crashing

Malware problem or missing software?
problem is crashing when clicking on ... various, but especially i.e.
1- a page that has a video about to pop up= crash (it reboots fine automatically and when i go back to firefox it asks if i want new or restore previous) (seamonkey doesn't do this... yet?)
2- i'm on a page that has a video link. if i click the link= crash (same auto reboot)
3- when i add to a notepad and click on X to close it, sometimes it asks 'save changes', or else= crash
4- problem occurs almost completely only when i'm online.
i don't remember it happening offline but i think it does sometimes.
5- sometimes crashes unrelated to clicking.

i have gone thru steps 1-5 of the malware removal advice ...
*CCleaner- ok
*SAS- found and fixed zango problem leftover
*SpybotSD- i got recommended version, but no problems found lately. i've used Spybot for years and often.
*Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware- i ran this a couple times to be sure it ran complete after crashing.
*Combo Fix- had to run this more than once to finish the job.
*MGTools- it just gets more difficult, doesn't it? My brain needs a rest. i have the exe file installed in drive and i will continue later.
next i will collect those log files in case i need to post them.
dnnyo

 

Hi dnnyo,
Welcome to Major Geeks!

What you describe may or may not be related to malware. The problem with running your scans several times without attaching the logs in between, is that you're overwriting the information that would helpful for us to see. If you do have the logs, please use the Manage Attachments button down a was under the reply box to find and attach the logs.

I would like for you to do the following please:

Go to start / run and copy/paste in sfc /scannow and click on ok

Let me know how this goes.

abri

 

i started doing the start - run sequence and response was-
1st [searching for validation something....],
then [insert your Windows XP Pro Service Pack2 CD now],
i'll do that later if necessary, meanwhile, here are log file attachment

note... i just noticed the SAS one is wrong one.
i don't know how to remove it so i'll send the correct one later...
dnnyo

 

here are log file from SAS...

 

ok, i tried again and after i inserted my Windows XP home edition with service pack2, it wouldn't accept it, i clicked again, repeat, then i clicked where it offered 'more information'... and crash, reboot.
it asked me to insert XP professional (service pack2), but i never had that in the 1st place... ?
I will try it again.

 

Hi dnnyo,

Were you able to get the MGlogs.zip when you installed and ran MGTools.exe? They would be located directly under D:\ when you use the Manage Attachments button here. The other logs look good. I would like to check the MGlogs.

I think it's likely that some of your files are corrupt. It should be possible to check your Windows version by going into Windows Explorer and clicking on the question mark and info. I'm not sure why it's asking for XP pro SP2 if you never had it, but repairs can be done by using someone else's cd. You will get more comprehensive information if you start a thread about this in the Software Forum.

abri

 

I tried start/ run/ sfc /scannow and i got into an endless loop between PC not accepting my CD, and not letting me cancel the procedure... etc.
I should mention that last month i reinstalled Windows complete from scratch and I had problems with getting my CD accepted. I had to go halfway thru installation, then switch to my old XP (without service pack2) CD, continued on until time for my validation code, then switch back to updated CD.
It took me all night.
It worked fine for a while. then this same problem started up again (the reason I reinstalled Windows last month).
I think my CD has a small scratch on it.
I'm becoming convinced that it's not Malware at all, but more a matter of missing data.

 

1st of all, thanks. I will begin working on the MGTools step soon. My daughter was visiting me (slowed me down LOL).

 

Here is the MGlogs.zip file attached.
I noticed my clock is still at military time. Does that mean I need to do Combo step over?
Thanks again, it's been scary! dnnyo

 

I wonder how many other people think it's Malware when I know many of my crashes happen because i click wrong, (left/right), or I click on 'browse' wnen i should have clicked on 'upload'.
I mean I already did browse... the item is ready to upload... I get interrupted or something and I click... wrong!--> crash!
Didn't a window used to pop up saying 'you can't do that' ?
I see a lot of improvement and some strange changes after going thru these steps.
I will run thru these 6 steps of Malware removal again. Not right now. There has been improvement.
Unless otherwised advised my next step will be looking into XP service pack3,
because I just think (call it a hunch) my problem is with my missing program files.

dnnyo

 

Hi dnnyo,

Crashes happened a lot with Win98, but not so much anymore with WinXP. Are you using ie8?

abri

 

I have ie8 but i almost always use SeaMonkey or firefox3.
I recently downloaded service pack 3 set-up but haven't ran it yet.

I'm kind of waiting to here if there is any reason not to install it. I was warned that ie8 cannot be uninstalled from SP3. Next I'll post a new thread about 'Why should I NOT install SP3' in 'software' forum.

 

Hi dnnyo,

ie8 is at the beta1 stage, meaning, it's barely been out for testing yet. That means you could be getting all kinds of problems with it. I don't see malware in your logs. The particular difficulties you have getting your operating system onto your computer at all sound like software problems and I think it would be a good idea to start a thread in the Software Forum and refer them to this thread. You may want to copy/paste some of the descriptions you gave of the problem from this thread to the new thread. You'll be able to get more input with this problem over there.

To reset your time, go to Start / Control Panel and select Region & Language. Then replace the correct settings in there.

You don't need the tools and logs we had you put on your computer anymore. I'll post the final cleanup instructions for you here so you can get rid of those:

abri

 

I'm just about done. Do I have to uninstall that cool Superman icon. Even though I rarely see it, I still like it. rolleyes :-D
Also SAS delete ? I read that link and he suggests Comodo BOClean for real time protection but no scanner, and SAS for a real scanner but no protection (free version). :wave :seeya
Thanks again abri

 

Hi dnnyo,
I like the superman icon too lol ... I also really like the Spyware Blaster icon which you get to have right there on the desktop. You can keep anything you want. If you keep stuff, remember that it's constantly being updated, so if you keep the MGTools, you may want to get an upgraded superman every so often. Also, he's secretive. He won't notify you when he's been updated. SuperAntiSpyware is good for some things but bigger than MalwareBytes. My own choice has been to keep MalwareBytes, Spybot and Spyware Blaster, a resident antivirus and firewall. Using CCleaner everytime you close up your browser windows gets rid of a lot of potential for things coming in through temporary files. Then I run the others on a regular basis. With software it comes down to compatibility and also, I place a particular value on simple designs that are easy to decipher and things that don't bug me with notifications. Okay, it found a virus, but does it have to have a band marching across the screen playing music to announce it? :-D (Actually, I'm surprised no one's thought of this so far.... the small end-of-year awards ceremony among the icons for who did the most work that year.)

Sorry, I get carried away. :-D
abri