you luck. These things you're experiencing
are extremely frustrating to people, me included, because we
can't fathom how they even happened in the first place, and
have no real clues on how to do a forensics study on the
corpse to learn what killed it.

 

[StarStuff]

I won't argue with your budget but you may find a small one
within your means, they get down below $1 gig these days, half
that on sale. I often see 40-60 gig drives in the $30-40
range, a truly small price to pay for some security, not to
mention whatever value you place on your time.

No kidding? Any online vendors you'd recommend?

If you have all your install and driver CDs, then go for
[a full reinstall]. If you have the budget for it, maybe buy Acronis
True
Image to image your HD and get you back faster if it ever
happens again. I think it's $49 to download.

I'll check it out, but if an external HD is as cheap as you say then
I'll probably opt to spend my bux on that.

My XP is on the Dell OEM disk that came with the computer, and I have
all the disks and saved downloads for my programs and drivers. A
reinstall would be time-consuming but I won't have lost anything
irreplaceable. I'm not a "power user," so my tweaks haven't involved
anything as elegant as BIOS manipulation. I've heard such horror
stories about people screwing with their BIOS settings. Sometimes I
read advice to update BIOS drivers, but that scares me spitless. I wage
a constant war with myself to live the maxim, "If it ain't broke, don't
fix it."

I don't think I really helped you all that
much, and I do wish you luck. These things you're experiencing
are extremely frustrating to people, me included, because we
can't fathom how they even happened in the first place, and
have no real clues on how to do a forensics study on the
corpse to learn what killed it.

Since you're the only one who's responded to my posts, Jerry, I'd say
you've helped me more than anybody else! And regardless, I appreciate
the time you've taken to give me the benefit of your experience. Thanks
again.

*BTW, any thoughts on the problem of freeze up when trying to load in
safe mode? This one's really got me nervous. *

Gina (aka StarStuff)
"Power-less User"