Weird computer problems - help please!

[Checkers]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] Hiya People,
I've got a doozie of a computer problem and I think it's a virus or spyware, but I'm not sure what the heck is going on.
It all basically started after I did a round of updates from Micro$oft

About a day or 2 after I did the "windows update" I noticed that my AVG antivirus software wasn't updating. When I tried to get it to update, it just wouldn't work. I've tried reinstalling the software, deleting and reinstalling, etc and nothing worked.
I also tried downloading other antivirus software and now, no matter what browser I use or which software I try, I am unable to directly access any of the websites of the major antivirus companies. When I try to go to these sites, I get a "directory listing denied" message. It's so bad that I can't even access the online virus scan offered through my ISP using Internet Explorer, Netscape and Firefox. Making things weirder, I can still access just about any other site without issues.
I'm currently using Zone Alarm too, which I can not update to the latest version either - GRRR!
So, do you have any ideas on what's going on, or, more importantly, a solution on how to fix it? The only things I haven't tried yet are a system restore to a previous date or a full reformat.

Thanks in advance!

Checkers

p.s. I did manage to download a copy of avast! antivirus and I'm running a scan now. I'm not sure if the software is up to date though.[/FONT]

 

[Shovelhead]

"Let's Dance"

 

[OneUpTenn]

Looks like your only option is to do a system restore to an earlier date. And then hopefully that will work.

I was in Best Buy not too long ago getting my computer worked on and there were several people in line with your issue. Weird I know, but then again computers are weird.

All the Geek Squad will do (and swear there is no other option) is a full system restore which you can do at home or let them do it for $350. I would try the system restore....and then update all your virus softwares and THEN do the Windows Update!

Hope this helps!

 

[trakers]

No matter what you are told this is the deal, once a system has been compromised you can never trust it again.

I abhor Geek Squad and similar services. Not to be blunt but a vast majority of the people that end up working there are teenagers with limited skills and some older, lower skilled folks.

That said, I would agree with a full format/OS restore for systems that exhibit symptoms like yours.

I worked on a machine last week that had the dreaded AV2009 Trojan. It was so bad that a format/reinstall was the only reasonable answer.

If you are proactive (which you absolutely should be) buy an OEM copy of Ghost and dump off an image of the machine after you format/reinstall the OS and get all your software back on the machine. Then Ghost it once a week or so.

Then if you get into a serious situation again you can fully restore the system in 15 minutes to a *known good* state.

And just to be clear the "System Restore" in Windows is different from a real format/OS reinstall. The former is useless in 99% of cases and the later is 100% effective for infestation removal.

Good luck.

 

[Techman]

That said, I would agree with a full format/OS restore for systems that exhibit symptoms like yours.

I am almost falling of my chair. Two posters suggesting a full system restore... This type of advice is absolutely mistaken. I wish those who do not know what they are talking about would stop making these types of statements.

Full system reformat take days to finish. Any good tech can fix these challenges in just a few minutes. In fact I fix these infections all the time in just a matter of about 5 minutes. that's all it takes. Many call me to fix this junk and find relief is just a few steps. Most will have their machine running within the half hour and most of that time is getting the correct fixer.

There is no need to "clean" the hard drive with such drastic techniques as a fromat and restore. Those malwares are simply code, they are simply one's and zero's arranged in a certain way. All one has to do is change just one of those bits and the code is dead forever.

There is no dirt, there is no insidious germ, there is nothing living on that platter. Its just computer code. Once its changed and dead that space will be overwritten by the operating system and its gone forever.

So, those that think a full OS restore is the only way to go,,, keep doing it that way. For all others just make a phone call to your genuine IT tech and see that you can be back to normal within minutes. Notice I said genuine. Sure you may have to pay a few dollars but its worth every penny.

 

[Pat Whatley]

For all others just make a phone call to your genuine IT tech and see that you can be back to normal within minutes. Notice I said genuine. Sure you may have to pay a few dollars but its worth every penny.

I'm gonna agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY! When you consider how long it takes to reload everything IF you back it all up, and IF you can find the disks, and IF you don't screw it up it there's no reason to reformat.

The tech I use charges $50 - $100 for a basic clean up. I can drop off a system in the morning and pick it up the next morning (I'm pretty sure I could actually pick it up in an hour if I had to) and work like they're new.

 

[Signworks of Algoma]

Where else is a good place to go other than those big box places and how do you know they are reputable? I live in a small town and, frankly, the computer store owner freaks me out. Filthy, chain smokin', porn surfin', creepy bastard just waitin' to bone anybody that walks in the door. And the attitude you get from some of these people. They look at you and treat you like you're a freakin moron. I hate that! Luckily, I feel I am pretty savvy when it comes to my computer and haven't had to deal with viruses and whatnot.

 

[HaroldDesign]

When you do get it working, pick what ant-virus you want to use and use ONLY ONE. Multiples fight each-other and end up causing a lot of problems.

 

[Alphonse43]

I've been having similar problems with Microsoft upgrades. I tried different restore points, still no joy, I went back to Internet Explorer 6, still had the same problems. I disabled both the Firewall & Anti Virus, then installed Mozilla Firefox, ran AVG, and turned the PC tools firewall back on, this fixed the Explorer problems. I still have a problem with Outlook Express not being able to print a hard copy of any emails. It's not a printer problem, it prints emails OK from another PC rarely connected to the net, and has had no upgrades. I tried going back to the previous version of Outlook, it's still the same. I'll try using Mozilla Thunderbird and see if that fixes the the print problem. I've been noticing problems each time I've had a Microsoft upgrade over the last 3 or 4 weeks. Windows runs OK, just Explorer & Outlook Express have been a problem.
Alphonse43

 

[Shovelhead]

I've been having similar problems with Microsoft upgrades. I tried different restore points, still no joy, I went back to Internet Explorer 6, still had the same problems. I disabled both the Firewall & Anti Virus, then installed Mozilla Firefox, ran AVG, and turned the PC tools firewall back on, this fixed the Explorer problems. I still have a problem with Outlook Express not being able to print a hard copy of any emails. It's not a printer problem, it prints emails OK from another PC rarely connected to the net, and has had no upgrades. I tried going back to the previous version of Outlook, it's still the same. I'll try using Mozilla Thunderbird and see if that fixes the the print problem. I've been noticing problems each time I've had a Microsoft upgrade over the last 3 or 4 weeks. Windows runs OK, just Explorer & Outlook Express have been a problem.
Alphonse43

Never have any problems because I don't use the above....

 

[Techman]

Every body,,
Quit using restore... ITs not the cure all.
Quit using outlook products, quit using Internet explorer and quit accepting updates from microsoft.

Cultivate a relationship with a local guru. Most of these guru's are willing to help any one at just about any time. I get calls all the time from people having a problem and often look forward to the challenge.

Often he can get your machine to run in just the time it takes to boot. I just worked on a lap top that refused to boot that turned out to have a dead hard drive. I had boot within 2 minutes and diagnosed within a few more minutes. All this was found within the first minutes. Good tech's have some very expensive utilities that will get any machine within seconds. The owner walked away knowing just get a new hard drive and reinstall. All too simple.

Just do not call and ask for help then proceed to tell the tech how to fix your machine, and do tell him the truth about what you or your kids were doing with the system just before it crashed.

He will not care about your lack of geekness, all he wants to know is where to start. Then when he tells you it will be $50 or whatever to fix it just pay it. T

If you come across as trying to be cheap you will get the deaf ear routine.

Good luck...

 

[Baz]

Holly smokes!!! .... I can't believe i'm reading this now. I was supposed to be going home around 3:30pm today. For some stupid reason i opened up Ad-Aware 2007 and tried updating it ... lo and behold ... Massive spyware infection started. Pop ups everytime i tried going somewhere online. No programs would update themselves (AVG, SpyBot, AdAware). Even trying to access update sites would not work through browsers. Verry nasty!!

I was able to use Firefox without having popups occuring (but still updating sites were not accessible). I was able to download the latest AdAware through "download.com" and did a scan (something like over 400 infections were detected .. majority were low level cookies). Then i was able to manually download the latest update file and did another scan (lower number of infections.)

Then after some online reading i was able to download Malwarebytes' through "download.com" again since i wasnt able to access the official site. Fortunately it did install but couldn't update. I did a scan ... It found about 40 infections. Then after a reboot ... wow!!! ... updates were available for all my programs. So i updated Malwarebytes' and did another scan ... This time it found 7 infections.

After 5 hours (lots of scans and reboots) everything seems to be running smoothly!!!!

This was the most screwed up spyware/malware infection i ever got and i am finding it quite funny that i am reading this post after scratching my head so many times about not being able to update or even access allot of websites!!

Nasty stuff ... I hope this can be of some help!

edited to add: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

 

[Baz]

In the past i could say that yes ... I did go to some places that were "at risk" .. so i knew the consequences that could arrive ... But today, honestly ... I got some nasty trojan from a popup that came from trying to update an older Ad-Aware version. After many scans the most important trojans i had were "prunnet.exe" and "antivirus2009" along with another big one i can't remember now (im at home and this was on my shop pc).

My computer hadn't been scaned in a while so i knew i was going to get allot of tracking cookie results and your regular harmless detections. But this thing about not being able to update any programs or accessing any update sites was totally new to me. Even clicking on Google search results for spyware programs and antivirus links resulted in "site unaccessible .... check your internet connection" messages.

What a day! I need a

 

[signage]

Happy New Year Baz, have a few for me! Glad you got it fixed and I hope this helps checkers out!

 

[Techman]

if most of us would set our host files... then there will be none to very few of those low level tracking cookies and those low level malwares loaded into your machine.

Every time you open a webpage that has any kind of graphic ad on the side ,,, those are low level cookie goodies,,

 

[Checkers]

Well, I'm still "dancin' here and getting nowhere quick and, unfortunately, i think I''m getting to the end of my rope.
Despite practicing extremely safe surfing habits, I still managed to catch this bug and, from what I can tell, it appears to have happened when I decided to get the latest and (not so) greatest updates from Micro$oft.
Even though I managed to get both avast! and micro$soft's antivirus installed via their onecare site and scans completed, only a couple of problems were identified. I managed to remove 1 per MS instructions, but I can not remember the name of the file.
The other files were password or write protected b.s. files which I'm working on now. These files were spreadsheets and a few other files which were in old emails or appear to be associated with the antivirus programs.
The only positive thing I can state at the moment is all my current job files appear to be safe. I managed to archive them to a portable drive and, to be safe, I'm scanning them now on a different computer which I sure hope is safe.

Checkers

 

[SignManiac]

I always love reading Techmans responses! They always make me feel better knowing it's not the end of the world and in most cases, there's no need to reformat. I know who I'm calling if I ever get infected...

His expertise is well worth any price!