Viewpoint media player

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by TheOldThug, Sep 18, 2006.

  1. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    I was looking at my add/remove programs and noticed Viewpoint media player. I was wondering if I should remove it. It may have come installed on my DELL computer when I got it (only 2 months old). I don't see anything in my startup or on HJT that has to do with Viewpoint.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 18, 2006
    #1
  2. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    I did find this after more searching:

    AT NO TIME WHATSOEVER does the Viewpoint Media Player or the Viewpoint Manager collect ANY personal data about you or your usage patterns, nor do we install third-party software or access information on your hard drive. The auto-update process happens totally anonymously and happens solely to ensure that your player is up-to-date. Since we do not collect personal data, there is no way - as in the case of 'spy ware' - to "traffic" or sell your personal information. We as a company find spy ware to be reprehensible and we are committed to protecting the privacy of all of our users.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 18, 2006
    #2
  3. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Viewpoint (there can be several installed tools) is junk forced down your throat without permission anytime anything from AOL is installed (AOL, AIM, etc) It is junk that wastes system resources and is never used or needed by 99.9% of the people who have it.

    While it may not be malware, is is junkware and when they don't asked your permission to install garbage like this that you more than likely do not need or want then it is also sneakware which borders on the verge of malware. It also does not always uninstall cleanly and when you update an AOL program, it often reinstalls again. Very similar tactic of malware.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2006
    chaslang, Sep 18, 2006
    #3
  4. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    So how do you feel about it? LOL No seriously, I guess just go to add/remove and get rid of it.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 18, 2006
    #4
  5. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Yes! It is in our step 0 procedure of the READ ME and note there is even a tool for this. See: ViewpointKiller
     
    chaslang, Sep 18, 2006
    #5
  6. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    Chas
    May just be a coincidence but I went to add/remove and removed Viewpoint. It seems like the very next time I booted up it took 20-30 seconds longer to boot completely. I get to desktop just as quickly but once it got there it would always kinda flash(reset, whatever) all the icons which means it was completely done. Now takes that extra time to do that. Any thoughts?
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 20, 2006
    #6
  7. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    A thought. Is there a program that shows me a log of what the computer does on boot up. Strange how it slowed up. No other problems.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 20, 2006
    #7
  8. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    HijackThis has a StartupList log that is useful. And GetRunKey (see the READ ME) also provides some insite into things that get loaded.

    Perhaps it did not get completely uninstalled.

    Attach a GetRunKey and ShowNew log (see the READ ME).
     
    chaslang, Sep 21, 2006
    #8
  9. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    I will try and do that when I get home. I didn't use the Viewpoint tool remover, just thru the add/remove.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 21, 2006
    #9
  10. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    Here are the files you asked for. So know I see you are writing code. Pretty neat.
     

    Attached Files:

    TheOldThug, Sep 21, 2006
    #10
  11. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    I have written code for many years Jerry, but you guys don't necessarily know all of my background!

    Well from your logs I can tell you a few things:
    1. Viewpoint is completely gone and I doubt it has anything to do with any delays you believe you are having
    2. You have a very outdated version of Sun Java installed. Install the current version of Sun Java from: Sun Java Runtime Environment
    3. Your version of FireFox requires updating. Install the current version of FireFox from: Mozilla Firefox
    4. You need to uninstall this malware: Search Assist You probably got this crap because this is a Dell PC.
    5. This WildTangent Web Driver is what I call always uninstallware, but it is up to you weather you need it or not.
    6. You need to run Ccleaner or manually empty the below folders:
      • C:\WINDOWS\Temp
      • C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry\Local Settings\Temp
    7. You are using MSconfig to disable a ton of things from starting up! WHY? This slows boot time more than just removing them permanently. And MSconfig was not designed to be a permanent tool for controlling startups. It was meant to be a debugging tool. You should go thru all of these and uninstall stuff you don't need at all, fix permanently (with HJT or manual registry editing) items that you never want to load at startup but you don't want to uninstall the software, and for anything that you want to load sometimes but not all the time use Startup CPL
     
    chaslang, Sep 22, 2006
    #11
  12. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    Thx Chas

    A few comments:
    2. There is a certain poker site I go to that uses sun java for one of it's applications that calculates poker hands. I have not changed sun java because I am not sure if it will work for that site. I believe it needs sun java virtual machine to work. Could be wrong on that will have to look closer

    5. Dell game with a bunch of "dell games" such as scrabble, golf, etc that need the wild tangent. I haven't used them yet but thought I might. There was nowhere to uninstall the games a so that is why I have left it on there. Actually last night I clicked on one of them and it goes to a CLSID numer as it's path, from there it does ask me if i want to install the game. I'll think about that one.

    7. Without a complete understanding of how startup works I have always disabled things in the run/msconfig/startup so that it boot faster and doesn't load programs that I don't use - maybe that isn't the proper way to do it. I thought I have seen you in the past make comments that ppl have a lot in startup and maybe that is why computer boots slowly and should disable things they don't need.

    I'll take care of the rest.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 22, 2006
    #12
  13. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    Would I just run the link u gave me for this or do I have to uninstall old version also.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 22, 2006
    #13
  14. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You can update first or update after uninstalling the old version. Either way, make sure to uninstall the old version.
     
    chaslang, Sep 22, 2006
    #14
  15. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Yes it can slow things down but it is best to handle them as I mentioned in my item number 7.

    For example, if you don't use or need the Google Desktop Search or the Toolbar, just uninstall them. You also probably don't need any of the Dell crap like DMXLauncher.exe and ECenter.

    Here is a list of things I would have already uninstall if it were my machine! Please note that obviously what I would need and use is probably quite different than what you use (like the poker game stuff) but some are just not needed at all. The Roxio & Sonic stuff I would have dumped because I use Nero which is much better. The list below is a copy & paste from the newfiles.txt log.

    "DisplayName"="Dell CinePlayer"
    "DisplayName"="Dell Digital Jukebox Driver"
    "DisplayName"="Dell Driver Reset Tool"
    "DisplayName"="Dell Game Console"
    "DisplayName"="EducateU"
    "DisplayName"="Full Tilt Poker"
    "DisplayName"="GemMaster Mystic"
    "DisplayName"="Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer"
    "DisplayName"="Musicmatch for Windows Media Player"
    "DisplayName"="Musicmatchr Jukebox"
    "DisplayName"="PartyPoker"
    "DisplayName"="PokerStars"
    "DisplayName"="PokerStove version 1.20"
    "DisplayName"="RealPlayer Basic"
    "DisplayName"="Roxio DLA"
    "DisplayName"="Roxio MyDVD LE"
    "DisplayName"="Roxio RecordNow Audio"
    "DisplayName"="Roxio RecordNow Copy"
    "DisplayName"="Roxio RecordNow Data"
    "DisplayName"="Search Assist"
    "DisplayName"="Sonic Activation Module"
    "DisplayName"="Sonic Encoders"
    "DisplayName"="Sonic Update Manager"
    "DisplayName"="UltimateBet"
    "DisplayName"="WildTangent Web Driver"
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2006
    chaslang, Sep 22, 2006
    #15
  16. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    I went to the site and it says "Calculator requires Java Virtual Machine". If I delete the old and install the new Java will it still have what I need?
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 22, 2006
    #16
  17. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Yes! You currently have:

    "DisplayName"="Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2_03"

    After updating you will have:

    "DisplayName"="J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 8"

    this is the same thing but it is the current version.
     
    chaslang, Sep 22, 2006
    #17
  18. TheOldThug

    TheOldThug First Sergeant

    Strangest thing, the delay has disappeared without having done anything yet.
     
    TheOldThug, Sep 23, 2006
    #18
  19. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Well I did say that uninstalling Viewpoint had nothing to do with your delays! ;)
     
    chaslang, Sep 24, 2006
    #19

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