I am SO Angry right now!

I feel like smashing everything in frustration! Grrrr!

I have spent the last 24 hours trying to fix my stupid computer, Last night weird things just started happening, basically the taskbar wouldn't react properly, if I opened any programs, like IE, Firefox, Windows Explorer, it would open, but the tab that should be on the taskbar wouldn't happen! and my virus checked wouldn't bootup, along with other stuff, then the net stopped working for me, then the system started crashing and lock then reset (Hard reset too!)

Well I cant find my XP Pro, so I have to borrow a friends, so for the past 4 hours I`ve been trying to get that on without loosing all my files I downloaded on C:\, so I install this WinXP SP3 Special Edition Egyptian Hack thingy majigi, but when I install it and wipe out only the old XP install, I couldn't surf the internet once everything was install, I could go to my ISP's page, but no where else...

Well I tryed everything in XP, and I just couldnt work it out, then I did a modem reset and that still didn't work, so I am running out of hair so I gave up, then I started installing my system applications, first off Avast, when I went to install it I got an Error about something missing so I skip that and continue installing like it suggests, then I do a full system scan after rest, guess what? trojans & viruses everywhere, in pagefile.sys, I had to delete it, it wouldnt let me do anything else with it, in some restore files I had a ciadoor something trojan/virus? anyway, I dunno, seems OKISH now, dunno what else to do....



Any idea's on what else I should do other than put my foot thru it?

 

I'm so angry right now, but it has nothing to do with computers.

I hate to say it but using illegal versions of an OS is really asking for problems. If you can boot up off a bootable CD such as Knoppix, you can copy all the files off the C drive onto a CD or DVD or something, then you can go ahead and reformat.

The best place to ask about this is the software forum

 

what do you mean illigal? I used my key to register it, its XP with added demos, etc, a custom made XP, nothing illigal about it.

Also I used that version of XP 'After' my problems happened to 'solve' them, I cant find my XP cd, I think I lent it to my brother, and getting it back will be on the 'When I`m ready' list, which I don't have the time for right now.

As for getting my files, well their's 60GB of them, I don't have any DVD's or CD's to burn them on to, but that was the least problem, I couldn't install anything in the end, I tried installing Nero, but it said a windows component wasn't available and stopped the install, I couldn't Cut/Paste, as I was going to backup as much as I could on the D partition, the most important stuff, but that just wouldn't work, I couldn't even drag/drop, I clicked and held and icon, but it wouldn't grab it...

 

08/22/2006 03:47
Scan of all local drives
File C:\Backup\Torrent DL Sorting\Azureus Download Speeder 42.6 - Final Edition -\Azureus Download Speeder 42.6 - Final Edition -.exe is infected by Win32:Trojano-2426 [Trj], Deleted
File C:\Backup\Torrent DL Sorting\*********.exe is infected by Win32:Ciadoor-024 [Trj], Deleted
File C:\pagefile.sys is infected by Win32:SdBot-gen44 [Trj], Repair: Error 42060 {The file was not repaired.}, Move to chest: Error 0xC000007F {An operation failed because the disk was full.}, Move to chest: Error 0xC000007F {An operation failed because the disk was full.}, Deleted
File C:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP3\A0000357.exe is infected by Win32:Trojano-2426 [Trj], Moved to chest
File C:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP3\A0000358.exe is infected by Win32:Ciadoor-024 [Trj], Moved to chest
File H:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP22\A0001380.exe is infected by Win32:Ciadoor-024 [Trj], Moved to chest
File H:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP26\A0002418.exe is infected by Win32:SdBot-3539 [Trj], Moved to chest
File H:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP31\A0003315.exe is infected by Win32:Trojano-2426 [Trj], Moved to chest
File H:\System Volume Information\_restore{******}\RP31\A0003318.exe is infected by Win32:Ciadoor-024 [Trj], Moved to chest

Number of searched folders: 7018
Number of tested files: 85118
Number of infected files: 9

 

Sounds like you need to drop a howdy on BJGarrick, SPD and the other dudes in the Malware forum!!

Do you not have a firewall and anti virus installed?? A Firewall is a MUST with having a high speed "always on" connection!!!!

Roger

 

I have a virus program, avast!4, lastest home version and db, as for a firewall, XP's is adequate enough for my DSL, I was told a firewall isnt really necassary for a home user as the default XP one was basically enough...

Hmmm, I`m confused a little, I dont want to worry about this and that now...

 

Something weird is happening, I keep getting told I may have a virus becuase my svhost is large, currently I got 5 svhost.exe processes running, just with 1 open browser, and these are the sizes:

svhost - Local Service = 5,560k
svhost - Network Service = 3,340k
svhost - System = 23,632k
svhost - Network Service = 4,144k
svhost - System = 5,000k

Anyone knowledgable on the svhost service, all I am aware is it is a system core service and to never touch it....

I did a 'Complete' system scan with Avast, and it came back with just the above and that was that, so I dunno how else to check incase its right and I do have a virus......

Windows Worms Door Cleaner is reporting I have a virus fyi

 

i got 5 also, and nearly the exact same size so i dont think that would be it....

if you know someone who can burn DVDs then stick your drive in their computer and get them that way. Im not sure if there is a chance you could infect them by doing this so be careful if u do.

 

Hi Viper,

Well I found my XP cd, so I am going to do a FULL system reformat, and install, that way I know it is defintely gone!

But before I can do that I have one little incy wincy problem, I have roughly 50GB of Data I need to keep, but only a 21GB D:\ Partition, what I was wandering is, is it possible to steal some gigs from my C:\ and add them to my D:\ partition and then backup my data on D:\ so I can do a hard format on C:\?

Just curious, I am not sure it is possible, but I`m up for trying anything right now...

I could probably crunch the 50GB down to about 40GB Min, so I am about 19GB short

 

NO! xp's firewall isn't adequate for anything. It has no control of outgoing connections and only alerts on programs that attempt to act as a server

The "volume information" infections in your log are infected restore points. You have these on both the C: and the H: . Don't worry about them for the moment, if they are in a restore point associated with the current operating system you can remove them later by flushing system restore.

It sounds to me like you got hit by a drive by infection that caused other infections.

WHat is your current state of play? Are you able to boot the computer into safe mode ? Are you just looking for a way to back up files and then format?

If possible you should try running the online scans and other scans we reccomend on the malware sticky and then chas or spd or I could work up a fix that would possibly get your computer back to a workable state. Chas and SPD are pretty damn good with this sort of thing and I havn't seen them have to resort to a format yet.

 

Who one EARTH told you THAT???? Yikes! The default XP firewall has more holes in it than your average sponge!

And I would say given the fact that you got infected quite badly, obviously they were wrong about a home user not needing a firewall as well. Wow.

 

Hi Matt,

At the moment my system seems ok(ish), nothing more has happened that is strange or suggests something is still lurking, although I haven't really done anything, other than update, I went to boot Media Player, running for the first time and had to select the options, etc once I did that I clicked ok, then it wouldn't boot, instead I got a error msg, but after updating to MP10, it seemed to fix that. Other than that, nothing seems to be happening, I will go to the malware sticky's and run those scanners, and do as you say, I would prefer to sort this out rather than format, I am just a little furious that it has happened, I try and be extra careful, but no matter how, it happens when I least expect it, the internet seems to be reluctant to have mercy even on the most smallest users.

If I do however have to resort to formatting, I have to try and backup my data, which I cannot afford to loose, I do not have the disc space on D for it, I shouldn't even have a D:\ but becuase my original XP cd is the original OEM, without SP1 or 2, according to other members, this is why my system installs leaving 21GB unpartitioned, when I ask it to do a full single partition, so I had to admin tools > manually partition the remaining left over space once in windows. I heard however that I can 'slipstream' my XP CD with SP2, to correct this issue, however I haven't studied it fully and maybe this is the time to do this.

---------------------------

Sgt. Tibbs - It was actually members at another forum I went to, I was asking about recommendations for a firewall, some recommended some like kerio, etc, but others suggested XP was adequate enough and basically isnt needed for home regular users as it confuses them, so I didn't grab one, however now I definately will without doubt!

 

I would also disregard and remove from your mind any other advice they gave you about anything. Obviously they don't know their a$$ from a hole in the ground.

Sorry, I don't mean to be mean, but sheesh...I would be truly frightened to take advice about anything from anyone who thinks a home user doesn't need a firewall, and if you want one the default that comes with XP is good enough. I wouldn't even believe them if they told me the sun rises in the East.

"Home regular users" is the key term there, now that I re-read it. The average idiot who doesn't even know how to turn a computer on without help will most likely be confused by a firewall. However, they are the ones who need it the most, as they are also the most likely to click on the pretty link, open the email attachment, and install anything that pops a window up. *sigh*

 

hehe

Well, I was a bit stumped when I was told it, I took it in my stride, but others also said the XP Firewall was good enough basically, unless I wanted to monitor outbound connections from memory, so I just left it as is and went on my merry way.

No need to sigh at me however! I am over wary of the net, I scanned everything I downloaded before I even put my mouse cursor over it, hehe but obviously that wasn't enough, I don't go to porn or warez sites either, so I cannot understand where I would have got it from, I know I got it from somewhere, I just cant roughtly pinpoint where, I mainly downloaded via games.internode.on.net, or demonews, majorgeeks, windows, etc, just well known places, so my only other thought was that it came from torrent downloads or sites, however I scanned deeply all downloads, hmmm not sure at all.... Nothing I can do now but protect myself and educate myself so this doesn't play a deja-vu role.

David

 

I wouldn't even consider connecting to the internet if my comp didn't have a firewall and AVS. I wouldn't even go back to that forum. All of these people are really nice and give good, helpful advice.

I just did a reinstall on my laptop. It's not fun. I am still trying to put all the software back on to it.

 

@ Luthius: I wasn't so much sighing at you as I was sighing in despair over the number of "helpful" people on the web who have no clue. You seem to be doing OK, or you will be once you get over this hurdle.

 

Well I just finished restarting my OS, just grabbed the 10-Day trial of Lavasoft Personal Firewall, very easy to use so far, and for a tool like myself when it comes to understanding what "abcd.exe using port 80" means and is it really needed, LPF seems to explain most of it to you, which is good. When it comes to putting a PC together, I could do it blind folded, basically anyone can these days that has even just a little PC knowledge, its becuase easier and easier, just with the hardware fittings for instance, I think I have a decent knowledge of XP runnings, when it comes to some apps, and games, but thats where it ends, just as it begun. the internet has become really malice since I was away for just over 2 years, technically its been 4 years, but just over 2 years ago I came back on for a little while, things were getting rough then, now its just crazy, its like windows has become a playground for todays battlefield! even if your innocent, you guilty. Windows requires a slew of updates, extra 3rd party software and 3rd party tweaking tools, just to have a little 'Armour' before you go out their into the big WWW!

It's damn crazy, I got infected with this, that and the next thing, I had to physically HARD RESET my ADSL modem because of it, imagine how another user/family would feel who is completely new, that's what scares me. We say most people know this and that now, but their is still a large amount of new users each week, who get bitten with a trojan or virus or alike within the first hours, or even minutes of using their new PC on the net!

Crazy.. really mind boggling crazy!

 

Wow! OK I am runing a very good system, and I run it through a broadband router, somewhere along the way I actually had a tech from Time Warner tell me that I didn't need to install a firewall because the router would act as a firewall, I then pulled up zone alarm on one of the computers running XP and showed him where my computer had been attacked and blocked 87 times in the last 48 hours. Windows firewall isn't really a firewall at all, and with all the fuss over WGA etc I would think that M$ could easily bypass their firewall since they wrote it! A good free firewall is zone alarm, but I would come closer to driving drunk with my eyes closed then I would connecting to the interent with out a firewall, a great virus protection program and a good spyware/adware program lets face it if M$'s firewall was that great then the market for other firewalls would have vanish some time back. As far as your problems re-installing a friends hacked copy of XP with SP 3 (which isn't even due out till next fall!) from Africa, or wherever I would have rathered installed Windows 98 and lied with that. I bet you look real hard at system restore and backups real hard in the future, and as far as Avast goes...well I use it on Vista 5456, but I do not depend on it at all! I run Vista on a dual boot system with XP and scan with Avast and then follow that up with a scan from Norton! I use Norton because I can get the defs right here and to me it finds more then Mcafee, but that is just my Oppinion. THese people that hang out here are great, and they are the best education you can get without having to go through what you went through, and while we do not always agree with each other about a lot of things, the information here is the best you can find! There are a lot of us that have been around since the old DOS days, some of us even before that, and there is little we haven't seen or been through ourselves. So read these posts. The education is the best there is! And while none of us have to post a word on here, because once we solve the problem then we learned and move on, this is for the others that run into the same problems so that you can get to a remedy faster then we had to! Good luck to you and I am sure that when someone else says that Windows Firewall is good enough you will be in there to help them out. And when ever you think that PC's are easy come on over and look at mine. It will make you think, so far I have done a lot to it that can't be done according to Dell!

 

Im running ZoneAlarm Free along with AVG and its kept me virus-free for over a year now They are great and really easy to use. I definitely reccomend them

 

Here is a dl link to Partition Magic a free 10 day trial. With that you should be able to resize your C partition and then your D partition, making the first one smaller and the second one larger. It does of course require free space on your C drive.

I find this program easy to use. I think it allows you to make boot floppy disks (at least the full version does) so that you can do this without going to windows mode.

I had a teacher at the network class who used to say that Partition Magic was the devil incarnated and that it could destroy the hdd. He didn't give a good enough reason to why this was, so unless someone else here at MG (guess I trust you guys more than my puter teachers...) says it is rubbish, I would say this is probably a good and easy way to solve that problem.

And trojans and viruses can be found on perfectly nice and serios pages as well. Even a forum like this can in theory be hacked and when you log on it can download something to your computer. A good firewall will prevend most things from happening, and the reason why XP isn't good enough is because if you HAVE been infected, the XP firewall won't prevent that program from connecting to its "mama" and do whatever it is meant to do.

 

The reason your teacher said that was easy, if you screw around with Bootmagic that comes with Partition Magic it will bite you in the .... and some of the older versions were not great, depending on what version of Windows you are running you can do most of the same through Windows. I have used Partition Magic and with a few exceptions I like it a lot. There are some things that I have learned not to try with it, one and foremost is the stupid little button on the side that says install another operating system should be labeled you 'bout to lose your 'puter! it don't work! easy enough and as far as boot magic, it would be magic if it ever worked! AnyOS worth anything will do the same for you that Boot Magic does! To the original problem I agree i would use partition Magic to resize the D partition and then copy everything on to it, now this could get tricky because if your not car4eful formating you could lose your D partition too! instead of formating it i would reinstall Windows and when it gets to the blue setup screen and asks which partition you want then I would select your C partition and then the next screen will ask you if you want to format the partition then I would format it there! If you go this way then the only need you have of partition Magic would be to resize your other partition to make sure it is large enough to hold whatever your going to store on it! Good luck!

 

Hey Guys,

Well I just finished slipstreaming my original XP OEM with XP SP2, it did it like a breeze, I just verified that it worked, so I am stoked, to say the least, what I have decided to do is backup all my data tommorow, burn it onto as many DVD's as possible, then do a complete system format, and get my single hard drive back to a single partition, which is the reason I slipstreamed, I have a 160GB hard drive, apparently the reason why I could only get 127GB max out of it on a full format was becuase I didnt have XP with either service packs and the that was the max the original XP release could detect, so now this should rectify this situation

I will let you know how it all goes, I think I may need to purchase a second HDD for security reasons, becuase if this happens again after I reformat, I`m going to be a little stuffed to say the least, I haven't bought any new hardware for a while, so a HDD and a 512MB stick of memory should do it

Thanks for all the advice guys, I was contemplating partition magic, but you both made me a little worried, If my HDD gets killed in the process, I`m going to be out of a PC until I can organise the dosh for a new HDD....

Cheers,

David

 

Or, you could buy and use a secondary backup like a External Seagate hard disk drive of 400 GB or so and back up all to there.

 

hehe, yeah I`ll um, just go see if that $20 I planted last year out back has taken off yet, I keep watering it, I was told within a week I should see some progress...

Seriously, I am on a strict budget just to survive... I have a son now and basically the only time I get myself something is when their is nothing else to get, and thats the way I prefer it