Win7 still crashes after Malware scans

I've run my Win7 computer through a series of scans as directed in the Malware thread, but still have unresolved problems. I was directed by Tim W to post my continuing problems here. Administrators can read the history to date on my thread, Malware/ "Win7 crashes when Anti-Malware Run".

The original symptoms were increasing OS crashes, crashing whenever Malwarebytes was run, and it was not possible to Backup, Restore or access Safe mode via F8 on startup.

Now after the list of scanning procedures detailed in my thread listed above, I can sometimes access Safe Mode on restart and run Malwarebytes, but it crashes when RogueKiller is run.

Would an admin on this Software thread have any suggestions on the next steps to stabilize the OS?
Thanks

 

Leofitz...

Posting a link to your malware board thread for other Software board posters to access the logs if required:

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=1901675#post1901675

Can you access your desktop in normal mode at all? If so, you can run sfc /scannow. To do so:

Start->Accessories->Right click on Command Prompt and select "Run as Administrator"->type sfc /scannow (space after sfc) and press enter

There is plenty else that can be done.

 

I ran sfc /scannow in normal desktop mode. It started but crashed after several minutes and the black SafeMode directory page opened with options to open WinOS in Safe Mode, Normal mode, etc.

 

It sounds to me like your OS is broken, period and you'll need to do a clean install. It, unfortunately, has happened several times to people who have posted here and elsewhere with malware issues. The malware corrupts the system so badly that there's no way to repair/restore it and it needs to be "replaced".

 

Leofitz...

Recommend going to this site to download an .iso for installing Windows 7 if you don't have one already...here:

http://www.techverse.net/download-windows-7-iso-x86-x64-microsofts-official-servers/

According to the MGTools, you have Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit. Whichever one you have, scroll down to find the version that matches and then download and burn the .iso to a dvd. In any event, it's very helpful to have one of these.

If you have an installation disk of Windows 7 (or can get one), you may want to try sfc /scannow again with the disk in the tray. Don't think it will change the outcome, but sfc /scannow is not a very long operation to speak of. sfc /scannow often does require an installation disk, but I believe it will normally ask for the disk, when it is required. Anyway, might be worth a try.

 

Thanks for your reply. I'm not completely surprised at the need for a re-install. I've been manually backing up all important documents.

Thanks for the link to a W7 iso file. I'd appreciate your advice on the best path for a re-install. I purchased the ASUS laptop here in Ukraine and it came with a pre-installed Win7 Home Premium but in Russian. I know a little Russian but wanted an English interface. So I purchased the Ultimate upgrade as it provides alternate languages. I installed the Ultimate upgrade over the pre-installed Win7 and then switched the language to English.

The upgrade wasn't a 100% perfect solution however, as occasionally a window will popup in Russian and I have to use Google translate. After the upgrade the system never seemed 100% stable and often when I opened Control Panel or Windows Explorer, CP or WE would immediately crash then re-start. The second start would then run AOK. Odd.

I have the license keys for the original installed W7 Home Premium-Russian, and the key for the W7 Ultimate-English. I also have an original W7 Home Premium-English CD that I purchased for a new Win7 OS for a second laptop.

My primary concern is to have a stable English language Win7 OS on my ASUS. I'm not keen on repeating the re-install path of Win7 HomePremium-Russian, plus the Ultimate upgrade. It was a long confusing process and the results seemed unstable. So the question is which one of the following possible options is possible with the keys I have, and the Win7 OS (HomePrem & Ultimate) I have, or can download.

Do you know if a key from the original Win7-HomePremium-Russian can be used to verify/install a Win7-HomePremium-English? I could install from the Win7-HomePrem-English CD I have, and insert the key from the original ASUS Win7 install. If yes, then I could just stop there, or try to add the Ultimate (English) upgrade over that.

Second, Can the key from the W7 Ultimate upgrade I have, be used to install a full Win7-Ultimate OS that I would download? If so, I could then just start and finish with the Win7 Ultimate install.

I would be happy with just the Win7-Home Premium-English if thats possible as it might be more stable than the original Russian Win7-HP + Ultimate Win7 upgrade.

Hope my questions make sense. Your advice will be appreciated !

LK

 

The languages may create a problem if you install Win 7HP English and try to use the Russian Key. Download the Win 7 Ultimate English ISO, burn it to DVD and install from that using the Win 7 Ultimate English Key you have.

 

Leofitz...

This is all I could find, but it seems to confirm that you can use a Russian key for an english version as long as the version of Windows matches otherwise (Home/Pro/Ultimate & 32/64 bit):

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/6028-63-win7-english-version-install-french-version

One thing you might try is to download and burn the English Home version for your PC and burn it to disk and install. Then take a system image before adding the Ultimate upgrade. This way if the upgrade doesn't go well, you can easily go back to Home.

Not sure about the above. Maybe someone knows here, but here is a good explanation of the challenges of using an upgrade disk:

http://winsupersite.com/article/windows-7/clean-install-windows-7-with-upgrade-media-128512

It mentions that some users report using the Win 7 Upgrade disk with no problems, and a good point is made that you can always start over and perform the upgrade over Home if the Ultimate upgrade disk/key fails.

One thing that is recommended is that you refrain from entering the product key during installation and rather wait until the install is over.

If you go the image route and need any info on imaging, let us know...

 

Thanks for your extra research. Maybe I'll try the W7-HomeP install route first as I have W7-HP on disk.

I tried to download the iso W7-Ultimate from the site link but kept getting a "Disk Full"error and the download stopped. This happened when downloading in Chrome but also when trying to download using Free Download Manager? I check security settings on the folders targeted for download and they have permissions for everyone and administrator. So not sure what the problem is there.

 

Leofitz...

Do you use a script blocker or ad blocker on your browser? I just tried the download, and it didn't work until I allowed the page in script blocker.

 

I turned off MS Firewall, Avast Antivirus, and Avast online security extension in Chrome and allowed Javascript in Chrome Settings. I don't find other script blocking extensions.

It now downloads slowly in Chrome. Hopefully no errors. I still get an error using Free Download Manager.

Is there an FTP location?

 

Leofitz...

The links are to the download site for MS at Digital River, so these are official MS download links. There are a handfull of sites that are allowed publish the links, but they are the only way to obtain the .isos.

I use ScriptBlocker in Firefox, and I got the download menu without allowing the entire page, but then I got an error message when I clicked to save the file. Once I allowed the page everything worked. Hopefully, the download will complete for you...

 

I never was able to get FreeDownloader to download--it was always aborted despite all firewalls, anitivirus, Javascript, etc, turned off. I did a standard download in the Chrome browser and burned the iso to DVD.

I've made small progress but was not able to install the W7-Ultimate as I always got the message ""A required CD.DVD drive device is missing. If you have on another DVD or USB please insert now. ..."

I removed the Win7-Ultimate disk and inserted Win7-HP disk in case it had the drivers as it was from factory. The install proceeded but was not able to get Ultimate to install despite shuttling the disks back and forth. It completed install of W7-HP.

Win7-HP is installed but it appears all drivers are missing and it cannot connect to Home Group network, or recognize the Internet LAN connection. On the online forums this seems to be a common problem with ASUS (N55s) Win7 re-installs. I've so far found no solution to upgrade drivers or get the internet connection working. I don't know if being able to upgrade to Ultimate over the Win7-HP would add the missing drivers but can't install Win7-Ultimate at present.

Suggestions?

 

Upgrade disks have a reputation for being difficult. I have a feeling you can get this resolved if you can get online.

As for getting online, I don't recall you posting the make/model of the PC. If you could post that, I will take a look around for solutions for you. Also, it would be helpful to have the exact make/model of the motherboard, too, just in case it becomes necessary to look in that direction.

I am sort of assuming I guess that you have a way to download a driver and some sort of way to make the file available to the so far unconnected PC...

 

Leofitz...

I see where you mentioned the specs required to find the drivers in your previous post, and I found the drivers for the unit (n55s) here:

http://www.asus.com/Notebooks_Ultrabooks/N55SF/HelpDesk_Download/

You would need the LAN and Wireless drivers. If you can get these drivers installed, maybe someone here at MGs can help you determine how to complete the Ultimate upgrade.

Assuming you installed the 64 bit version of W7 HP. The drivers are for that version, which is the only version shown as native to that model of PC.

 

Sorry for the long pause in my posts. I have been busy applying the last advice to re-install the Win7-Ultimate OS, and loading all the drivers. It's been a long task but now finished! I've burned a backup image with Macrium to be sure I can re-install the fresh OS plus drivers much more quickly if another crash occurs.

For the benefit of others I'll mention the steps I took.

I manually backed up all document files on external HD and started the OS install using an OEM Win7-Home Premium-Eng DVD I had from another computer. My original OS was Home Premium in Russian that came installed on the ASUS when I purchased it. As my English is much better I purchased the Anytime Upgrade key for Win7-Ultimate from Amazon to be able to switch the interface language to English. Using the link in the start menu I initiated the upgrade to Ultimate and completed installation with the new OS key.

With this re-installation I first tested to see if I could just use a downloaded Win7-Ultimate as the initial installation and skip the original Home Premium install. The attempt to install Ultimate directly kept giving me error message of ''additional drivers needed to continue"". I finally used the Win7-Home Premium-English disc to install, and verified with the key printed on the laptop. (*So yes, the original W7-HP-RUS key did work to install W7-HP-ENG)
I then used the Start menu Anytime Upgrade link to continue with installing Ultimate. I completed that and verified with the AU Ultimate key I purchased two years ago. (Note: The key code is different than the license number and I located the key by using Belarc software to scan my computer for all keys and installed software information.)

I should mention that a mid-stream problem occurred after installing the W7 Home Premium. It showed up in English no problem but without drivers. So I wasn't able to connect to the internet. With a second computer I went to the ASUS site and downloaded just the driver for the Network Adapter; Qualcomm Atheros XXX Gigabit Ethernet Controller. It was an .exe file and after installing that I could access the internet to download all the other drivers needed. After this I continued with installing the Ultimate OS upgrade.

I could have manually downloaded and installed the list of twenty drivers from the ASUS site but instead installed the free Advanced System Care program that did a driver scan and auto update. This worked almost perfectly. All computer functions worked fine except I had no internal speaker sound. After checking forums for a fix I downloaded the older (2011) Realtek Sound driver from the ASUS site and replaced the newer 2014 version that was auto-installed. The sound now works. Sometimes older is better)

I'm now tuning up my second laptop as it has very slow bootup time (5 minutes). I'll repeat my previous path of malware scans, and then may end up back on this thread with software questions.

Thank to all tech advisers here.

 

Leofitz...

Glad to see this worked out the way hoped. I feel allowing users to install a different language with a key is good policy from Microsoft for Windows 7, considering language transformation isn't possible (the way I understand it) for any of the Windows 7 versions but Ultimate. Anyway, I am guessing changing languages even on Ultimate could be buggy.

Thanks for the update and glad you managed to get everything installed properly even as tricky as it was...and good luck getting your second PC running as it should...