Various issues with Vista.

PunyN00b · Feb 4, 2011

Okay, I started in the malware forum and Kestrel13! helped me get to the bottom of those issues. It turns out that the infection was pretty minimal and I have some software issues. Among some of the things I am experiencing with this machine are:

Slow startups

Unable to take off of selective startup in msconfig

Some programs load very slowly

Windows Update is not working properly

Before sending me here he suggested the following to me, and I performed all of these steps:

You should make sure that windows updates is allowed through your firewall.

There are so many possible causes of problems with Windows Update that it would probably be best to send you to the Software Forum. However, there are a few things we can try first.

1. Make sure time and date and TimeZone are correct
2. See if it works in safe boot mode
3. Reset HOSTS file

Download HostsXpert and then follow the below steps.
Unzip HostsXpert.zip
It will create a folder named HostsXpert in whatever folder you extract it to.
Run HostsXpert.exe by double clicking on it.
Click the Make Writeable? button. (if you only see a Make Read-Only selection, it is already writeable so skip this button).
Click Restore Microsoft's Hosts File and then click OK.
Click the X to exit the program

4. flush DNS server

Right-click on the Command Prompt icon and select
"Run as administrator". Then type in: ipconfig/flushdns
and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

5. add Microsoft URLs to the Trusted Zone (see below)
6. shutdown firewall and retry
7. shutdown AntiVirus and try

MS URLs

http://*.update.microsoft.com
http://download.windowsupdate.com
http://genuine.microsoft.com
http://go.microsoft.com
http://support.microsoft.com
http://update.microsoft.com
https://*.update.microsoft.com <--Notice the https designation.

The first thing to always check for Windows Update problems! make sure that Automatic Updates is not turned off. It needs to be on and the service status needs to be Started and the Service type needs to be Automatic.
Click to expand...

This was the result of those instructions:

1. Did all the things suggested on the Windows Updates. It's still not fully working, though something I did there allowed me to install a few updates that were failing before. Specifically, they are still running Service Pack 1 on this machine and it won't allow me to access Service Pack 2. I tried to download it manually from Microsoft and it didn't work either. I tried going to the Microsoft website it gave me after the installation failed and troubleshooting it myself, but the steps they suggested didn't work either. I worked through all of the steps for fixing the error message I was getting (0x80073712) here and this didn't help either. I don't know what the deal is. Also, it is set for automatic updating.

2. Yes, I am only using the firewall on Comodo and updates are allowed.

3. When I rebooted in safe mode I still couldn't put it on normal startup. It did the same thing. As soon as I hit apply it automatically just reverted back to selective startup.
Click to expand...

If anyone needs any more info from me I'd be happy to give it.

plodr · Feb 5, 2011

Remove Comodo and turn on Windows Firewall. You do have an antivirus and antimalware installed, I hope. If not, please ignore removing Comodo until we have you squared away with proper protection.

PunyN00b · Feb 7, 2011

Okay, I've disabled Comodo and turned on Windows Firewall. I have all kinds of virus and malware protection on it. I run Avira AntiVir for real-time protection, and I have several programs I use to scan for malware periodically (Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, Super Anti-Spyware, Spybot Search and Destroy, CCleaner, etc...) I don't run all of those at once, the only thing I'm running real time is Comodo and Avira. But I've now disabled Comodo and turned on Windows Firewall. What next?

plodr · Feb 7, 2011

Us Revo Uninstaller to remove Comodo
http://majorgeeks.com/Revo_Uninstaller_d5706.html
Install Revo and then run it. Wait until it populates the list of your installed programs. Select Comodo. Let the default setting "moderate" as the cleanup to use. It will use the programs uninstall to remove the program after creating a restore point. If it asks you to reboot DO NOT. This would be the program asking to reboot but Revo is not finished yet so rebooting would break the uninstall. Revo then goes through your registry and finds all the bits and pieces remaining after the uninstall. You will be presented with a tree. This is important: NEVER click delete all!!! Look at only the entries in bold. Those are the items that need to be selected for deletion. None of the normal items should be selected because they are needed in the registry. You are removing subkeys of folders that the registry needs to function.

After you have selected all the bolded items, click delet. The next screen might say it is done or you may be presented with a few things sent to the recyle bin. You can empty recycling now or later. Reboot.

Then turn off the PC and turn it on and see if your startup time has improved.

Next see if you can turn off selective startup.

After that, explain what programs are slow to load. We'll tackle that then lasly see what we can do about windows updates (that can be a major headache when it breaks).

PunyN00b · Feb 9, 2011

Okay. I installed Revo and ran the uninstall like you said. About halfway through the uninstall I got a blue screen crash, and when I rebooted Comodo was neither in Revo's list of installed programs, CCleaner's list, or Control Panel's list. But it's still on my computer and it opens when I click on it. So basically that just made things worse.

rustyjack · Feb 9, 2011

Reboot into Safe Mode try uninstalling Comodo using Revo or not whilst in safe mode then reboot see what happens, or alternatively reboot into "advanced user mode " by pressing F8 continuosly, then scroll down to " Last Known Good Configuration " or just do a system restore in normal mode to before you tried uninstalling Comodo then start again following plodr's instructions !

PunyN00b · Feb 10, 2011

Alright, tried all of that and none of it helped. Rebooted in safe mode and the uninstall option was not there. Booted in Advanced User mode to Last Known Good Configuration and it gave me what I have now. Tried a system restore and it failed because of an unexpected error.

I've had it with this thing. Vista sucks. It's been nothing but problems since they got this thing. I'm killing this computer and starting fresh with Windows 7. So before I fire up the command prompt and "format c: /u" this thing I have a few questions.

1. Is that the most effective way? I want to completely nuke this thing. I want nothing left on it. Just the hardware, firmware, and the BIOS settings. No partitions, nothing. I want it as bare bones as possible.

2. What do I need to save? This isn't my computer, it belongs to my folks. They have an external HD, so getting whatever documents/pictures/songs/etc... won't be an issue. My dad uses a VPN Client (Team Viewer) to access his computer at work. Also, they have a home network set up. This is the main computer that the modem/wireless router/everything else is configured to. Two laptops and a Playstation 3 feed off of this router. Are there settings I need to save or anything like that? Anything else that is on here can be re-downloaded and installed I think, but I want to make absolutely sure I don't miss anything before I stick the knife in it's belly and twist.

PunyN00b · Feb 11, 2011

Scratch that last reply (for the moment), I FINALLY got it to cooperate through Revo after fighting with it some more. Comodo is now gone from my system along with the bolded registry items. Startup doesn't seem to be affected; it's still pretty slow. And it still won't go off of selective startup. Some programs seem to load faster now. Pretty much anything related to the operating system (explorer, control panel, etc...) seems to work fine. Google Chrome is working well too. But all the other programs on here still have a hard time opening it seems. Once they open things seem to run fine, but it takes way longer than it should to open programs.

That's where it's at for the moment. Sorry, this thing has given them fits for the last year or so. They've spent about $1200 and put it in the shop 4-5 times in that period and it just keeps breaking.

plodr · Feb 11, 2011

That fact that it blue-screened during your first Revo uninstall leads me to believe that something in hardware is not operating correctly. (marginal or possibly getting close to failing)
Have you tested the RAM?
Slow startups are one sign of a failing hard drive.

Vista ran slow for some but it is going to take me a pretty long time to research to find the solution.
I'll have to postpone searching until this evening. Life calls.

DavidGP · Feb 11, 2011

Hi

If its been in the shop 4-5 times then I would be going the same direction as plodr and maybe hardware is at fault, could also be software installed that starts with the PC, as a plain install of Vista generally on hardware that was designed for it works well, its the 3rd party apps that can cause the issue.

Could you post a list of your startups, and this can be done from CCleaner and its Tools > Startup menu and then click the Save to Text File button in the bottom right corner and then attach as per HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post
Click to expand...

Please name all security applications installed on this PC, just in case they dont list in the startup list.

The BSOD error message would be handy, so has it happened since yesterday? if so please supply the message,

Do you have the Vista disk? if so could try a boot repair HERE

PunyN00b · Feb 11, 2011

The CCleaner startup log is attached.

Security programs are:

MalwareBytes Anti-Malware
Super Anti-Spyware
Spybot Search and Destroy
Avira AntiVir
Spyware Blaster

I've also used ComboFix, RootRepeal, and MGTools to clean the system (as instructed in the Malware removal forum) but all of those programs have been uninstalled.

The BSOD hasn't happened since the other day when I initially ran Revo, I should have written the error code down. My bad. I'm an IT student. I'm very early in my education, but I should still know better than that.

This is where it gets annoying. I wish I had a Vista disc, but this system came pre-installed with Vista and it didn't come with an OS disc. My college is part of the MSDN Academic Alliance though, so I have various versions of Windows available to me at no cost. I've been thinking about putting Windows 7 Professional on here, but I don't want to do it if this machine is screwed up. Plus I don't want to lose any of the media center capabilities or anything like that installed on this machine, being that it's mainly used for that type of thing. I'd like to try and fix whatever issues this thing has first before attempting to upgrade.

Also, my Printer software is messed up. I posted in the Hardware forum because I thought that was the appropriate place, but my printer stuff is software related as well. It's been acting up on me for a while, so I finally got sick of it and uninstalled it and uninstalled all the software in the software suite that came with it. When I tried to re-install, it wouldn't fully re-install because it said most of the components on the disc were already installed (even though I had uninstalled them). I tried to download the updated drivers and software suite from the HP website and ran the diagnostic tools that were suggested to me in the Hardware Forum (here) but it's still not working. I tried using Revo to get it, and tried using Revo in Hunter Mode to get it but when I pop the disc back in or run the driver from the website it still says most components are already installed.

So I'm sure you can see why I'm just tempted to nuke this thing and start over.

PunyN00b · Feb 11, 2011

plodr, I just got done testing the RAM via the memory diagnostics tool found in the Control Panel. The computer rebooted, the test ran, and then it rebooted again. At the bottom of the screen, it said the results would be shown to me when I logged back in but (big surprise) the results never came up. Is there another tool I can use to perform this test?

DavidGP · Feb 12, 2011

Hi

Ok are the versions of MBAM and SAS full retail ones or the free versions? uninstall Spybot as a test.

Good on the BSOD as thats one less thing to worry about and ahhhh its ok as a IT student its overlooked once in forgetting the message

Using StartupCPL HERE and its a standalone version so run it as it doesnt install (like apps like this myself) and disable the following, then see how the PC boots and runs.

ehTray.exe
WMPNSCFG
NvCplDaemon
NvMediaCenter
Adobe Reader Speed Launcher
KHALMNPR.EXE (this could be your issue as this logitech device has been known to cause massive CPU usage)
hpsysdrv
HP Software Update
AppleSyncNotifier
iTunesHelper
SunJavaUpdateSched
SnapfishMediaDetector
Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk
Logitech SetPoint.lnk
Snapfish Media Detector.lnk
VPN Client.lnk

and the biggy is LimeWire On Startup.lnk could have large slowness in having this active all the time, not left you with many startups now so see how the PC runs, could also try Safe Mode with Networking and see how the PC runs in SF, as that can highlight an app as the cause.

As for a Memory tester then this should work ok HERE, but you would need to test each individual ram sticks, so if their are multiple ones installed take all bar one out and test, then if OK swap that good one for the next and so on.

I agree a clean install is worthy and Win7 os a good choice.

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Various issues with Vista.

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plodr MajorGeek Super Extraordinaire Moderator Staff Member

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Attached Files:

startup.txt

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