virus/malware/spyware,etc.

[XWrench3]

well, i think my computer has a bug of some sort. it has not been right all day, and when i tried to run the malware bytes program, that worked fine 2 nights ago, a pop up window opens and says that the files have been corrupted or missing. i ran ccleaner, then shut down the computer and started it up in safe mode. i then removed malware bytes, re downloaded it, and it is running right now. the one thing that bugs me is that 2 people i know, have found viruses in old machines that i have given them. but when i ran the anti-virus, nothing showed up. the one said that she runs all the programs at once (i can only assume she meant superantispyware, avast anti spyware, and malwarebytes. will running all 3 of these at the same time actually pull bugs out of the system that would otherwise go undetected? or does she have a trick up her sleve that she is not telling me. well, malwarebytes just ended, and found nothing. which is what it has found for the last 6 months. the other computer went to my brother, and his wifes son was a communications expert in the airforce. but they live 170 miles away, so he has never come here. and i barely know him.

 

[KSoD]

Have you tried Safe Mode?

 

[XWrench3]

K, do you mean run in safe mode? or try to run anti virus, anti-malware software? i have run the anti-virus program, malwarebytes, and superantispyware in safe mode. they show nothing (i ran them in regular maode first). but i have not tried running normally in safe mode. i thought there was a root kit, or anti root kit search function (not sure which it is supposed to be, or even what a root kit is for that matter) in one of these, but i could not find it. i am not very good with electronic stuff. i just do not understand it.

 

[SCxnoxiousTechie]

Try run the computer on safe mode / Then this process . unhide program / Ccleaner / Rkill / Malwarebytes / Disable pop up message on msconfig .. you can also try running the ALL In One Repair .

 

[XWrench3]

so, i need to start the computer in safe mode with a command prompt? correct? then type in exactly what you have there? i want to be certain before i screw something up bad.

 

[SCxnoxiousTechie]

not on the command promt...safe mode w/networking or safe mode only ..

 

[SCxnoxiousTechie]

Or if you want .. you can try performing the system restore 1st then do the scan process

 

[XWrench3]

if i do a system restore, i will loose years of programs and data. i have done that in the past. it sucks! i would only do a system restore only as a last resort. the one time i did do it, it took 4 attempts for it to load all the software properly. if it comes to that point, i will take it (grudgingly) to a computer repair tech. / so, where do i type in the commands, if i am not using a command prompt? by the way, THANKS, EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD IS GREAT!

 

[KSoD]

What you could do, is load up a Linux LiveCD like Ubuntu. Backup all your current data to an external device. Then do the system restore or complete reinstall of Windows. That way you will not lose the years of data you have collected and be starting fresh again.

What commands are you trying to even do? I have not seen anywhere on any post about any commands that needed to be input. If you start in Safe Mode and then run these programs again, it will clean the system as much as it can be cleaned. MBAM, SUPER, and the rest will do a much better job in Safe Mode than normal mode.

But the real thing here is you only think your system has a bug. What makes you think that? What proof do you have other than slowdown? Cause that can happen for millions of reasons other than an infection. If your hard drive has less than 20% free space, that will cause slow down. Years of use will cause slow down. Dying or damaged parts will cause it. That is just to start. Not to mention an install of Windows that is several years old with having hundreds of thousands of apps installed and uninstalled will cause it as well.

So as you can see, an infection is only 1 thing that can cause slow down. You never give any explanation other than MBAM failed to start even though it ran 2 days ago. You then go into saying something about your friends, which has no relevance on your machine.

To me it sounds more along the lines of the hard drive starting to give out when apps start to fail to work. That is sectors of the hard drive getting corrupted which is the start of the drive failing. Remember these things done last forever. So if the drive is 5 years old or more, it could be starting to go. Just cause you have had drives last you 10 years or more doesnt mean they all will.

So I would serious put some consideration into backing up your data now, before it does fail.

 

[SCxnoxiousTechie]

if i do a system restore, i will loose years of programs and data. i have done that in the past. it sucks! i would only do a system restore only as a last resort. the one time i did do it, it took 4 attempts for it to load all the software properly. if it comes to that point, i will take it (grudgingly) to a computer repair tech. / so, where do i type in the commands, if i am not using a command prompt? by the way, THANKS, EVERYONE ON THIS BOARD IS GREAT!

System Restore will not delete your files .. it will just restore the computer back to the previous date... that one that you were talking about is the system recovery .. might use windows r then type there RSTRUI.EXE .. this will give you the options where you can chose the date when the unit was working fine ,, if you got a malware or virus the best restore point is the oldest one ..