hardrive not recognized

found that the boot msg comes form a leftover Symantec task that runs on boot, so I've deleted it with MSCONFIG

 

10-4

Didn't think!

Has the system stability improved any?

Try the spybot once more!

Then one more thing.

got to run and type

regedit

hilite my computer at top of tree then hit ctrl f to find

type norton hit enter

delete the entry it finds

hit f3 to continue search

delete all to the end

then go back to the top hilite my computer again and do the same with symantec.

I am going to bed in 30 minutes. Work tommorow.

Mike

 

Ok Sky got to to go to bed!

Leave me a an overall view of wher we are now.

Did you get the regedit done

any of the others, regcleaner's do them all

easyclean

spybot

adaware

Where do we stand?

mike

 

Mike, Thx 4 the hint on runnign regedit. I had done it B4 so was cool with it. Did get the registry clean with regedit...thot I had posted that Zone alarm is gfone, so is Netscape & so is Symantec CHKDISK /R took an age & then it ran twice as syst froze at end of 1st run.


So Y things have improved but the 'prob' (whatever it is) is still lurking. Prob seems to B related to hi disk activity. Syst freezes executing defrag, virus scan & regclean tool/.....


I had to reinstall N2003, as I won't run all day on DSL without it. U might recommend a firewall, but I use realtime info in my bus, so haven't found one that doesn't impose delay.

Spybot runs clean.

I have a problem with regclean......... The Software list shows
Author = zone labs SW = TrueVector yet regedit shows no entry on FIND + zone or =truevestor.

So is regclean 'really' showing the current contents of the reg or what 'used to be' there. I did delete Zone alarm in regclean. I deleted Netscape with Regcelan & it is NOT shown in regedit.

As the sytem uses a lot of CPU power during the day & little disk power I'm not touching it again today.

Will check here later this morning to see if U have further


Thanks 4 U're help. I'll check here later for any comments on the disk utilization.

 

Ok.

Seems like we are getting somewhere.

When you can work on it again do the following!

RegCleaner is finding what is in the Registry now. Hilite the TrueVector in regCleaner then remove it.

Use my computer browse to \windows\prefetch and delete all filess here.

Now that you have the Antivirus reinstalled go thru the configuration make sure it is set to scan all files and compressed files.

Then do a full scan.

If you have not run EasyClean do it now, just the Unnessesary files and Registry clean.

Now that you have run SpyBot run Adaware.

I will check back this eve when I get home with a couple more things that should finish this up.

Mike

 

Mike, not sure I'm communicating correctly

Ran Regclean & it listed Zone Alarm by TruseVector & deleted it.

Running regedit........I can't find either Truevector or Zone when I do an edit/find in regedit.


Don't find any 'prefetch' name on the hardfile, especially not in the Windows folder. Please clarify.

Nav2003 is installed 'properly' & set to scan. As I've said before I start a full virus scan THE SYSTEM FREEZES & REQUIRES A REBOOT. This reboot takes at least 5-10 tries to get to the desktop.

I can try again, but it has freozen EVERY time I do a virus scan.
Also freezes when I try to run any other disk analysis tasks.

I can't install EZClean. clicking on the setup exe for EZCLEAN gives error NTVDM CPU has encountered illegal inst. This error appeared only after I reinstalled NAV2003...that's why I think it may be a really hidden virus....but I can't scan for any????????????

I think adaware will also fail, as it requires a disk scan. IT fail;ed each time I tried last night.

I have to do some "REAL" work on this machine tonight at 9pm....so I'm not going to try & do anything that req

 

to finish the post...........not keen on running any sisj scan until I have a reliable backup machine, so I can spend 10-40 min rebooting to a clean desktop after a freeze. lost 1/2 a business day after a freeze at 9:31 this morning.


I will download the specific virus repair tools from NOR & run those.

 

OK Sky

Prefetch is XP only. I work on so many I forgot we were in 2k!

I agree about the possibility of a virus.

You did try to redownload EasyClean didn't you? If not try that before we give up on it for now! Delete the old and get it again from previous message.

The same for adaware if it won't install redownload!

While you are doing this I am preparing a linst of online scanners that you can run.

Next message in few minutes will have them. So do the above in meantime.

Mike

 

Sky

Here are the best online scanners. I would run 2 of these and the worm/trojan scan.

Online Virus scanners
http://www.anti-trojan.net/at.asp?l=en&t=onlinecheck

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

http://www.commandondemand.com/eval/index.cfm

http://www.computercops.biz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=770

http://housecall.antivirus.com/http...ie&venid=sym&plfid=20&pkj=OFRIWOBWYSHSFVIGMKI

http://www.pcpitstop.com/antivirus/default.asp

Mike

 

Sky I sent you a direct email.

Mike

 

Sky

I am trying to get you in a position to repair your system files using SFC.

But I do not want to do that untill we are reasonalby sure you are virus free.

Additionally you may have a configuration problem as evidenced by the problems you have rebooting. This could be part of the problem in general also.

This also we don't need to address untill we feel we are virus free. And then only after we have repaired the system files. Repairing the system files may fix the boot problem.

So as long as stability is improving lets try to clear the viri.

But there are 2 things we can do to maybe help the bootup.

1. Go into COMS/BIOS and turn off S.M.A.R.T HD monitoring for now. I don't run it at all except when I have a new HD or computer for a week or so, or if I suspect HD problems.

2. While in BIOS disable QuickBoot this will make the BIOS do more checks and will check the memory 2 or 3 times depending on the brand of BIOS. But turning it on gives the HD more time to sync to readiness. Some computers will hardly boot at all with quickboot enabled.

So the next time you go down, do these 2 items before you boot.

Mike

 

Thanks MIke.

Downloaded MNAY Norton tools & will run after work today. Re-downloaded EZClean & got the same files, so the download is not infected & without NAV onthe machine it did unzip. It's the resulting setup.exe that results in the error NTVDM CPU error.

The prob with Adaware is NOT the download...again I have it installed & it cauese a freeze 'cause it does a low level disk read & analysis.


Thanks for the list of scanners, but I have a concern that those that require a full disk scan will cause a freeze. I don't mean to be negative, but, I think that whatever is causing the disk scan problems is THE root of the problem.

I will also look at the hardware suggestions you made when I try these other suggestions.

I do appreciate your assistance & suggestions.

 

Mike,

Ran the trojan form the web & found no errors. Do the other tools run form the web & as such do you think they may runwihtout causing a disk freeze.

I'll run later, but have them saved in favorites.

 

Sky

You are getting somewhere but slowly.

No I cannot guarantee they won't lockup.

But somehow you need to get thru 1 or 2 of them and a full Norton, so I will leave that to you.

If you have not made the coms/bios changes I suggested you also need to do that. It just may drastically improve the boot.

So hold off on the online scans and full Norton for now

If you will get thru the below then we will repair you system files which may finish this up.

so

Do the CMOS/BIOS and the below asap


Hot item fixers (covers current hot prolific viruses only)

http://www.webmasterfree.com/software/2911.html

http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

Get back to me after completion and we will fix the system files.

Mike

 

Sky

Appearently you have finished with this thread as I saw another you have started.

So in closing this one for myself, a final few reccomendations!

There is no magical cure for this, the proceedures I told you about will have to be ran. Unless you do these proceedures your choice are to (a) live with it or (b) reinstall.

I stress again that turning off S.M.A.R.T and Quickboot in the BIOS will help your maybe even cure the boot up problem.

Additionally the NTVDM error you mentioned in your last message is proof to me that your SYSTEM FILES are curupted and this is the cause of most of you woes. Especially so for installing things. NTVDM is the Virtural DOS machine. Normaly only needed when installing or running programs in compatability mode.

The system acts as though more than this 1 file is effected.

Now fixing the files without trying to clear viri is not the way to do it. This logic says tha as soonas you fix them if you have a Virus then almost immediately they beging again to damage the files.

But if you are not going to do them then here is the proceedure to fix the system files.

1. put 2k install CD in drive.
2. in run command type sfc /scannow
3. follow instructions
4. reboot.

This should fix most things and if it does return a much higher level of stability and you did do it without the Virus scans before then do several of them now.

Good luck,
Mike

 

Hi Mike,

S.M.A.R.T is set 'disable' already & I don't know. Didn't find quickboot, so will look again, but would appreciate some guidence.

BTW I noticed the same err "NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction....CS:cf68 IP: 01 10 OP:ff ff b1 88 Chose close to terminate this app. "

when I try to run another exec file for mailweasher that I want'ed to install here. I think this did NOT happen when VAV2003 was installed, but can't remember.

Heres a link to a post about it which I don't understand...but it may give U a hint to the problem.......

http://sources.redhat.com/ml/cygwin/2002-04/msg01523.html

The MSOFT site says to contact the supplier fo the app. It's a shareware pgm which runs on other machines. Does that give you any clue????


More informaiton I just got an email from a friend (unless a virus sent it to me) with an attachement that I couldn't open. Whwn I opened the note, a header had been added saying 'OE removed access to the following unsafe attachemnt in your email: Fwdxxxxx "

I will now try to run the web based scanners that you provided the other day.

After doing that I hope to look for the quickboot.
Thanks a ton for staying with me on this.

 

Running the Online Virus scanners
http://www.anti-trojan.net/at.asp?l=en&t=onlinecheck

100% ok

http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

Froze trying to scan entire HD, BUT came up clean onm 1st re-boot. After cleam boot to desktop....LOTS of disk activity............almost solid disk lite. Will try to clean offending files form HD B4 running again.

http://www.commandondemand.com/eval/index.cfm

http://www.computercops.biz/modules...article&sid=770

http://housecall.antivirus.com/http...WOBWYSHSFVIGMKI

http://www.pcpitstop.com/antivirus/default.asp


Regclean now does NOT show Zomealarm or Netscape in the Software list. But a scan ousing regedit finds NETSCAPE in
hkey_users/.default/software/netscape It has one entry in the root (default) reg_sz value not set
a subordinate folder Netscape navigator with 3 sub folders suffixes...user trusted ext apps
& viewers.

Advice on blowing the Netscape directory & all it's content away?

closed regcleaner & regedit & used +/_ pgms to remove the Matrox software I installed to try & install my dual head card on this machine.

Also used regclean to remove a software entry for a Macafee patch that I noticed.

When I reopened regclean (all this B4 a reboot) I noticed the entry for Zone alarm had crept back in to the software list??????????????? VERY strange Took it out again using regcleaner

Rebooting now

 

Sky

Do only the STINGER and PQREMOVE that I sent 1 or 2 messages back.

Then we can fix the system files. These you download (Stinger & PQremove) but they run directly no install.

SKY I KNOW WHAT MOST OF THE PROBLEM IS ON YOU COMPUTER.

SYSTEM FILES CURUPTED!

Forget all other symptoms untill you get thru Stinger and PQremove.

Then after fixing the system files the stability and ability to install will be fixed!!!

Do these 3 things and the world will be different!

1. Stinger
2. PQremove
3. Sfc /scannow

Mike

 

Sky

I hope you are uninstalling these programs from ADD/remove before cleaning with a regcleaner!!!!

Always use the regcleaner to cleanup what the uninstall leaves.

I personally would not want Netscape but don't uninstall for this.

Forget all this regcleaning for now

Do only my last message "please "!!

Mike

 

Mike Y I have only used regclean toremove leftovers. It seems strang ethat ZOne alarm would re-appear. BUT I will follow U 're suggestions to the letter.

Pls excuse the 2 logon ID "s but it depends which computer I've logged onto. Skylane is on the sick 'puter' & now I'm on a dial up form another so I can continue to post during the healing process.


I did find quick boot, enabled it & ran to a clean boot, so now I'll set qucikboot back to it's original setting & run stinger & pqremove & repost.