Computer Problems x2

[rfgqqabc]

My families home computer is having problems on startup, my dad has had to put it into safe mode x3 and system restore to get it to boot. I took a look and downloaded Avast free, ran a scan and found Win:32 Kryptik in the system restore file, but nowhere else. MalwareBytes failed to run and kept crashing. I updated Java and a few other leaks like flash media player, and then found a program called SpyHunter and a twin program called RegHunter, both showed up different bits and pieces, but wouldn't remove it unless I signed up for a 6 month £29.99 a month license. I left windows updating and went to bed last night. When i woke up this morning, it was locked on the windows shutdown screen, and I manually restarted the computer which then failed to boot x2, and I had to boot in safemode again to get it started. Malwarebytes/Avast are running currently, but I'm very lost as to what to do after that. I feel like Spybot Search and Destroy is probably a good step, but I can't connect to the internet in safemode and don't really want to use a flash drive as presumably that would become infected also.

My sister has had her email hacked, and her laptop is chock full of absolute garbage. I've uninstalled 40gb worth of garbage on there, ran malwarebytes which found 80+ objects and tried to fix all errors there but it seemed to freeze during the fix. I left avast/disk defragger running but they took so long that I left it on when I went to bed, and when I woke up the laptop had shut itself down. It shutdown yesterday during an avast scan, but I am not sure whether it shutdown a second time because it was unused for so long or because of other errors. I couldn't see any processes that shouldn't have been there in taskmanager, and she may have been phished, but it does appear like her computer needs a lot of work on it in order to make it safe to use again.

Any advice/thoughts welcome, I'm normally fairly comfortable with all this stuff but I'm starting to feel out of my depth. Both computers have AVG2013 on and running, but it seems to have done little to nothing to protect them. Cheers guys.

[rfgqqabc]

Fml, complete wrong section obviously, could a mod move to The Lounge please? edit: TY

The home computer has finished running MalwareBytes, which found 0 objects this time around. My sisters laptop is 30 mins into a scan, and has found nothing as of now, and it definitely had found some objects after the equivalent time yday so that seems to be an improvement.

[kinboshi]

Sounds like the best solution might be to do a format and reinstall the OS and start again from scratch to be honest.

Any data you have on the hard drive that you want to keep can be copied over to another drive before then if necessary (but careful you don't bring over any naughty stuff at the same time).

New hard drives aren't that expensive either.

[titaniumbean]

any software that tells me I have a problem then kindly offers to let me pay large quantities I usually say gtfo to. for family comp cant you use safe mode with networking to download the file you want?


Are either of the computers files important or already backed up?


can you not just backup if required then wipe them both to a fresh install and start again, sounds like that would be alot quicker.

windows security essentials is up to the job as far as i'm concerned, though you can also get fully functioning anti virus stuff for free from your online banking provider assuming you use one and they do that offer (barclays do fwiw).


i'm going to do my best not to go on a 'password' rant but suffice it to say passwords are shit, passphrases are stronger and basically no one gets security, t'internet wasn't designed to be secure. deffo sounds like your sister could do with some lessons in not clicking on the bad things and should probably also be taught about compartmentalising passwords for different services.  million anyone in the real world actually regularly changes theirs.

[rfgqqabc]

any software that tells me I have a problem then kindly offers to let me pay large quantities I usually say gtfo to. for family comp cant you use safe mode with networking to download the file you want?


Are either of the computers files important or already backed up?


can you not just backup if required then wipe them both to a fresh install and start again, sounds like that would be alot quicker.

windows security essentials is up to the job as far as i'm concerned, though you can also get fully functioning anti virus stuff for free from your online banking provider assuming you use one and they do that offer (barclays do fwiw).


i'm going to do my best not to go on a 'password' rant but suffice it to say passwords are shit, passphrases are stronger and basically no one gets security, t'internet wasn't designed to be secure. deffo sounds like your sister could do with some lessons in not clicking on the bad things and should probably also be taught about compartmentalising passwords for different services.  million anyone in the real world actually regularly changes theirs.

Concur regarding the programs asking for payment, program seemed legit and was suggested to remove Kryptik but gtfo paying. Search and Destroy has always been solid for me.

Neither computer has anything of great importance, my mum saves everything on her memory stick and my dad just uses it for surfing/poker bits and bobs. They have said a fresh install should be fine, their only concern is Itunes. Is it possible to back this up- last time I tried something with itunes files it was a massive pain in the arse? I have no expertise with backups/fresh installs, but it definitely seems the right thing to do to me. How would I go about this? Going to go for a google now, but further help appreciated ofc.

Home Comp is XP, laptop Vista. I do not think we have the Windows disks.

[titaniumbean]

you can use windows 'backup and restore' and tell it to specifically backup just the stuff you want, or you can find the files manually in the itunes library folder and just copy that to your backup drive. depends how much there is really and if it's all nicely organised.


to fresh install, will need either a windoze cd or usb drive with the iso you need on. Google is your friend, lots of step by step guides, tis easy. (ok so windows usb/dvd tool for creating the iso, download the correct versions from windoze dawt com).

you will require the windows cdkey/id info for re-entering once you've reinstalled, these are hidden in the registry and so just download (jellybean keyfinder app) run it and write down the output.

other than that just boot from the iso post backing up and after a while you'll have a new empty windows, minus all the shit that whoever built the computer put in it, then you can start adding what you actually want. windows security essentials/cc cleaner/malware bytes etc.

then either use backup restore to get your files back to where they were on just copy back from the backup drive. ez

[titaniumbean]

given these are family members computers and you might be full re-installing these could be useful.

http://ninite.com/  (bulk select apps to re-install, one click style)

http://www.soluto.com  (allows remote monitoring/diagnostics of family/friends/business peoples computers).

[kinboshi]

Soluto is very useful.

[rfgqqabc]

you can use windows 'backup and restore' and tell it to specifically backup just the stuff you want, or you can find the files manually in the itunes library folder and just copy that to your backup drive. depends how much there is really and if it's all nicely organised.


to fresh install, will need either a windoze cd or usb drive with the iso you need on. Google is your friend, lots of step by step guides, tis easy. (ok so windows usb/dvd tool for creating the iso, download the correct versions from windoze dawt com).

you will require the windows cdkey/id info for re-entering once you've reinstalled, these are hidden in the registry and so just download (jellybean keyfinder app) run it and write down the output.

other than that just boot from the iso post backing up and after a while you'll have a new empty windows, minus all the shit that whoever built the computer put in it, then you can start adding what you actually want. windows security essentials/cc cleaner/malware bytes etc.

then either use backup restore to get your files back to where they were on just copy back from the backup drive. ez

Hero. Thanks a lot for the help, I found a few guides but I'm leaving in a few hours for DTD, so will leave it until tomorrow.  

I'm not sure how relevant this is, but something I found yday using google. http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/17/3885962/microsoft-security-essentials-fails-anti-virus-certification-test

Always found Avast was solid, plus it announces it has updated and this always impresses the ladies.

[titaniumbean]

it's free. it does the job for anyone who isn't already knowing a better product to use or getting involved in things where they feel it isn't strong enough.


if someone with half a brain actually targets you or wants your info, gl stopping them getting it.

[rfgqqabc]

So I booted up the home computer today and both MalwareBytes and Avast found no threats. I googled Windows XP Service Pack 3 and found there have been problems with this service pack booting up before, however, it feels like this can't be the problem because the computer has worked for years since. I think following through with the clean install is wise here.

The laptop had no threats also according to avast, but MalwareBytes has detected some objects but is still scanning 5 hours on lawl. Still follow through with the clean install here? I will run spybot on it tomorrow whilst doing the clean install on the home computer in order to check but what would people advise here? Thanks again

[titaniumbean]

if you're going to do it for one no reason not to do it for both imo, just speeds things up immensely.

+ it's fun starting from a fresh install, maybe i'm just weird though.

[kinboshi]

if you're going to do it for one no reason not to do it for both imo, just speeds things up immensely.

+ it's fun starting from a fresh install, maybe i'm just weird though.

Confirmed weird.

(But a fresh install is a good idea imo)

[technolog]

Are you running rkill before Malwarebytes to kill any processes already in memory?