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BuntyB

Virus scan

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My pc is doing weird things! When using IE, a new tab opens with a page full of script. The only bit you can read is 'this program cannot be run in dos mode'. Then explorer closes. My pc is running really slow, I can't type without freezing. I'm a novice but have used MSconfig to stop programmes pinning to Start. I have something constantly pins itself called HCKU software- not sure what it is.

I also get a message that a programme has encountered a problem and needs to close down. It's a collection of numbers and letters- if it comes up again, I can let you know what it is, but I googled it and nothing shown of anyone else complaining about it. It appears in task manager several times despite the constant close message. I can only think it's a virus of some sort.

When I was at college, the librarian gave me a link to a safe pc scan but I no longer have it. I know some are scams and some intended to scare you into buying software so don't want to use any old thing. Do you have any advice?

Thanks,

Bx

 

Did it again: it is '3s7m5jo7.exe'

Edited by BuntyB

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Hi Bunty -

 

HCKU software is a legitimate 'part' of the O/S - from looking online it looks like it's the system settings for an 'individual' user rather than the 'all users'...

It may be that a virus attached itself to this part of the sub-system, and then the entire script got moved or deleted by antivirus software or accident(?)

 

What antivirus do you have installed? That should be able to detect if you have a virus, but obviously all anti-virus softwares have their weak spots. If you haven't got any installed(???) or your subscription/updates have lapsed, then you need to download something ASAP. The best of the free versions is (IMO) Avast, which I've been using for a few years now, and I also recently installed Malewarebytes as a 'double check'.

Both can be downloaded safely from CNet / Download.com

 

http://download.cnet.com/windows/

 

Just type the names into the CNet search engine.

 

When you run scans do NOT delete any virus's you find. Try the 'repair' option, but if that doesn't work use the 'virus vault'. The virus vault locks them away safely, but you can then look for further help online to delete them properly. Hitting the delete button straight away could also delete the code in which the virus is 'embedded', and if that's part of your O/S the results could be disasterous.

 

Hope that's helpful

 

L&P

 

BD

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Hi BuntyB,

 

I would go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com/uk/ and try this, it's an online scanner that will check your machine and is pretty rock solid.

 

HCKU sounds like a variant of HKCU which is a large (and very important) part of the registry - HKey Current User.

 

If you've not got an AV as yet I would recommend AVG (free if pennies are tight) at free.avg.com or the full one if you can. I've been running it in the house for the kids (best test of an AV solution!) and it's always been watertight!

 

Hope that helps...

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Thanks both of you. I have 'Zone Alarm Pro' on my computer? I ran Microsoft pages and it said there were no viruses (viri??) on it. However, ran housecall and it said I had 21 threats! anyway will see if there's any improvement since none of the things it came up with were things I've seen in start or task manager.

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Oh...

 

Zonealarm isn't antivirus software (unless they've change it) it's just a Firewall. It won't stop you getting viruses from things you download etc, it only stops 'univited' stuff from attacking your PC remotely.

 

If housecall has found viruses but only 'advised' you they are there you still need an antivirus programme to delete them: You can download Avast Free or AVG free from CNet link above. I'd go with avast free, personally, because of the 'boot time' scan etc.

 

Disabling items in your startup isn't a very good idea unless you know exactly what it is you're switching off - If you did have any antivirus, for example, you could have switched off its updater...

What Windows are you using? Anything XP or higher will have 'Windows Security Centre' on it, and you can look at that to see what protection you have running...

 

If Vista click 'start' and then 'control panel' then 'security centre'... you need 'green lights' on Firewall (that S/B Zonealarm) and 'Maleware Protection' where you should have 'windows defender' on at the very least + a more powerful antivirus like one of the above. If you haven't got any antivirus at all running I'd guess the '21' threats is an underestimation if you've been running that way for any period of time...

 

HTH

 

L&P

 

BD

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Don't know Baddad, I've never downloaded anything from the internet before now and guess have never had antivirus but have run a computer for 9 years with no problem until now. I have downloaded what you suggested, it says there is a problem with the programme I can see in task manager (the letters and numbers thing) and it suggests it closes it so hoped that might solve the problem, but it still pops up anyway. What's it actually supposed to do? Sorry if I sound simple, but I know loads of people who say they have antivirus but their computers go wrong. I was worried about downloading something 'free' and letting something in unpleasant!

Ah, I see the scan now it says 1063 files scanned, none infected?

Edited by BuntyB

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Hi Bunty B -

 

If you downloaded the programme I suggested (Avast) you should have a circular icon with an 'a' in it on the bottom of your sceen/taskbar (probably orange, but sometimes blue). It sounds like you ran a virus scan, but if it only checked 1063 files you probably stopped it before it finished...

 

When you KNOW you won't be using your PC for at least an hour (possibly longer depending on the size of the hard drive and how many programmes/files/folders you have on it) or so, try a 'boot-time' scan, which will scan your whole PC from pillar to post.

 

It may be that the online check you did with 'housecall' actually fixed the viruses (I don't know that prog) but either way it's well worth doing a new full scan to check...

 

How to do a boot time scan:


  •  
  • Click on the blue/orange circle icon in your task bar (or open 'Avast! Free Antivirus' from your programmes list)to open the avast panel. The second tab, below 'summary' should be 'scan computer'. Click on that and it opens three further tabs: 'scan now' / 'Boot-time scan' / 'Scan logs'.
  • Click on 'boot time scan'.
  • Set 'heuristic sensitivity' to 'high'
  • Click on 'schedule now'.
     

The next option will be 'restart computer'. If you're ready to roll, click that, but if you're not ready you can just close the panel and shut down when you're ready.

 

If you click 'restart now' the computer will close any open programmes, shut down and restart itself, launching Avast instead of Windows. If you shut down normally, the scan will start the next time you start the computer.

 

After the initial 'boot', instead of going into windows you get a black screen with some code on it, and avast will start checking everything. If it finds any viruses it will pause and a dialogue box will come up giving you options to 'fix' 'put in virus vault' 'delete' or 'ignore'. Try fix, and if that doesn't work (avast will tell you) put it in the virus vault. Avast will then continue checking your system, doing the same thing again if it finds anything else.

 

If the nasties have gone after the scan with housecall, and avast finds nothing, then once it's finished checking it will boot into windows as per usual.

 

That all sounds far more complicated than it actually is! Effectively, just four or five mouse clicks and a couple more if it finds anything...

hope it helps

 

L&P

 

BD

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