Another XP Horror Story

[NathanielA]

My computer froze up, and when rebooting, my Norton 360 would at first say, during the bootup that its "Sonar" web protection wouldn't load... then after a long delay it apparently got online, after my XP connection started, and then loaded the Sonar protection.... but then the big problem.... when Malwarebytes loaded it then froze my entire computer. I could move the mouse around... but nothing happened when I clicked on things you supposed to click on. Therefore, I couldn't remove Malwarebytes because I couldn't get any program to start... So finally I started an uninstaller program, as my early programs were loading, and started the Malwarebytes uninstall before Malwarebytes could load. Not elegant, but it finally worked. However... my OS seemed to be affected so, thank the computer gods for Norton Ghost, I had to boot from the Norton Ghost CD and run a restore for 2 days prior to get "back to normal." I purchased Malwarebytes as a "lifetime program" but I'm afraid to install it again.

 

Any other stories, other than the one XP horror story I see on this forum? Anyone know what caused the problem with XP and if they "fixed it"?

 

Just wondering, in Oceanside, CA.... and currently not running Malwarebytes...

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Welcome back.

 

Sorry you are having new problems with 2.1.8.1057 under XP.

The staff are investigating these reports.

 

It's not yet clear if the underlying issue is really "the same" for all users.

 

As each computer is unique, it would help -- for a start -- to have a bit more system information from affected users.

 

First, when did the problem begin?

 

AND:

Please read the following and attach to your next reply the 3 requested logs - Diagnostic Logs (the 3 logs are: FRST.txt, Addition.txt and CheckResults.txt)

 

Thank you,

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi,

as DD noted,

 

It's not yet clear if the underlying issue is really "the same" for all users.

 

How did it happen that this computer had the "freeze-up"?  What significant thing happened before that ?

 

as DD noted, those diagnostic reports would help.  As to anything related to our version 2.1.8 and XP ( or really older machines ) the question is if the hardware has very old processors on the system board.   This is where the FRST reports would shed a light.

 

Also, you may look at Windows' System Information applet, and tell us what it reports for "Processor".

From the Start - Run dialog, type in

msinfo32

and tap Enter-key.

or

Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> System Tools >> System Information

 

If yours is an old AMD series or a Intel that predates the Pentium 4 series, then we can provide a remedy.

[NathanielA]

I'm sorry, but none of the things you mentioned gave me info on my cpu or other critical hardware. I'll look at different programs I may have which will give me the info I need re my MB profile, including CPU, etc. and try to get back to you. The Microsoft screens that came up did not have the options you specified.  I'm pretty sure I have a quad-core processor... or at least a dual-core, but I can't remember at this point.

[Maurice Naggar]

I would urge you to run the FRST report tool   and then attach the 2 reports into your next reply.  That would really truly help, so I can see better, before we jump into something.

[NathanielA]

Sorry, but couldn't find any of the programs mentioned above by several helpful people. However, after spending too much time with the XP reporting tools and finding nothing that gave me any useful hardware information, I finally remembered that my Glary Utilities might have a good reporting tool, to wit:

--------------------------------------

------------------Overview------------------

Processor : Intel Pentium III Xeon processor

Memory : 3067MB(800)

Mother Board : DG43NB

Windows Version : Microsoft Windows XP ProfessionalService Pack 3

Installation Date : 2009-08-19

Monitor : Plug and Play Monitor

Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260

Mouse : HID-compliant mouse

Keyboard : Synaptics USB Human Interface Device

Disk Drive : ST31000520AS(931GB,IDE)

Disk Drive : HP Officejet Pro L7 USB Device(931GB,USB)

Disk Drive : WD 3200BEV External USB Device(298GB,USB)

Disk Drive : WDC WD10 EACS-00D6B0 USB Device(931GB,USB)

DVD/CD-ROM Drive : HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GH22LP21 SCSI CdRom Device

--------------------------------------------

[NathanielA]

Hi:

 

Welcome back.

 

Sorry you are having new problems with 2.1.8.1057 under XP.

The staff are investigating these reports.

 

It's not yet clear if the underlying issue is really "the same" for all users.

 

As each computer is unique, it would help -- for a start -- to have a bit more system information from affected users.

 

First, when did the problem begin?

 

AND:

Please read the following and attach to your next reply the 3 requested logs - Diagnostic Logs (the 3 logs are: FRST.txt, Addition.txt and CheckResults.txt)

 

Thank you,

And, where... exactly, would I attampt to find these "Diagnostic Logs"???  Just wondering. Do I have to use some software reporting tools, or are they hiding, somewhere, in the Windows XP system?  Just wondering???

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Until Maurice returns:

 

Please use your computer mouse to click on the blue words here >>> Diagnostic Logs .

It is a "hyperlink" that will take you to a pinned forum post (aka a "sticky") with detailed instructions.

The instructions will explain how to run 2 basic diagnostic scanning tools, FRST and mbam-check.

The 2 tools will produce 3 logs on your computer desktop.

The logs will provide a bit of basic system information to assist Maurice in helping you with your issues.

 

Please attach to your next reply the 3 requested logs produced by running those tools  (the 3 logs are: FRST.txt, Addition.txt and CheckResults.txt).

(If you need help attaching files to your forum posts, just let us know -- we can explain how to do it.)

 

Thanks!

 

[Maurice Naggar]

@ Nathaniel,

The link in my reply had the link to the FRST tool.   But I do see that your microprocessor -is- an older Pentium 3 model.  That is the main indicator I was after.

This is a special procedure to do a new instal.   It is not for everyone.  Only just yours that have older processors.

 

You'll first need to download and install it from here:
http://downloads.malwarebytes.org/file/mbam/

At the final installation screen, do not click Finish. Leave that screen open, and continue below.

Next...download the file **Malwarebytes_2.1.8_SSE2_Hotfix.exe** from this link and save it to your desktop, or other easy to access location.
https://malwarebytes.app.box.com/s/7yxf8at2gv2yu3x4h6qlvtevziq3ziut

Next...double click on the Malwarebytes_2.1.8_SSE2_Hotfix.exe to run it (if running Windows Vista or Windows 7, right click and select Run as administrator)

Click “Yes” to the prompt “Do you want to install a modified Malwarebytes Anti-Malware dll files?”

A command window will open.

You should see several messages indicating files had been copied.

Click OK on the message box and press any key to close the command window which opened.

Now, click Finish on the installation screen, and MBAM should open without issue.

Let me know if that works.

 

 

[NathanielA]

Maurice, thanks. I just downloaded the files. I'll try to run them tomorrow and see if I can make them work. Also, I didn't know I had such an old Pentium CPU.

 

As an aside, if I get a newer "box", should my drives, most likely, be compatible with a newer system? Any thoughts along this line? Just wondering... )

 

Best,

Nathaniel

[Maurice Naggar]

Is the new computer from 2014 / 2015 ?  I am not sure what you mean by "newer box".

 

I presume you meant the disc drives.   No, those do not affect the suitability of the software.

 

NOTE: The Intel Pentium III Xeon processor  first came out about a decade and a half ago.  near 2000.

Edited July 28, 2015 by Maurice Naggar

[beri486]

I am having the same problems with MB on an old 2007 Dell laptop.

The new updates seem to make MB useless on XP machines. 

I just removed it from my XP laptop. Not worth the trouble.