FRACACTA!

[denno]

Greetings

Must be time for a cleanup.
See "Topic Tags."

Firefox takes a long time to boot up after rebooting computer.

Seems almost everything, including Save Dialogs, suffers from Not Responding delays.

Open Office Writer crashes a lot; might be their problem.

Keyboard went suddenly unreliable. M, C and Enter keys produce (sometimes) nothing or triple hits.  Especially caps.  (I have not yet tried compressed air.)
Thunderbird generally slow.

Sometimes ctrl+v does not work, though Paste works in the context menu.

Like that.

Here are scans.

Thanks

FRST.txt Addition.txt

[JSntgRvr]

Hi
 
Welcome 
 
I'll be helping you with your computer.
 
Please read this post completely before beginning. If there's anything that you do not understand, please don't hesitate to ask before proceeding.
 
Please take note of the guidelines for this fix:

• Please note that I am a volunteer. I do have a family, a career, and other endeavors that may prevent immediate responses that meet your schedule. Do note that the differences in time zones could present a problem as well. Your patience and understanding will be greatly appreciated.
• First of all, the procedures we are about to perform are specific to your problem and should only be used on this specific computer.
• Do not make any changes to your computer that include installing/uninstalling programs, deleting files, modifying the registry, nor running scanners or tools of any kind unless specifically requested by me.
• Please read ALL instructions carefully and perform the steps fully and in the order they are written.
• If things appear to be better, let me know. Just because the symptoms no longer exist as before, does not mean that you are clean.
• Continue to read and follow my instructions until I tell you that your machine is clean.
• If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask before performing the task that I ask of you, and please wait for my reply before you proceed.
• Scanning with programs and reading the logs do take a fair amount of time. Again, your patience will be necessary. 

Let's begin... 

• Download the enclosed file  Fixlist.txt
• Save it in the same location FRST64.exe is saved.
• Start FRST (FRST64) with Administrator privileges
• This time around Press the Fix button and wait
• When finished, a log file (Fixlog.txt) will pop up and saved in the same location the tool was ran from.

 

Please attach this file in your next reply.

 
Download AdwCleaner and save it to your desktop.

• Double click AdwCleaner.exe to run it.

When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable these repair actions on that tab-window
by clicking their button to the far-right for ON status

• Delete IFEO keys
• Delete tracing keys
• Delete Prefetch files
• Reset Proxy
• Reset IE Policies
• Reset Chrome policies
• Reset Winsock
• Reset HOSTS file
• Click Scan Now ...
• When the scan has finished a Scan Results window will open.
• Click Cancel (at this point do not attempt to Quarantine anything that is found)
• Now click the Log Files tab ...
• Double click on the latest scan log (Scan logs have a [S0*] suffix, where * is replaced by a number, the latest scan will have the largest number)
• A Notepad file will open containing the results of the scan.

Please attach the file in your next reply.

Edited October 15, 2023 by JSntgRvr

[denno]

Hello!
The speed of your reply is gratifying. 
Sociological notes:  I have always been grateful for the help I've received from WhatTheTech, and presume to receive from you.  I am not a pushy guy, and rather a patient one with what I must be.

Now then, I have to do chores and then a webcast for an hour @ 6 eastern; and this evening after that I will go through the steps above; I apologize for the delay.

Questions in advance:  Do you happen to have any knowledge of what happened to WhatTheTech?  Not "important," but  a curiosity.

And: eventually I will be interested to know what was bugging my computer, if you have time to describe it.

Thanks for now,

denno

[JSntgRvr]

Forums @whatthetech.com? I don't believe this forum is very active. I may be wrong, but I haven't heard anything from it. Bleeping Computer as well as Sysnative are still active.

[denno]

It has been a very AARRRGGHHH  kind of a day and here is the next one.  The fixfile was going along for about half an hour when the computer reminded me I didn't have it plugged in.  It said I "might" want to plug it in and after a grace period of about 6 seconds shut itself off.

So do I run the fixfile again....or something else?

Meanwhile, I've just noticed that in reply to my initial posting, Porthos, in addition to referring me here, also undertook to help me through some different scans.

Should I go back to that, too, or finish with you and then if there is any need, return to that other stuff?

[Porthos]

9 minutes ago, denno said:

also undertook to help me through some different scans.

You would have ended up here if you had posted the log I asked for so forget about that. Keep working with JSntgRvr

11 minutes ago, denno said:

I didn't have it plugged in. 

Do not run anything given here with it unplugged, Not only because it will go dead but all laptops are designed to run at a slower speed when on battery.

[JSntgRvr]

8 hours ago, denno said:

It has been a very AARRRGGHHH  kind of a day and here is the next one.  The fixfile was going along for about half an hour when the computer reminded me I didn't have it plugged in.  It said I "might" want to plug it in and after a grace period of about 6 seconds shut itself off.

So do I run the fixfile again....or something else?

Meanwhile, I've just noticed that in reply to my initial posting, Porthos, in addition to referring me here, also undertook to help me through some different scans.

Should I go back to that, too, or finish with you and then if there is any need, return to that other stuff?

Go ahead and run it again.

[JSntgRvr]

Disable any realtime protection on your antivirus during the fix, just in case.

[denno]

OK, back to it.

 

Fixlog.txt

[denno]

and...

 

 

AdwCleaner[S00].txt

[JSntgRvr]

AdwCleaner - Clean

• Double click AdwCleaner.exe to run it.

When AdwCleaner starts, on the left side of the window, click on “Settings” and then enable these repair actions on that tab-window
by clicking their button to the far-right for ON status

• Delete IFEO keys
• Delete tracing keys
• Delete Prefetch files
• Reset Proxy
• Reset IE Policies
• Reset Chrome policies
• Reset Winsock
• Reset HOSTS file
• Click Scan Now
• When the scan has finished a Scan Results window will open.
• Please check all boxes and then click Quarantine
  • Click Next
  • If any pre-installed software was found on your machine, a prompt window will open ...
    • Click OK to close it
  • Check any pre-installed software items you want to remove (if they're not causing you a problem I recommend you don't select any)
  • Click Quarantine
• A prompt to save your work will appear ...
  • Click Continue when you're ready to proceed.
• A prompt to restart your computer will appear ...
  • Click Restart Now
• Once your computer has restarted ...
  • If it doesn't open automatically, please start AdwCleaner ...
  • Click the Log Files tab ...
  • Double click on the latest Clean log (Clean logs have a [C0*] suffix, where * is replaced by a number, the latest scan will have the largest number)
  • A Notepad file will open containing the results of the removal.
  • Please attach the file in your next reply.

 

Please start FRST64.exe and perform a new Scan. Attach both logs to your reply.

[denno]

AdwCleaner[S01].txt Addition.txt FRST.txt

[JSntgRvr]

The AdwCleaner report is the one previously submitted. I need to see the  Clean report, (Clean logs have a [C0*] suffix, where * is replaced by a number, the latest scan will have the largest number).

 

 

• Download the enclosed file  Fixlist.txt
• Save it in the same location FRST64.exe is saved.
• Start FRST (FRST64) with Administrator privileges
• This time around Press the Fix button and wait
• When finished, a log file (Fixlog.txt) will pop up and saved in the same location the tool was ran from.

 

Please attach this file in your next reply.

[denno]

Hi

They appear to have different numbers---I'll run it again, tho'.

[denno]

OK, here's the fixlog.

OK, now I see which is the Adw. log with the C01  name

Fixlog.txt AdwCleaner[C01].txt

[denno]

Oh---Firefox booted up in short order this last time.  Dunno if the keyboard is behaving yet or not.  It goes up and down.  Well, let's try the magic keys:  c C m M .  Looking good.

Well, let's try the magic keys:  c C m M .........that was copied and pasted with ctrl C   and ctrl V. This is good!
Let's see if Thunderbird boots up without being obnoxious....actually, yes.  On only one attempt.

 

 

 

 

[JSntgRvr]

Your computer was full of unusable files.

 

What Fracacta means?

 

How is it doing?

[denno]

Oh, shucks!  I seem to have my Yiddish wrong.......  ferkakte

(fuh-KAHK-tuh) Pretty much FUBAR all screwed up ----------- What's an unusable file, why aren't they ignored, and how do they get there?  (always curious) I think things are back to normal speed.  Haven't seen a "not responding" yet Typing seems normal.  Possibly still funky on "Enter." This entry is double-spacing. Oh---shift+enter is giving me single-space. ctrl-v not working today. About these observations: I'm a lousy typist. I always have to check if I hit the right key with good finger pressure.  I type much better if I engage a little app that makes my keyboard sound like a manual typewriter. I gotta recheck about Thunderbird and Firefox booting normally.     mmmmmmMMMCCVV demonstrates that the worst keys are apparently behaving again. Going MUCH better!  (And thank you.)

[JSntgRvr]

Go to the Device Manager and see if you can update the Keyboard drivers. You can also troubleshoot the keyboard. That application is on Windows. Just search for troubleshoot the keyboard.

 

Lets check the service:

• Download the enclosed file  Fixlist.txt
• Save it in the same location FRST64.exe is saved.
• Start FRST (FRST64) with Administrator privileges
• This time around Press the Fix button and wait
• When finished, a log file (Fixlog.txt) will pop up and saved in the same location the tool was ran from.

 

Please attach this file in your next reply.

[denno]

This Fix took about 3 seconds. 

best driver is installed; troubleshooter came up with no problems.       manager

Device manager sez best driver is installed; troubleshooter came up with no problems.   

ctrl c   and  ctrl v  are being erratic.  Or else I am, in pressing keys.

 

 

Fixlog.txt

[JSntgRvr]

No issues on the Service either. I must conclude is a hardware issue. Have you tried another keyboard?

[denno]

Don't have a spare.  If I find this awfully annoying I'll change it out, I guess.  Still haven't spritzed it with canned air---tho' I can't imagine a scenario where a bit of grit would produce these various ills (most gone now.)  I will try to be assiduously and unambiguously firm in pressing those combinations and see if that helps.
The worst was hammering on "c" 15 times and then getting three of them.

I looked up "unusable files," which was somewhat enlightening. 

[JSntgRvr]

All programs create temporary files, including Windows, that become a nuisance. From time to time, these files need to be removed. Try another keyboard.

 

Use this application to remove tools used and their quarantined items:

Please download KpRm by Kernel-panik and save to your Desktop.

• Click on KpRm.exe to run the tool.

Vista/Windows 7/8/10 users right-click and select Run As Administrator.

• Put a check mark next to these items:

- Delete tools

- Create Restore Point

- Delete now

• Click the "Run" button.

• When the tool has finished, it will create and open a log report and  delete itself.

A few final recommendations:

• Recommend using a Password Manager for all websites, etc. that require a password. Never use the same password on more than one site.
• Make sure you're backing up your files
• Keep all software up to date - PatchMyPC -
• Keep your Operating System up to date and current at all times -
• Further tips to help protect your computer data and improve your privacy:
• Please consider installing the following Content Blockers for your Web browsers if you haven't done so already. This will help improve overall security

Malwarebytes Browser Guard

•   Google Chrome:
•   Microsoft Edge:
•   Mozilla Firefox:

uBlock Origin

• Google Chrome:
• Microsoft Edge:
• Mozilla Firefox:

Further reading if you like to keep up on the malware threat scene:
 
Malwarebytes
 
Bleepingcomputer
 
Hopefully, we've been able to assist you with correcting your system issues.
 
Thank you for contacting Malwarebytes. Regards. 

[denno]

OK, all done.  I will go through the additional recommendations and reading.
Thank you very very much.  A week ago this computer was getting unusable. 
Now I can get back to work.

 

Regards,
denno

[JSntgRvr]

Glad to know.

 

Be safe. :)