Uber computer probs - help!

[docwra]

Ive got a Dell Laptop running WinXP, that has caused me no probs at all for the last year or so. Unfortunately this has changed recently ........... :rolleyes:

I noticed just before Christmas that I was getting random audio clips playing when on the net - adverts and bits out of films, but they werent linked to the sites I was browsing. There didnt seem to be any process for them, but as it didnt happen that often I didnt worry.

A couple of days ago the computer does it again, and this time I decide to do something about it - Ive got Norton Endpoint Security installed along with Spybot S+D. Tried to open both and nothing happened, and it then occurred to me they should both be running all the time anyway. Tried starting them from the Services section on the control panel and now I get: Error 1068: The dependancy service or group failed to start.

Obviously something is up, so Ive gone to this site: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=139313 and followed the instructions there. Superantispyware installed, ran and found 64 problems which I guess it fixed, but Malwarebytes does the same as Spybot and Symantec - just wont open. Combofix is the same.

If I try to boot into Safe mode then the computer just bluescreens, so that isnt an option and it will often hang while booting as well, needing a hard reboot. I think one effort this morning was 8 reboots before it started Windows properly.

Anyone know where to go from here? The computer works fine - I can use the web, watch pron, and do just about anything other than use AV or S+D, but I dont want to connect to my work network with no AV protection, and this is a work computer at the end of the day. Im a bit stuck like. :wack:

[Maddog1982]

try installing kaspersky its so much better than norton, you should be able to get a free trial. Id remove norton first though.

[Maddog1982]

ccleaner is a great tool for cleaning crap off your pc (not a virus cleaner), fixing the registry and removing programs aswell.

[j_veitch]

You might want to look at BartPE. It will let you boot from CD and then run AV on your laptop.

Is there someone local that could help you out?

- James

[docwra]

ccleaner is a great tool for cleaning crap off your pc (not a virus cleaner), fixing the registry and removing programs aswell.

Aye, part of the recommendation from that site up there is Ccleaner - I had it already anyway. Symantec Endpoint (it the singing and dancing corporate one) is on all of our other machines so Id rather stick with it TBH, if it bloody opened :rolleyes:

Ive got an IT guy who could look at it but if I can fix myself then Id rather, particularly as it means I dont have to go to workl :D

[Maddog1982]

Remove norton, install kaspersky, enjoy staying at home :thumbs:

My sister had mcafee installed on her machine said it was virus free, when it obviously wasn't, installed kaspersky and it found 8 viruses :wack:

[disco-tom]

Have you tried using hijackthis (http://www.whatthetech.com/hijackthis/) to see what is actually running on your computer?

Also, list whatever processes task manager shows are running and we'll try and find the culprit. Screen grabs ftw here as the name of the program and what case it is written in are needed to be googled.

[mattpayne]

another easy start is to try running an online antivirus - housecall from www.trendmicro.com is pretty effective, but do the full scan... and disable your normal antivirus first! :)

Each antivirus is effective as the next, none of them foolproof, good browsing practices are the best way to avoid this in the future! :p

I dont know what you 'users' do to collect thses issues! on one machine i run Microsoft security essentials and anther no antivirus... and never had an issue! :)

[Cluck]

If Malwarebytes and combofix refuse to open then you are definitely infected with something.

Try downloading Combofix again but rename it to Combo when saving it. That should get around that problem.

Installing another anti-virus program at this stage is going to be pointless. Whatever is infecting your PC will be shutting down all known AV/anti-spyware processes as soon as it seems them :nod:

As a last resort, you may have to pull the hard disk and scan it in another computer. To be honest, that would be my first port of call if renaming Combofix doesn't work :nod:

As for Symantec Endpoint Security, it can work very well as long as it's the latest release. However, it is not particularly hot at picking up fake anti-virus programs and similar things (unlike Norton Internet Security 2010 which does a bloody good job :nod: )

Doc - as a last resort, I'm out on calls until about 4pm so I could always head over if you like :thumbs:

[docwra]

Cheers Cluck - legendary mate :thumbs:

Thanks to everyone else but I think Cluck has grasped the size of the problem - everything I D/L to try and even find out what the problem is being overruled by the virus.

I cant run online checks as it wont let me and I cant do anything with Norton/S+D/anything else as it wont even let me start them up.

I think Ive tried renaming Combofix but I might not have done; I definitely did on Malaware, but it didnt make any difference.

The Symantec we have is the bollocks usually, and is ALWAYS up to date - reckon this is a bit of a shyster of a virus. Since I put S+D on I thought I was probably in the clear, but something has obviously slipped by it. :(

YHPM anyway Cluck :thumbs:


good browsing practices are the best way to avoid this in the future!

What you sayin Payne :whip: ;)

[mattpayne]

What you sayin Payne :whip: ;)

you know exactly what im saying! :D :ghey:

[Cluck]

Just to add that the main source of irritation for people these days is one of the "fake anti-virus" variants. A lot of these are getting onto innocent sites that have security vulnerabilities in the web-site hosting server, so people may be going to perfectly legitimate sites and seeing the all-too-familiar fake virus warnings. I used to advise customers to watch what sites they were browsing, but it can be even the most innocent-looking sites these days :nod: .

The only advice I give to peeps now is that if you see a virus warning, shut down the web-browser window first, before clicking anywhere else. 99 times out of a 100 the 'warning' disappears with it :thumbs:

PS. Doc, no PM yet :o

[AshT_200]

What you sayin Payne :whip: ;)

He's saying stop watching PRON on a work laptop:D

[Cluck]

He's saying stop watching PRON on a work laptop:DAnd what a collection of pron it is too :eek: :notworthy :notworthy :notworthy :D *

Doc's laptop is now clean (actually, that's a lie, the screen was fcuking filthy :wave: ), is using ~200MB less RAM on startup apps and has 15 less processes running than before (if it weren't for the bluetooth drivers and support software there would have been another 8 processes knocked off and about 50MB of RAM saved :o). I think my work here is done :nod:

Cheers for the coke Doc :thumbs:



* despite the incredible temptation to take a sneaky peek, I didn't. No, really :o

[Sideways14a]

So how many donkeys and dwarfs in compromising situations did you find?

Best way to keep clean is a good browser, script and ad blocker, malwarebytes in continuous scan mode (ie paid for version) and some half decent as a main virus scanner.
That with firewalls and common sense will leave you secure.

[docwra]

Actual legend :notworthy

[Actual_Ben_Taylor]

lol

[docwra]

malwarebytes in continuous scan mode (ie paid for version) and some half decent as a main virus scanner.

As I type, the paid for version of malaware is doing a full scan and has already picked up 9 instances that the other stuff didnt. :thumbs:

Computer is also running faster - immense work. :nod:

EDIT: As there seems to be some interest, I shall state for the record that I offered Cluck full access to my collection of adult art but he wasnt interested. You missed your chance there son :D

[Cluck]

So how many donkeys and dwarfs in compromising situations did you find?

Best way to keep clean is a good browser, script and ad blocker, malwarebytes in continuous scan mode (ie paid for version) and some half decent as a main virus scanner.
That with firewalls and common sense will leave you secure.Funnily enough, Doc is going to be paying for Malwarebytes to keep it running in pro-active mode.

Biggest factor was Norton defs were dated mid-December. Even then, Endpoint Security - without configuring it to be constrictive - is old technology now and is going to struggle with the modern threats that have replaced traditional viruses :nod:

As for dwarfs and donkeys, you'll have to ask Doc ;)


As I type, the paid for version of malaware is doing a full scan and has already picked up 9 instances that the other stuff didnt. :thumbs:

Computer is also running faster - immense work. :nod:

EDIT: As there seems to be some interest, I shall state for the record that I offered Cluck full access to my collection of adult art but he wasnt interested. You missed your chance there son :DGood stuff. Was no point running Malwarebytes when I was there as the definitions were a few weeks old and wouldn't have picked everything up. Don't forget to get Norton up to date and run a scan with that - it might find some more stuff that can be removed. Whatever Malwarebytes finds, I doubt it will be active and should be log and dat files from whatever trojan thingy was recording :)

You know that "4GB" USB stick I was using? You didn't actually check it was 4GB did you, you just took my word for it ;) . And after boring you with going through half the folders, I conveniently tucked your pron collection in the remaining folder called "boring shit that Doc won't look at, even if I show him this folder name, he'll still ignore it thinking it's just a joke" :thumbs:

Fwap fwap fwap. More tissues nurse.


EDIT : Oh, and I meant "Coke" as in cola in my earlier post :o . Just in case there's any confusion :wack:

[docwra]

EDIT : Oh, and I meant "Coke" as in cola in my earlier post :o . Just in case there's any confusion :wack:

Whatever, chickenhead ;) :D