31 replies to this topic

[exile360]

Yep, that's fine.

Now, please do the following:

Create a DDS Log:

• Download DDS from one of the following locations and save it to your desktop:
  
  
  • Link 1
    
  • Link 2
    
  • Link 3
  
  
• Double-click on the copy of DDS you downloaded to run it and it will scan your system, please be patient.
  
• Once it completes it will open 2 logs, DDS.txt and Attach.txt
  
• For each, click on File and click Save As... and save them to your desktop.
  
• Right-click on Attach.txt and hover your mouse over Send To and select Compressed (zipped) Folder.
  
• Copy and paste the entire contents of DDS.txt into your next reply and attach the Attach.zip file you just created to your post.

Create an Autoruns Log:

• Please download Sysinternals Autoruns from here and save it to your desktop.
  
  
  • Note: If using Windows Vista or Windows 7 then you also need to do the following:
    
    • Right-click on Autoruns.exe and select Properties
      
    • Click on the Compatibility tab
      
    • Under Privilege Level check the box next to Run this program as an administrator
      
    • Click on Apply then click OK
  
  
• Double-click Autoruns.exe to run it.
  
• Once it starts, please press the Esc key on your keyboard.
  
• Now that scanning is stopped, click on the Options button at the top of the program and select Filter Options...
  
• In the Autoruns Filter Options dialoge, verify that the following are unchecked, if they are checked, uncheck them:
  
  
  • Include empty locations
    
  • Hide Microsoft entries
    
  • Hide Windows entries
  
  
• Verify that the following is checked, if it is unchecked, check it:
  
  
  • Verify code signatures
  
  
• Once that's done press the F5 key on your keyboard, this will start the scan again, this time let it finish.
  
• When it's finished and says Ready. on the lower left of the program window, please click on the File button at the top of the program and select Save and save the Autoruns.arn file to your desktop and close Autoruns.
  
• Right click on the Autoruns.arn file on your desktop and hover your mouse over Send To and select Compressed (zipped) Folder
  
• Attach the Autoruns.zip folder you just created to your next reply

So to sum up, you should be pasting the contents of DDS.txt into your next reply and attaching the following two files:

• Attach.zip
  
• Autoruns.zip

Thanks

[greyowl]

Samuel,

I tried to run the dds.scr but it seemed to stall. Maybe, I didn't give it long enough.

I need to go off line to sleep and go to work.

I will follow all the instructions Tuesday evening and post back the results.

Thank you so much for the help.

[exile360]

Yes, DDS can take a while sometimes.

No worries, rest up .

[greyowl]

Samuel,

I am back after attempting the instructions which you last posted.

I tried to run dds.scr several times with no success. I even downloaded it again. Each time, it would scan for about a minute, then stall and freeze the computer. I left it for 25 minutes, and it did not recover. The computer was totally frozen, even the clock stopped working and control-alt-delete would not work. The only way I could stop dds and regain the computer was to press the on/off button on the laptop.

I was able to run AutoRuns, and the log is attached.

On the dds screen, it says something about "script blocking programs" interfere with the dds scan. I don't know if I have any of those type programs. It also says that the scan should take no more than 3 minutes.

Any suggestions for getting the dds to work?

Attached Files

•  AutoRuns.zip   147.16K   39 downloads

[exile360]

It could be your antivirus holding it up. Please refer to these instructions and then try running DDS again.

[greyowl]

Thanks for the response.

I disabled AviraFree, MBAM Pro, and WinPatrolPlus. The DDS still froze the computer after it was about 3/4 through the scan.

[exile360]

OK. That could be its rootkit scanner getting hung up. Did you try one of the other versions of DDS? If not, please try Link 2 in the above list and see if DDS.com works or not.

If it doesn't, then please run a chkdsk:

Run a Disk Check on your C: drive in Windows XP:

• Click Start and open My Computer
  
• Right-click on C: and select Properties
  
• Click on the Tools tab
  
• Under Error-checking click the Check Now... button
  
• Mark the box next to Automatically fix file system errors and Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors
  
• Click on the Start button
  
• When the message box pops up, click the Schedule disk check button and restart your computer
  
• Once your computer restarts it will check the drive, don't press any keys so that it is allowed to do so

After the disk check runs and restarts your PC, go ahead and try DDS one more time to see if it will run to completion.

[exile360]

An additional note, I just found a topic here where you recently had problems completing a scan with Avira and the culprit was narrowed down to being ProcessTamer. Please try removing it while you run DDS if the check disk doesn't allow it to run.

[greyowl]

I have completed the above instructions.

The Disk Check identified no problems

I downloaded a fresh copy of DDS. I turned off Process Tamer, AviraFree, MBAM Pro, and WinPatrolPlus. I tried to run DDS again, and again it froze the computer and would not complete the scan after about 25 minutes.

[exile360]

OK, thanks. I'm concerned that DDS can't complete, as that could indicate anything from an infection to a potential hardware issue. That combined with the problem with Security Center notifications leads me to believe that it would probably be a good idea for you to get the system checked by one of our experts, just to make certain that there is no infection. They also might have a fix for the Security Center notification issue and they may also discover the cause of DDS being unable to complete its scan, whether the cause is software, an infection or a hardware problem.

I may be wrong, but it's better to be safe than sorry, and I don't want to inadvertently cause more issues for your system by trying to fix it when expert diagnosis is likely required.

Please these instructions (obviously skipping DDS, since it will not complete) and create a new topic here and one of the malware removal experts will take a look, hopefully determining what the cause and solution to your issues might be.

Thanks

[greyowl]

Samuel, thank you for the help.

I have posted on the expert forum.

[exile360]

No problem, and good luck. I hope they're able to diagnose and guide you in repairing the problems you're having .