BrownCloud
New member
Np. Take your time. Thanks.
You got everything you need?
You got everything you need?
My computer has been automatically rebooting itself.
- Thread starter BrownCloud
- Start date
oldman960
New member
Hi BrownCloud,
I've been looking through these logs amd the error messages you posted. One points to hardware and the other to either malware or IE. The 2 messages may or may not be connected.
Your logs show IE6 as your version of Internet Explorer but the uninstall list shows IE7 as being installed. Did you install IE7? Did you uninstall IE7 and if so how?
Did you replace your hard drive recently?
Are you still experiencing random restarts?
Sorry for all the questions but somethings just aren't adding up.
I've been looking through these logs amd the error messages you posted. One points to hardware and the other to either malware or IE. The 2 messages may or may not be connected.
Your logs show IE6 as your version of Internet Explorer but the uninstall list shows IE7 as being installed. Did you install IE7? Did you uninstall IE7 and if so how?
Did you replace your hard drive recently?
Are you still experiencing random restarts?
Sorry for all the questions but somethings just aren't adding up.
Last edited:
BrownCloud
New member
I think the problem may be both software and hardware at this point. I was getting crashes before giving me the blue screen of death:
Technical information
*STOP: 0x000000F4 (0x00000003, 0x8A1B7858, 0X8A1B79CC, 0X805D1Z0A)
About a week ago my screen would freeze (lock up), turn black, then reboot without the blue screen of death.
My computer has been making processing noises (HDD noises) more than normal since then.
That was a long time ago. I installed IE7, didn't like it, then uninstalled it with Revo Uninstaller. I guess I got IE6 back some how. I don't remember. I primarily (99% of the time) use Mozilla FireFox.
No.
Yes, I'm getting restarts, but they aren't exactly random, and I can't exactly pin point it, but I do experience restarts whenever I'm doing something. I can't play Maplestory (an online game) anymore. It reboots every time I run it for a while. When I'm browsing some times my mouse double clicks when I click once (it has always done that. it's not frequent, but annoying when it does it), and then my computer would lock up and reboot. And, I guess I get the blue screen when I do that GMER scan w/o being in safe mode. It seems like all the crashes from a virus/malware has done permanent damage to my HDD that now my computer just restarts when I'm using hard drive space at damaged areas. I dunno.
Technical information
*STOP: 0x000000F4 (0x00000003, 0x8A1B7858, 0X8A1B79CC, 0X805D1Z0A)
About a week ago my screen would freeze (lock up), turn black, then reboot without the blue screen of death.
My computer has been making processing noises (HDD noises) more than normal since then.
That was a long time ago. I installed IE7, didn't like it, then uninstalled it with Revo Uninstaller. I guess I got IE6 back some how. I don't remember. I primarily (99% of the time) use Mozilla FireFox.
No.
Yes, I'm getting restarts, but they aren't exactly random, and I can't exactly pin point it, but I do experience restarts whenever I'm doing something. I can't play Maplestory (an online game) anymore. It reboots every time I run it for a while. When I'm browsing some times my mouse double clicks when I click once (it has always done that. it's not frequent, but annoying when it does it), and then my computer would lock up and reboot. And, I guess I get the blue screen when I do that GMER scan w/o being in safe mode. It seems like all the crashes from a virus/malware has done permanent damage to my HDD that now my computer just restarts when I'm using hard drive space at damaged areas. I dunno.
BrownCloud
New member
Let me clarify (the second example), when my mouse double clicks on a link or to switch to a tab (on my browser) my computer locks up and restarts. I don't know why that happens.
oldman960
New member
Hi BrownCloud,
As I mentioned IE can't be uninstalled as it's part of Windows. If you install a newer version, IE7 for example, and uninstall it, the older version will then become the installed version once again. I'm not sure how aggressive Renvo Uninstaller is, it may have taken a bit more than it needed to. One error message seems to suggest IE as the problem even though you aren't using it.
We can check if it's a hard drive problem.
go to Control Panel | System | hardware tab | device manager. Click the + sign beside Disk Drives. The brand name of your Hard drive will be displayed. Please post the make and model.
As I mentioned IE can't be uninstalled as it's part of Windows. If you install a newer version, IE7 for example, and uninstall it, the older version will then become the installed version once again. I'm not sure how aggressive Renvo Uninstaller is, it may have taken a bit more than it needed to. One error message seems to suggest IE as the problem even though you aren't using it.
We can check if it's a hard drive problem.
go to Control Panel | System | hardware tab | device manager. Click the + sign beside Disk Drives. The brand name of your Hard drive will be displayed. Please post the make and model.
BrownCloud
New member
What's do you mean by make and model?
BrownCloud
New member
I uninstalled my old nvidia driver, and installed an up to date version of it from the website. Also, turned off "Enable write combining" in the Trouble Shoot Display Properties. So far no reboots after that. Thanks for trying. I'm going to turn on my securities and other things you ask me to turn off including whatever the the defogger turned off.
oldman960
New member
Hi BrownCloud,
Looks like you may have it sorted out. If you are satisfied we'll remove the tools. Keep Defogger, we will use it shortly.
Since there was some malware found I suggest you reset your System Restore Points.
* Create a new restore point
You must be logged on to an administrator account
From your desktop, please delete
Next
Open OTL then click the Clean Up button. You may get prompted by your firewall that OTL wants to contact the internet - allow this. A cleanup.txt will be downloaded, a message dialog will ask you if you want to proceed with the cleanup process, click Yes. This will do some clean up tasks and delete some of the tools you have downloaded plus itself.
To re-enable your Emulation drivers, double click DeFogger to run the tool.
Your Emulation drivers are now re-enabled.
If there are no error messages you can now delete Defogger.
Updates and upgrades
You have an older version of Adobe Reader. You can download the current version HERE
You may want to consider Foxit Reader instead. It may be a bit lighter on resources.
Visit their support forum
Foxit Forum
In either case you should uninstall Adobe Reader 7.0 first. Be sure to move any PDF documents to another folder first though.
Some Recommendations and prevention tips
Basic security consists of 1 antivirus program, 1 resident antispyware program, 1 on demand antispyware program and a firewall. Just add a firewall and a resident antispyware program. You seem to be set in that area.
You should also use Spyware Blaster to help immunize your computer.
- SpywareBlaster will add a large list of programs and sites into your Internet Explorer
settings that will protect you from running and downloading known malicious programs.
OR
A guide to understanding and using the hosts file.
Learn how your Hosts file can protect you and how you can protect it.
Besides the Hosts file information, there are links to a very good updated hosts file, a host file manager. and some programs that can protect your hosts file.
HOSTS
Please read the info on disabling the DNS Client before installing a custom hosts file.
-Secure your Internet Explorer
From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
- Keeping your Windows up-to-date is crucial to your computer's security. Please go to the Windows Update Site (using Internet Explorer) and download and install all critical updates on a regular basis.
- Ensure that Automatic Update is turned on so you get all the latest patches.
Click start, control panel, click Security Center.
- Keep your antivirus program updated, as well as any other security programs you have.
-Check this site out to check for out of date programs
Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) 1.0
-More tips and programs can be found HERE
- You may also want to read this article By Tony Klein
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22879
We will keep this thread open for a couple of days. Please post back if you have any problems or questions. Please post back when you have finished so this thread can be marked "Resolved".
Take care
Looks like you may have it sorted out. If you are satisfied we'll remove the tools. Keep Defogger, we will use it shortly.
Since there was some malware found I suggest you reset your System Restore Points.
* Create a new restore point
You must be logged on to an administrator account
- Go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore.
- Click Create a restore point, and then click Next.
- In the text box labeled Restore Point Description, type a name for this restore point
- click create
- Go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - system tools.
- Launch the Disk Cleanup tool and let it run.
- When it finishes a box with tabs will appear, select the more options tab.
- On this tab you will find a section for System Restore.
- If you press the Clean Up button for that section, Windows will delete all restore points except for the most recent one.
From your desktop, please delete
- any notepads/logs that we created
- DDS
- GooredFix
- Gmer (9hi1grli.exe)
- MBRCheck
- RootKit Unhoker
- MBR.exe
- scan.bat
Next
Open OTL then click the Clean Up button. You may get prompted by your firewall that OTL wants to contact the internet - allow this. A cleanup.txt will be downloaded, a message dialog will ask you if you want to proceed with the cleanup process, click Yes. This will do some clean up tasks and delete some of the tools you have downloaded plus itself.
To re-enable your Emulation drivers, double click DeFogger to run the tool.
- The application window will appear
- Click the Re-enable button to re-enable your CD Emulation drivers
- Click Yes to continue
- A 'Finished!' message will appear
- Click OK
- DeFogger will now ask to reboot the machine - click OK
Your Emulation drivers are now re-enabled.
If there are no error messages you can now delete Defogger.
Updates and upgrades
You have an older version of Adobe Reader. You can download the current version HERE
You may want to consider Foxit Reader instead. It may be a bit lighter on resources.
Visit their support forum
Foxit Forum
In either case you should uninstall Adobe Reader 7.0 first. Be sure to move any PDF documents to another folder first though.
Some Recommendations and prevention tips
Basic security consists of 1 antivirus program, 1 resident antispyware program, 1 on demand antispyware program and a firewall. Just add a firewall and a resident antispyware program. You seem to be set in that area.
You should also use Spyware Blaster to help immunize your computer.
- SpywareBlaster will add a large list of programs and sites into your Internet Explorer
settings that will protect you from running and downloading known malicious programs.
OR
A guide to understanding and using the hosts file.
Learn how your Hosts file can protect you and how you can protect it.
Besides the Hosts file information, there are links to a very good updated hosts file, a host file manager. and some programs that can protect your hosts file.
HOSTS
Please read the info on disabling the DNS Client before installing a custom hosts file.
-Secure your Internet Explorer
From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
- Click once on the Security tab
- Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
- Click once on the Custom Level button.
- Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt
- Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable
- Change the Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable
- Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
- Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
- Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
- When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
- If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
- Keeping your Windows up-to-date is crucial to your computer's security. Please go to the Windows Update Site (using Internet Explorer) and download and install all critical updates on a regular basis.
- Ensure that Automatic Update is turned on so you get all the latest patches.
Click start, control panel, click Security Center.
- Keep your antivirus program updated, as well as any other security programs you have.
-Check this site out to check for out of date programs
Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) 1.0
-More tips and programs can be found HERE
- You may also want to read this article By Tony Klein
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22879
We will keep this thread open for a couple of days. Please post back if you have any problems or questions. Please post back when you have finished so this thread can be marked "Resolved".
Take care
BrownCloud
New member
I've stalled to update Windows XP Service Pack 3. I heard mixed reviews about it. Some good. some bad. Do you really think I should update it?
I already have Spyware Blaster.
I already created a restore point and got rid of the older restore points.
I don't use IE.
What does Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) actually do? And how effective is it?
My computer continues to lock up from time to time, but not as bad as when I didn't update my nvidia driver (which was pretty much a restart every time I did anything). Like when I'm playing a video or something. Maybe I still have some outdated drivers? Is that what Secunia PSI will help with?
I already have Spyware Blaster.
I already created a restore point and got rid of the older restore points.
I don't use IE.
What does Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI) actually do? And how effective is it?
My computer continues to lock up from time to time, but not as bad as when I didn't update my nvidia driver (which was pretty much a restart every time I did anything). Like when I'm playing a video or something. Maybe I still have some outdated drivers? Is that what Secunia PSI will help with?
oldman960
New member
Hi BrownCloud,
You can get the full download package for SP3 HERE
You can use FireFox to download. It says it's for IT Profressionals but you can safely use it. Download it and safe it a place you can easily access in safe mode such as your desktop. Boot to safe mode and double click the file.
It may be out dated drivers that are the cause of your problems could also be some malware we haven't been able to locate.
There are a couple of ways to find updated drivers for your hardware. I suggest the Manually download and install drivers section found HERE You can also visit your computer manufacturer's site and check for updates.
There aren't any more updates/patches for SP2. SP3 is very reliable. The trick is getting it installed correctly. The best way to install it is in Safe Mode. This way your security programs (the biggest cause of failed SP3 installs) will not be running and interfere. I haven't had anyone that I've helped have a problem updating it in safe mode.
You can get the full download package for SP3 HERE
You can use FireFox to download. It says it's for IT Profressionals but you can safely use it. Download it and safe it a place you can easily access in safe mode such as your desktop. Boot to safe mode and double click the file.
You should still secure it. You will need IE to access some MicroSoft site such as their Update site.
It scans for outdated software and does a good job.
It may be out dated drivers that are the cause of your problems could also be some malware we haven't been able to locate.
There are a couple of ways to find updated drivers for your hardware. I suggest the Manually download and install drivers section found HERE You can also visit your computer manufacturer's site and check for updates.