PC Guard not loading on Vergin Media

[RICK144]

Hi folks,

 

got a problem with PC Guard not loading on Vergin Media..it says that it is, but doesn't.

 

An error message comes up stating that the parameter is incorrect...how do I correct this?

 

Also, I previously requested help with my system freezing alot, but when I loaded another batch of RAM this seemed to cure the problem..all of a sudden though it's doing it again..any ideas?

 

Many Thanks

Rick

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Uninstall PC Guard as in my opinion it's crap and consider one of the alternatives listed here.

 

http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/malware-removal-av-firewalls-etc/3597-free-pc-help-recommended-security-products.html

[RICK144]

PC Guard Not Loading

 

Hi Wolfeymole,

 

right, I have installed the correct drives..loaded extra RAM..run my registry booster (although I know you think this application doesn't do much)..uninstalled PC Guard & some other rubbish taking up space..installed Avast Antivirus and Sunbelt Firewall..cleaned and defragmented the discs and my computer is till freezing...including when I was trying to respond to you and I had to turn off and start again...HELP PLEASE.

 

Regards

Rick

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I really do wish people would stop using registry boosters/cleaners etc, it does them no good whatsoever.

 

What amount of memory do you have and what size is the CPU?

 

Do you have the XP disk to hand as you may need to run a repair of the registry.

 

You may also need to run some malware prevention tools.

[RICK144]

Hiya,

 

do you think that I should uninstall the registry booster?

 

I have 1.25GB of memory.

 

Have no idea what CPU is and I do not have the XP disc as the sysyem is about 5 yrs old and no idea where it would be.

 

What do think the next step should be?

 

With Thanks

Rick

[RICK144]

Pc freezing

 

Hi again wolfeymole,

 

found out what the CPU is and the size is 2.05 GH.

 

Regards

Rick

[RICK144]

PC Freezing

 

Hi again,

 

the primary memory cache is 128 kilobytes and the secondary 256KB.

 

Regards

Rick

[danzil]

is there anything obvious in your event viewer.

right "my computer" then click on "manage".

then click on the plus sign next event viewer.

read any red "error"s and post them back....may be worth a look.

 

have you ran an online anti virus check.Free ESET Online Antivirus Scanner

 

try running through all malware scans,spyware scan,adware scans etc.

regards

danzil

[RICK144]

pc freezing etc..

 

Hi,

 

I have uninstalled avast and sunbelt and replaced with comodo (run malware scan etc)..in fact I have done everything and no change..the only time the PC was ok for a cple of weeks was when I installled new Ram, but now freezing again..As the tower loses power when the PC freezes I am going to purchase a more powerful router as it strikes me that if the PC only freezes when the light goes out on the tower, it must surely mean that the signal is too weak and by losing the signal I lose connection and the system freezes..would this seem logical to anybody else?

 

Regards

Rick

[Guest Wolfeymole]

The "light" on the tower should indicate hard drive activity.

 

When you removed Avast and Sunbelt do you also run a search for any remaining remnants of those two programs?

[RICK144]

PC Freezing

 

Hi,

everything is clear.

 

I ran the comodo scan when I installed that and it identified 2 malaware probs and deleted both.

 

Do you think a more powerful router will help?

 

Regards

Rick

[wellies]

The worrying thing at this stage is that so many security programs have been installed and uninstalled. They all tend to leave vestiges behind that can cause computer difficulties. I have read reports that PCGuard slows the system down and has poor virus detection rates. I've never tried it myself for those reasons. Some say it works for them but going by other people's opinions, it looks the advice to use something else is good.

 

The unknown is 'how well was it removed?' If there was any of it left before trying the next AV Program, it's likely that the computer would still be in trouble for that reason. Similarly, the other AV programs tried could all leave files and Registry entries behind, so possibly compounding the problem.

 

Registry cleaners don't always remove Registry entries for uninstalled AV programs. In fact, AV programs protect some of their Registry keys against removal. This is so that malware cannot disable them. The trouble is that this also applies even when you'd like to remove the program completely. The only Registry cleaner I'd say was good for tracking leftover entries is RegSeeker. This has a 'Find in Registry' feature into which you can type the name of the uninstalled program. It will then find anything under that name only and leave other Registry entries alone. Deleting just those entries won't normally (I stress 'normally') cause problems. If a Registry entry cannot be removed for the reasons above, you would need to go to that entry and change the permissions on it so that it can be removed. A Windows search will find any leftover files or folders. It's normally OK to delete any found.

 

Anyway, that's a way to make sure nothing is left of an old AV program before installing another. Done it myself many times without problems but impossible to guarantee there wouldn't be any.

 

A less troublesome way of removing all traces of AV programs is to use a removal tool (if there is one). Most AV programs have one that does more than the uninstaller does. Here's the one for PC Guard. I'd be inclined to run it to see if it helps. Not much point in saying now that it would have been good if this had been done before but worth remembering in future perhaps.

 

If the removal tool doesn't help, it could be necessary to thoroughly search out files, folders and Registry entries for all the uninstalled security programs, remove them and hope that this effects a cure. Here an avast! uninstall utility in case you need it.

 

Hard to know what depths you'll need to go to in order to clean up but I hope some of the above will help.

[RICK144]

PC Freezing

 

Thanks for that..getting really really frustrated now as 2 long replies have been frozen out just as I was about to submit.

 

Don't think that your entry is the problem..never a prob with PC guard before I went wireless and I am sure it is to do with that..too much of a coincidence.

 

If the light going out on the tower indicates hard drive activity is lost..what causes this and how is it corrected..that is when I get frozen out.

 

Also can somebody please answer the question as to if a more powerful router could solve the problem.

 

Many thanks

Rick

[wellies]

It is possible for you to by-pass anything wireless and hard-wire to the computer? I've got the router hard-wired to both mine a Mrs wellies computers. They are connected via the ports on the back of the router, even though one of the Ethernet leads is 18 metres long (wireless access was unreliable). If you can try temporarily dispensing with the wireless connection, it would let you know if you're on the right track.

[Tootech]

Also can somebody please answer the question as to if a more powerful router could solve the problem

 

If you can follow wellies advice, and disable the wireless connection when you do it, that will help narrow down the problem.

 

Having a wireless signal dropping and causing a PC to freeze is not something I've come across. I'd be more inclined to think that its the other way around i.e there is a PC fault that shows first in dropping the wireless signal then freezing the system.

 

Did you have a look in the Event Viewer as danzil suggested?

 

There may be some useful info under the System or Application sections.

[RICK144]

Pc Freezing

 

Hi Guys,

 

I will try the non wireless test shortly..(sounds like a plan).

 

In the mean time I have checked the event viewer in Applications and System..loads of errors and warnings in both..

 

App..Error...hanging application, application error.

App..Warning..msinstaller...userenv.

 

System..Error..Service Control Manager (dozens and dozens of these).

 

Any Help?

 

Regards

Rick

[Guest Wolfeymole]

This whole thread does not amount to whether the router's powerful enough or if it's wireless or hard wired but comes down to the amount of duff apps you have resident on your box Rick.

 

Sounds to me like your chock full of spyware or the windows installation is corrupt.

[RICK144]

pc freezing

 

O.k. Wolfeymole,

 

if you are correct how do I check and fix both possible scenarios and why do you think this would only start happening when I went wireless and stopped for approx 10 days after installing extra Ram?

 

I don't pretend to know much about how computers work as previously stated, but it just seems like a load of coincidence to me.

 

Regards

Rick

[wellies]

Sometimes, the time spent tracking down individual problems (and the frustration felt) is greater than it would be if formatting the lot out and starting over again. This is something that could be considered. Do it initially with the computer directly connected to the modem maybe. If you encountered problems during or after starting afresh, then I suppose you'd have to suspect hardware faults. It doesn't sound like that (new memory, or what was already there?) but formatting/reinstalling would let you know.

 

If you were to decide on doing this and you end up with a clean working system, consider getting some disk imaging software. Make a disk image while the system is at that happy working point. Then, if the computer falls into trouble again, you can always use the known good image to overwrite problems. It is possible to have a few images made with different security or other programs installed. It's a 20 minute job to switch between one image or another if you want to. No need to ever format and reinstall from scratch again.

 

If you know you had a working system when the image was made but something has subsequently gone wrong, then it would be easy to go back to the working image. This would either cure the fault or eliminate the computer as being the cause of it.

[Tootech]

App..Error...hanging application, application error.

App..Warning..msinstaller...userenv.

 

System..Error..Service Control Manager (dozens and dozens of these).

On the basis of the above, and the problems you have described I'd go along with Wolfey and wellies - a reinstall of Windows is probably the best way to go.

 

I think the PC Guard fault was a symptom of the problems, not the cause.

 

You say you have no XP CD - is your computer a branded system - if so it may have a Recovery Partition.

[RICK144]

PC Freezing

 

Good Morning Guys,

 

I'm not sure what is meant as a Branded System Tootech, if you are referring to the make, it is an Abit (I think..taken from Belarc Report)..I have looked in 'help and support' which shows me there is recovery console commands..is this anything to do with what you are referring to?

 

Regards

Rick

[RandyL]

Hi Rick;

I think what he means by branded is what is the make, model an number of your PC.

 

For instance Compaq-Presario-5000. Or Dell-Dimension-xxxx