Spyware is prohibiting me from auto-updating my Microsoft software

[ng_reader]

I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
(spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
(people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I am
computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm smart)

Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90% slowdown
on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.

Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.

However, that does not fix it.

Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.

As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it - but
does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?

Thanks in advance.

mr curious

[mac]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...
>I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
> (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I am
> computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
> smart)
>
> Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
> slowdown
> on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
>
> Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
>
> However, that does not fix it.
>
> Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
>
> As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it -
> but
> does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> mr curious

Courtesy Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE:

Download "Hijack This!" [freeware]

Unzip, double-click "HijackThis.exe" and Press "Scan".

When the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log"
button.
Click: "Save Log" (generates: "hijackthis.log")

Next, go to the below location:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/

Sign in, go to the "Spyware and Hijackware Removal" section.
Press "New Topic", copy and paste hijackthis.log, into your new message.


--
Regards Steve.
MS-MVP. IE/OE.

[David Qunt]

"ng_reader" > squirted these wordjisms deep
inside the bumtube of the news**** in
:

> I have some nasty version of spyware ............. irradicate ......
Please, I'm smart

*eradicate*


--
*********************************
> David Qunt
>
************************************************** **

[CJS]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...

....... spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that
......I'm smart)
>

Perhaps your cesium pit's half-life has accelerated a bit and lost its
'punch' - or you intended to use 'eradicate,' in which case your cesium is
probably just peachy.



Either way, we are in agreement. You are the smarty!



CS

[mac]

"David Qunt" > wrote in message
. 120...
> "ng_reader" > squirted these wordjisms deep
> inside the bumtube of the news**** in
> :
>
>> I have some nasty version of spyware ............. irradicate ......
> Please, I'm smart
>
> *eradicate*

Do you talk to yourself often?


Newsgroups: alt.sports.football.pro.phila-eagles
From: "ng_reader" > -

[Ionizer]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...

> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I
> am
> computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
> smart)

Do you feel that your inability to spell big words like "eradicate"
properly undermines the point you were trying to make, or was your point
actually that you aren't "computer savvy enough to know about safe mode
and stuff?"

Just wondering,
Ian.

[Billy]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...
> I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware
programs
> (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to
irradicate.
> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I
am
> computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
smart)

With an explanation like that, you may want to step off your high horse
and realize that *you* are no where as *smart* as you think.
How would one infer from your mis-spelling that you are computer savvey?
A lot of the spyware programs isolate and/or eradicate found problems.
It would be more logical to "ass u me" that you installed said programs
after the fact. But I'll pretend to buy your declaration and assert that
now would be the time to use your Backups, WinMe install disk, and the
security updates disk (Feb 04) modified with current updates, to wipe
and freshen your system.
Have fun.





>
> Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
slowdown
> on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
>
> Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
>
> However, that does not fix it.
>
> Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
>
> As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix
it - but
> does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?

Only the operator's habits and failure to protect his system.


>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> mr curious
>
>

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

" mac" > wrote in message
...
>
> "David Qunt" > wrote in message
> . 120...
>> "ng_reader" > squirted these wordjisms deep
>> inside the bumtube of the news**** in
>> :
>>
>>> I have some nasty version of spyware ............. irradicate ......
>> Please, I'm smart
>>
>> *eradicate*
>
> Do you talk to yourself often?


Not the same person.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...
>I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
> (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I am
> computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
> smart)
>
> Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
> slowdown
> on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
>
> Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
>
> However, that does not fix it.
>
> Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
>
> As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it -
> but
> does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> mr curious


Windows Update Fails:
Click on START and the RUN put in each line seen below and clicked on
OK. (do each one line at a time)
REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuapi.dll
REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuaueng.dll
REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\atl.dll
REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wucltui.dll
REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wups.dll
Disable your anti-virus when obtaining the updates.
Make sure that your firewall is allowing the connection to Windows Update .
This would be on ports 80 and 443.
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
If no joy - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/
Windows Update Checklist
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/updtcl.htm
This newsgroup is read by MS staff:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsupdate
WinXP:
You receive error message 0x80070003 when you try to update Windows from the
Windows Update Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=836949

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

[--Mike]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...
> I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
> (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
> (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I am
> computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
smart)
>
> Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
slowdown
> on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
>
> Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
>
> However, that does not fix it.
>
> Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
>
> As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it -
but
> does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> mr curious
>

I recommend running TaskInfo. Run this while you are experiencing the
pop-ups and/or your system is slowing down. TaskInfo will show you what
processes are running, associated files and modules, and folder/file paths.
It can also terminate processes, and you can watch a cpu usage graph which
will show you changes in cpu usage as you are terminating different
programs. It's very easy to use, and of all the free/free trial process
explorers I've tried, this one is my favorite.
http://www.iarsn.com/taskinfo.html

--Mike

[--Mike]

"Billy" > wrote in message
.net...
>
> "ng_reader" > wrote in message
> ...

[snip]

> >
> > Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
> slowdown
> > on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
> >
> > Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> > Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
> >
> > However, that does not fix it.
> >
> > Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
> >
> > As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> > realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix
> it - but
> > does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?
>
> Only the operator's habits and failure to protect his system.
>

Not necessarily. About the time that WinXP Service Pack 2 was released, my
Windows Update function stopped working entirely. I have always manually
logged into the update site (auto-update is turned off), run the scan, and
installed any critical patches. Now, whenever I run the scan, I get nothing
but an error message that says that the update site is busy. I have not
been able to figure this one out. My system is completely clean, and I am
running a store-bought version of WinXP.

--Mike

[heirloom]

'savvey?'.........'irradicate?'............seems the spell checkers have
been attacked by this invader of bits and bytes. Now to the serious part:
With regard to your slowdown, get a good process viewer, there are a number
of excellent free ones available, i.e. Process Explorer (new version
released recently), from www.sysinternals.com . When things begin coming
to a 'grind', use the process viewer to determine what is eating your cpu
cycles. This particular viewer will show you ALL running processes and the
amount of cpu cycles, in percent and real time, used by each. This should
help you narrow down the culprit.
Heirloom, old and can't spell aytnihng

"Billy" > wrote in message
.net...
>
> "ng_reader" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware
> programs
> > (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to
> irradicate.
> > (people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I
> am
> > computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm
> smart)
>
> With an explanation like that, you may want to step off your high horse
> and realize that *you* are no where as *smart* as you think.
> How would one infer from your mis-spelling that you are computer savvey?
> A lot of the spyware programs isolate and/or eradicate found problems.
> It would be more logical to "ass u me" that you installed said programs
> after the fact. But I'll pretend to buy your declaration and assert that
> now would be the time to use your Backups, WinMe install disk, and the
> security updates disk (Feb 04) modified with current updates, to wipe
> and freshen your system.
> Have fun.
>
>
>
>
>
> >
> > Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90%
> slowdown
> > on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.
> >
> > Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
> > Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.
> >
> > However, that does not fix it.
> >
> > Anyone else in the same dilemma? It's especially frustrating.
> >
> > As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
> > realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix
> it - but
> > does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?
>
> Only the operator's habits and failure to protect his system.
>
>
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > mr curious
> >
> >
>
>

[Martin Harran]

"--Mike" > wrote in message
...

> Not necessarily. About the time that WinXP Service Pack 2 was released,
> my
> Windows Update function stopped working entirely. I have always manually
> logged into the update site (auto-update is turned off), run the scan, and
> installed any critical patches. Now, whenever I run the scan, I get
> nothing
> but an error message that says that the update site is busy. I have not
> been able to figure this one out. My system is completely clean, and I am
> running a store-bought version of WinXP.

Dunno if this is same problem but since I installed SP2, I can't log into
Windows Update through standard programme, I just get to "Checking for the
latest version of the Windows Update software..." and nothing happens.

Posted this various places around usenet and never got a solution but
messing about, I found the answer by accident. The standard update programme
takes you ( or me anyway!) to
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us

If I go to the secure version of the above site by addding 's' to the http
prefix, it works fine.

Strangely enough, I have Auto Update turned on and that works fine.

[Noel Paton]

Chris - have you used AdAware's ADS scanner? - opinions?


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" > wrote in message
...
> So I'd start by doing a formal virus scan. If NTFS, well... do the
> best you can using Bart's PE, Trend's SysClean, Avast's free scanner,
> Stinger etc. and then repear AdAware, Spybot etc. from Safe Mode
> command Prompt Only. If FATxx, you can formally scan from a DOS mode
> boot diskette using DOS-based av from F-Prot, Sophos or NOD32.
>
> Having excluded <cough> traditional malware and the easy commercial
> malware, I'd go on to CWSShredder, then start with the manual tools:
> - HiJackThis for a basic overview
> - ADS Spy to view Alternate Data Streams
> - Shell Extension Viewer for shell integrations

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 14:27:21 -0500, "ng_reader"

>I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
>(spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.
>(people, if I'm using big words like irradicate - please accept that I am
>computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff. Please, I'm smart)

I'd guess you're a programmer, too. That combination of
self-confidence plus errors is classic, and no amount of hard lessons
(such as incessent patching to ERradicate errors) seems to fix :-)

First thing I'd do is widen your scope. You suspect commercial
malware ("spyware"), but have no reason to exclude traditional malware
(virus/worm/trojan) from the possible causes.

So I'd start by doing a formal virus scan. If NTFS, well... do the
best you can using Bart's PE, Trend's SysClean, Avast's free scanner,
Stinger etc. and then repear AdAware, Spybot etc. from Safe Mode
command Prompt Only. If FATxx, you can formally scan from a DOS mode
boot diskette using DOS-based av from F-Prot, Sophos or NOD32.

Having excluded <cough> traditional malware and the easy commercial
malware, I'd go on to CWSShredder, then start with the manual tools:
- HiJackThis for a basic overview
- ADS Spy to view Alternate Data Streams
- Shell Extension Viewer for shell integrations

Those are the crucials; you can add BHO Lister, LSP Fix, other Startup
listers, TDS3 etc. to taste. You could use AdAware's ADS plug-in
instead of ADS Spy, but it's more likely to be blocked or crunched if
the malware is active, and that's likely if it's smart enough to ADS.

>Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90% slowdown
>on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.

Yup - which also points more towards traditional rather than
commercial malware. A "legit" commercial software vendor would have
difficulty explaining why thier sware clobbers Windows Update, y'see.

>Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
>Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.

What, fiddle with security zones? Worth doing, but I don't see that
magicking away active malware, somehow.

>As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system.

Oops, for some reason I thought you were on XP; sorry. WinME's no
cursed with NTFS, so start with those formal virus scans from DOS mode
diskette. I'd use a Win98SE EBD tho, and I'd custom it a bit (bigger
RAM Disk, Set Temp to use the RAM disk, etc.)

Other slowdown factors include SR, if you have multiple HD volumes
especially (WinME stores all SR data on C:, so lots of operations on
other volumes trigger nice fat data transfers to C:) and retries on
sick HDs (the mouse pointer will stick and HD LED will be on).

>realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it

IE's broken, so fix that ideally to IE 6 SP1

http://cquirke.mvps.org.9x/mimehole.htm

If you used "as fit to ship" IE 5.5 SP0 for web mail, or with OE or
Outbreak, then you're more likely to have an email-bourne
MIME-spoofing virus by now, that anything else.

>- but does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?

Well yes; it means I don't have to talk about patching RPC or LSASS
holes, firewalls etc. and do have to talk about MIME-spoofing :-)



>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Trsut me, I won't make a mistake!
>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

[ng_reader]

********, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.

++

Awesome stuff, all. I feel a little embarrased by my OP, however I think the
slow down thing has to do with some kind of file running in case my machine
croaks, I can go back to a safer version of windows.

PC State Process or something other.

++

No, I'm a salesman.

+

And I want the Eagles to go to the Super-Duper bowl.

--

Other than that, I'll check on the other aps and such. Glad you all read
it, but more glad you responded.

[mac]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...

> Bol*ocks, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.

<snip>

I will tell you one thing ng_reader, I attempted to assist you originally.

Your cross posting has caused me more upset in 4 hours than I have had in 6
years!!

So who was this comment aimed at? Since you snipped all"!!

> Bol*ocks, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.

--
Regards Steve.
MS-MVP. IE/OE.

[Rick T]

ng_reader wrote:
> I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
> (spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster) can't seem to irradicate.

<slash>

> Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90% slowdown
> on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.

What kind of popups, any specific sites?


When you get a "slowdown" what does TaskManager say is running.



Rick

follow-ups to m.p.w.general

[ng_reader]

" mac" > wrote in message
...
>
> "ng_reader" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Bol*ocks, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.
>
> <snip>
>
> I will tell you one thing ng_reader, I attempted to assist you originally.
>
> Your cross posting has caused me more upset in 4 hours than I have had in
6
> years!!
>
> So who was this comment aimed at? Since you snipped all"!!
>
> > Bol*ocks, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.
>
> --
> Regards Steve.
> MS-MVP. IE/OE.
>
>

My bad, Steve.

To answer your question, no one in particular.

Wanted to thank the truly smart people who did respond with answers.

I know cross-posting is a no-no.

I re-read your postings. You'd like me to post my spy-ware log on the
Internet. OK. Let's put that in the *maybe* file.

Cheerio, mate.

[cmsix]

"David Qunt" > wrote in message
. 120...
> "ng_reader" > squirted these wordjisms deep
> inside the bumtube of the news**** in
> :
>
>> I have some nasty version of spyware ............. irradicate
>> ......
> Please, I'm smart
>
> *eradicate*

Irradicate is a perfectly valid word, it means to root deeply, isn't
that what he meant?

cmsix

>
>
> --
> *********************************
>> David Qunt
>>
> ************************************************** **

[Rick T]

ng_reader wrote:

> My bad, Steve.
>
> To answer your question, no one in particular.

Your reply was to Chris Quirke, MS MVP.

> I know cross-posting is a no-no.

Pick your eggheads and stick with them.

> I re-read your postings. You'd like me to post my spy-ware log on the
> Internet. OK. Let's put that in the *maybe* file.

I personally would rather you didn't, but the person who requested is
alot further up the "food chain" (another MS MVP).



Rick
reading/posting on msnews server

followup to m.p.wme.general

[Noel Paton]

Thanks.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 00:33:07 -0000, "Noel Paton"
>
>>Chris - have you used AdAware's ADS scanner? - opinions?
>
> I have, yes; it's a nice adjunct to AdAware, but it editorializes (i.e
> as in keeping with AdAware's general purpose, it only alerts if it
> recognises a problem). So I don't think it replaces ADSSpy.
>
> I group my cleaning tools into 3 categories...
> - against traditional malware, preferably to be used formally
> - scans for known commercial malware
> - manual visualization tools e.g. HJT, ShellExView, LSPFix, ADSSpy
> ...and I apply these in that order.
>
> So AdAware's ADS is part of the second group, whereas I'd still want a
> non-editorializing ADS tool for the third group.
>
> ADSSpy is good, but has a blind spot; it refuses to run if C: is not
> NTFS. Doesn't matter how many other HD volumes are NTFS, even if you
> copy it to and run it from an NTFS non-C: volume, it won't run.
>
> So I still need a better ADS tool :-(
>
>
>
>>------------ ----- --- -- - - - -
> Things should be made as simple as possible,
> but no simpler - attrib. Albert Einstein
>>------------ ----- --- -- - - - -

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sun, 23 Jan 2005 00:33:07 -0000, "Noel Paton"

>Chris - have you used AdAware's ADS scanner? - opinions?

I have, yes; it's a nice adjunct to AdAware, but it editorializes (i.e
as in keeping with AdAware's general purpose, it only alerts if it
recognises a problem). So I don't think it replaces ADSSpy.

I group my cleaning tools into 3 categories...
- against traditional malware, preferably to be used formally
- scans for known commercial malware
- manual visualization tools e.g. HJT, ShellExView, LSPFix, ADSSpy
....and I apply these in that order.

So AdAware's ADS is part of the second group, whereas I'd still want a
non-editorializing ADS tool for the third group.

ADSSpy is good, but has a blind spot; it refuses to run if C: is not
NTFS. Doesn't matter how many other HD volumes are NTFS, even if you
copy it to and run it from an NTFS non-C: volume, it won't run.

So I still need a better ADS tool :-(



>------------ ----- --- -- - - - -
Things should be made as simple as possible,
but no simpler - attrib. Albert Einstein
>------------ ----- --- -- - - - -

[Noel Paton]

What you're talking about there is winmgmnt, Chris

This is the PCHealth Data Collection doo-dad, that every 10 minutes snatches
a quick peek at the OS to see what state it's in, and record certain data.
It's totally useless, since no-one outside MS knows how to read the
collected data, and no-one inside MS has ever bothered to ask for it, AFAIK.
The service needs to be stopped in two places (arguably in ALL machines
running ME)

1) by unchecking the PCHSCHD entry in MSCONFIG
2) by disabling/deleting the PCHealth Data Collection entry in the Task
Scheduler



--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" > wrote in message
...
>
> Apparently on some PCs, the "other" PC Health thingie hangs around as
> a running task even when the PC is not idle, whereas it's supposed to
> pop up and go away if there's nothing to do. Ping WinME dudes like
> Noel and Mike Maltby for more on that stuff, or look on the web
> (www.aumha.org is a good starting point) for more.
>
>
>>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
> Trsut me, I won't make a mistake!
>>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 20:38:08 -0500, "ng_reader"

>********, that's egg-xactly what I was going to say.

;-)

>Awesome stuff, all. I feel a little embarrased by my OP, however I think the
>slow down thing has to do with some kind of file running in case my machine
>croaks, I can go back to a safer version of windows.

Oh, that could be *statemgr (which does the SR and SFP half of what is
glomped together as "PC Health") or the PC Health thingie that does
the disposable PC Health fluff like building information lists for
Hinderance and Sloth (sorry, "Help and Support").

Clickfood:

http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/winme.htm

http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/sr-sfp.htm

As you can see, the latter focuses more on *statemgr and SR and SFP.
I haven't had enough hassles with the "other half" of PC Health to get
medieval on its ass, but others have, and have.

>PC State Process or something other.

Apparently on some PCs, the "other" PC Health thingie hangs around as
a running task even when the PC is not idle, whereas it's supposed to
pop up and go away if there's nothing to do. Ping WinME dudes like
Noel and Mike Maltby for more on that stuff, or look on the web
(www.aumha.org is a good starting point) for more.

>No, I'm a salesman.

O..K.. ;-)

>And I want the Eagles to go to the Super-Duper bowl.

I won't get into your wildlife toilet arrangements here...



>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Trsut me, I won't make a mistake!
>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

[--Mike]

"Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE" > wrote in message
...

[snip]

>
> Windows Update Fails:
> Click on START and the RUN put in each line seen below and clicked on
> OK. (do each one line at a time)
> REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuapi.dll
> REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wuaueng.dll
> REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\atl.dll
> REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wucltui.dll
> REGSVR32 C:\WINDOWS\System32\wups.dll
> Disable your anti-virus when obtaining the updates.
> Make sure that your firewall is allowing the connection to Windows Update
..
> This would be on ports 80 and 443.

Thanks for posting this info about the ports. I knew port 80 was allowed in
my firewall, but it turned out that I had mistakenly blocked access to
Generic Host Process for Win32 (through port 443). Allowing this process
solved my Windows Update problem : ) Thanks again!

--Mike

[Governor Swill]

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 14:27:21 -0500, "ng_reader"
> wrote:

There's an old saying in the tech support biz. "There's something
unsaid."

*The good stuff is at the end.

>I have some nasty version of spyware that all the free spyware programs
>(spybot, adaware, cwshredder, spyware-blaster)

Well that isn't _all_ the free "spyware" programs.

> can't seem to irradicate.

Eradicate. You're welcome.

>(people, if I'm using big words like irradicate

Um, or did you mean "irradiate"? And it's only four syllables.

> - please accept that I am
>computer savvy enough to know about safe mode and stuff.

That stuff is really clever isn't it? Sometimes I wonder how they do
that stuff! And that Safe Mode stuff! How did they ever come up with
that, huh?

> Please, I'm smart)

If you have to tell people you're smart, you're not as smart as you
think.

>Perhaps the biggest problem (aside from incessant pop-ups and a 90% slowdown
>on CPU) is that my windows update mechanism is not working.

It's probably so busy digging itself out of a pile of popups in the
basement, er, I mean, through a blocked port, that it can't start.
You bein' so smart an' all probably knew that though.

>Microsoft asks me to follow a knowledge base under article Microsoft
>Knowledge Base (KB) Article Q174360.

Which leads to 2 articles on Office 2003, one article on a recently
updated six year old win 98 patch, and another for Outlook 98 and
2000. You haven't mentioned running any of these softwares and seem
to have expected your OS (Me) to have been figured out based on the
name of one of the four newsgroups you posted to. I figured that out
all by myself because Im smart two.

>However, that does not fix it.

I am not surprised.

>Anyone else in the same dilemma?

Most of my paying customers.

> It's especially frustrating.

I feel your pain.

>As I am posting this to WindowsME NG, that is the operating system. I
>realize it's going on 5 years old, but as it's not broken don't fix it

But... up there... you said...

If it's not broken, why are you here?

> - but
>does anyone believe that has anything to do with anything?

I have no idea what you're talking about anymore.

>Thanks in advance.
>
>mr curious

I'll bet.

*The good stuff:

Stop using the crapware that's downloading the spyware on your system
in the first place and when you get a warning message from Spybot
about a registry change, don't just click 'allow' because you want to
finish this one more survey to try to win an iPod.

Google the name of every piece of software in your Add/Remove control
panel and uninstall anything that turns up being discussed on spyware
forums as spyware or spyware dependent. If you don't understand what
"spyware dependent" is, by all means, ask. If an application won't
uninstall, Google the application's name with the words "uninstall" or
"remove".

Provide information. Noting that you're using Me isn't enough PC
environment information. What versions of Adaware, Spybot and
Spywareblaster are you using? When did you last update them? How
often do you run them? What other security measures do you take?
Anti virus? Firewall? How often do you review your IE security
settings? When did you last update your operating system? Is your
operating system registered correctly with Microsoft?

Most issues I've found that aren't caused by user error are usually
conflicts between applications, and security software is notorious for
causing problems, especially when installed on high-risk machines.

With appropriate information and a little humility, you can get lots
of help in here. After all, it's not us that needs the help.

Swill

--

You can have my forteinc.com account when you pry it out of my
cold, dead, hard drive. http://www.forteinc.com

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

"--Mike" > wrote in message
...
>
> Thanks for posting this info about the ports. I knew port 80 was allowed
> in
> my firewall, but it turned out that I had mistakenly blocked access to
> Generic Host Process for Win32 (through port 443). Allowing this process
> solved my Windows Update problem : ) Thanks again!
>
> --Mike


You're welcome. Thanks for the feedback.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

"ng_reader" > wrote in message
...
>
> I re-read your postings. You'd like me to post my spy-ware log on the
> Internet. OK. Let's put that in the *maybe* file.
>
> Cheerio, mate.


If you have a HijackThis log, post it to
http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

[N. Miller]

In article >, Billy
says...

> How would one infer from your mis-spelling that you are computer savvey?

It appears to be less a matter of misspelling than of misusing a properly
spelled word. "Irradicate" seems to be valid, if used in the proper context.
My spell checker doesn't seem to choke on it, anyway; as it did when I
copied your "mis-spelling". (That is probably more a matter of style,
though.)

--
Norman
~Win dain a lotica, En vai tu ri, Si lo ta
~Fin dein a loluca, En dragu a sei lain
~Vi fa-ru les shutai am, En riga-lint

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP IE/OE]

"N. Miller" > wrote in message
om...
> In article >, Billy
> says...
>
>> How would one infer from your mis-spelling that you are computer savvey?
>
> It appears to be less a matter of misspelling than of misusing a properly
> spelled word. "Irradicate" seems to be valid, if used in the proper
> context.
> My spell checker doesn't seem to choke on it, anyway; as it did when I
> copied your "mis-spelling". (That is probably more a matter of style,
> though.)
>
> --
> Norman


Style and the fact that spelling checkers are all stupid.

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP, IE/OE
Please respond in Newsgroup only. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com
Protect your PC
http://www.microsoft.com./athome/security/protect/default.aspx

[PA Bear]

[Followup set to WinME General.]

When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://forum.aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to
use. It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware.
**Post your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/,
http://castlecops.com/forum67.html or
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE)

ng_reader wrote:
> I re-read your postings. You'd like me to post my spy-ware log on the
> Internet. OK. Let's put that in the *maybe* file.