So lately my computer has been acting kind of funny as of late. A few weeks ago I was having some problems with my video card where the system kept locking up randomly on me. I seemed to get that fixed after taking the card out reseating it and also turning off my screen saver since the comptuer was only locking up with the screen saver was coming on. After that the computer was working find. And still seems to be but it is rebooting in the middle of the night. I know that because there are certain windows that I will leave open when leaving the computer for the night that won't be open in the morning. Also my Nic will only show as being connected for a few hours.

This morning I noticed that the time that the Internet showed as being connected for was about the time that AVG was schedule to run during the night. So I go and check the logs. last completed scan was on 3/30 and all the other scans up there was a virus for quite some time. I looked at the logs and the file that says it was infect I found a while back and had deleted. Although it is still showing up in the same directory in the scans. Even though in all the logs when it says it finds it, it also cleans it. Yet it is still there in the scan the next night.

Well since I haven't had a complete scan for a while I decided to run another scan. Comuputer reboots. Tried going to antivirus.com and running the only scand there but it keeps stopping when it says it is trying to update the definitions on my system. Tried to restart several times and it gets a little farther but never actually makes it all the way through. Finall start on running Panda's online scan and it is still running with out any problem so far. Although it has seemed to find 12 spywares on there that spybot, adaware, and Windows Defender have never found.

Could this be just a corruption in windows possibly caused from all the reboots and freezes I have been suffering, or does it sound like I have some sot of virus running back that that is now not allowing my AVG to be able to complete a scan.

Just as a precaution, you should go HERE (http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic47014.html) and follow the instructions.

It is possible there is a problem with AVG or Windows, but lets see if we can rule out a virus etc first.

Regards Howard :)

Thanks for Posting back so Quickly Howard. Still waiting for Panda to finish up after the Housecall wouldn't run. Never really ran HJT before since I don't really understand what the files are trying to tell me. (Good with some stuff on computer but then there are others like this that just confuse the hell out of me). After the Panda finishes I will download HJT and run that then post the log for you.

In a way I hope it is a virus or something that I will be able to get rid of with out having to format my drive and stuff. Not that I can't reinstall my windows with out any problems I just don't like to. :(

Before you post the HJT log. Make sure you follow all the instructions in the link I gave you.

If it turns out to be a virus/malware problem, I`ll move this thread to our security forum.

Regards Howard :)

Alright well some of that I will have to get around to after I get home from work. Hopefully I will have time to run all those scans tonight. If not tomorrow then.

Ok so I was reading over the steps on what to do from the thread about how to remove the Coolweb Search and stuff and I don't know if I am just reading stuff wrong or I just don't understand what RealBlackStuff is saying after he is talking about running HJT. All of those steps after word how to remove the problem or is that stuff that you actually have to do while running the scan to be able to write the log that I can then post here?

I am still not quite there yet. Sill running spyware scans from the thread before that but I thought I would ask before I got to that point and didn't really know what do next. Like I said never really run HJT before because I have heard that you can really mess up stuff unless you knew what ou were doing with that program and understand a lot of the processes and processes running in the background of windows. Which I don't really.

The easiest thing to do, is to print out RBS`s instructions.

RBS lists the programmes you need to download and install/update, including HJT.

All the programmes should then be run in safe mode, with system restore turned off. Then you run the HJT programme and have HJT fix any of the entries, as pointed out in RBS`s thread.

Then, post a fresh HJT log here and I`ll take a look at it. I`ll then see if anything else needs to be removed.

Regards Howard :)

ok Howard thanks. Like I said I am good with running all the scans and the instructions until he start talking about how to remove stuff with the HJT log. That is where he lost me.

As soon as I get the log I will post it up there. Still running the ewiod malware scan from the other thread and so far so good. Computer has seemed to be running good for the last few days except for when I try to run AVG and this morning when I was trying to get the TrendMicro Online scan to run.

Alright finished all of thos scans and didn't find anything. Here is the HJT log for you to look at howard to see if there is anything in there.

I can`t see anything really nasty in your HJT log.

Let HJT fix all your 016 DPF entries.

Also, fix this if it doesn`t belong to your ISP.

O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{DEE168C8-3B01-4C2D-95DC-D8EBD4D9454D}: NameServer = 68.94.156.1,68.94.157.1

Uninstall AVG and then reinstall. If that doesn`t help, maybe try a different antivirus programme.

Regards Howard :)

When you said fix it that mean they are going to get rid of all the stuff that is listed there or just make is make the computer safe some of the stuff that shows up on that list are things like sound drivers and other stuff that I want to have on the computer.

Also as for that name server does belong to my ISP I have my IP hard set in my computer so that my router doesn't change my IP address do my own webhosting on another computer and also access my computer through VNC from time to time when not home. Every once in a while with DCHP on my network the internal IP address would change with would make it hard for people to view my webpage and log in from outside my network.

Run HJT and have HJT fix all your 016 DPF entries, by placing a tick in the little box next to each 016 DPF entry. Then click on the fix checked button and close HJT.

Seeing how that 017 entry does belong to your ISP just leave it as it is.

Don`t fix anything else.

Regards Howard :)

oh ok I guess I mis understood the DPF are specific types of problems. Sorry about that like I said still very new to this program and scared that I am going to kill my machine. Although I don't know why I am I have back ups and stuff and It isn't hard to reinstall windows so ;)

Thanks for all your help Howard :D

Thats ok Jimbo.

Once you`ve done that. Uninstall and reinstall AVG. See if that helps. If not, try using a different antivirus programme, such as Avast and see if you get the same problems.

If you do decide to use a different antivirus programme, make sure you uninstall AVG first. It`s not a good idea to have two active av programmes running at the same time.


Regards Howard :)

Yeah I know about not having 2 on there at once. Will it batter a whole lot if I don't fix it before I uninstall. Just uninstalled the AVG and downloading the new copy then I was going to boot back into safe mode to fix the problems before I install the software again.

You can always fix those entries later is you wish. Although I`d do it now if I was you.

Regards Howard :)

Oh they are done now. Just the way you said that before I thought that maybe you meant I should fix them first and then try to fix AVG. So I wasn't sure if that part mattered or not, but I got all that taken care of and hopefully in the morning my computer won't have restarted on me about the time that it was supposed to run a virus scan.

Thanks again Howard!

If after uninstalling/reinstalling/trying a different av programme you still have problems with your computer restarting.

Zip 5 or 6 of your minidumps together and attach them here.

You can find your minidumps in the C:\windows\minidump folder.

Regards Howard :)

Well I uninstalled and reinstalled and then this morning when I got to the computer it was locked up. Hit the reset booted into windows went and checked the AVG logs and there was no test results, but it looks like the scan did try to run because if it was missed it should have been started running this morning when the computer first came back on which it didn't Also said that the next schdule time for running a scan and updating was supposed to be tonight.

Plus when I booted the first time opened up my broswer to come post this message. Once the browser was open whole thing was locked up again, after just about a minute. After rebooting again it seems to be working ok right now, at least so far.

So I am starting to think that is windows except when I went to look for the minidumps there aren't any. So I guess only thing to do now is uninstall AVG again and install Avast. Can't imagine what could be wrong with AVG never had a problem with it like this before and have had it on tons of computers.

Is Windows setup to write minidumps?

Right click my computer, and select properties, and then the advanced tab.

Under startup and recovery click on settings. Make sure the write debugging information box is set to small memory dump. Also make sure that the overwrite any exsisting file box isn`t checked. Click ok/apply/ok.

Reboot your computer.

Now when your system crashes, Windows should write a minidump to the folder c:/windows/minidump

Regards Howard :)

Is Windows setup to write minidumps?

Right click my computer, and select properties, and then the advanced tab.

Under startup and recovery click on settings. Make sure the write debugging information box is set to small memory dump. Also make sure that the overwrite any exsisting file box isn`t checked. Click ok/apply/ok.

Reboot your computer.

Now when your system crashes, Windows should write a minidump to the folder c:/windows/minidump

Regards Howard :)
I just double checked the setting on that and that is that way that it is set up. I can't uncheck the overwrite function because it is greyed out, but all the other settings are already set exactly as you said they should be, yet no minidumps after a lock up or reboot.

The easiest way to untick the overwrite file box is to change to full minidump, then untick the overwrite file box and change back to small minidump. Click apply/ok.

Regards Howard :)

Alright I got that part fixed about the Overwrite. You think that I should just leave it like that and let it lock up at night and see if I start to get some mini dumps and then after I get a few see if it points to a problem?

Without any minidumps, It`s difficult to pinpoint the problem. Sometimes, even with minidumps it can be difficult.

Have you considered trying a windows repair, as per this thread HERE? (http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic8356.html)

If you would rather wait untill you have some minidumps, then by all means wait.

Regards Howard :)

Well by the time I get around to do thing repair I may have a few for you. I probably wouldn't be able do to a repair until at least Thursday. So maybe have one or two by then :).

I know that it isn't a full proof way to fix it. I am starting to think that maybe I need to just format the drive and reinstall windows :(.

Formatting may well solve the problem. However, I do understand your reluctance to do this.

Regards Howard :)

Mostly because I am being lazy and I have a lot of software to reinstall that I am not really looking forward to doing right now. :p

Well just walked in the door at home had about enough time to open my email client and open up my browser and stuff then the darn computer when blank screen on my and after a few seconds started to give me an alternation beeping like something was over heating. Not really sure how that could happen when it has been sitting here idling all day long. That pretty much did it though I think. Going to start backing up my stuff and probably format the drive on Thursday.

Thanks again for the help Howard. In the end I htink I just got one of those little gremlins in there that you can only get rid of by starting over from scratch.

Well I turned off my AVG scan that runs as night to see if that helps at all. The first night didn't lock up. This morning it is locked up again. Double checked the AVG settings and the scan was still set as disabled. Still no Minidumps though. So on Thursday I am going to run a repair installation cause I still don't really have to format and do the whole thing from scrath. That takes a long time :(.

Lockup, reboots, and freeze ups happening a little more frequently now. Was talking to some others that mentioned that it would be a problems with my psu. That sound likly to anyone else or would it make a little more since to be Windows maybe? Problems didn't really start happening until I started using the DVI head on my video card and running two monitors :( .

Well I guess after tomorrow we will find out more for sure :confused:

Probably time to rename this thread and move it to a differen sub-forum too :suspiciou

It is possible that your psu is at fault. But that is only a guess.

What psu do you have?

BTW. there`s no point in me moving this thread yet, as we still don`t know what the problem is.

Regards Howard :)

It is a no name brand that came with my cube case which isn't made anymore which means can't be found anymore.

If you open your case, there should be a label on the psu, that says what wattage it is.

Regards Howard :)

Yeah I know. Small case and I would have to take the whole computer appart to see that. I want to say it is a 220W. At least that is what I want to remember it was from when I bot it. Low wattage but not much really in there.

Was doing some other thinking last night. Which is probably why I didn't sleep that much (got to learn to stop doing that), but I have a couple of other theories that I am going to try before I format the drive, and well so far so good this morning so I guess just wait a day or two and see how this works out ;)

Well since it doesn't look like problem was with AVG rather more likely a hardware or windows problems I have started a new thread to hopefully get more insight and see if anyone else has had this problem or at least heard of this kind of problem.

The new thread can be found here (http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic47690.html). Thread not really needed anymore can be locked even if mods see fit.