[Bailiwick]

Hi - I just purchased a refurbished IBM T2 Laptop, with Windows XP Professional installed. Worked perfectly until I downloaded Verizon WiFi software. As part of the Verizon WiFi download proceduce, Verizon asked me to download SP3 and Net Framework. And then I downloaded the Verizon WiFi software. The computer will now go through the boot procedure, but opening Windows is extremely slow - approximately 1/2 hour to get to the desktop, which is completely non responsive. I can get to Control Panel/Remove Programs, but cannot remove any programs. I tried Safe Mode, but cannot remove programs from there either. I tried System Restore, no luck there.

I own a copy of Windows XP Home (Upgrade Version). Can I use this to install or correct any problem? Any thoughts?

Many thanks,

Bailiwick

[flavallee]

I've worked on computers that use "BrightHouse Networks/Time-Warner" cable or "Verizon FIOS" fiber optics, and I've never installed the software they offer. All you need are the proper settings to configure the connection and Email program.

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Post a HijackThis log here so we can see what's installed and running in the background.

Download it from here, close all open windows and then install it in its default location, run a scan with it - which will take 30 seconds or less, save the resulting log in Notepad, then copy-and-paste the entire log here.

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[Bailiwick]

Hi - Thanks very much for the response. Windows XP is really totally non-responsive. I cannot connect to the Internet, I cannot load a CD.Any other thoughts? Thanks again.

Best,

Bailiwick

[flavallee]

You apparently have some issues that need to be resolved by having a "hands on" with that laptop.

Did you buy it refurbished locally where you can have them deal with it?

Does it have a Microsoft sticker on the case with a 25-digit product and the version of XP it's for?

Since you have an upgrade XP Home CD(and have the 25-digit product code for it), if you also have or can get your hands on a 98SE or ME CD, you might consider doing a hard drive format and fresh install of XP Home.

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[Bailiwick]

Hi - I bought the computer on the net. No guarantee there.
The computer does have a Microsoft sticker with the Product code, but I have no other working copy of Windows other than the Upgrade Version.

Any thoughts on Geek Squad at Best Buy as a repair service?

Thanks again!!

Best,

Jon

[Saga Lout]

You might just rescue somethign from your Pro installation if you go fro Start to Run and type msconfig in the box then hit Enter. Ignore the form that comes up and open the Run box agan and type services.msc and hit Enter.

Position the forms so you can see them both and in the Config box, click on the Services tab. Tick "Hide all microsoft" and look in the remainder for any that refer to the software you don't want and in the Services form, click on the relevant entry and change it from Automatic to Manual or Disabled in the case of the Verizon entry. Click on Apply in the Config form but not OK at this stage.

Close the Services form and in the Config form, click the Startup tab. Untick anything you don't think you actually need at startup time. It's quite permissible to take the ticks out of everything except firewall and anti-virus if it comes down to it. When you've finished, click Apply and OK your way out.

Click to agree to the restart and after that, tick "Don't show this message again". If the system is not substantially quicker and more responsive, you will need to install over it but I'll be very surprised. If it is quicker and can connect to the Net, download some reliable malware tracking utilities - Spybot and MalwareBytes work well for me - or do as Flavalee suggests and post a HijackThis log.[/color]

[Bailiwick]

Hi - Thanks = I have attempted this twice now. Two problems - one is that there is no heading in Config that says Hide All Microsoft, and the second is that when I get about halfway through the procedure you describe, the Config box shows Not Responding. I restarted the computer and will try it again in the morning, but please do let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Thanks again.

Best,

Jon

[Saga Lout]

Originally Posted by Bailiwick

Hi - Thanks = I have attempted this twice now. Two problems - one is that there is no heading in Config that says Hide All Microsoft, and the second is that when I get about halfway through the procedure you describe, the Config box shows Not Responding. I restarted the computer and will try it again in the morning, but please do let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Thanks again.

Best,

Jon

There should definitely be a tick box beside the comment "Hide all Microsoft" under the Services tab in the Config form you get from typing msconfig in a Run box. Sometimes, when you see Not Responding, it's worth waiting a while because a programme can recover from that and complete its task.

[Bailiwick]

Hi Saga Lout - Well, my computer is up and running again and seems as good as new - or at least as good as when I got it refurbished. I followed your advice as much as I could, but could never seem to get the system config to respond correctly. However, while in system config I noticed a system restore button. So, I tried it, and restored to the earliest date possible. Lo and Behold, it worked and the computer, which I am using now works fine.
Several questions:
Any idea as to what might have happened here?
Any thoughts on preventing this or anything else from happening in the future? I have heard that Kaspersky is really worth getting? I'd very much appreciate your thoughts.

My very, very great thanks for your help and also to Flavallee, whose concern and response is also much appreciated by me.

Warmly,

Jon

[Saga Lout]

I'm glad you've got it sorted but any number of things could have caused it. I hope it doesn't come back to haunt you but in case it does, I'm sure you'll back up all your important files outside that machine as soon as possible. You can always find System Restore there, and in the All Programmes menu under Accessories then System Tools. Before you install major software, it's always as well to set a Restore Point to whch you can revert if it all goes wrong.

As Flavalee said early on in this thread, your router isn't really affected by anything in the computer and wll remain connected to the net without third party software so you needn't bother to reinstall the Verizon software. You then asked about Geek Squad but I couldn't comment, being in the UK,m but I do know our local equivalent is expensive and staffed by people who may have very little experience.

You're always better off coming here for help and fixing things yourself - that's the best computer learning curve.

[flavallee]

Jon:

Go here and click the green icon to download HijackThis 2.0.2.

Close all open windows, then install it in its default location.

Run a scan with it - which will take 30 seconds or less.

Save the resulting log in Notepad.

Return here, then copy-and-paste the entire log here.

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[Bailiwick]

The HijackThis Logfile follows. I am still having some problems with this computer, although, for the most part it is running well. When I downloaded SP3, Windows crashed again, and I had to restore it to factory default state. When I tried to download Google Chrome, I got an error message saying a file was missing - probably because the computer now only has SP2 - I haven't checked this yet. Any further help will continue to be greatly appreciated.

Best,

Jon

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 8:36:55 AM, on 10/31/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ibmpmsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM Rapid Restore Ultra\rrpcsb.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TpShocks.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPHKMGR.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\EzEjMnAp.Exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPONSCR.exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY_1\TpScrex.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswctrl.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\QCONSVC.EXE
C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\ibmmessages.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\IBMTOOLS\UTILS\ibmprc.exe
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\QCTRAY.EXE
C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\QCWLICON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RunDll32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TpKmpSVC.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
C:\Program Files\Digital Line Detect\DLG.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Jonathan V. Siegel\Application Data\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
C:\Program Files\stickies\stickies.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice\OpenOffice.org 3\program\soffice.bin
C:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote3\Evernote.exe
C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote3\EvernoteTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswshx.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [S3TRAY2] S3Tray2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPLpr] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPKMAPHELPER] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\TpKmapAp.exe -helper
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TpShocks] TpShocks.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TPHOTKEY] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\PkgMgr\HOTKEY\TPHKMGR.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TP4EX] tp4ex.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EZEJMNAP] C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\EzEjMnAp.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UC_Start] C:\Program Files\IBM\Updater\\ucstartup.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdateManager] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Sonic\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dla] C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\tfswctrl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ibmmessages] C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\\ibmmessages.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV CfgWiz] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CfgWiz.exe /GUID NAV /CMDLINE "REBOOT"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SSC_UserPrompt] c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\UsrPrmpt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IBMPRC] C:\IBMTOOLS\UTILS\ibmprc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QCTRAY] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\QCTRAY.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QCWLICON] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\ConnectUtilities\QCWLICON.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMMGAG] RunDll32 C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\pwrmonit.dll,StartPwrMonitor
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMMLREF] C:\Program Files\ThinkPad\Utilities\BMMLREF.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BMMMONWND] rundll32.exe C:\PROGRA~1\ThinkPad\UTILIT~1\BatInfEx.dll,BMMAutonomicMonitor
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ibmmessages] C:\Program Files\IBM\Messages By IBM\ibmmessages.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Startup: Dropbox.lnk = C:\Documents and Settings\Jonathan V. Siegel\Application Data\Dropbox\bin\Dropbox.exe
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 3.1.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice\OpenOffice.org 3\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Startup: Stickies.lnk = C:\Program Files\stickies\stickies.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Digital Line Detect.lnk = ?
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Evernote - res://C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote3\enbar.dll/2000
O9 - Extra button: Add to Evernote - {E0B8C461-F8FB-49b4-8373-FE32E9252800} - C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote3\enbar.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Add to Evernote - {E0B8C461-F8FB-49b4-8373-FE32E9252800} - C:\Program Files\Evernote\Evernote3\enbar.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O11 - Options group: [JAVA_IBM] Java (IBM)
O23 - Service: ACU Configuration Service (ACS) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\acs.exe
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: IBM Rapid Restore Ultra Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\IBM\IBM Rapid Restore Ultra\rrpcsb.exe
O23 - Service: IBM PM Service (IBMPMSVC) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ibmpmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: IBM PSA Access Driver Control (PsaSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PsaSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: QCONSVC - IBM Corp. - C:\WINDOWS\System32\QCONSVC.EXE
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - c:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
O23 - Service: IBM KCU Service (TpKmpSVC) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\TpKmpSVC.exe

--
End of file - 7808 bytes

[flavallee]

I can tell that's an old IBM computer from all the IBM-related bloatware that got installed from the "revert back to original factory condition" recovery. All the entries are named IBM and not Lenovo. IBM became Lenovo years ago.

You would've been better off doing a hard drive format and fresh install of XP with an actual XP SP2 CD and not with the recovery CD kit, and then installing the full 316 MB SP3 upgrade right afterwards.

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[Bailiwick]

Saga Lout, Flavallee, and anyone else - Still having problems. The IBM crashed again, and gave me a message as follows "windows root system32 ntoskrnl.exe missing". Any thoughts?

And three quick - hopefully - questions.
(1) I note that Microsoft offers some sort of recovery disks, which appear to be free. I have the product key. Will this solve the problem? If so, I'll get the disc(s) fro MS.
(2) I won a copy of Windows XP Home. I assume I can't use this to repair XP Pro, but although the XP Home says "Upgrade" on it, and I used it to upgrade from Win 2000, can I use it to install XP Home on the machine in question? If so, how do I delete the current OS?
(3) Could this be a hardware, rather than a software, problem? i have run MalwareBytes, and there do not seem to be any other problems with the computer.

Again, many thanks.

Best,

Jon

[flavallee]

Do you have a Windows 98 or Windows ME or Windows 2000 CD?

If you do, you can use the Windows XP Home Edition upgrade CD to wipe out(format) the hard drive and do a fresh install of Windows XP Home Edition in that computer.

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