Guest DustyB Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 G'day all; I'm running XP Media Center version 2002, w/SP3 v.3311. Up until the last few days, it was on auto-update, running along smoothly on my HP Pavilion, M7680N, as it has for years... The problem I'm having started a few weeks ago with Outlook; in that every time I fired it up, it would come up in that stupid 'non-"Show Full Menus" mode'. I always have full-menus set, and didn't change from that in any way that I can think of. During some back-&-forth with MVP's in the Outlook forum, it was finally suggested that my registry hive must have become corrupted, and it was suggested that I run: UPHClean. Did that. Didn't help any more than any of the dozen or so other things that had been suggested to me... In any event, the next morning I come in and find the 'Security Center' telling me that the 'Firewall' is off as well as the 'Virus Protection'. None of the instructions on how to turn on the FW do anything, as all option boxes are grayed out. I've run HiJackThis!, and can see what's running, and all seems to be okay. I've also run both the local and remote versions of LOC as well. My usual ace-in-the-hole, CounterSpy, won't install and/or run citing, "The system administrator has set policies to prevent this installation". I am the system admin! I (overtly) set no such thing! I take all the defaults and never fool around in the "policy editor", as I don't even really know what it is (nor do I want to...). Finally, having had enough of this, I thought I'd revert back to a restore point a few days past. No such luck. The restore function WILL NOT allow me to restore to an earlier point. I get, "Restoration Incomplete. Your computer cannot be restored to: <date>..." I tried a number of other restore points. All get the same reply. I'm fresh outta ideas....any suggestions? TIA, Dusty - Everett, Wa.
Guest Kayman Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Re: Firewall and AV won't start On Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:52:56 -0700, DustyB wrote: > G'day all; > > I'm running XP Media Center version 2002, w/SP3 v.3311. Up until the last > few days, it was on auto-update, running along smoothly on my HP Pavilion, > M7680N, as it has for years... > > The problem I'm having started a few weeks ago with Outlook; in that every > time I fired it up, it would come up in that stupid 'non-"Show Full Menus" > mode'. I always have full-menus set, and didn't change from that in any way > that I can think of. > > During some back-&-forth with MVP's in the Outlook forum, it was finally > suggested that my registry hive must have become corrupted, and it was > suggested that I run: UPHClean. Did that. Didn't help any more than any of > the dozen or so other things that had been suggested to me... > > In any event, the next morning I come in and find the 'Security Center' > telling me that the 'Firewall' is off as well as the 'Virus Protection'. > None of the instructions on how to turn on the FW do anything, as all option > boxes are grayed out. I've run HiJackThis!, and can see what's running, and > all seems to be okay. I've also run both the local and remote versions of > LOC as well. My usual ace-in-the-hole, CounterSpy, won't install and/or run > citing, "The system administrator has set policies to prevent this > installation". I am the system admin! I (overtly) set no such thing! I > take all the defaults and never fool around in the "policy editor", as I > don't even really know what it is (nor do I want to...). > > Finally, having had enough of this, I thought I'd revert back to a restore > point a few days past. No such luck. The restore function WILL NOT allow > me to restore to an earlier point. I get, "Restoration Incomplete. Your > computer cannot be restored to: <date>..." I tried a number of other > restore points. All get the same reply. > > I'm fresh outta ideas....any suggestions? > Did you get the HJT log analysed? If not: Download and execute HiJack This! (HJT) http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/threat_analytics/HJTInstall.exe Please, do not post HJT logs to this newsgroup. Fora where you can get expert advice for HiJack This! (HJT) logs. NOTE: Registration is required in any of the below before posting a log http://www.theeldergeek.com/forum/index.php?s=2e9ea4e19d3289dd877ab75a8220bff6&showforum=29 http://www.thespykiller.co.uk/index.php?board=3.0 http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html http://castlecops.com/forum67.html http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?showforum=27 http://www.5starsupport.com/ipboard/index.php?showforum=18 http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 Other suggestions: 1.CCleaner - Free Cleans temporary internet files, cookies, history, recent urls, application MRUs, etc. ... http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ If Windows Defender is utilized go to Applications, under Utilities uncheck "Windows Defender". 2.Download David H. Lipman's MULTI_AV.EXE from the URL: http://www.pctipp.ch/ds/28400/28470/Multi_AV.exe http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp English: http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/01/09/scan-your-computer-with-multiple-anti-virus-for-free/ and/or Kaspersky® AVPTool http://downloads5.kaspersky-labs.com/devbuilds/AVPTool/ There's no updating involved since the scanning engine is updated several times a day and you simply download the updated scanner whenever you want to do a scan. Dr.Web CureIt!® Utility - FREE http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/ Malwarebytes© Corporation - Anti-Malware http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe Note: It is Free for private use. Just download (do NOT buy) and install. SuperAntispyware - Free http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html After the software is updated, it is suggested scanning the system in Safe Mode. How do you boot to Safe Mode? By pressing/tabbing F8 (or F5 on some keyboards) during re-boot. Alternatively: click onto Start==>Run, type "msconfig" (without quotation marks), click OK. Then click onto BOOT.INI tab and 'check' /SAFEBOOT then OK and click Restart. To go back to Normal Mode, you must access the System Configuration utility again and click the General tab then click/check the radio button 'Normal Startup'- load all device drivers and services'. A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=315222
Guest PA Bear [MS MVP] Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Re: Firewall and AV won't start Unexplained computer behavior may be caused by deceptive software http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827315 Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting your hijackthis log to an appropriate forum. Checking for/Help with Hijackware http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=5878 http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_Removal_and_Prevention:_Introduction http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm http://defendingyourmachine2.blogspot.com/ http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware When all else fails, HijackThis v2.0.2 (http://aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.exe) is the preferred tool to use. It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware with assistance from an expert. **Post your log to http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22, http://castlecops.com/forum67.html, or other appropriate forums for review by an expert in such matters, not here.** If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop. -- ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002 AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net DTS-L http://dts-l.net/ DustyB wrote: > G'day all; > > I'm running XP Media Center version 2002, w/SP3 v.3311. Up until the last > few days, it was on auto-update, running along smoothly on my HP Pavilion, > M7680N, as it has for years... > > The problem I'm having started a few weeks ago with Outlook; in that every > time I fired it up, it would come up in that stupid 'non-"Show Full Menus" > mode'. I always have full-menus set, and didn't change from that in any > way > that I can think of. > > During some back-&-forth with MVP's in the Outlook forum, it was finally > suggested that my registry hive must have become corrupted, and it was > suggested that I run: UPHClean. Did that. Didn't help any more than any > of > the dozen or so other things that had been suggested to me... > > In any event, the next morning I come in and find the 'Security Center' > telling me that the 'Firewall' is off as well as the 'Virus Protection'. > None of the instructions on how to turn on the FW do anything, as all > option > boxes are grayed out. I've run HiJackThis!, and can see what's running, > and > all seems to be okay. I've also run both the local and remote versions of > LOC as well. My usual ace-in-the-hole, CounterSpy, won't install and/or > run > citing, "The system administrator has set policies to prevent this > installation". I am the system admin! I (overtly) set no such thing! I > take all the defaults and never fool around in the "policy editor", as I > don't even really know what it is (nor do I want to...). > > Finally, having had enough of this, I thought I'd revert back to a restore > point a few days past. No such luck. The restore function WILL NOT allow > me to restore to an earlier point. I get, "Restoration Incomplete. Your > computer cannot be restored to: <date>..." I tried a number of other > restore points. All get the same reply. > > I'm fresh outta ideas....any suggestions? > > > TIA, > Dusty - Everett, Wa.
Guest DustyB Posted July 20, 2008 Posted July 20, 2008 Re: Firewall and AV won't start G'day "Kayman" & all; "Kayman" <kaymanDeleteThis@operamail.com> wrote in message news:O354yDq4IHA.2348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... .... >> I'm running XP Media Center version 2002, w/SP3 v.3311. Up until the >> last >> few days, it was on auto-update, running along smoothly on my HP >> Pavilion, >> M7680N, as it has for years... .... > Did you get the HJT log analysed? If not: > Download and execute HiJack This! (HJT) > http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/threat_analytics/HJTInstall.exe Yes. I've analyzed and reanalyzed it. All looks well. .... > Other suggestions: > > 1.CCleaner - Free Thanks. But that did nothing. .... > 2.Download David H. Lipman's MULTI_AV.EXE from the URL: > http://www.pctipp.ch/ds/28400/28470/Multi_AV.exe > http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp > English: > http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/01/09/scan-your-computer-with-multiple-anti-virus-for-free/ Thanks. While I'm sure that it's a great tool, I prefer to stick with my MS Live OneCare solution. It used to work just find. Now it won't. Changing to another horse is an option, but I'd rather fix and understand this one instead. .... > Kaspersky® AVPTool > http://downloads5.kaspersky-labs.com/devbuilds/AVPTool/ > There's no updating involved since the scanning engine is updated > several times a day and you simply download the updated scanner whenever > you want to do a scan. Thanks. Another interesting proggy for my tool kit. But it gets the same answer as the reply for the previous suggestion. > Dr.Web CureIt!® Utility - FREE > http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/ Ran it. Interesting proggy, that. It found lots of stuff already snagged or quarantined by other tools. But nothing new...yet... > Malwarebytes© Corporation - Anti-Malware > http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe Already have it. Used it again just to be sure... Nada! .... > SuperAntispyware - Free > http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html Another new item. Thanks for the tip. But it got nada! > After the software is updated, it is suggested scanning the system in Safe > Mode. Good point. Did that--hadn't done that before. Still no joy. I think that what I've done is conflate several issues into a single post. My bad! So, to get back to the subject of this post, the original problem was that the Security Center reported that neither the firewall nor the AV was working. LOC's been taking care of that task for some years now. That's what I want to recover. I've taken a heap of advice over the last few days, all I'm certain well intentioned, but not all "safe". In the course of taking some of it, I've managed to screw-up the registry, lock myself out from recovering previous restore points, and I still can't fire up LOC! All of these results were from my original query about how to permanently set that *&^%$#X@!~ 'ALWAYS SHOW FULL MENUS' option in Outlook. Damn it! My guess is that there's some mysterious setting in Office somewhere that controls all of that. But now every time I fire up Outlook, or Word, or whatever, those damned short menus show up. And as if that weren't enough, now even NOTEPAD.exe has gotten into that act. When I try to save a simple text file, it asks me about Unicode characters. Unicode? I don't care about Unicode! Just save the damned text like it's been doing for the last couple of decades w/o asking me more silly questions... Darn it all! Updates! Phbbbbbbt! I've managed to get the firewall working, by uninstalling LOC. Of course, I can't get LOC working, as the installer file blinks at me briefly when I click it, and then shows only a stony face of silence...<big sigh!> After years of good service, this sure has become a lot of trouble...which started right after I ran "UPHClean"....<very big sigh!> L8r all as I continue to scratch my butt looking for solutions... Dusty -- Everett, Wa.
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