Apps becomes nonresponsive

[AAaron123]

I having a problem with my system.

I might be using an application and it will become nonresponsive.

I can still move the window around with my mouse.

Move the mouse point over the app's client window and I get the busy icon.

But in the title bar I still get the arrow.

If I click the close x and then in the dialog box click EndNow, the dialog
box closes but nothing seems to change.

That is, I can click the x again an get the dialog box again (to no avail).

I can continue to use my system but not that app.

But soon another app will freeze also.

I eventually have to boot to free up the unresponsive apps.

Could really use some help here.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

WinXP SP2 or SP3? What apps?

[AAaron123]

XP
Just about anything- vs2008, FireFox, Notepad, IE8.
Once when I was navigating the Start/All Programs the menu stuck open.
But other things may have been running at the same time.
Could the apps be waiting for some resource?
I have at times minimized a stuck app.
Sometimes nothing on the screen works.
Sometimes, after another gets stuck, I can use an app that is on the screen.
Never been able to shutdown - I think shutdown waits for the stuck app.
Have to power off.
I've used msconfig to disable just about all non-ms startup & services
but put them back because it didn't help.

It's a real pain.
I'll try anything you suggest.

[Patrick Palczewski]

When was the last time you ran Defrag? Or Disk Cleanup?

--
Patrick P.
www.boydcomputersvcs.com

"AAaron123" <aaar...@roadrunner.com> wrote in message
news:#fRP8XGZ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[AAaron123]

Very often. Probably yesterday.

Thanks

"Patrick Palczewski" <psychi...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:unxnb3HZ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You cannot be running "XP" if IE8 is installed, it has to be either WinXP
SP2 or SP3. Which is it?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

[AAaron123]

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Oqgu36LZ...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> You cannot be running "XP" if IE8 is installed, it has to be either WinXP
> SP2 or SP3. Which is it?

Not sure of the nomentclature but I believe it is called Win XP SP3

I shut down the cable modem and used msconfig to disable all non-MS services
and startups but I still had the problem.

If I then enable and start the ad-aware service and run the program it
checks 3 objects and freezes at avgsst?.dll (not sure about that letter).
Did it a few times (rebooting to unfreeze).

AVG9.0 but as I said I have the problem with avg not running (at least I set
it in msconfig/start disabled)

> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
> Defender)?

> What third-party firewall (if any)?

None

[Elmo]

AAaron123 wrote:
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Oqgu36LZ...@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> You cannot be running "XP" if IE8 is installed, it has to be either
>> WinXP SP2 or SP3. Which is it?
>

> Not sure of the nomenclature but I believe it is called Win XP SP3

Burn BitDefender, or another program listed at the link below, to a CD
(using a working machine) and test the infected machine with it.
BitDefender also has a Rootkit checker on the Linux Desktop; run it if
you think that's the problem:

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Download the executable rather than the .iso image, if one is
available.. it prompts you to insert a CD and burns the file, no problem.

Then run these:

Malwarebytes© Corporation
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe

SuperAntispyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

--
Joe =o)

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What anti-virus application was installed BEFORE you installed AVG Free v9.0
and was your subscription still current when you installed AVG Free v9.0?

Is the Windows Firewall enabled? If not, can you enable it, reboot & find
it still enabled?

Is Automatic Updates enabled? Can you reach
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com using IE8 and run a CUSTOM scan?

[AAaron123]

"Elmo" <elmo...@xxx.invalid> wrote in message
news:eByC71NZ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Then run these:

Malwarebytes� Corporation
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe

SuperAntispyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

--
Joe =o)

I notice I don't have the > added above
I created a bitdefender CD (only the iso was available)
But when I boot it it gets as far as bitdefender-scanner trying to update
and hangs there.

I tried a few times with the same result.

got Malwarebytes but when I try to run it I get something like:
unable to read the disk. you may not have permissions.

I believe that is a clue because I've had that happen before for
EacyCleaner.
Maybe the virus is being defensive.

I'll keep trying suggestions I've gotten.

thanks

[Elmo]

I notice I don't have the > added above

I created a bitdefender CD (only the iso was available)

But when I boot it, it gets as far as bitdefender-scanner trying to
update and hangs there.

I tried a few times with the same result.

got Malwarebytes but when I try to run it I get something like:
unable to read the disk. you may not have permissions.

I believe that is a clue because I've had that happen before for
EacyCleaner.
Maybe the virus is being defensive.

I'll keep trying suggestions I've gotten.

thanks

When starting Bitdefender, during the long list of loaded utilities, you
might see a failed attempt to find an internet connection. That might
explain why it fails its update of virus definitions.. Could you use
another connection to the cable modem, one that Knoppix has a driver for?

With Malwarebytes, try renaming it, and then run it. Open Task Manager
and disable all running processes that you can. If the computer
crashes, reboot and don't stop that process.

--
Joe =o)

[AAaron123]

Does this mean anything to you.

I ckeck the properties in mbam.exe and the
Group or Usernames box
contains a few usernames

When I try to run Malwarebytes it fails with
You don't have permissions...

when I recheck the properties the
Group or Usernames box
contains only the name:
Everyone

Does that identify the culprit?

[AAaron123]

"AAaron123" <aaar...@roadrunner.com> wrote in message

news:eVxcDaT...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

Something happens when I try to run SuperAntiSpyware

must mean something to somebody!

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

AAaron123 wrote:
>> Does this mean anything to you.
>>
>> I ckeck the properties in mbam.exe and the Group or Usernames box
>> contains a few usernames
>>
>> When I try to run Malwarebytes it fails with
>> You don't have permissions...
>>
>> when I recheck the properties the
>> Group or Usernames box
>> contains only the name:
>> Everyone
>

> Something happens when I try to run SuperAntiSpyware
>
> must mean something to somebody!

Yes: YOU'VE GOT A SERIOUS HIJACKWARE INFECTION (and I'll bet it was already
present when you installed AVG v9.0)!

[AAaron123]

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:ueIG91UZ...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

Got a suggestion as to how I can get rid of it?

[AAaron123]

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:uCad3kQZ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> What anti-virus application was installed BEFORE you installed AVG Free
> v9.0 and was your subscription still current when you installed AVG Free
> v9.0?
>
> Is the Windows Firewall enabled? If not, can you enable it, reboot & find
> it still enabled?
>
> Is Automatic Updates enabled? Can you reach
> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com using IE8 and run a CUSTOM scan?

yes
It appeard to successfully install

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - November 2009 (KB890830)

But if I check again it still want to install it.
Been like this for a while

And when I shut down it will hang in
installing software

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

AAaron123 wrote:
>>>> Does this mean anything to you.
>>>>
>>>> I ckeck the properties in mbam.exe and the Group or Usernames box
>>>> contains a few usernames
>>>>
>>>> When I try to run Malwarebytes it fails with
>>>> You don't have permissions...
>>>>
>>>> when I recheck the properties the
>>>> Group or Usernames box
>>>> contains only the name:
>>>> Everyone
>>>
>>> Something happens when I try to run SuperAntiSpyware
>>>
>>> must mean something to somebody!
>>
>> Yes: YOU'VE GOT A SERIOUS HIJACKWARE INFECTION (and I'll bet it was
>> already present when you installed AVG v9.0)!
>
> Got a suggestion as to how I can get rid of it?

You betcha! Back-up any personal data (none of which should be considered
100% trustworthy at this point) then do a format & clean install of Windows.
Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT fix this!

cf. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx

Other helpful references include:

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx

[AAaron123]

I have a second disk on this machine, 500g. I'd like to save some of the
data but it biggg.
Can I simply delete ,say, all .dll, .exe files (and maybe something else you
might suggest) so that I can safely use that disk without formatting it?

If I had a lap top that had some sort of protection can I copy files to it
with out destroying it?

For example, your notes below, I'd like to have them available on another
computer while I'm fixing this one. But I'm afraid to copy them.

Thanks

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23DJkIDY...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

/NOW/ you top-post?

A1. No.

A2. Yes but doing so may infect the other computer!

A3. Access this link on the other computer for reference:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/89a9f9c72c086fc4

The entire thread:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/57f1b32b40b17b2d

[AAaron123]

PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:

> /NOW/ you top-post?

I'll do what ever you perfer.
Does the above mean you like top-post?

>
> A1. No.
>
> A2. Yes but doing so may infect the other computer!

Why is that? Can't, say, Avg 9 prevent infrection due to adding infected
files to a clean computer?

Just curious, how come nobody can build an infection removal for what I
have?

Thanks for helping

[AAaron123]

Ok. So I'm infected with hijackware

I have one application that I'd like to keep using for as long as I can.

I have many applications on my machine that I do not need.

Would I be better off leaving them there so the infection might work on them
and miss my important app.

Or would I be better off deleting everything don't need.

Thanks

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You can reinstall any/all applications after the clean install.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

There isn't a utility or combination of utilities on earth that can detect &
remove all infections.

No one said that you couldn't attempt to clean-up/remove the infections.
The question is would the time required to do so be worthwhile, especially
considering (1) you didn't have an anti-virus application installed when the
computer got infected and (2) you'd need the assistance of a paid or
volunteer expert in such matters, and (3) you can never be sure that the
computer's 100% safe to use.

For you, the quickest & most time-effective resolution would be a clean
install, after which you'll need to take appropriate precautions (see below)
to avoid such incursions in the future.

4 Steps to Protect Your Computer
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pypc.aspx

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:25:19 -0500, "AAaron123"
<aaar...@roadrunner.com> wrote:

> Ok. So I'm infected with hijackware
>
> I have one application that I'd like to keep using for as long as I can.
>
> I have many applications on my machine that I do not need.
>
> Would I be better off leaving them there so the infection might work on them
> and miss my important app.

Whether you leave them there or uninstall them makes no difference in
what the infection does.

> Or would I be better off deleting everything don't need.

In general it's a good idea to uninstall any application you don't
use. But that's really important only if you are short of disk space,
since installing them will regain some disk space. If you have plenty
of disk space, it hardly matters at all.

But if you have an infection, getting rid of it should be your primary
consideration, not uninstalling unused applications.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

[AAaron123]

This machine still functions and I'd like to use it as long as I can.

My question below is related to what is the best approach to maximizing the
probability that I can use it until I get a new one set up.

----

Also, I can't destroy all my data files on this machine until I move them.

I guessing that if the other machine has good protection I should be able to
safely move some of them.

What about pure text files: .txt, .html. .vb, .cs ... as long as the content
is pure text are they dangerous?

Thanks a lot

I see you like to top post. I'll do that.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23Uq8K8g...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[AAaron123]

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:n8j0g5ta0d6u1c3fa...@4ax.com...

I kow I don't sound like it but I have a lot of computer experience - just
not PC's (nor Macs)

Is there something I can read that might help me get rid of the infection?

Does the fact that it changes the owner to Everyone tell you which
hijackware I have.

Not that it maters now but I'd like you to know I normally had protection.
AVG 8 before AVG 9.

Also Ad-Ware and others. Are you please with AVG 9? (I'm asking for the
future)

My computer probably had too much on it. It's about 4 years old and probably
needs more resources for what I do.

Because it was running slow I tried the following.

Put the cable modem in stand by and use msconfig to disable all non-ms
startups and services.

I had already tried stopping all them (plus some ms) except the avg ones and
that didn't help. So I wanted to see if avg 9 was the problem

I probably (but don't really know) did something like restoring the modem
before I turned on avg or who know what.

Anyway that is history. The thing now is removing the infection if that is
possible. But I don't know wher to start.

Thanks

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 14:34:17 -0500, "AAaron123"
<aaar...@roadrunner.com> wrote:

>
> "Ken Blake, MVP" <kbl...@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
> news:n8j0g5ta0d6u1c3fa...@4ax.com...
> > On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:25:19 -0500, "AAaron123"
> > <aaar...@roadrunner.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Ok. So I'm infected with hijackware
> >>
> >> I have one application that I'd like to keep using for as long as I can.
> >>
> >> I have many applications on my machine that I do not need.
> >>
> >> Would I be better off leaving them there so the infection might work on
> >> them
> >> and miss my important app.
> >
> >
> > Whether you leave them there or uninstall them makes no difference in
> > what the infection does.
> >
> >
> >> Or would I be better off deleting everything don't need.
> >
> >
> > In general it's a good idea to uninstall any application you don't
> > use. But that's really important only if you are short of disk space,
> > since installing them will regain some disk space. If you have plenty
> > of disk space, it hardly matters at all.
> >
> > But if you have an infection, getting rid of it should be your primary
> > consideration, not uninstalling unused applications.
> >
>
> I kow I don't sound like it but I have a lot of computer experience - just
> not PC's (nor Macs)

OK, but if for example, you have a lot of mainframe experience, it
won't help you much with Windows XP.

> Is there something I can read that might help me get rid of the infection?

Sorry, I may have missed the early part of the thread, but I have no
idea what infection you have.

> Does the fact that it changes the owner to Everyone tell you which
> hijackware I have.
>
>
> Not that it maters now but I'd like you to know I normally had protection.
> AVG 8 before AVG 9.
>
> Also Ad-Ware and others. Are you please with AVG 9? (I'm asking for the
> future)

In my view the best anti-virus program is NOD32. If you want one
that's freeware, then I would choose Avast (or Avira, with which I
have almost no personal experience but I hear very good things about
it from others whose opinions I respect) instead of AVG.

You say "Ad-Ware." Do you mean Adaware? It's OK to use it, but I
wouldn't rely on it alone. The two best anti-spyware programs are
MalwareBytes Anti-Malware and SuperAntiSpyware. I would add both of
those to your arsenal.

You say "...and others." Sorry, but that's a meaningless statement.
Tell us what the "others" are.

> My computer probably had too much on it.

No. What's installed has no effect on its performance. It's what's
*running* that affects performance. As I said in my last message, "In

general it's a good idea to uninstall any application you don't use.
But that's really important only if you are short of disk space, since
installing them will regain some disk space. If you have plenty of
disk space, it hardly matters at all."

> It's about 4 years old and probably
> needs more resources for what I do.

That depends entirely on what you do and what "resources" you have
(its age is unimportant). Please describe your hardware (especially
tell us what CPU you have and how much RAM you have), and tell us what
apps you run.

> Because it was running slow I tried the following.
>
> Put the cable modem in stand by and use msconfig to disable all non-ms
> startups and services.

Not a good thing to do. Regarding services, you should be concerned
with what they are and what they do, not whether they are by
Microsoft. And in general, unless you are very skilled and know what
you are doing, turning off services is a dangerous thing to do.

Regarding autostarting programs, again you should be concerned with
what they are, what they do, and what their effect on performance is,
not whether they are by Microsoft. Here's my standard post on the
subject:

First, note that you should be concerned with *all* programs that
start automatically, not just with those that go into the system tray.
Not all autostarting programs manifest themselves by an icon in the
tray.

On each program you don't want to start automatically, check its
Options to see if it has the choice not to start (make sure you
actually choose the option not to run it, not just a "don't show icon"
option). Many can easily and best be stopped that way. If that doesn't
work, run MSCONFIG from the Start | Run line, and on the Startup tab,
uncheck the programs you don't want to start automatically.

However, if I were you, I wouldn't do this just for the purpose of
running the minimum number of programs. Despite what many people tell
you, you should be concerned, not with how *many* of these programs
you run, but *which*. Some of them can hurt performance severely, but
others have no effect on performance.

Don't just stop programs from running willy-nilly. What you should do
is determine what each program is, what its value is to you, and what
the cost in performance is of its running all the time. You can try
google searches and ask about specifics here.

Once you have that information, you can make an intelligent informed
decision about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.

> I had already tried stopping all them (plus some ms) except the avg ones and
> that didn't help. So I wanted to see if avg 9 was the problem
>
> I probably (but don't really know) did something like restoring the modem
> before I turned on avg or who know what.
>
> Anyway that is history. The thing now is removing the infection if that is
> possible. But I don't know wher to start.

How do you know you have an infection? Again, I didn't see the early
part of this thread, so I don't know what your symptoms are, but if
you've been stopping services, it's possible that that might have
caused your problem.

[AAaron123]

>>
>> The thing now is removing the infection if that is

>> possible. But I don't know where to start.

>
>
> How do you know you have an infection? Again, I didn't see the early
> part of this thread, so I don't know what your symptoms are, but if
> you've been stopping services, it's possible that that might have
> caused your problem.
>

I not going to try to state which program and files I'll refer to because I
may not remember correctly but, I was showing the Properties/Security of an
.exe file. The box: Group or Usernames, showed a couple of usernames that
made sense.

I ran another program (I don't remember if I had to do something to refresh
the above mentioned Properties/Security page) and the usernames I mentioned
above disappeared and was replace by the name Everyone.

If I install Malwarebytes and run it, after 10 seconds the exe's
Properties/Security/Group or Usernames contents changes to Everyone as
described above and the program bombs.

Do you happen to know of a malware that does what I described above/

I'm writing this in Outlook Express which opened ok so not every .exe is so
affected.

Thanks much for spending so much time with your last post.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

The machine still functions, yes, BUT IT IS NOT SAFE FOR YOU, YOUR FAMILY,
AND EVERYONE ELSE ONLINE FOR THE COMPUTER TO BE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET IN
ITS CURRENT STATE.

Now, if you don't care about identity theft and/or your banking & credit
card usernames & passwords being available to every Bad Guy on the planet,
keep your head in the sand & continue to use the machine.

At this point, NONE of the data should be considered safe enough to be
transferred to another computer.

My friend, you're basically driving an uninsured car at 150 MPH towards the
edge of a cliff. Whether you decide to stop the car (or jump out) is up to
you.

[Roy Smith]

PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:

I don't know if I'd want to jump out of a car doing 150 mph.... ;-)

--

Roy Smith
Windows XP Pro SP3

[AAaron123]

I know you've helped in the past with other things and I appreciated it then
and still do.
However, I am not throwing away years of work.
If it dies on its own I can't help that but I not killing it.
So you certainly can say: OK buddy you're on your won.
Or you can use your experience to come up with plan-B.
Just to show that thinking outside the box might produce an approach I note
that:
I could print all the files out and then use an OCR on the new machine to
read them in.
I can't believe that's not safe.

I would hope someone could do better than that.

Why would text files be dangerous. Because there may be something else on
the media? Is that it.

I'm guessing that since you did not name the malware I have you don't know
what it is. Is there some place I can research it?

Thanks for your continuing interest

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:unOMbZt...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

One more then I'm done: Formatting and doing a clean install of Windows is
the only way this computer will EVER be safe to use online or on a home
network.

[AAaron123]

Thanks, I really appreciate your effort for me.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:O3xwAXxZ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...