Control Panel Issues

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ldd

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Hello everyone,

I'm having issues accessing my Control Panel. Most applications won't open claiming "another program is currently using this file." It was suggested that I send in a HJT, which I hope I've done correctly.

Any advice would be highly appreciated. If I've forgotten or neglected to include something please advise. My computer literacy is bascially zero so please be patient with me.

Thank you in advance.
 

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As I suggested you post your log,I suppose I can comment on it :)

There doesn`t seem to be anything there that would stop you accessing the

control apps.The only thing I can suggest is to go into the Task Manager and

disable all non Microsoft processes,then see if you can get anywhere.

Have you tried safe mode ? A good place for troubleshooting.
 
thank you for the help.

i should point out that the kapersky online scan apparently found something infected on my computer but didn't remove it. no other scan picked it up though. i saved the report as an html file. would it be helpful to view that at all?
 
Sure :)
It says it's a "Infected: Trojan.Win32.Qhost.hi" and it's in "C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.msn".

Could that be it? I'm not sure if I've managed to get rid of it or not yet.
 
You can use the miscellaneous tools of HJT to delete that on reboot,if it`s a problem.

I`m not sure what it is.It doesn`t sound like the cause of the problem to me.

Did you try the control panel in safe mode btw ?
 
I don't know if it's a problem, I've been told to be wary of anything involving trojans is all :)

No, I have yet to try safe mode. How do I do that?
 
I`m not saying you shouldn`t get rid of it.Even it`s a false positive it won`t harm to get rid of it.

Safe mode,see HERE
 
Sorry, I tried editing my previous response but I'm not sure if it worked. I've tried safe mode and it didn't work :(

I'll look up how to disable microsoft processes and see if that helps at all.
 
If it still happens in safe mode,I`m stumped.

I`ll keep thinking about it.So will all the other Techspot members.:)
 
Thank you all very much :) I know there are more exciting things to be doing than helping some guy who has no idea what's going on with his computer, so it's all very appreciated.

I'll post again with any news.

ldd
 
Hello and welcome to Techspot.

Run HJT with no other programmes open. Click the scan button. Have HJT fix the following, by placing a tick in the little box next to(if there).

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = \blank.htm

O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{DF523AC9-57DA-472B-9DD9-562F3C72B478}: NameServer = 220.233.0.4,220.233.0.3<Only fix this, if it doesn`t belong to your ISP.

Click on the fix checked button.

Close HJT.

Open my computer click your C drive/windows/system32/drivers/etc/hosts Open the hosts file in notepad. Delete everything in your hosts file except for 127.0.0.1 localhost. Close notepad and click yes when it asks you if you want to save changes.

Other than the above, your HJT log is clean.

However, you should go HERE and follow the instructions exactly, just in case.

Let me know the outcome please.

Regards Howard :wave: :wave:

This thread is for the use of ldd only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.
 
Thank you :)

I won't be able to try any of that until I get home a bit later, but I'll definitly let you guys know how things turn out.

I have already followed the instructions on how to log an HJT. I hope I followed them correctly. Peddant kindly advised me to check out that thread before posting an HJT log :)
 
Sorry, can anyone tell me how to know if the O17etc option is my ISP or not? I know it's very close to my IP number, is at all related? Again, sorry, completely illiterate. I'm guessing ISP means Internet Service Provider? But how do I know what number that is?

My IP number is almost exactly the same minus the 0.4 and the 0.3 at the end. That's where the numbers differ. Is this important?

Thank you in advance.
 
I can get as far as opening the 'etc' folder to show me files that include 'hosts', 'hosts.msn','lmhosts.sam', 'networks', 'protocol' and 'services.'

However, I can not open any of those files because they all say "another program is currently using this file'...which happens to be exactly what it says when I try to access the apps in my control panel.

Another thing that might be worth noting is that the computer doesn't give me the option of opening the files in notepad. They're all files that don't appear to have a program on the system that can open them as their icons all look like a piece of paper with a window on it, the way it normally looks if I don't have the proper application or program to open a specific file. However in this case it's not offering me the option of allowing the web to choose a program or manually browsing for one as it simply claims it's in use by another program anyway. I'm sorry for my terrible way of describing this, I hope you get the idea :)

Any advice? ;)
 
Boot into safe mode, under your normal user name(NOT THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT). See how here.> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial61.html

Turn off system restore.(XP/ME only) See how here.> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial56.html

In Windows Explorer, turn on "Show all files and folders, including hidden and system". See how here.> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial62.html

Delete the hosts.msn file. Then follow the instructions for your hosts file.

Reboot into normal mode and turn system restore back on.

Regards Howard :)
 
I'll do that. The tutorial page you sent me on disabling the system restore it says to disable it I need to be in the admin account which you've instructed me not to log into. In safe mode is this overidden?
 
You should be able to turn system restore off from safe mode, but if you have problems, turn it off before you boot into safe mode.

Regards Howard :)
 
Unfortunately I can't disable System Restore because "system" is one of the apps in the control panel that won't open. I'm not sure if it would make a difference either because in safe mode I still can't open the files in the 'etc' folder. I did however delete the hosts.msn file so I'm staying positive, lol. :)
 
Try this.

Right click my computer and select properties, then the system restore tab. Tick the box that says turn off system restore. Click apply/ok.

Regards Howard :)
 
"another program is currently using this file" :(

It won't let me right click on properties, it just says that when I do.
 
Something`s definitely not right here.

I`m very tempted to advise you to backup your important data and reformat.

However, before you do that, maybe you`d like to try a Windows repair as per this thread HERE.

Regards Howard :)

This thread is for the use of ldd only. Please don`t post your own virus/spyware problems in this thread. Instead, open a new thread in our security and the web forum.
 
It's annoying because the rest of windows functions without issue. If only the control panel was not so important :)

Thank you for helping out, much appreciated. I guess I'll do that eventually, but I'll spend a few days smacking my head into a wall first in frustration while hoping that a solution suddenly appears. I will however start backing up files asap.

Thanks again. :)
 
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