StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cursor?

gwennn · Apr 4, 2013

I recently downloaded some programs so I could salvage my music on my iPhone, but I think when I rushed I downloaded something nasty. I found something called StrongVault taking up 95% of my CPU and I've been ending that task and all other unknown's upon logging in. I've downloaded all programs to deal with it, but now my computer won't load! I have a black screen with a cursor (yesterday it was a black screen with a blinking line). I'm trying to use safe mode, but it's giving me the same thing.

Also, usually the fan is hella noisy when it boots up, but it's very quiet beyond that first vwooooom. I tried to run MalwareBytes last night but it would lag (program not responding) for a while before working long enough to scan a dozen files, the it would go back to not responding. I left it on overnight but it didn't finish, and I aborted the scan.

My computer is a Dell of some kind, running Windows Vista Home Basic, 32-bit, 6 years old (I think).

gwennn · Apr 4, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

Update: I've been googling around and can't seem to find anything helpful (that I can understand) other than doing an OS Repair, which I'll try to do so I can get past this damn black screen, I guess? Several people fixed it by pressing ctrl+alt+dlt and setting a task on task manager, but that isn't doing anything for me. However, hitting shift 5 times does prompt me to turn on sticky keys.

FYI, this screen issue happened after I updated CCleaner and SUPER Anti-Spyware. I set my computer to restart and it shut down on its own, which it hasn't done in about four years.

gwennn · Apr 4, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

Hello? Anyone around who can help? Welp, here's another update. I've asked my friend for his opinion and he thinks my HDD might be locked or corrupted, but I might be able to get my files off it if I have another drive and make my main computer's drive a "slave," but I have no other drives.

I finally remembered to try F8 for "Advanced Boot Options" and got some results. (I guess.) I can get to a screen with Repair Your Computer, but the memory test can back clean and chkdsk said I had no problems. I STILL cannot load my login page. It gets to the Microsoft loading bar and then it's back to where I started. I tried to run ccleaner through the command prompt available in Repair Your Comp, but it couldn't find it, not could I open it via task manager. I got naught with low resolution, nil with Last Known Good Configuration, or Debugging Mode.

Can someone at least tell me whether I have a useable hard drive or not? :-/

chaslang · Apr 6, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

Welcome to Major Geeks!
Each time you add additional posts, you bump yourself to the bottom of the work queue as explained in are sticky/pinned threads. See >> Forum Rules and Guidelines In particular step 6 about bumping.

gwennn said: ↑

I I've downloaded all programs to deal with it,
Click to expand...

Not sure what this means. Please explain. Had you simply tried first uninstalling Strong Vault? It normally does appear in the installed programs list.

Please do the below so that we can boot to System Recovery Options to run a scan.

For 32-bit (x86) systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to a flash drive.
For 64-bit (x64) systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to a flash drive.

Plug the flashdrive into the infected PC.

Enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:

Restart the computer.

As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.

Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.

Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.

Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.

Select your user account an click Next.

On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:

Startup Repair
System Restore
Windows Complete PC Restore
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
Command Prompt
Click to expand...

Select Command Prompt

In the command window type in notepad and press Enter.

The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.

Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.

In the command window type e:\frst.exe (for x64 bit version type e:\frst64) and press Enter
Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.

The tool will start to run.

When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.

Press Scan button.

It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please attach this file to your next reply. (See: How to attach)

gwennn · Apr 7, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

I meant I had just finished downloading the programs needed for spyware removal, as stated in your guide, when this new issue started. I did try uninstalling StrongVault, but it asked me to give permissions to an unidentified source, which I didn't want to do.

In Repair, it never gave me the option of choosing system or user, it just went from choosing language to logging in as admin.

Thank you soooooooo much for helping!! DDDD

chaslang · Apr 8, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

Download this >> View attachment fixlist.txt

Save fixlist.txt to your flash drive.

You should now have both fixlist.txt and FRST.exe on your flash drive.

Now reboot back into the System Recovery Options as you did previously.
Run FRST and press the Fix button just once and wait.
The tool will make a log on the flashdrive (Fixlog.txt).
Please attach this to your next message. (See how to attach)

Now see if you can boot into normal Windows.

gwennn · Apr 9, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

Still not getting the log in screen.

gwennn · Apr 9, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

I tried to get into safe mode but it stopped after loading something called null.sys in system files.

When I restarted for the second time it went right to "checking file system on C:" saying one of my disks needs to be checked for consistency.

Aaaaaand now I've gotten to safe mode, but there's still no screen, just a cursor.

chaslang · Apr 13, 2013

Re: StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cur

gwennn said: ↑

Still not getting the log in screen.
Click to expand...

Strongvault is not the cause of this. we have seen Strongvault many times and it is quite easy to remove and never causes any problems like this. It is possible that there is some Windows corruption. We may not be able to fix this, but let's give the below a shot.

Download this >> View attachment fixlist.txt

Save fixlist.txt to your flash drive.

You should now have both fixlist.txt and FRST.exe on your flash drive.

Now reboot back into the System Recovery Options as you did previously.
Run FRST and press the Fix button just once and wait.
The tool will make a log on the flashdrive (Fixlog.txt).
Please attach this to your next message. (See how to attach)

Now see if you can boot into normal Windows.

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StrongVault? Everything is slow, can't uninstall it. Now, black screen with a cursor?

gwennn Private E-2

gwennn Private E-2

gwennn Private E-2

chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

gwennn Private E-2

Attached Files:

FRST.txt

chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

gwennn Private E-2

Attached Files:

Fixlog.txt

gwennn Private E-2

chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member