Unexpected program termination

[Alan]

I am looking at a PC for a friend, and she has started
getting a problem that some programs start up and then
almost immediately close down. For example at Start / Run,
type in COMMAND - a DOS window opens than closes down
again a couple of seconds later. Running Norton AntiVirus
does the same thing. Tried to install AVG, it won't
install, Norton won't reinstall properly. Have removed
Norton AV and Firewall, still same problem. Have checked
for viruses and spyware, no viruses but cleaned lots of
spyware. Installed all critical XP service packs.
Reinstalled Windows, still same problem. Most sw runs ok -
IE, Outlook, Word, etc. Any ideas?

 

[Malke Routh]

I am looking at a PC for a friend, and she has started
getting a problem that some programs start up and then
almost immediately close down. For example at Start / Run,
type in COMMAND - a DOS window opens than closes down
again a couple of seconds later. Running Norton AntiVirus
does the same thing. Tried to install AVG, it won't
install, Norton won't reinstall properly. Have removed
Norton AV and Firewall, still same problem. Have checked
for viruses and spyware, no viruses but cleaned lots of
spyware. Installed all critical XP service packs.
Reinstalled Windows, still same problem. Most sw runs ok -
IE, Outlook, Word, etc. Any ideas?

Here's what I don't understand - if all the av programs are broken, how
have you checked for viruses? The symptoms you are describing
definitely indicate viral infection, particularly one of the viruses
that breaks av programs, like Yaha or Klez. Can you boot into Safe Mode
and run a program like Stinger from AVERT? (Downloaded on another
machine, of course.)

Malke

 

[Guest]

Checked for viruses by connecting the machine to my
network and running Norton on it from another machine.
Have just downloaded Stinger and checked the machine - all
clear. Although it looks like a virus I don't think it
is!!!
/Alan

 

[Malke Routh]

Checked for viruses by connecting the machine to my
network and running Norton on it from another machine.
Have just downloaded Stinger and checked the machine - all
clear. Although it looks like a virus I don't think it
is!!!
/Alan


(snip)

are broken, how have you checked for viruses? (snip)

Thanks for explaining that. Well, gosh, in that case I guess I'd do a
RAM and hard drive test just to rule out flaky hardware, and if they
all look good just format the drive and reinstall Windows. Have her
reinstall programs from cd's and restore data from backup.

Cheers,

Malke