Firefox, Chrome, Problem

[zandre88]

Well,

ComboFix has somehoiw totally messed messed up my computer. Every couple of Restarts I have to do a system restore. I really have no idea what is happening and since the last time my laptop crashed I had finally gotten everything back on for the most part. Now I am concerned that I am going to have to do a complete re-install of Windows which is going to be a massive pain the butt. Ugh, I am going to try and run Microsoft Security Essentials and see if that fixes it but who knows.

I've got a bad feeling about it.

 

[KSoD]

Dont use Combofix. Use MBAM instead. Also use the System File checker. Start>Cmd>sfc /scannow

 

[zandre88]

Alright,

I think I may have figured out what part of the problem is. I was looking through what you need to do in order to have Combofix work properly like turning off firewalls and what not.

The problem was I was not able to go into Control Panel and access the proper options. So after doing some searching I found out I was missing the Base Filtering Engine (which I was able to get reinstalled or whatever) and the Windows Firewall Authorization thing. I tried to do a SFC / SCANNOW, but it did nothing and I still couldn't get any options to disable the Windows Firewall in order for Combofix to work.

Also, Windows Defender seems to be having some problems. I am not sure if that is related to the two above problems or not. I can't seem to find the page I was looking at yesterday after looking through all of my history but I guess that could be to do with the system restores I have to keep doing.

The error code I am getting is 0x8007042c. The suggested course of action was to run some sort of scan through Command Prompt, like SFC / SCANNOW or something like that. I'm sorry I was very tired when I was writing all this and couldn't remember.

If that didn't work he had a list of things to enter into command prompt to fix it but after the first line it said their was an error. I really wish I could find that damn page or bookmarked it.

Anyways, I've got a feeling that is part of the problem that ComboFix isn't working right because I can't get the Windows Firewall Settings put properly and can't disable Windows Defender. I need help with that, than I want to try running ComboFix again and see if it works this time.

So basically, I need to figure out how to install the second service or whatever it is that allows the Windows Firewall to be customized. It is driving me nuts that I can't remember the name exactly and that I can't find the page I was visiting.

 

[KSoD]

Well if you have MSE installed and enabled that would be why you cant access Windows Defender. MSE replaces Windows Defender. With Windows 8, Windows Defender will be the new MSE as it has more than just spyware detection built into that specific build. But with Windows 7, MSE replaces Defender. So that takes care of that problem.

But not being able to access the firewall is a big one. I would still suggest running MBAM first. I would also post a HiJack This Log, Available here. That way maybe I can find the rogue process that is causing you all the grief.

 

[zandre88]

Alright,

So I went ahead and ran MBAM and it got rid of the infected files but it said it needed to be rebooted. So I was hoping that all was well.

Unfortunately, again it would not start and I had to do a system restore. I am starting to wonder if it has something to do with the services missing for my Windows Firewall or something.

It is getting extremely frustrating and I can't keep on doing system restore every time I restart my computer. I need some advice on what I should do?

I downloaded HiJack this and ran saved the log. Should I just post it here for you to take a look at?

Also, the problem with not being able to access the Firewall is due to me missing those two services. One of them being Base Filtering Engine (which I was able to get reinstalled easily) and than whatever the other one is. I really wish I'd have bookmarked that damn page. However, it is something that you need so that you can customize the Firewall.

I have another computer that I could get a copy of it from but I just need to know the name of the file and how to install it and that should hopefully work. If someone could help me figure out how to do that maybe I can get this damn thing fixed.



EDIT: Also, I have Acronis True Image, which I bought specifically for after my last crash to prevent this. However, I stupidly didn't back it up yet. Although, I am backing it up right now. I am wondering if I back it up now, reinstall Windows and use my backed-up image will I still have the same problems? Or will since I am installing a fresh version of Windows will the problems go away and I'll be able to keep all my data and installed programs?

EDIT(2): Alright, so something extremely strange just happened. I decided to try and Shut Down my computer instead of Restarting it. So I did it, turned it back on and it came on normal. No system restore needed. The only thing I did was uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials. Could that have been causing the problems? Or is there simply something wrong with the restart?

 

[KSoD]

Look the facts are this.

A. The system is corrupted.
B. You cant run any cleaning software without further corruption.

Your options.

1. Continue to do the restores cause you refuse to reinstall as you should. The system is too corrupt to try and fix it with any software at this point. Even the System File Checker is not working properly. There is no way you can fix this install anymore.
2. Try an inplace upgrade. This might save your currently installed applications and files.
3. Reinstall Windows completely.

Those are your options, like them or not. You may not have the time to do what is needed, but you must take the time in order to fix this properly. There is no band aid you can you can put on this problem to fix it. Once you make your decision, use Acronis and make an Image. Making an image right now is the WORST THING you are doing in all of this. You are making a backup as your system currently is. It will not help you solve anything but create just as many problems. All you will do is corrupt a fresh install with the same issues you are currently having.

No removing MSE did not or would not be causing the problems. I have used that program since it was first developed and never have I ever heard of anyone talk about such problems as you. There is something wrong with the restart, as I have said your system is completely corrupted.

You have your options, just have to decided what you want to do.

 

[zandre88]

Look the facts are this.

A. The system is corrupted.
B. You cant run any cleaning software without further corruption.

Your options.

1. Continue to do the restores cause you refuse to reinstall as you should. The system is too corrupt to try and fix it with any software at this point. Even the System File Checker is not working properly. There is no way you can fix this install anymore.
2. Try an inplace upgrade. This might save your currently installed applications and files.
3. Reinstall Windows completely.

Those are your options, like them or not. You may not have the time to do what is needed, but you must take the time in order to fix this properly. There is no band aid you can you can put on this problem to fix it. Once you make your decision, use Acronis and make an Image. Making an image right now is the WORST THING you are doing in all of this. You are making a backup as your system currently is. It will not help you solve anything but create just as many problems. All you will do is corrupt a fresh install with the same issues you are currently having.

No removing MSE did not or would not be causing the problems. I have used that program since it was first developed and never have I ever heard of anyone talk about such problems as you. There is something wrong with the restart, as I have said your system is completely corrupted.

You have your options, just have to decided what you want to do.

Thank you for the reply.

I don't know how I got all of these infections. I don't visit weird websites or download crap from Torrent sites or places like Limewire. It just seems extremely strange.

Anyways, I'm not sure if this will work but could you let me know.

As I said I have Acronis True Image. I don't know for sure if that back-ups up the entire operating system or just everything else. If it is something that is in the operating system that is causing all these problems and I re-install it than use the Acronis True Image Back-Up would that work? I'm not sure if I am explaining that the way I want to or not but hopefully you get the idea.

Or is there any other program that will make an image of everything minus the operating system I could use?

Lastly, are there any other anti-virus/malware programs I could try? AdAware? Anything?

EDIT: Also, I think that I might be able to get ComboFix to work right if I can fix the problems with Windows Firewall. Like I said I was able to install the Base Filtering Engine. I have another computer that is clean that I can get the other file or reg or whatever it is off of and copy it to it but I don't know which one it is. If anyone knows what I am talking about and could link me to a tutorial on how to do it at least I could give it a try.

 

[alaa_ecv_tc]

In firefox .. go to your Add-ons Manager .. Go to Add-ons .. See if there is any *suggester* Add-on installed .. Disable it .. or remove it .. just get rid of it .. Also go to the Extensions part and do so .

Do that in chrome too .. I had the same problem and the guilty was win2flash suggester .. has been banished by deleting

Hope this work .

 

[zandre88]

Alright,

So this is really weird.

I have now Shut Down and Restarted my computer four times and it has come back on normally. I had to run the MBAM three times but maybe it got rid of the major problem.

However, I am still having problems with the random pages popping-up and google links being redirected to things I didn't click on.

Did the MBAM do its job? I really have no idea what to think at this point.

The only thing I did was uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials, that was it.

I'd still like to try and get my Firewall problem fixed so if anyone could help me with that I'd really appreciate it. I will try to find the service that is missing or corrupt that I can't seem to remember and hopefully someone can help me out.

I am wondering,

Even though I still seem to be having the problem with the random web pages popping up and the links being redirected if I should go ahead and do an Acronis Back-Up in-case I start to go through that nightmare again of having to do system restores. That way, if something ends up crashing it I can have everything back and work again on getting the problem fixed.

EDIT: Also, I really need to figure out how to get this Windows Firewall thing corrected. From what I have read (whatever the file name is) it can be found in HKEY area that if I can find a clean working version of it than I can just basically copy and paste it onto my computer. I just need some tutorial or guide on how to do it.

 

[KSoD]

Acronis True Image take a full image of the system. OS and all. Meaning that if you restored it, you would be right where you are now. So doing a backup at this stage is only pouring gasoline on the fire.

You can get these infections from so much. Even viewing a flash image can infect a machine now. It doesnt take much for an infection to get onto a machine but it takes much more to get it off, as you are finding out the hard way.

You dont have to go to random sites and click on random things. Just visiting Facebook can get you infected now.

I have not seen nor heard of any backup programs that will backup all of your installed apps and restore just the apps aspect for Windows. Personal settings and application profiles and all that are required. It is for this reason that people use tools like Acronis True Image, CloneZilla and FOG. So that if they come across such issues, they can just put the image back on their machine and be up and running within 15-20 minutes.

The truth is, you shouldnt be messing around with the Registry. 1 wrong move in there will force your machine to become completely unusable and cause you to have to reinstall losing everything in the process. So I would be very careful with what your trying to do in there. On top of that, there is no saying that copying over the Windows firewall registry key will fix your issues. It could infact compound them. You would need the machine you are taking it from to be setup like yours and not have the Windows Firewall affected by any other software. Things such as Comodo, ZoneAlarm, Avast, AVG and other protection softwares make modifications to the Windows Firewall and having such modifications to the registry key could hurt your system more than help it.

I know the choices are not what you want. But in life when are the choices available the ones we want? I already stated what you could do. Even being as much as a Windows person as I am, I still dont go messing around trying to import registry keys from other systems onto mine. That is only asking for trouble. If you wish to do that, then I would suggest heading over to the Microsoft TechNET Forums for IT Professionals. They might be able to assist you in this adventure. Something like this is a task that very few people should undertake, myself included. There are just far to many variables that can go wrong causing the system to become completely corrupt. I dont want to be the person responsible, nor anyone on this site for that matter, in suggesting something that can lead you to lose everything you have.