Larian Studios Forums General Chat Chat (Anything) The PC "Help" Thread

For some time now (a week or two) I've had trouble with my computer. It started with Warcraft 3 simplly freezeing, so I had to reboot manually. Nothing like this has ever happened on my computer before. WC3 has worked unreliablly after that (sometimes it works, sometimes it freezes after just a few minutes into a game), so I've stopped playing that (since I play online, and if you play online you don't just destroy for yourself if your WC3 stops working). I've recentlly bought and installed Jade Empire (after the trouble started), which worked fine at first, but now it seems to have some trouble too. Neverwinter Nights 2 have allso had some trouble. Last time something happened was a few minutes ago when I got a bluescreen from entering a Javabased chat...

First LadyRain suggested that it was my graphic card fan, but the card doesn't seem warm after these things happen. I made a virus scan with avast! with some weird results. I printscreened the log (since you couldn't save it...) and you can find it here. It's in Swedish but most of it is fully understandable in English (uppackad bomb: unpacked bomb <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />. Doesn't sound very good). Lösenordsskyddad means the file is protected by password. The file right after that is too big to scan. The infections are taken care off.

I'm just curious what might be wrong, I don't want to live on Footballmanager (only game that works reliablly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" />) until Christmass (when I plan to buy a new one, prehaps). And I allso would take tips on sollutions, naturally <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />.

Übereil

You didn't use other scanners, did you ?

Some trojans spread indeed in password-protected archives.

Edit : You didn't see the trojan infection at the end of that list, did you ?

Read this : http://research.sunbelt-software.co...r.Win32.Agent.awb&threatid=50152

And more importantly : This one : http://www.pestpatrol.com/spywarecenter/pest.aspx?id=453101366

Why don't you just do a google search with the keywords ?

Okay first and foremost:
1) an up to date firewall
2) an up to date AV
3) an up to date Malware program (I use Win Defender, spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Aware.
4) Run a total system check, Let it run all night if you have to
and if still nothing works good ....
5) Re-install windows (preferably from a formatted drive)
6) Repeat 1 - 4
7) Make sure (now that you have a clean PC) you get the latest drivers for at least the Graph Card, if you did a format, you should have checked the net for all updated drivers available, this includes chipset drivers etc etc
8) I know that you already know all these things Ube, but take it from a paranoid pc user, that reformatting the system drive is the ONLY sure way of getting rid of any infections .... yes it takes time! but you will be surprised at the speed that windows will run at, after you get rid of all the bad stuff AND all the left over bits and pieces from programs you have uninstalled over the year.

And you know what? it works a 100 % of the time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I thought those last two was the addaware Avast! alerted me about <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/suspicion.gif" alt="" />. Oh well...

Übereil

If you can - get yourself a second scanner, please.

It's better that way.

Four eyes see more than just two.

Do your scans in windows safe mode and disconnect from the internet so plug out your ethernet cable.
And if you get the blue screen again enter it's stop message here, or look it up at the internet. If you don't come up with something, post the stop message and your full hardware list.
I while back I used to get stop messages about something with the memory, seems the problem was with an intern modem that caused the random crashes, and I even didn't use the modem. Took me a while to figure that out.

The problem with the bluescreens is that they remain for five seconds top, then the computer reboots. Checking things with those conditions is pretty difficult...

I'll try and get a second scanner. And for once, I'll scout for it myself! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Übereil

I am no expert when it comes of this stuff, but I had a similar problem on my old work PC where for no logical reason certain processes, or doing certain things like running a particular set of apps, or browsing to a particualr website that used java, and so and so on, I would get a blue screen and instant restart of the computer.

Problem - bad ram module.

Ram had to be replaced - fixed the problem. You could also try this program to test your ram modules http://www.memtest.org/

How To Disable the Automatic Restart on System Failure in Windows XP

Thanks for the link Raze!



Sounds reasonable. Just one question, how do you boot from a CD? And does it work to mount the .iso file with Daemontools? Edit: OK, I found out how to do this. Only problem is that I could only select my HD, my original DVD and my floppy drive. Sollution? I'll go find myself some old floppy. We ought to have one laying around somewhere...

Übereil

hmm you could burn the iso to a disc ?
then set the bios to boot from cd first but hey if you can get the floppy to work great .... and do follow Raze's link cause it will help maybe not this time but the next <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yes, burn that .iso to a disc. The burner (after-burner ? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> ) should have an option for that ("burn ISOs").

Turns out it was the SATA-unit on the MoBo that was slowlly starting to break down. That's fixed now, but I've got a new disc with a new windowsinstallation, and of course this disc/windowsinstallation has no clue there's an old one on the other disc. Because of this I have to start over again, and on that I have some questions:

1) Where can I find my old bookmarks? I had some pretty nice sites among those bookmarks...

2) Firefox keeps asking me if I want to save passwords. I want to turn that function off, since it's damn annoying (I accidentlly clicked "never for this site" on Gmail, since I thought I'd use the built in function for Gmail instead. The problem is the question overrules the "remember me" command, so I can't save my name/pass on gmail no matter what... A sollution for this would be nice too <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />).

3) I suspect the guys at the store installed the Home edition of Windows. I payed 50% extra just to get proffesional, so I before doing too much I want to validate that I'm acually running professional. Is there a way to do this (ie check what kind of windows XP I'm running)?

4) It allso appears I have the function that comes with helpfull complements (things I've searched for before etc) active. How do I turn that off?

Well, that's all for now, I think. I'll be back if I can think of more though, be sure of that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />.

Übereil

1. C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<string of numbers\bookmarkbackups

2. tools>options>security Uncheck remember passwords for sites

3. start>run type: winver

4. I have no idea what you are talking about. What program?

Clarification on nr 4: When I (for instant) go to google and search for something google remembers things I've searched for before. Now in the start it's not that much, but I imagine that will escalate in a month or two, so I better turn it off before it even starts so to say.

Übereil

tools>options>privacy Then uncheck what you don't want. Or leave it alone and periodically clear it which is what I do with tools>options>clear private data and check or uncheck what you want.

OK, thanks for the help <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />. They all worked like a charm btw.

Übereil

i`m searching for a program, that can start another program on a certain time,
and ends that program on a later time>

a kind of program manager if u like
does anyone knows such a program?

Have you tried the built-in Windows Task Scheduler? At least in Win 9x the Task Scheduler can start programs at specific times (etc) and there is an option in the advanced properties to stop a task if it continues for more than a certain time.

There are other task schedulers, which may or may not have more options, such as Freebyte Task Scheduler or those listed here (both links found in a quick Google search, so you'll have to check if specific programs can schedule the start and end time the way you wish).

If you need more flexibility, try a macro or automation program (though they would have a steeper learning curve), such as AutoHotkey, AutoIt or those listed here (search for 'Macros' to get the relevant section of the list).

Thanks for the info @Raze!
the build in windows schedulers has a bug, because one of the latest fixes of Microsoft, changed the windows scheduler, for security reasons
now i have to ask a other hot fix at Microsoft to fix this new code into something usefull