strange entry in msconfig

[Ron]

Hi I am trying to remove spyware etc from a friends computer and in the
Startup tab of msconfig I have a couple of entries that have squares for the
file name.

The registry entry is Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersio...

and then I cannot read any more.

Any ideas? The computer is running Windows XP Home and I have just finished
updating it from Microsoft Updates although these entries were there before.
Ron

 

[Ted Zieglar]

If you suspect spyware, don't even think about trying to remove it yourself.
Use spyware removal software. If you try to remove spyware by yourself you
will almost certainly not be successful and you will make it harder, if not
impossible, for spyware removal to do its job.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hold the Ctrl key down and press the plus key on the numeric
keypad to open the columns to the width needed to view
the longest entries.

Your partial entry is probably...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\
CurrentVersion\Windows Load and Run

msconfig only deals with startups from these locations...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load and Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi I am trying to remove spyware etc from a friends computer and in the
Startup tab of msconfig I have a couple of entries that have squares for the
file name.

The registry entry is Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersio...

and then I cannot read any more.

Any ideas? The computer is running Windows XP Home and I have just finished
updating it from Microsoft Updates although these entries were there before.
Ron

As Ted Zeigler said, you need to use good antispyware products (yes
products as in more than one) in order to properly clean up the
system.

Try at least one of the following free online scanners:
Trend Micro http://housecall.trendmicro.com
Kaspersky Online Scanner http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
Panda ActiveScan http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan
WindowSecurity.com TrojanScan http://windowssecurity.com/trojanscan
Webroot http://www.webroot.com/

If there are still residual items listed in MSCONFIG then download
HiJackThis from http://www.aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.exe and run
it. There is a tutorial for the program at
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm but the best procedure might be to
post the log to http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 where the
experts can examine it and recommend fixes.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."