Time for a tune up.

[ladybugsy]

Hello again!!!
I am starting a new online job and my pc isn't performing like it should. I have done scans and fixed everything that adaware, avg antivirus, symantec corporate edition, windows defender, malicious software removal tool, atf cleaner, ccleaner and Mware and I wanted your input. I'm attaching the Mware and the HJT scans. The problems I am having are freezing up, and things that won't download...seems to be an activex thing. I am able to download the installer, but after I install, nothing happens. I appreciate the help in advance!

[jholland1964]

Hi ladybugsy,
First thing I notice, which will MOST d

efinitely cause your my pc isn't performing like it should

...and also....

freezing up

is you are running two antivirus programs...AVG8 and at least a portion of symantec corporate edition. This is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO. Uninstall one of them. If the Symantec is up to date, not ready to expire then keep it. If NOT...UNINSTALL IT. Having two antivirus programs will not only really decrease performance it also lessens your protection because the two end up competing with each other and allow the nasty items in.

What is your Hard drive size and how much space is remaining? How much RAM do you have installed?
Please delete this old version of HiJackThis and download the NEW VERSION
Then I would like for you to generate and Uninstall list using HJT.
To do this do the following;
To access the Uninstall Manager you would do the following:

1. Start HijackThis
2. Click on the Config button
3. Click on the Misc Tools button
4. Click on the Open Uninstall Manager button.

You will now be presented with a list of programs installed on the computer.
Click on the Save list... button and specify where you would like to save this file. When you press Save button a notepad will open with the contents of that file, save it as a .txt file to your desktop so that you can find it easily.
Post back here with that list.
Judy

[ladybugsy]

Okay, it really killed me to have to uninstall my symantec corporate edition that NEVER expires...sigh...but my new job won't accept it as an antivirus program, but I did it. Don't know if it matters or not, but it was freezing up before I installed the AVG. I just installed that yesterday. Another problem I'm having is that sometimes my computer doesn't "remember" what it was doing before. Sometimes when I check my daughter's myspace it will show the page from a few days back. And when I try to log on to sites like this, with this same format, like disboards, and slickdeals, I have to log in about 3 times before it accepts it. Not sure if that means anything or if it's just a fluke I'll have to deal with...lol.

My harddrive is 74.4 GB and my remaining space is 52.7 GB. Ram is 384 MB...not alot, huh? I didn't realize it was that low.

Attached my new uninstall list below.

[jholland1964]

I don't see a lot in the Uninstall list, but two or three things do "pop out" that should be removed;
LiveReg (Symantec Corporation)
LiveUpdate 1.80 (Symantec Corporation)
These are left overs from your symantec corporate edition removal. Try first to see if you can uninstall them via Add/Remove. They may not even be on the computer any more but are just left over listings. But if you find nothing with Add/Remove you still need to do a Search on the computer to be certain all is removed.

To do this go to Start, Search, Files and Folders and also click on Advanced Options and be sure to select also Search System Folders, Search Hidden folders and Search Sub folders.
Then type in Symantec in the Search box. A search will be conducted for anything named Symantec. If anything is found, delete it. Then do the same thing for Norton. If anything is found delete it.

Next Uninstall Spybot 1.4 via Add/Remove. There is a newer version of this program and that is the one you need to install. It is version 1.6
That link will take you to the download page. Scroll down and download from the Safer Networking links. They are the creators of the program and advise you use their download server. Download, Install, Update...BUT DO NOT enable the TeaTimer portion of the program. To be certain that this is NOT enabled go up to the top of the program and click on Mode. Choose Advanced Mode. Once you do that you will see three buttons on the bottom left. Click on Tools. When that opens you will see buttons on the Left. Click on Resident. When that opens be certain there is NOT a checkmark in TeaTimer. Click ok and exit the program.

Now...the final thing I see in the Uninstall list is this one;
Coupon Printer for Windows
This one I am VERY leery about...WHY? because look at what MBA-M removed;
8 registry keys....Adware.Coupons
and one of the two files removed C:\WINDOWS\CouponPrinter.ocx which was also malware Adware.Coupons.

I realize the savings of using coupons and I have printed coupons myself from the internet, BUT I never print coupons which require the install of a coupon printer...you very often end up with something like that, which can and often does;

...spy your privacy or annoy you with advertisings. Adware may collect your personal or your computer's information in some cases.

I would also uninstall that program.
Now as far as sites loading pages from a few days back you can probably stop this, hopefully, by doing some of the following;
One is clearing the browser cache. What is that, well it is the temporary internet files that the browser stores to make surfing quicker. But sometimes this gets overloaded or even corrupt. So clean it out.

Empty the cache in Internet Explorer
1.Click Tools, then Internet Options, and then click the Delete Files button.

2.A Delete Files window will appear. Select the option to Delete all offline content, and then click OK.

3.Click Settings and reduce the size of your cache to, say, 50 to 100 MB (more if you routinely download very large files).
ALSO while in there do the following; Be sure the listing Every Visit to the page is selected. This way it should load the newest page.
Click the Privacy Tab, Advanced. Then put a check mark in Over Ride automatic cookie settings. When you do that then the boxes designating what type of cookie to accept should become visible.
Place a tick in Accept 1st party cookies and Block 3rd party cookies.
"Ok" your way clear out of Internet Options.

The problems I am having are freezing up, and things that won't download...seems to be an activex thing.

Check your activeX settings in your Internet Explorer, maybe you have them blocked.
IE, Tools, Internet Options, security, Internet, Custom Level:

Download signed active X controls
set either Prompt or allow.

Download unsigned ActiveX controls
Disable

Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe
Disable

Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
Enable

Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting
Prompt or Enable.

You were running two antivirus programs...how many firewalls were/are you running?

384 MB...not alot,

No, not a lot. You really should increase the RAM to at least 1GB.
I suggest Crucial.com. Log on there it will scan your computer and tell you how much you can add and you can order it right there. I have purchased RAM from them a number of times and they have always been the cheapest. It is very easy to install RAM, takes longer to open the computer case than it does to install the RAM!
And while you are in there vacuum out the dusty bunnies you will find there...and you will.
Another thing to do is a good defrag. I use Auslogics Disk Defrag rather than the built in Windows Defrag. It is FREE, works great and works fast.
I also recommend that you use SpywareBlaster from Javacool, which is a super FREE program and it WILL

Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software.
Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer.

all WITHOUT running in the background.
Be sure to use the Restricted sites portion of the program.

Now give me a NEW HiJackThis scan with that new version I asked you to download.

[ladybugsy]

OK!!! LOL...everytime I think I"m doing ok, you put me back in my place...I appreciate it! I did everything you suggested with the exception of spywareblaster which I will download in the morning. I uninstalled liveupdate and livereg. When I searched for Symantec, numerous files were found, and as I deleted them, more and more appeared. I ended up with about 15 files under c:\recycler....... Most of them say they cannot be deleted, and are empty folders. ???????? Norton's produced 3 files which were deleted. Spybot installed, ran, and fixed problems, coupon printer for windows removed, I normally clean my cache daily by using atf cleaner and ccleaner. Activex settings were just as you suggested already. As for firewalls...I'm assuming I'm only running the one windows provides. Ran the defragger and my hjt scan is below.

[jholland1964]

OK!!! LOL...everytime I think I"m doing ok, you put me back in my place...

Oh gee, am not meaning to do that. Just want to get your computer "clean and speedy"

I ended up with about 15 files under c:\recycler....... Most of them say they cannot be deleted, and are empty folders. ????????

With your Norton program did you also have the Norton protected Recycle bin? If so, did it go with the rest of the Symantec stuff?

[ladybugsy]

Oh, I appreciate everything you are doing! I just wish I was better at it...lol. Actually, I'm in awe! I think this site should either pay you, or set you up a paypal donation account. I'm not kidding...lol.

As for the Norton protected recycle bin...I have no idea.

[jholland1964]

I think this site should either pay you, or set you up a paypal donation account. I'm not kidding...lol.

Oh there is a real chance of that.....
There are several fixes now which must be done using HijackThis.
Run the full system scan again and put a check mark next to each of these entries; Note, the first two here are your nasty Active X's....
O16 - DPF: {03F998B2-0E00-11D3-A498-00104B6EB52E} - https://components.viewpoint.com/MTS...250&expId=4381

O16 - DPF: {A7EA8AD2-287F-11D3-B120-006008C39542} (CBSTIEPrint Class) - http://offers.e-centives.com/cif/dow...in/actxcab.cab

O21 - SSODL: Vgaprog - {5DA8F05F-3739-4DC9-8127-9ED326BA52F5} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\lockie.dll

After you have placed those check marks then click the Fix Checked button.
Exit HJT.
Reboot the computer and run another HJT scan just to be sure these "buggers" are gone.
After you run that scan I want you to download a program called CodeStuff Starter which will help control some of the auto starting programs you have on there, which don't need to be running all the time in the background. All of them can be run manually when you need them. Download the program and install it. Then open it up and you will see three Tabs; Start ups, Processes and Services.
Click the Start up Tab and REMOVE the checkmarks from the following;
Windows Defender>> keep this for scanning, but don't have it run in the back ground. Besides, with SpywareBlaster you really don't need this running all the time.
TkBellExe>>this is Real Player updater. You can do this manually.
SunJavaUpdateSched>>Java updater, you can do this manually
Microsoft Works Update Detection>>Works updater, you can do this manually
updateMgr>>Adobe Reader updater, do it manually
Adobe Reader Speed Launch>>supposedly speeds loading of Adobe Reader. The first time you open Adobe Speed reader after this is disabled it may load slightly slower, but after that with this disabled the loading time is just fine.
Turn all those autostarts off, then close the program and reboot the computer.
Let me know how things go.
Judy

[ladybugsy]

Judy, not only is it running better but you cut my startup time in half! Thank you so much! Now for extra RAM...I'll be good to go at my new job. I'm very grateful

[jholland1964]

Judy, not only is it running better but you cut my startup time in half! Thank you so much! Now for extra RAM...I'll be good to go at my new job. I'm very grateful

Glad I could help! It is always super to get replies like this and know that we have helped get things running well. That is our "payment".

Like I said above;

Crucial.com. Log on there it will scan your computer and tell you how much you can add and you can order it right there. I have purchased RAM from them a number of times and they have always been the cheapest. It is very easy to install RAM, takes longer to open the computer case than it does to install the RAM!

Here is link for Crucial.com