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I bought this computer about a year and a half ago as an interim measure between the death of my last self-built gaming machine and the birth of my next one. I must say that I have been surprised that it runs games as seamlessly and smoothly as it does. In other functions, though, it has slowed considerably, gradually over time. I have used several freeware apps to keep it relatively healthy, though I fear that I might not have helped as much as I might have hindered. I know that it needs to go through the cleaning process if someone is just willing to take me through it. Thanks.
Tech Support Guy System Info Utility version 1.0.0.9
OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 Home, 64 bit, Build 19041, Installed 20200929042102.000000-480
Processor: AMD FX(tm)-6350 Six-Core Processor, AMD64 Family 21 Model 2 Stepping 0, CPU Count: 6
Total Physical RAM: 8 GB
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon (TM) R7 360 Series
Hard Drives: C: 930 GB (685 GB Free); F: 269 GB (199 GB Free); G: 195 GB (166 GB Free);
Motherboard: ASUSTeK Computer INC. M5A78L-M/USB3, ver Rev X.0x, s/n 160674283300355
System: American Megatrends Inc., ver 120214 - 20141202, s/n System Serial Number
Antivirus: Avira Antivirus, Enabled and Updated
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 Filestab.
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 post the contents of the file in your next reply.
2. Run Malwarebytes (Scan mode)
Open Malwarebytes you have already installed.
Click the little gear on the top right (Settings) and when it opens, click the Security tab and make sure about the following:
Code:
Under the title Scan Options, all the options are checked.
Under the title Windows Security Center (Premium only) the option is NOT checked.
Under the title Potentially unwanted items all options are set to Always.
Click on the little gear to return to the main menu and select Scan. The program will start scanning your computer. This may take about 10 minutes, but in some cases it may be take longer.
When finished, you will see the Threat Scan Summary window open.
If threats are not found, click View Report and proceed to the two last steps below.
If threats are found, make sure that all threats are not selected, close the program and proceed to the next steps below.
Open Malwarebytes again, click on the Scanner, and then on the Reports tab.
Find the report with the most recent date and double click on it.
Malwarebytes found nothing malicious, but AdwCleaner detected some potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). Have in mind that this mess in your computer is probably caused by the many antivirus programs you used. As you see here, Total AV, IOBit Advanced SystemCare, SecuritySuite are detected as PUPs. Webroot is stuck in your computer and we are struggling to remove it. So... perhaps we think that we protect our computer, but in fact we "kill" it with all these programs.
AdwCleaner (Clean mode)
Double click AdwCleaner.exe on your Desktop, to run it as you did before.
Click Scan Now.
When the scan has finished a Scan Results window will open.
Please check all the 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 (No preinstalled software detected, so you can skip these sub-steps).
Check any pre-installed software items you want to remove.
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 post the contents of the file in your next reply.
Right-click on esetonlinescanner_enu.exe and select Run as Administrator.
When the tool opens, click Get Started.
Read and accept the license agreement.
At the Welcome to ESET Online Scanner window, click Get Started.
Select whether you would like to send anonymous data to ESET.
Note: if you see the "Welcome Back to ESET Online Scanner" screen, click Computer Scan > Full Scan.
Click on the Full Scan option.
Select Enable ESET to detect and remove potentially unwanted applications, then click Start scan.
ESET will now begin scanning your computer. This may take some time.
When the scan is finished and if threats have been detected, select Save scan log. Save it to your desktop as eset.txt. Click on Continue.
ESET Online Scanner may ask if you'd like to turn on the Periodic Scan feature. Click on Continue.
On the next screen, you can leave feedback about the program if you wish. Check the box for Delete application data on closing. If you left feedback, click Submit and continue. If not, Close without feedback.
Open the scan log on your desktop (eset.txt) and copy and paste its contents into your next reply.
Run Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)
Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
Enter the command below and press on Enter
Code:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Let the scan run until the end (100%). Depending on your system, it can take some time.
Please post here the result you got (a screenshot).
When DISM finishes, you can then run SFC from the same command prompt window, but full instructions as if starting fresh:
Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
Enter the command below and press on Enter
Code:
sfc /scannow
Let the scan finish.
You will normally get one of the following results:
Code:
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them
Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation
Please post the result you got (a screenshot).
If everything ran fine, let me see fresh FRST logs (FRST and Addition), hoping that this time fixes will work.
Hi Dr.M. DISM has been running for nearly seven hours. Is that within the bounds of acceptability or has something gone astray? If I need to let it run I will for as long as it takes.
Sorry for letting you waiting. It was bed time for me.
No, it is rather unusual for DISM to take so long.
I suspect that there is a system corruption which prevents you complete the operation and run FRST fixes in normal and safe mode. Even in the recovery environment, the fix didn't work.
I suggest you to do an in-place upgrade now, before recommending anything more drastic. This will reinstall and update the operating system and fix any corruptions, without removing any file or program.
1. Go to this Microsoft page and under the title Create Windows 10 installation media press on Download tool now.
2. Save the tool on your Desktop and double click to run it.
3. On the License terms page, if you accept the license terms, select Accept.
4. On the What do you want to do page, select Upgrade this PC now, and then select Next.
6. Follow the instructions and select Keep personal files and apps, when you are asked to.
7. It might take a couple of hours, depending on your wifi speed connection, to install Windows 10. Your PC will restart a few times. Make sure you don't turn off your PC.
8. After downloading and installing, the tool will walk you through how to set up Windows 10 on your PC.
Let me know if the in-place upgrade completes successfully.
Double-click on the FRST icon to run it, as you did before. When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
Press Scan button and wait for a while.
The scanner will produced two logs on your Desktop: FRST.txt and Addition.txt.
Please attach the content of these two logs in your next reply.
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Tech Support Guy
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