Help with fooked computer

[Dragoncaviar]

I tried to connect to the internet thismorning from my laptop, however, It was not successful

The problem is that when I double click an icon nothing happens, I get the little sand timer cursor to show that its trying to do something, but then it goes back to the normal cursor and nothing happens.

I tried opening things through the start menu (which I can still access) but the same thing happens.

I can access the task manager with the normal method of Ctrl Alt Del, but not by right clicking the taskbar at the bottom.

Once im In taskmanager I can open CMD (Command prompt) by pressing New Task, and typing cmd, however nothing else will open from this.

The most important thing on my computer is my e-mail addresses from outlook, Even if someone knows somehow to open that before I format the computer this would be a major help, however I am scepticle, and I don't want to have to go out and be charged £100 for 2 hours work from some guy to tell me that the computer needs formatting, something i could have dome myself, without the bill.

 

Any help as always would be much appreciated

 

Regards,

[TheProphet]

Try to start an explorer window.. by this way u might be able to reach Outlocks files!

[5614]

well it sounds like something is really buggered, excuse the language, i rarely come to a computer problem, which i can honestly say i dont have a clue!

 

all i can say is: and this will be useful:

 

what OS, operating system do you have?

 

what have you done recently? e.g. editing registries, installing possibly dodgy programs,

 

is there any chance you have a virus, from a new website, a friends floppy disk or CD, a recent email, with attachment... have you received any warnings from your AV anti-virus? or firewall?

 

what firewall / anti-virus do you have? and are they up to date? when this problem started?

 

with those questions answered, i may be able to give you some more answers!

 

what i can say regardless of that is:

 

run your computer in safe mode,

 

use system restore, if you have one, depends on OS

 

scan for viruses, if you can run your AV,

 

check your network, if you have one for viruses and/or hackers, you may have been internaly hacked, ie. through your friend/familys computer, if you are on a network.

 

if you have windows, i dont know about mac, you can re-install windows, without a format, maybe try that, although there is a minor minor minor risk of loosing some data, try it, before you format your HDD, hard drive disk.

 

answer the questions, i reply again, and then, its up to you, chose an option, and hope!

[5614]

Try to start an explorer window.. by this way u might be able to reach Outlocks files!

 

 

well yes, that would be a bit of a basic approach, but when it was said, that he cannot open files or folders, i made the assumption he had tried that! if you havent, Dragoncaviar, do try it!

[Dragoncaviar]

Yes I had tried to open an explorer window (My computer I assume?)

Im running XP (Not 98, thats where explorer is from right?)

I haven't installed any files recently, and I haven't edited any registries

There is a high possibility that I have a virus from a website, It's a laptop without a floppy drive, and I havent used the D: drive in ages (Thats what i use my desktop for)

I think I have a virus as I get those e-mails that say random quotes with an attachment like : Here's the cheats

or: Something for you

and Although I have never opened one of these files, I know that it is a virus, as I have also had them on my Hotmail account and McAffe picks them up as W.32 worms.

However I'm pretty confident that they're on my computer because I got an automated delivery faliure response email the other day, and it showed me the message that "I" had sent, and it was one of the dodgy e-mails with the attachment.

 

Im using Norton Antivirus 2004 pro (Yes I know everyone says its shite, but I haven't got round to getting any others) and It's fully updated, however it hasn't picked anything up, and they were up to date when the problem started (thismorning, was fine last night.)

[bloodhound]

go scan ur computer online.

 

http://housecall.antivirus.com/

 

http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

 

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

 

http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

 

 

and also download demos of other AV. try getting Kaspersky or NOD32.

[TheProphet]

Go to run and type: explorer and u get the good ol file tool upp running.. I hate Win XP.. I thought they would imporve from 98 and 2000 but not... Ran some OS X on a friend mac (latest version) and it's just enormeous.. to bad mac:s are so darn expensive... =(

[5614]

Yes I had tried to open an explorer window (My computer I assume?)

Im running XP (Not 98' date=' thats where explorer is from right?)

I haven't installed any files recently, and I haven't edited any registries

There is a high possibility that I have a virus from a website, It's a laptop without a floppy drive, and I havent used the D: drive in ages (Thats what i use my desktop for)

I think I have a virus as I get those e-mails that say random quotes with an attachment like : Here's the cheats

or: Something for you

and Although I have never opened one of these files, I know that it is a virus, as I have also had them on my Hotmail account and McAffe picks them up as W.32 worms.

However I'm pretty confident that they're on my computer because I got an automated delivery faliure response email the other day, and it showed me the message that "I" had sent, and it was one of the dodgy e-mails with the attachment.

 

Im using Norton Antivirus 2004 pro (Yes I know everyone says its shite, but I haven't got round to getting any others) and It's fully updated, however it hasn't picked anything up, and they were up to date when the problem started (thismorning, was fine last night.)[/quote']

 

summary, you have XP! and norton '04 pro

 

well ive got norton '03 pro, its fine, the reason ppl say its crap is coz: it slows ur comp down, and doesnt catch spyware! but other than that, its fine;

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?p=69861#post69861

 

is a good link, and follow my link, in one of my posts, to another thread on this site, thats good, everything you need about AV etc. i tried others, but really, norton is fine, unless you want to A) speed up your computer or B) stop spyware, but you can get a seperate program for that.

 

spybot search and destroy, incl. spybot resident is good, free!

 

no-adware is good, but not free, they are slightly different though, but similar jobs!

 

W.32 worms are quite popular, i used to get loads of dodgy emails, about 2-5 a day, it was well bad, get a new email account, and NEVER GIVE IT OUT, i have a fake email! 5614@email2me.net, go to their site, http://www.email2me.net, its free, ok, or just use another hotmail account, or yahoo! are better than hotmail, make a "fake" account to send all online emails to, e.g. to register a prog, use that email, to buy stuff online, use that email, and if it gets buggered with viruses, dont go to it!

 

but if you have norton, i dont see how a virus could have got through, although it is possilbe you were hit by an auto-start virus, which auto-runs, although norton would stop it, if you were sent it, by pure fluke and bad luck, when it was new, or before you updated norton, it could have infected you, but even then, if it was still running, norton would pick it up!

 

i post this, more in a sec...

[Dragoncaviar]

go scan ur computer online.

I would, however I have been trying to make it clear that I cant open anything!

that means I cant open my browser, I cant open my dialler, I cant open anything.

[5614]

Go to run and type: explorer and u get the good ol file tool upp running.. I hate Win XP.. I thought they would imporve from 98 and 2000 but not... Ran some OS X on a friend mac (latest version) and it's just enormeous.. to bad mac:s are so darn expensive... =(

 

yes that would work, i suppose, but again, earlier he said that he couldnt run any progs except CMD, or command prompt, so im guessing that wont work, i cant remember where his emails will be saved, as i use Yahoo!, but im sure he can find them!

[5614]

I would' date=' however I have been trying to make it clear that I cant open anything!

that means I cant open my browser, I cant open my dialler, I cant open anything.[/quote']

 

bloodhound, silly billy! lol, no offense!

 

ok, i think we get you now, no progs, but its funny how you can open CMD, thats unusual, maybe theres a loop, somehow? i dont know, play, see if you can open something through CMD

 

run your computer in safe mode, insert your Windows XP CD, re-configure the BIOS to run from the D:\ drive first, then your computer will start from the XP CD, you should be able to run safe mode from there, but i havent done this ever, so i may be wrong!

 

ask if you dont understand me, e.g. with the BIOS stuff, we dont want you to **** ur computer any more, not that it could get worst!

[bloodhound]

i assume u can go to task manager. see what processes are running under ur user name. and End the processes one by one, and see if u can start the net. once that done. note the process name and google it.

[5614]

oh yeah, do try rebooting ur PC, im sure you have, but occasioanly it does work!

[5614]

http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/

 

will tell you about all of the tasks your running, its VERY good!

 

try ending process which sound dodgy, and NOT system ones! if you have a virus, and you terminate the virus, you then need to track where it is, from there, you can manually delete it, remember, if you have broadband, or any internet at all, if your firewall or AV hasnt auto-started, then you are unprotected

[5614]

To start the computer in safe mode:

 

You should print these instructions before continuing. They will not be available after you shut your computer down in step 2.

 

Click Start, click Shut Down, and then, in the drop-down list, click Shut down.

 

In the Shut Down Windows dialog box, click Restart, and then click OK.

When you see the message Please select the operating system to start, press F8.

 

Use the arrow keys to highlight the appropriate safe mode option, and then press ENTER.

 

If you have a dual-boot or multiple-boot system, choose the installation that you need to access using the arrow keys, and then press ENTER.

 

Notes:

 

In safe mode, you have access to only basic files and drivers (mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, base video, default system services, and no network connections). You can choose the Safe Mode with Networking option, which loads all of the above files and drivers and the essential services and drivers to start networking, or you can choose the Safe Mode with Command Prompt option, which is exactly the same as safe mode except that a command prompt is started instead of the graphical user interface. You can also choose Last Known Good Configuration, which starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last shutdown.

Safe mode helps you diagnose problems. If a symptom does not reappear when you start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and minimum device drivers as possible causes. If a newly added device or a changed driver is causing problems, you can use safe mode to remove the device or reverse the change.

 

There are circumstances where safe mode will not be able to help you, such as when Windows system files that are required to start the system are corrupted or damaged. In this case, the Recovery Console may help you.

 

NUM LOCK must be off before the arrow keys on the numeric keypad will function. to turn on mouse keys, alt+left shift+numlock

 

 

 

 

 

this is copied and pasted straigt from the XP help program, which came with my OS, which is also XP

[5614]

now i know you have XP, i know you can use system restore, i can only hope you have turned it on, i dunno what default is!

 

To run System Restore in safe mode:

 

Access System Restore through Help and Support.

 

Follow the instructions on your screen.

 

Notes:

 

To access the System Restore Wizard, click Start, and then click Help and Support. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Using System Restore to undo changes, and then click Run the System Restore Wizard.

 

While the computer is in safe mode, System Restore does not create any restore points. Therefore, you cannot undo a restoration that you performed when the computer was in safe mode.

 

You can use System Restore to restore your computer to any restore point while in safe mode. If you cannot start the computer in standard mode, you can use System Restore to restore to a time when you could start the computer without errors.

 

To restore to a time when your computer started without errors, select a restore point as close to the time you remember it last started without errors.

If System Restore is suspended because of insufficient disk space, you cannot enable it by making more disk space available while in safe mode. You must restart the computer in standard mode and make more disk space available.

 

 

also from the XP help program

[bloodhound]

the way i go to safe mode. is to go to start menu -> run and type "msconfig"

 

and if u go to BOOT.INI tab. u will see boot options and there will be a /SAFEBOOT option. just check it and restart. if u wanna go back to normal, just follow the safe process and restart. and just go to general tab and select Normal Startup.

 

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for anything that happens to your computer if u follow this advice

[5614]

yeah, soz, im a newy to msconfig, only found out about it recently, but yes, that will also work!

 

it will not damage ur computer, although dont hold me to my word, if legal actions were to follow! but starting ur comp in safemood, is fine, unharmable, but msconfig itself is advanced, ive edited sum settings, and im fine! but do so at ur own risk!

[Sayonara]

Traditionally when you are giving support it helps to use a diagnostic approach rather than just splurging random advice all over the page.

[5614]

Traditionally when you are giving support it helps to use a diagnostic approach rather than just splurging random advice all over the page.

 

yeah, i spose you are right, but when i deal with these kinda problems, random ideas come to my head all the time, all he has to do it read the whole page, and he will get an idea, im guessing hes not a beginner at computers as he mentioned how he loaded CMD or command prompt, which is not generally used by beginners, as they dont see the point, nor know how to use it, so im guessing he will undertsand what im saying, and thus not need it in a simple, 1, 2, 3 step guide! but yes, i know ur right! sayonara

[5614]

have you fixed it yet?

 

keep this thread up to date, it will be useful to know if my help was any good...

[Dragoncaviar]

It turned out that after I left the computer on for about 7 hours, "My Computer" started, so the computer was running just F***ING Slow!

 

In the end, despite all your help, I just ended up formatting, as I had very little on there that I still wanted/needed.

 

Thanks nevertheless for all your help everyone

 

 

regards,

[5614]

well, may i still advise that you run a AV scan disk, as some more advanced viruses can dodge formats, dont ask, how or why, dont tell me its impossible, i dont program viruses, i dont know how, but they can. ive read about it. they store themselves with the few *.sys files that remain on your computer when you format.

 

may i also remind that you, that all previous information on your computer, before the format, is still accessable.

this is because, whilsts the data has been removed, it has not been written over multiple times, thus there is freeware, which you can download, to recover this data:

 

http://www.bitmart.net/

 

seems to be what you will want, i dont know the technical sides to it, check out the website, it doesnt seem to be free though. search: "recover formatted data" not in ""thingys! in google and there are a lot of results, by the way, google is looking odd today, for athens 2004, worth a look!

 

to format your HDD and make it IMPOSSIBLE to recover any data, go to:

 

http://www.heidi.ie/eraser

 

it re-writes that data on your HDD 35 times, making it non-recoverable

 

for a virus scan, try these websites, they are mostly free, and good, they also scan for spyware and trojans, something which norton is not too good at, consequently, i use one of these sites about once every one or two months, just to be safe.

 

go scan ur computer online.

 

http://housecall.antivirus.com/

 

http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

 

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

 

http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

 

 

and also download demos of other AV. try getting Kaspersky or NOD32.

[Dragoncaviar]

Well thanks very much 5614, all your advice has been much appreciated, and I have installed Norton, and nothing was found, and the computer seems fine now.

 

However, nevertheless, I will still scan with one/some of those sites, and I have been told by a friend that Adaware is a good anti-adware program, so I will install that.

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Regards,

[Sayonara]

Also get a copy of Spybot: Search and Destroy.

 

Unlike AdAware it has an immunisation function that stops malware getting on your PC in the first place.

 

Also install Spyware Guard - it warns you about system changes and unsolicited downloads.