My PC going zombie?

used restore pt to get on line

from Elemental Forums

Hope my uber-PC power user friends can point me in right direction.  Rig = PC, win 7, wireless anywhere ('Clear') internet connection.  Last few weeks, when I access web, takes very long time, (PC is talking to web - but I am denied access to web). Figured it was MS update stuff.  This can last for 2-3 minutes.  Usually I can get access by disconnecting and reconnecting, 2 or 3 times.  Earlier today, however, it would not let me access web, even when it was done talking to whatever on the web.  I had to do system restore to get on to post this.  I did task manager - nada.  Went on web and only thing I found was PCFriendly - which phones home re: DVD use.  Will quash that - and stop watching DVDs on my PC.  I have run detekt, MS Security Defender, and herd protect - no hits.  Useful suggestions on proceeding?  Also, how do I get my PC to block all access to pcfriendly.com  and interactual.com  domains?

 

58,797 views 20 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Go to you Command Prompt in Admin mode, run "sfc /scannow" (without quotes). When finished reboot and try to see if it is fixed. Could be corrupt system files that this should fix.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting LightStar, reply 1

Go to you Command Prompt in Admin mode, run "sfc /scannow" (without quotes). When finished reboot and try to see if it is fixed. Could be corrupt system files that this should fix.
End of LightStar's quote

 

Wouldn't the restore point fix this?  Will do as you suggest when I go off line later tonight.  Thank you  :)

SoundPackager - Customize the Windows sound scheme
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 2

Wouldn't the restore point fix this? Will do as you suggest when I go off line later tonight. Thank you
End of ElanaAhova's quote

No.  Sys Restore only replaces the current mess with an earlier version which may or may not have the same mess...unless you can recall it as a time when you definitely didn't have the issue you have now....;)

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

You need to boot from a different media, preferrably a read-only flash or CD with a system and some kind of virus/malware scanner, and check your computer. If you try to scan from the potentially compromised PC, a rootkit can hide the malware from you.

Moreover, you can pit the PC that is behind a router caplable of dumping and analyzing network traffic, or at least dumping the traffic via a filter like pcap into a file, and then use traffic analysis software like Wireshark to see where your computer connects to and what kind of traffic it is (what ports, what ip's, resolve their reverse DNS or search them via Google for some info, etc). 

If everything fails, reinstall the system clean, and recover your data from backups (you do backup your data, right?)

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

backup?  Whats that?   yes, of course....   :)

 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

run command prompt as admr = "... not authoritative for zone"  

Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 6

run command prompt as admr = "... not authoritative for zone"  
End of ElanaAhova's quote

 

You can't right click on in your start menu and select Run as Administator?

Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting LightStar, reply 7


Quoting ElanaAhova,
reply 6

run command prompt as admr = "... not authoritative for zone"  



 

You can't right click on in your start menu and select Run as Administator?

End of LightStar's quote

Did you run any CC cleaner lately do you have any PC performance boosters installed?
If so remove them.

Admin privileges:
safe mode is your friend...
if you think that your pc might be infected 
download malwarebytes
http://filepony.de/download-malwarebytes_anti_malware/
right click run as admin - let it update
and scan your system
Remove once it finished its search.
safe the protocol!

reboot your pc.

Browser:
Check your browser for extensions - disable them all unless its AB or ABP
If you run noscript keep in mind that you have to whitelist some sites in order for them to run
If you made a junction for your browsers cache path, that might be the cause aswell since it will take longer if that junction sits somewhere on an external drive


If you go for the system restore path: ( if you know your system was not infected to a certain point make a backup
you can use it and keep all of your data its some sort of rollback windows refresh if you use it but you will keep all oif your data.

For blocking a website you only need to make some configurations to your hosts file.





 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

when you say you can't connect to the web... does it mean the connection icon thing (in sys tray) say no connection (big red cross/yellow warning sign) or does it say there's a connection but you can't actually get anywhere. (eg.. ping anything and the ip is resolved to 1.1.1.1 or some rubbish)

 

is it that pc only? or maybe it's the router? (aside from that... no idea.. i know my router goes on the fritz from time to time giving the sympton i described... rebooting the router normally works)

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The two players you mention ( InterActual Player now called PCFriendly) should be able to be removed from add/remove programs.To avoid future nonsense from dvd's use a program like dvdshrink (free but old now & doesn't work on all dvd's),dvdfab (free to rip always trial for everything else,if you require conversion to other media types there's free programs to do it) or sly soft anydvd (not free 30 trial).These programs will make it possible to watch your fav dvd's without any bs tho installing windows codec or klite full & vlc never goes amiss

 

It's been a few days since you had this issue,have you managed to pinpoint whether there's an infection or issues with updates installed,if you have an infection i'll leave a link to a member (2oldgeek) at afterdawn that specializes in such issues,you'll see by the link he has his own forum section..lol..yeah anyway he'll get you up & running.It would pay to add as much info about the issue & when it started

 

 http://forums.afterdawn.com/forums/windows-virus_and_spyware_problems/

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

just use vlc. don't need to fiddle with codecs

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top

True. VLC media player can handle nearly all media types, is very versatile and I've not had any problems using it.  

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

ran malware antibytes, found 42 pups.. mostly that nusience 'mydail' sleezeware. What I learned:  Herd Protect, MS defender both routinely miss mydial. 

 

 

 

Quoting alaknebs, reply 9

when you say you can't connect to the web... does it mean the connection icon thing (in sys tray) say no connection (big red cross/yellow warning sign) or does it say there's a connection but you can't actually get anywhere. (eg.. ping anything and the ip is resolved to 1.1.1.1 or some rubbish)

 

is it that pc only? or maybe it's the router? (aside from that... no idea.. i know my router goes on the fritz from time to time giving the sympton i described... rebooting the router normally works)
End of alaknebs's quote

 

am connected to web, clear device is flashing green, which means data is going to/from web.  But sys tray internet access has big yellow triangle, and when using any browser -get 'not connected' message.

Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 13

ran malware antibytes, found 42 pups.. mostly that nusience 'mydail' sleezeware. What I learned:  Herd Protect, MS defender both routinely miss mydia
End of ElanaAhova's quote

Did you run it in safe mode aswell ?
always make sure that you save the protocol in the end.


The yellow triangle normaly is an indication that something is wrong with the connection try right click and let windows try to repair or search for problems
if that doesnt work the cause could be your router itself.

Check your device manager
if your Lan Wlan driver has a yellow sign aswell.
(systemsettings / Hardware and sound / device manager )
if so try to reinstall it from trhe disk that came with your motherboard or PC

 

If the above step doesnt help try to cut power (unplug the power cable) from your router for about 30 seconds. 
(if you have access to it) 
30 seconds will not delete access data from it it will just give it enough time to reboot.
once the 30 seconds have past replug the power cable and take a look at the led´s on your router
if everything is lighting up your router is woprking fine
check your pc if the problem is solved

Let me know if that helped

 

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting benmanns, reply 14


Quoting ElanaAhova,
reply 13

ran malware antibytes, found 42 pups.. mostly that nusience 'mydail' sleezeware. What I learned:  Herd Protect, MS defender both routinely miss mydia


Did you run it in safe mode aswell ?
always make sure that you save the protocol in the end.


The yellow triangle normaly is an indication that something is wrong with the connection try right click and let windows try to repair or search for problems
if that doesnt work the cause could be your router itself.

Check your device manager
if your Lan Wlan driver has a yellow sign aswell.
(systemsettings / Hardware and sound / device manager )
if so try to reinstall it from trhe disk that came with your motherboard or PC

 

If the above step doesnt help try to cut power (unplug the power cable) from your router for about 30 seconds. 
(if you have access to it) 
30 seconds will not delete access data from it it will just give it enough time to reboot.
once the 30 seconds have past replug the power cable and take a look at the led´s on your router
if everything is lighting up your router is woprking fine
check your pc if the problem is solved

Let me know if that helped

 

End of benmanns's quote
  i will let you know.  stay tuned...   safe mode i understand.  save protocol?  whats that in PC-ese? Please.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Hi, a couple of suggestions, which you may or may not have tried.

1. you do not say which browser you are using, have you tried another browser.

2. have you tried connecting directly to the router with an ethernet cable.

Can you send/receive emails through your email program and router.

Hope some of this may help.

Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Quoting ElanaAhova, reply 15


Quoting benmanns,
reply 14






Quoting ElanaAhova,

reply 13


ran malware antibytes, found 42 pups.. mostly that nusience 'mydail' sleezeware. What I learned:  Herd Protect, MS defender both routinely miss mydia


Did you run it in safe mode aswell ?
always make sure that you save the protocol in the end.


The yellow triangle normaly is an indication that something is wrong with the connection try right click and let windows try to repair or search for problems
if that doesnt work the cause could be your router itself.

Check your device manager
if your Lan Wlan driver has a yellow sign aswell.
(systemsettings / Hardware and sound / device manager )
if so try to reinstall it from trhe disk that came with your motherboard or PC

 

If the above step doesnt help try to cut power (unplug the power cable) from your router for about 30 seconds. 
(if you have access to it) 
30 seconds will not delete access data from it it will just give it enough time to reboot.
once the 30 seconds have past replug the power cable and take a look at the led´s on your router
if everything is lighting up your router is woprking fine
check your pc if the problem is solved

Let me know if that helped

 

  i will let you know.  stay tuned...   safe mode i understand.  save protocol?  whats that in PC-ese? Please.

End of ElanaAhova's quote

Malwarebytes will ask you on the final step ( after deleting suspicious files to save the protocol it should be the final step )
One can then take a look at the protocol and tell you if everthing got deleted or if there is still some bigger issue that needs to be resolved.

I stay tuned =) 

Reply #18 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting mozler, reply 16

Hi, a couple of suggestions, which you may or may not have tried.

1. you do not say which browser you are using, have you tried another browser.

2. have you tried connecting directly to the router with an ethernet cable.

Can you send/receive emails through your email program and router.

Hope some of this may help.
End of mozler's quote

 

@1 intriguing... will experiment.  Thinking I might switch to Tor... and stop all the unsolicited sales pitches creating sleezeware from discovering me ever again. 

@2 impossible, my web connection os a portable, personal wi-fi type connection:  wireless

@3 once 'chatter stops - have full connectivity w web, so yes to emils, etc.

 

Reply #19 from Elemental Forums Top

... i don't think browser is the problem if your connection manager says there are problems.

 

as for 2 - eh. so you have absolutely no access to the router and your machine + router do not have ethernet ports?

Reply #20 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting alaknebs, reply 19

... i don't think browser is the problem if your connection manager says there are problems.

 

as for 2 - eh. so you have absolutely no access to the router and your machine + router do not have ethernet ports?
End of alaknebs's quote

 

the web thingy goes into a usb port...  and yes, the hassle accessing the web occurs before any browser is activated.