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Active Desktop & Explorer Crash Out
I have 4 win me machines in our enterprise.
All of them seem to have timebombed, no so long ago, in that; a) Active desktop causes the machine to lock-up; b) Windows explorer, My computer etc. fail to run & then crash out; c) Anything explorer based seems to struggle to load. d) The clock freezes on load. The usual spybot checks (spybot S&D) & AV checks (Symantec) throw up nothing. My best solution would be to replace the OS....but I have no budget to undertake this at the moment. Any help is much appreciated. |
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Sounds as if you may still be suffering from some sort of malware. The
following steps should help ferret out the culprit: (credit to Malke, MS-MVP) 1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version antivirus using updated definitions. Before you remove malware, get LSPFix . 2) Remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. These programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other. There is a new version of CWShredder from Intermute. I would not install the other Intermute programs, however. Alternately, there are CoolWebSearch malware removal steps at SilentRunners. Be sure to update these programs before running, and it is a good idea to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode. Make sure you are able to see all hidden files and extensions (View tab in Folder Options). If the malware remains even after you used Ad-aware and Spybot, you can scan with HijackThis. HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and disable hijackers, but it requires expert skill. See below for HijackThis links, including sites where you can post your HJT logs. A combination of HijackThis and About:Buster works well in removing the About:Blank homepage hijacker. Again, this is an expert tool and novices should get help with it. 3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System Restore after the system is clean because malware will be in the Restore Points. With ME, you must disable System Restore completely. Links to help with malwa Software/Methods: http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware http://www.majorgeeks.com - good download site http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract..._download.html http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm - Repair Winsock 2 settings after removing spyware http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html - WinsockXPFix.exe HijackThis: http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim Eshelman http://aumha.net - forums http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis forum http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ http://forums.tomcoyote.org/ General: http://auhma.net - look under "Security" for various forums http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm Then move on to general maintenance: 1) Delete temporary and Temporary Internet Files. 2) Stop unnecessary services/programs from starting with Windows - see www.blackviper.com for services info and www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm for programs info. 3) Look in Event Viewer for clues. 4) Make sure you've visited Windows Update and applied all security patches. Do not install driver updates from Windows Update. 5) Run a firewall. Malke -- MS MVP - Windows Shell/User Elephant Boy Computers ================================================== = In addition, you may want to perform a 'repair' of IE. Do so by clicking on Start, Settings, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Highlite IE and click on Remove, you will get another window with the option to Repair, select this and follow the instructional windows. Post back and let us know............ Heirloom, old and must drain some coffee "Pringle" wrote in message ... I have 4 win me machines in our enterprise. All of them seem to have timebombed, no so long ago, in that; a) Active desktop causes the machine to lock-up; b) Windows explorer, My computer etc. fail to run & then crash out; c) Anything explorer based seems to struggle to load. d) The clock freezes on load. The usual spybot checks (spybot S&D) & AV checks (Symantec) throw up nothing. My best solution would be to replace the OS....but I have no budget to undertake this at the moment. Any help is much appreciated. |
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