# Sent Here from Malware Forum



## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I was sent here from the malware and virus forum by the person who was helping me. He doesn't think I have a malware problem. I am typing this on my old lap top since the new one (the one with the issue) can not get online. Apparently thread tools does not work on the computer I am sending this on. I tried to cut and paste the issue I am having from the other forum, however I could not. The issue is described in the first post titled 'Don't Know Where to Start'. If I have to I'll describe the problem again. Thanks.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

This is the original post:



keltics said:


> When I went to "Thread Tools" I think I hit "solved" since I can't find the thread on this forum. I'm not trying to post twice. I'll try to remember what I said. I'll describe the issue again. I should say that I'm a bit of a Luddite when it comes to tech stuff. It's not that I'm against tech, it's just that I'm inept. I don't know where to start, so I'll start at the beginning. I'm typing this on an old machine since the new laptop can not get on line.
> 
> I tried to download Revo Uninstaller to get rid of a program that came on my new laptop. I should know by now free is not really free. Ironically, the download installed many unwanted programs. I was using Control Panel to get rid of the unwanted programs using the date of installation as a guide when suddenly Control Panel shifted to icons and no date to guide uninstallation.
> 
> The 'new' laptop is a refurbished Hewlitt Packard f211-wm running Windows 10. I only use this machine to check email and look things up on the internet. Right now the laptop has a blue box that says "This app can't open Microsoft Edge can't be opened using the Built-in Administrator account. Sign in with a different account and try again." This blue box is super imposed over an ad for Norton Security. When I try to close the page by clicking on the x another ad pops up. Like I said I can't get on the internet with that machine. The icon for Internet Explorer changed position in the taskbar. Is there hope or do I have a doorstop?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Revo looks to have changed to a paid version with a trial . . where did you download it from?

You can get the trial here:

Revo Uninstaller Pro - Uninstall Software, Remove Programs easily, Forced Uninstall, Leftovers Uninstaller, Portable Uninstaller


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

How did you do that, Rich?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

keltics said:


> How did you do that, Rich?


Clicked on "Quote", the nhighlighted the text and right click to copy

Looks like the original freeware version is here:

Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Free and Full Download - Uninstall software, remove programs, solve uninstall problems


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I can't get online to uninstall. As a matter of fact I can't get off the page that I describe in the original post to the Malware forum.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

To uninstall what? How are you posting here? Have you restarted the affected pc?


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

On the last link I gave, download the Revo Uninstaller Freeware Portable and save it to a flash drive, then use that to uninstall the junkware. It is a standalone program that does not need to be installed.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I'll have to get a flash drive so I may not be back on for a while. I'm using an old computer to post here. Yes the affected pc is on. When I get the flash drive, how do I download to it? The computer I'm using has Vista os.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

When you click on the download button, you should see a prompt at the bottom of the page asking what you want to do . . select "Save as" and point it to the flash drive.

Then put the flash drive in the sick one and double click on the .exe file


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Remember you are dealing with a technological idiot here. My wife bought the flash drive but the one she got is not compatible with the sick machine which runs Windows 10. When I plugged it in to download Revo Uninstaller portable, I did not see 'Save As' as an option. When I opened the download the options were 'open', 'always open files of this type', 'show in folder' and grayed out 'cancel'. When I clicked on 'open', a window opened that showed a small zippered icon, alongside which says 'Revo Uninstaller'. We'll be going back to the store to get a flash drive that is compatible with Vista (the machine I'm typing this on) and Windows 10 (the sick computer). I'll post when we get back from the store on Sat. Remember tech's not my bag.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Oh yeah, I knew the flash drive was installed properly because a little light came on.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I don't think there is a flash drive that is not compatible with Vista . . why do you think it is not compatible?

You can look in the Downloads folder under your username and drag and drop the downloaded file to the flash drive


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The flash drive was incompatible with Windows 10, the sick computer. When I plugged the drive into it a little window popped out from the side saying the flash drive was incompatible. What do you mean "download under user name"? Remember I'm...


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, on the "sick" machine (windows ten) is this a 64 bit OS or a 32 bit OS, if it's 64 bit the free version of revo does not support 64 bit programs so they do not show in programs you can uninstall... for $40 I can see no real benefit for you to install revo, what a program leaves behind will cause you no problems in ten. CCleaner on the other hand is really a slicked version of windows "programs and features" and does support 64 bit.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

I have to disagree Revo installer is a great program and while it does run in 64 bit versions, it doesn't see all installed programs. You could run "Wise Uninstaller" which is free 64 bit and works like Revo just watch out for all the unwanted bloatware offered with it and reject it. And junk is always junk whether it is in Windows 10 or 7.
Wise Program Uninstaller - Uinstall Software, Remove or Change Programs and Forced Uninstall for Free.
When suggesting CCleaner it is always a good idea to warn folks that CCleaner has within it a reg cleaner that needs to be kept off as it can really cause damage to any system.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi all

Quite an epic drama unveiling lately! (Rather fun reading - but no fun experiencing, I'd imagine!)

keltics -- is one of your troubles at the moment that you can't get out of the screen with the overlaying messages on your Windows 10 computer? If so:

*Task Manager*
1) *Right-click* a blank area on the *Taskbar* (the "bottom frame" that appears along the lower part of your screen & has the Start icon on the far left-hand side)
2) In the little menu that pops up, click on *Task Manager*
3) In the Task Manager screen, click on the "*Processes*" tab, if it isn't already selected. [and if you don't see anything, click on "more details"]
4) The top category should say "*Apps*" - click on any unwanted processes causing you grief (they are likely to be browsers, or java apps)
5) If your screen looks OK again, run a virus scan with whatever antivirus is installed on your system. Just to be sure -- even though Revo is a well-regarded program, some websites allowing its download can prove to be infected, and have malware added to the innocent Revo. (Revo itself might not be infected, but the download might be ... and malware could be the result).

If you don't currently have an antivirus program installed, there are several decent free versions - let us know if you need recommendations (I rather like Avast myself, but there are many good products).

*Control Panel views*
When you were uninstalling things in Control Panel, and "suddenly things changed into icon view" .... I think that this threw you off your game a bit. It sounds like you were doing OK in there, but accidentally changed the view (easy to do because todays touchpads are so, well, "touchy"). You can change the view in Control Panel to any of three "views" .... Look in the upper right corner of Control Panel's window - you'll see a little title that says "View by" from the drop-down menu next to that, you can choose Category, Large Icons, or Small Icons. That should help you find your way around in there.

*User Accounts*
One thing that worries me a bit is that you seem to be using your HP laptop while logged in to the built-in "elevated Administrator" account. You probably don't want to do that. That account is generally hidden. The account you would want to use would be one that you chose a name for when you first set up the laptop. If you were not given the chance to create your own personal account, you can still do so. To view the accounts that exist on your computer - visit the Control Panel, and use the "User Accounts" applet. You can add or remove accounts from there. Don't remove an account unless you are sure of the consequences - you can check with us about that first, if you'd like. Removing an account can affect programs installed by the account, and files created and saved by the account (like documents, pictures, music, videos, etc.).

*Using a Microsoft Account* (to log in)
Windows 10 comes with OneDrive online backup built-in. If you happen to use Outlook.com (or the older Hotmail) ... you have a Microsoft account. You can log into Windows 10 using a Microsoft account, and this will make it easy to set up and use the OneDrive online backup, if you wish to do so. You can actually use your current email address as your Microsoft account, even if it is for a non-Microsoft email service, such as Google's gmail. Another benefit of this is that you'd know you are logged into your own account! (and not the elevated Administer account).
_______________

One of my majors in college was literature - sorry that this is so long (epic-ally long!


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi Rich, was out all day yesterday and running errands this a.m. Back now. In answer to your first question, yes the page seems to be stuck it says 'PLEASE INSTALL FLASH PLAYER PRO TO CONTINUE' then in parentheses it says 'REQUIRED'. When I click on the 'x' to close the page a little window pops up saying 'DO YOU WANT TO SAVE THIS FILE; and the options are "run', 'save or 'cancel'. I can close this little window by hitting cancel. I just tried to get the little window to come back and a longer blue window popped up that says 'This
app can't open' and under that 'Microsoft Edge can't be opened using the Built-in Administrator account Sign in with a different account and try again' This box I can close.
I tried what you suggested by clicking on an empty space on the task bar when I try to open task manager it seems to open BEHIND the install flash player window.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again

Do you see an icon for Task Manager in your Taskbar now? (It should look like a computer screen with a blue line-graph) -- if so, the Task Manager screen is indeed likely hidden behind the nonsensical stuff. Try clicking on the Task Manager icon in the Taskbar, and see if that helps it show up in front.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

One more thing:

The message "*Please install Flash Player Pro to continue*" does indeed indicate that your system is infected with malware (actually, if we are lucky, it is still in the process of trying to get you to install the malware).

There is* no* "Flash Player Pro"!

There is a legitimate program called Adobe Flash player, but there is no legitimate program called Flash Player Pro. 

If you can get to the Task Manager screen, use its "End TasK" option for the processes showing in APPS (leave Task Manager itself running, of course). 

If you don't have an antivirus installed - let us know. If you are relying on Microsoft's "Windows Defender" - it might or might not be able to remove any malware if your latest "phishing attack" was successful in installing malware. As a "second opinion" on-demand-only scanner (one that you can use only when you want to remove things your full-time scanner missed) you can try MalwareBytes AntiMalware --- just remember NOT to install the free-trial version (which is a "pro" version & is a full-time scanner that would conflict with whatever scanner you already have installed) .. just install the free on-demand MalwareBytes. It is a very effective malware remover. 

By the way, Avast's "Shields" would likely have caught the phishing attack and blocked it before you even had a chance to be fooled by it ...

Hang in there - and let us know how you're doing.

[P.S. ... sorry I didn't pay better attention to your message last night ... ]


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, well I cannot see what Rich M disagrees with, I never said that Revo was not a good program, just that the free version does not show 64 bit programs in it's uninstall list. And that means you have to pay for the pro version $40 , windows ten has improved the registry data base and left over uninstalls(with the exception of Av's) are of little to no consequence.

Now you do not have to be logged in with the default admin user account to have windows app's problems, some genius at MS decided to dumb down the admin account that is created when you first load windows ten, and app's such as Edge will not open, your choice either play the MS game and use a standard account OR mod the system to run all app's with your original admin account.. if you wish to do this post back and we will give you the mod's you need (and I have been doing this since late last year when I first installed ten, not an upgrade a fresh install (pro).


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

On the sick machine I see the task manager icon in the task bar, however, when I click on it task manager opens behind the 'flash pro' page, I can just see the edge of it. There are two more pages behind the 'flash pro' page, Also the Internet Explorer icon changed position in the task bar when all this happened. Maybe that is a clue, I don't know The sick machine is only a couple weeks old, although it has been refurbished, it came with a trial version of McAfee Anti-Virus. When I clicked on the task manager icon in the task bar, an ad for McAfee popped up and there is no way to get rid of it, It is over the flash player install page I described earlier. I would run Malware-Bytes weekly on this machine (the one I'm typing this on).


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Since you haven't been able to get to Task Manager to kill the phishing message (which is likely an infected Internet Explorer web page), try:
1) Press CTRL and ALT and DEL all at the same time
2) Select the Power icon at the lower right-hand side of the screen
3) Select Shutdown.

From a working, known-clean computer, download and create an AVG Rescue CD. The instructions on how to create it and how to use it are on their web page:
AVG Business PC Rescue & Repair Toolkit | Free Download

Once you've created the Rescue CD, we'll use it to boot your troubled HP. Since the HP should now be powered off, you will want to interrupt the startup, by pressing the ESC key on your keyboard immediately after turning on the HP, and then pressing the F9 key, to show a boot menu. Open the CD/DVD drive, and put the AVG Rescue CD in the tray, and close the tray. Then use the arrow keys to move to the CDROM (UEFI) option, and press ENTER.

If you plug in an ethernet cable, you will be able to update the virus definitions to the very latest, and also update the scanner itself (if a newer version is available ... both of these updates only take a few minutes), and then run a full scan. (You can update it wirelessly too, but that is more difficult on some computers).

If AVG finds no malware on your system - very good. That means that the malware had not yet installed from the infected web page. Remove the AVG Rescue CD from the CD/DVD drive, and restart the HP.

If the McAfee is still up-to-date - run a full scan, just to be sure.
_______________

I'd be interested to hear what users you see if you visit the Control Panel's User Accounts applet (Right-click the Windows Start Menu icon, select Control Panel, set the view to Large Icons, select User Accounts).

[if you are in a hurry, you might be able to simply restart your computer without first running the AVG Rescue CD ... if your desktop displays well enough, then start a full scan with McAfee.
_______________

Please make sure that whatever antivirus you choose stays active and updated. On most of the HP models such as yours the McAfee trial expires after 30 days. And since McAfee turns off Windows Defender when it is installed -- if your McAfee has expired, and you haven't removed and replaced it with anything else, your system has no protection at all on the Internet. You could remove McAfee and re-enable Windows Defender, but Windows Defender is one of the poorest solutions (not very good at protecting from attacks, or at cleaning them up). AVG, Avast, BitDefender ... there are many good solutions, both free and for a fee.

_______________
P.S. ....
If the system is clean, of course you can now visit Programs and Features in the Control Panel, and continue uninstalling any unwanted programs you wish to remove.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

On the sick machine I've hovered over every icon and none say power. On the computer I'm writing this on there is a power button but it is on the left. I can turn the sick computer on and off by manually pushing a button.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Did you press the CTRL-ALT-DEL key combination? It should have produced a largely blue screen, with a list in the middle, and three icons on the lower right-hand side of the screen. The icon to "Sleep, Shutdown, or Restart" looks a bit like a power button, and is the one farthest to the right. Select either "Shutdown" or "Restart".


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

When I press CTRL-ALT-DELETE on the sick laptop a big blue screen appears and one of the options is Task Manager. I also see what looks like a power button in the lower right.
Should I try Task Manager from this screen or just the power button on the lower rt? The option on the big blue screen are ;Lock, Switch user, Sign out and Task Manager. In the lower right corner are three icons, when I hover over them they say Connect to Internet, Ease of access and Shut down.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Try Shutdown - and then choose Restart. Task Manager might open behind the problem screens otherwise.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The sick machine is shut down. On thi computer I've inserted a CD in the optical drive, I've downloaded AVG rescue disc from the site you posted. Is it on the CD? I couldn't find instructions how to use it.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

PS
I did not see an option for Restart. To restart the machine I'd have manually press a button


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

The file from AVG will either be an .exe file or an .iso file. It probably downloaded to your Downloads folder.

Have a look in there. 

If it isn't the .iso file - revisit the AVG website and select the Rescue CD (for CD creation) link - that will download the .iso file.

If that computer is running Windows 10, simply right-click the .iso file and choose "burn disc image" ... Windows will find the CD and write the image onto it.

If the computer is running something else, you'll use a CD-writing software such as Roxio, Sonic, Cyberlink, Nero, etc..... choosing a "burn image" option. You must use a "burn image" option, otherwise you'll just have a data CD with an .iso file on it.

See how it goes.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Just saw your note about not seeing the Restart option. From the blue screen produced by the CTRL-ALT-DEL combo, the lower right shutdown icon should show the three choices. If you don't see Restart, by all means choose Shutdown.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

This is what I did: I inserted the CD into the CD/DVD tray(of the healthy computer), I found the AVG Recovery File in downloads, I clicked on the file to highlight it, then at the top of the downloads window there was an icon for 'burn', I clicked on burn and I could then hear the optical drive going. Do you think the file is on the disc and is it usable in the sick computer?


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again

Sorry - but unless the healthy computer was a Windows 10 computer, and the option from a menu that resulted from a right-click on the file as "burn disc image", then the CD will just be a storage CD with an .iso file on it, and not a bootable disc image. 

So - if it was a Windows 10 PC, and it said "burn disc image", yes, you're all set to go, and can boot the "sick" HP with the CD. To do so, as I mentioned above, immediately after pushing the power button to turn on the HP, press the ESC button to pause the boot. Open the CD-drive, and place the CD in the tray, and close the tray. Then press the F9 button on the keyboard to see the Boot Menu. Use the arrow keys to highlight the CD/DVD drive, and press Enter.

The instructions for using the AVG Rescue CD are available from the same webpages as the download, in case you have any trouble navigating the AVG Rescue System.
_______________

If it turns out that the CD you made isn't bootable, well... , lets cut our losses and just hope for the best . Restart the "sick" HP and hope that you don't see any pop-ups. Run as thorough a full-system scan as you can, right away. 

Let us know how it goes.



[I've shortened these steps to get things going ... you can practice trying again for creating the Rescue CD later ... you might need it --- Note that I left instructions in the earlier post on how to do that - on non-Win10 machines, you'll need a disk burning program such as Roxio, Sonic, CyberLink, Nero .. and you'll need a special option to "burn image" .... Print out these instructions, or keep them available close by when trying to follow them: it makes it easier to stay on track....


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Apparently the CD I created is a storage CD because when I tried to boot from it 
the problem pages showed up. The computer I'm typing this on has Roxio on it but I've never used it. How would I burn the AVG Rescue Disc which is in downloads to the CD? The healthy machine, the one I've been talking to you on, uses Vista.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

PS
Remember you are dealing with a technological Neanderthal here, witness the duplicate posts.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Don't worry about lack of computer experience ... we all started out at square one, after all

Since the Vista computer has a Roxio program, it should be able to create the bootable CD. You can start the program, and look for a Help menu with the exact instructions to "burn image" to CD or "write image" to CD. If you are lucky, and have Roxio Creator 2011 on the Vista PC, here is a link to the exact instructions, complete with screen shots of each step (...and even if you have a different version of Roxio -- the options will be something similar) ---
How to Burn an Image File With Roxio: 6 Steps

Sorry to hear that the pop-ups persisted on the HP. 

Remember that you can view the instruction guide for using the AVG Rescue CD from the same support website that you downloaded the .iso file from (over at AVG.com). It's a pretty thorough guide, from what I remember ...


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I have a plumbing issue to address tonite and tomorrow (a.m. only hopefully), as soon as that is taken care of I'll read the Roxio directions and your instructions and be back online.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Good luck with the plumbing. [I've an aging house that has a fair share of maintenance to keep up with ... ]

On the computer side of life ... once that HP is all cleaned up, it might prove to be quite a bargain. It has decent components (and I think Hp has a nice eye for style, too).


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I know you are helping out of the goodness of your heart, thanx. The plumbing issue became a problem that will last longer than I figured.I'll be back on when it's resolved. Kind of like triage, priorities you know.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I created the AVG Rescue CD and followed the directions offered in the AVG Rescue CD Guide. I burnt it to the CD using Roxio. But when I put it in the sick machine and pressed Enter instead of getting a welcome screen like AVG said I would I got the unwanted pages no boot menu. So I installed ISOBurner, same thing. I know I'm probably making storage CDs instead of bootable ones. Are there other options?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Actually I created 4 Avg rescue discs on Roxio and 1 on Isoburner.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

My dad, when faced with PC issues, used to say: grab a teenage family member & tell them to do it 

Just kidding, of course! If you know what version of Roxio you have, and you post that version info here, I can probably give you step-by-step instructions.

But first - an easy way to check if your CD is a bootable CD or not; put it in the working computer, and have a look at it in Vista's Windows Explorer. If all you see is one file with the extension ".iso" ... then it's not bootable (it's just a storage CD). If you see a few folders, one of them called "Boot" - that means you DID create a bootable CD. If so, try in again in the HP --- power the HP on - press the ESC key firmly to show an option menu, then press F9 to show the Boot Menu - use the keyboard arrows to highlight "CDROM" (or your CD/DVD drive) in the list - and press ENTER.

I'll stay tuned ... [& I hope the plumbing wasn't too expensive]


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The version of Roxio is Creator DE 10.1. I looked at the disc in 'Computer' I don't know how to use the Vista Windows Explorer, I clicked on the DVD read write drive, it said there were four files on the disc: Isolinux next to an icon of a file folder, USB next to an icon of a file folder, Arl-Version, and ChangeLog. Inside Isolinux is a file called boot.cat. 
I should know better by now than to diy. My wife's sister is coming to visit so my wife purchased a new faucet for the bathroom she'd be using. Long story short, should have hired a plumber to put it in.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

There are two options in the Boot Option Menu on the sick laptop "OS boot Manager(UEFI)-Windows Boot Manager (HGST HTS545050A7E680)" this is the one I highlight and try to boot from (pressing enter) and Boot from EFI File. Then after directions to change options it says press F10 to BIOS Setup Options. Esc to exit.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

The good news: you successfully created the AVG Rescue CD... Those folders are exactly what you see when it is a bootable CD.

Now we just need to HP to boot from it.

It sounds like when you used the power on - ESC - F9 sequence, all you saw was the hard drive (that long name beginning with HG... means it's a Hitachi hard drive)...

Try starting the HP again, hit ESC, follow the instructions to enter the BIOS Setup... You may have to temporarily turn off a feature called "Safe Boot" in order to boot from the CD. Look for an item that says "Boot Order", and follow the on-screen instructions to move the CD drive to the top of the Boot Order list (you'll make it the "First Boot Device") ... the Hitachi hard drive can be the second boot device.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Are you burning the disc from an iso image file as an image?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I am in "Setup Utility" , under which it says System Configuration under which it says Boot Options and it gives 1/2 dozen options one of which is CD-ROM Boot. Then it has a heading called UEFI Boot Order under which there are 5 options. one of which is Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive. At the very bottom of the screen it gives directions such as F1 Help, Esc Exit, arrows up/down etc.,F5/F6 Change Values, F9 Setup Defaults, F10 Save and Exit.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Yes I am burning the file as an image.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Saw nothing called safe boot.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I imagine I want to move Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive to be first in 'Boot Order'. Right now it is in second place after OS boot Manager. How do I make it first?


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi - yes, move the CDROM to 1st in Boot Order.

Sorry for my delay in answering ... it's Friday, so of course I'm having Clam Chowder


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Then press F10 to "Save and Exit"


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi all ... it's getting late here on the West Coast, so I thought I'd leave a "*to do*" list (while I'm still awake!)... Here are the next likely steps to take:


*AVG Scan*
If you haven't started the computer with the AVG CD yet, do so, then update & run a scan:

1) When your computer starts from the AVG CD, you'll see a menu. Choose "*AVG Rescue CD*" (usually at the top)
2) Now you will see another menu, the "*Main Menu*". If you have plugged an Ethernet cable into your HP, and the other end of the Ethernet cable into your modem/router/gateway device, AVG will automatically detect and use your local network. If so, click on "*Update*" from the Main Menu, and click on "*Select*".
3) The "*Update Type Menu*" will appear. Click on "*Online - Update from the Internet*", and click on "*Select*".
4) Choose *#2*, the highest priority update from the list (it is often pre-select by default, and it includes both the latest virus definitions along with the latest program updates), and click on "*Select*". You should see the updates download. Click on "*Continue*" when done.
5) AVG should return you to the *Main Menu* (if not, click "Return" until the Main Menu appears again)
6) From the Main Menu, click on "*Scan - Configure and run on-demand scan*"
7) The "*Scan Options*" menu will appear. Make sure that "*Scan inside archives*", "*Use heuristics for scanning*", and "*Scan for Potentially Unwanted Programs*" are selected, then press "*OK*"
8) The "*Scan Volumes*" menu will appear. Select all the hard drives for scanning - you do not need to scan the AVG CD, however (it is usually last on the list, and its file type will be listed as "iso9660"). Then click "OK".
9) The Scan should start. It will produce of list of files it detects. When done, click on "*Continue*".
10) The "*Scan Result Menu*" should appear. (If it doesn't, go to the Main Menu, and select "Scan Result".)
11) From the Scan Result menu, choose "*Rename all infected files*", and click on "*Select*"
12) Once the file-renaming is done, from the Main Menu choose "*Reboot System"*, and remove the CD from the drive when it is ejected as part of the reboot.

*MalwareBytes AntiMalware Scan*
-> If the computer boots OK after the AVG scan is complete, run a full system scan with Malwarebytes. It is a good program for malware removal. Since you are familiar with MalwareBytes, this part is an easy one. Have MalwareBytes quarantine any infections it finds.

*Check your Antivirus status and Firewall status*
-> A computer can only have one "full-time" or "real-time" antivirus program (two would conflict with each other, and cause system instability). You can, however, have additional "on-demand" scanners installed: so long as you don't scan with them at the same time the full-time scanner is running the same type of scan. One scan at a time. Let us know what antivirus program(s) you have - we can help you with determining if there are conflicts. For example, there are several versions of MalwareBytes. The free version is an "on-demand only" scanner. The others, though, are "real-time"/"full-time" scanners - and the "Security Suite" versions are not only "real-time" scanners, they often also include a full-time firewall. You can only have one firewall running on a computer, too. In Windows 10, if you have a full-time antivirus, then Windows Defender (the built-in Microsoft antivirus) should not be running.
________________________

Once the system is running well after the scans, you can re-vist "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel, and continue removing any unwanted programs. 

This list might look "long and difficult" ... but it's not as tough as it looks. [The computer does most of the work!]

Good luck/GoodNight/Good Morning


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I forgot how I got to the page I was on last nite,,, I have gray hair too. Wonder what happened to all those people who were burning in hell because they ate meat on Friday. I had fish yesterday too. I'm on the east coast, three hours ahead of you guys.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

When I press F10 to get to BIOS Setup, it takes me to the Setup Utility.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

It is not the same Setuo Utility from last night. It has things in it like System date, Born on date and System Log.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Good afternoon (still morning here, but afternoon there...)

It's OK to be in the System Setup utility. There should be some on-screen information on how to navigate the utility -- sometimes the buttons to push are indicated at the top or bottom of the screen (you might have to scroll down to seem them all). Sometimes there are tabs along the top, with categories of choices (like Security, Advanced, Boot, ...) see if there is one titled "Boot". That should be the one that allows you to put the CDROM as "1st Boot Device" or to simply move the CDROM to the top of the "Boot Order" list.... When you're happy with the settings, look for the option to "Save & Exit" ... it should be listed on-screen somewhere.

I couldn't find a decent screen-shot of your system's UEFI/Bios setup, sorry about that...


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Good morning. System Configuration had boot options in it, that was the page I was on last night. Will follow your directions from there.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Sounds good.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Hate to be a pain in the **** every step of the way. When I go to System Configuration and UEFI Boot Order under that, I was able to move Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive to first place but the little arrow on the left points toward OS boot Manager and no matter what I do with the arrows and pressing enter, nothing happens. Currently Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive is in first place.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Since "Internal CD/DVD drive" is first in the boot order, now you want to find the key that says "Save and Exit" .... it's usually listed somewhere at the bottom of the Setup window...


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Instinct says press F10 but I'm afraid of doing irreversible damage without your guidance.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Here's picture of an HP system screen - if you see similar options at the bottom of the screen you have, then the F10 key is indeed the "Save & Exit" key. [It varies from screen to screen].

Good luck with the scan - you can print out those AVG instructions, if it makes it easier (there's quite a lot of options).

The screen picture of a sample HP Bios is attached.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The screens are virtually identical, I am on the System Configuration page, under UEFI Boot Order I have moved Internal CD/DVD Drive to first place, however there is a small arrow pointing to OS boot Manager which moved from first to second. No matter what I do I can't move the little arrow. When I press F10 (Save and Exit) the junk pages show up.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

I'm still unclear about the white arrow and OS manager screen.... Does it look like the file attached in this post? (below)

It seems to me, that as the first drive in the boot order, you shouldn't have to enter the F9 key to bring up the Boot Menu --- if you put the AVG CD in the CD/DVD drive & close the tray, the system should boot from it on restart.

If the computer is still booted into the phishing screens, make sure that the AVG CD is in the drive, and press CTRL+ALT+DEL and select Restart: the system should boot from the AVG CD (if all goes well)


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

This is what I do. I interrupt start up by pressing the ESC key. From the Startup Menu I select F10 for BIOS Setup. This takes me to a screen that looks very much like the FIRST screen shot you sent. At the very top of this screen running horizontally are the words 'Main', 'Security', 'System Configuration', and 'Exit'. Above these it says InsydeH20 Setup Utility. I use the arrows on the keyboard to highlight 'System Configuration' then press on this screen there are four options: Language, Virtualization Technology, Action Keys and Boot Options. I use the arrow keys to highlight Boot Options and press enter. At the top of the screen it sill System Configuration. Under this it says Boot Options. Under this are 5 options that can be highlighted, they are: CD-ROM Boot, Internal Network Adapter Boot,Legacy Support and Secure Boot and 4 options I can't highlight. Under these it says UEFI Boot Order with 5 highlightable options, they are: Internal CD/DVD ROM Drive (this I moved to first place), OS boot Manager (this has the little blue arrow pointing toward it), USB Diskette on Key/USB Hard Disk, USB CD/DVD ROM Drive,and Network Adapter (this has an ! in front of it meaning it is disabled).

The screen shot in your last post does not look like anything I've seen.

I tried what you suggested i.e. CTRL+ALT+DEL and Restart with the rescue disk in the Drive, no luck. This may be my last post of the evening. I've been making a lot of mistakes typing this which means I'm getting tired, so I may turn in shortly. Good night and thanx.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Unfortunately, the "System Setup" screens of todays laptops are a bit more complicated because of the newer types used (old style = BIOS newer style = UEFI). That's a bit of an oversimplification, but what it means for you and I is that there's a lot of variety in the way those screens look .... Don't feel bad if you find it confusing - the new screens are confusing ... partly because they haven't settled in to a very standard way of presenting their options.

Thank you for your latest details on everything on your screen. It looks like what we've done to far is to enable your CD/DVD drive for UEFI boot. I imagine that if we put a Windows DVD in the drive, it would boot up: because they are UEFI compatible... And I'm also guessing that the AVG Rescue CD - which is based on Linux, isn't as UEFI compliant. 

So we'll have to try things in the first list of bootable devices on that screen. 
1) Try CD-boot (the first on in the first list)
2) Look in the Legacy Support and Secure boot area: I'm going to guess that if "Secure Boot" is enabled, then "Legacy Support" is disabled. Try disabling "Secure Boot" and enabling "Legacy Boot". 

I mentioned turning off "Safe Boot" earlier in our thread: looks like I should have said "Secure Boot".

I think that should make the AVG Rescue CD work OK.

Hope I'm not keeping you up late ... if you are reading this in the morning: Good morning!


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Good morning. I made a mistake in telling you that under Boot Options the first option was CD-ROM Boot, it is not, Post Hotkey Delay (sec) is the first option, CD-ROM Boot is second. I'll blame the mistake on tiredness. I enabled Legacy Boot and disabled Secure Boot a screen came up saying "A change to the operating system Secure Boot mode is pending. Please enter the pass code displayed below to complete the change..." Then it says "Operating System Boot Mode Change (021)" then under this it says " 3721+Enter-to complete the change". My question is which number is the pass code, (021) or 3721+Enter?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I'll be going out around 10 am east coast and back around 1 pm.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The kids are coming for Sunday dinner and I do the cooking (you'd think they'd stay away). So I'll be unable to tackle the problem and employ your suggestions til tomorrow.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Have fun with the kids .... (I'm still hoping for grandkids  )

I used to do most of the cooking here, too - but lately the kids (now young adults) generally say, "No thanks, dad, we're ordering sushi" 

or pizza...

_______________

(if both Secure Boot and Legacy can stay on at the same time, you won't need the code. .... I haven't had the chance to test that yet ... It was a guess that enabling Secure Boot disables Legacy. In either case, they want you to enter the 3721 and then press the Enter key.)


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Thought I was home free but I wasn't. This is what I did. Hooked up the sick computer to the modem via an ethernet cable. Entered the code and pressed enter. One of the problem pages appeared, 'System Healer', one of the bogus programs installed unwittingly. The screen behind it was black, if that means anything. The rescue CD was in the drive but I couldn't hear it running.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Right now the sick machine is Shut Down. Secure Boot is disabled and Legacy Support is enabled.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

In the meantime, I got an email from McAfee saying their 'free offer' expired. I've used Avast and AVG in the past, which would you recommend?


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi - sorry for my late reply.... busy Monday ... (some happy customers got their repaired computers back today)

No problem losing the McAfee trial. I'm not a fan of their products. Both Avast & AVG are well-regarded. I've been using Avast for many years now ... in a little while, I'll post more info on the "best methods" for installing it.

But first let's see if we can get the sick HP to boot from the AVG CD. Let's try again, this time:
1) Immediately after pushing the power button, start tapping the ESC key to see the menu. 
2) Press the F9 key to product the Boot Device Menu
3) Select your CD/DVD drive from the list
4) If you see a message "Press any key to boot from CD", press Enter on the keyboard.

If AVG still doesn't boot: see if the Vista machine will boot from it. There could be a problem with the CD (or the CD/DVD drive in the HP might be fussy about reading CDs... some drives work with some brands of CDs but don't work with other brands of CDs....

If the AVG CD doesn't boot, by the way -- immediately unplug the ethernet cord. We don't want that malware to dial home.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi Gary, The AVG Rescue Disc worked in booting the sick computer, following yesterday's instructions, i.e. "tapping esc". I updated the definitions for the scan and scanned the machine. It said their were no infections? You had left a things to do list last weekend, I think Saturday night, in case I got it to boot from the Rescue Disc Sunday morning. These were the instructions I followed. On the main menu there is no 'scan inside archives' option. I unplugged the ethernet cord and closed the lid of the sick computer, currently under the Scan Type Menu there are: Scan selected volumes, Scan selected directory only, Scan boot sector of selected devices, and Scan only windows registry with Select or Return as choices. 

How can the unwanted program "call home" when the ethernet cable is plugged in? Couldn't it "call home" over the wireless connection?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I meant to say ONLY when the ethernet cable is plugged in. Should preview posts before posting.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Well, that's a surprise. I expected AVG to find and remove the pest. Ugh. By default, all the hard drives and the CD/DVD drive are selected to scan... There's usually no compelling reason to scan the AVG CD itself, so I de-select it (I usually scan the Rescue CD download before burning it to CD, which goes quickly).

[You are correct that if you have your computer set to automatically connect to your home network wirelessly, malware would have a chance to "dial home" ... When I'm working on an infected computer, I generally disable the wireless from Safe Mode before the scan... I've been trying to keep the instructions a little easier - less steps - for you, so I didn't include that in your instructions (I figured you'd shut the HP down fairly fast) .. ]
_______________

Let's try (with the ethernet cable disconnected):
1) Turn on the HP, & login.
2) As quickly as possible, click on the wireless icon in the system tray (lower right-hand corner of your screen... it looks like a series of radio waves) select your home network from the list, remove the checkmark from "connect automatically", and then click "Disconnect".
3) Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC all at the same time, and see if Task Manager appears in the front of any wierd screens. If yes, look for APPS in the top category on the left (click "show more" if Task Manager isn't showing anything) ...right-click on the apps in that list (except for Task Manager) and select End Task.

Only remove things from that top "APPs" category ... leave the "Background Processes" and "Windows Processes" alone.

See if that clears the unwanted screens. 

4) Start a full system scan with Malwarebytes. 

It's possible that Task Manager is more likely to open in the front using that particular keyboard shortcut. After that, go back into the Control Panel, to Programs & Features, and you can continue removing unwanted programs that show up in there.

[In the meantime, I'll make a little document about Avast, in case you decide on it for your antivirus needs]


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Good morning Gary. My name is Bill by the way. Before I follow your instructions, I have a few questions:
1) 'Secure Boot' is Disabled and 'Legacy Support' is enabled. Should I enable and disable?
2) I never shut the sick computer down, when I lift the screen the 'Scan Type Menu' is still there. How should I get rid of it?
3)The Rescue Disc is still in the optical drive. Should I remove it?

4) Malware Bytes is not on the sick computer. Should I download and install it assuming all else goes well? Nothing confidential is on the sick machine, like I said earlier I only use it to check email and look things up on the internet.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Bill

I got a late start today (after a very early start, and very late ending ... to a very long Tuesday ... ) 

*Alternate options*
You know, if you get your email online, using Gmail, Outlook.com (used to be hotmail), Yahoo mail, etc. - and you can quickly save to either USB or CD whatever documents, pictures, music, etc. that are only stored on the HP and nowhere else - you do have a reasonably quick option of starting over with a fresh system. Since you've only had the machine about a month (or three ... I'm basing my guess on your McAfee trial version length) .. you could opt to use a "Recovery Disk", if you happened to create one when you first set up the machine (or if one was provided - not very common nowadays), or you can use the Windows 10 built-in System "Reset" ...reset allows you the choice to save personal files ... though in your case it might be safer to not save those. 

Those recovery options generally take less than an hour for the first round of work. Afterwards you'd have to uninstall any programs that you don't want or need, and install any new programs that didn't come with the HP.

Just wanted to let you know that you have several ways to go.
_______________

If you want to continue the clean-up we've been slogging our way through:
1) *Remove* the AVG CD from the drive.
2) Press and *hold down the power button* on the HP until the power goes off (about four to ten seconds). [it won't hurt your computer]
3) *Power on* the HP,* immediately pressing ESC* to enter the System *Setup* screens.
4) *Re-enable Secure Boot* and *disable Legacy*. Exit choosing the option "*Save and Exit*"
5) (with the ethernet cable disconnected) turn on the HP, & *login*.
6) As quickly as possible, *click* on the *wireless icon* in the system tray (lower right-hand corner of your screen... it looks like a series of radio waves) select your home network from the list,* remove the checkmark from "connect automatically"*, and then *click* "*Disconnect*".
7) Press *CTRL* + *SHIFT* + *ESC* all at the same time, and see if Task Manager appears in the front of any wierd screens. If yes, look for *APPS in the top category* on the left (click "show more" if Task Manager isn't showing anything) ...right-click on the apps in that list (except for Task Manager) and select *End Task*. Only remove things from that top "APPs" category ... *leave the "Background Processes" and "Windows Processes" alone.*

See if that clears the unwanted screens. 

If not, try to minimize or close the screens, at least to the point where you can click on your Start Menu or you McAfee icon and bring up the McAfee scan screen:

Then start a full system scan with McAfee (hopefully, even though the trial has expired - it will still run a scan)

After that, go back into the Control Panel, to Programs & Features, and you can continue removing unwanted programs that show up in there. It might be that some of the unwanted screens are related to promotional offers ... 

And let us know how it goes 

If we've worn you out with all this & want to try any of the other options, let us know that too

Good luck!


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Will comply. I was using the date of installation in Control Panel to identify the unwanted programs when it suddenly shifted to icons and no dates , February 16, 2016 was when this mess started. Hard to believe a month has flown by already. The sick machine was purchased refurbished so I'm not sure how much space is available on drive D. I'm guessing not much space. The computer, since I've had it, must be about five weeks old since McAfee just expired, it didn't come with a recovery disk. In Task Manager how will I know what to shut down? I use juno for email.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I tried to post a 'quick reply' but it didn't show up. If you got it and I'm repeating myself I apologize. I'll try to remember what I said. Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, I may be incommunicado, my middle name is Patrick and my handle is keltics after all. I think I said:
Will comply with your instructions. Hard to believe this mess started a month ago. Was using the date Feb. 16. 2016 as a guide as to when the unwanted programs were installed to uninstall them using Control Panel when everything went to icons and no date to guide me. The sick machine was purchased refurbished, so I'm not sure how much space is available on drive D. I'm guessing not much. It did not come with a Recovery disk. I had it for about a week when this began. How will I know which Apps to shut down on Task Manager? I use Juno for email. I think that is all I said, if I remember more I'll be back.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

It did show up, on page five, that's why I didn't see it. Five pages to resolve this stupid thing. If this is getting to be a pain, I'll go away.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again

I believe you get your Juno email using a browser (you visit their Juno.com web page and get your mail there). And that you can get to you email from any computer, so long as you visit that website & login? If so, good: your email wouldn't be affected by a system reset, or reinstall, at all. Your email is stored on Juno's computers.

You will likely only see a few things running in the APPS category at the top left of Task Manager. One will be Task Manager. The others will probably be browsers (my hope is that the unwanted messages are displaying webpages). You can end these without damaging your computer. (Leave Task Manager running, of course)

Don't bother anything in any of the other categories of Task Manager.

All we really want is to be able to get to the Start Menu, and start another scan, to see if McAfee will find and remove whatever is causing the unwanted pop-ups.

Even if McAfee doesn't succeed, if afterwards you are able to get to the Control Panel --> you might be able to uninstall the culprit, if it happens to be simply an extra-annoying promotion (rather than a nasty malware)


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi Gary,

The Task Manager is completely visible, other than Task Manager there are 4 items in it. they are; ByteFence Anti-Malware, PlutoTV.exe,(32 bit) SystemHealer.exe (32 bit), WinZip Malware Protector (32 bit). There are no tabs at the top of the window. At the bottom of the window is an arrow pointing down that says next to it 'More details' and next to that End task. I'm closing the screen by lowering it because I've got to get cooking for St. Paddy's Day. 

How should I deal with the icons vs. traditional view in Control Panel? Assuming I can get there.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Enjoy your St. Pat's day - corned beef, barmbracks, ale, and pasties!


Tomorrow, after the green beer is all gone:

*Fake or Rogue ... or just plain bad:*
You can "End Task" all four of the apps you mentioned. JunoTV is the only legitimate software there (it won't hurt to exit it, though). The other three are "rogues" or "fakes" ... malware pretending to be cleaners (a very popular angle of attack). 

They all likely arrived when you downloaded software. You likely also received a malware called "MyPCBackup" - which is a darned pain to remove. These rogue programs are often bundled together with software downloads from dicey download sites. I remove these all the time.

Bytefence ... bait & switch, and ineffective; after two weeks, it asks for payment.
WinZip malware protector ... (surprised they are not sued for using the legitimate WinZip company name) ... no where to be found on legitimate reviews.
SystemHealer ... a true fake and rogue... installs without permission, shows a list of fake "infections" and offers to remove them ... for a price. Does not remove any true threats (adds more, in fact)

I'll attach a document that lists some of the more notorious "fake" "rogue-ware" --- so you'll know what to be on the lookout for after your system is either cleaned up, or wiped and started afresh. Whenever you are uncertain of a free software's reputation, do a search for "top free antivirus software 2016" (use whatever category of program: antivirus, utility, etc.) ... and if you notice that the free software you are investigating is no where on any list = it's likely a "rogue". Sometimes these are also referred to as "PUPs" *P*ossibly *U*nwanted *P*rograms [I like to change the Possibly to Probably]...

*Windows 10 System Reset option*
As I mentioned yesterday, you might opt for the faster System Reset, since your computer has a fair number of nasties to remove (really, really, disappointing that AVG didn't remove any of those... Malwarebytes would have, heck, maybe we should have gone with the Avira Rescue System...)....

The System Reset removes any programs you've added, but it will remove all the malware, too. I'd recommend that you let it remove everything (it has the option to keep your personal files ... but those may have been infected). If you save your personal files to a USB flash drive beforehand, you can then scan the flash drive for malware when it is plugged in to a known clean computer, and remove any infections before copying them back to your post-refresh, restored HP.

If you are interested in trying the System Reset, here are the steps:
1) *Backup the personal data beforehand* to a USB drive (scan this drive for malware using a known-clean computer)
2) On the HP, *click* the *Windows Start Menu icon*
3) Select *Settings*
4) Select *Update & Security*
5) Select *Recovery*
6) In the *Reset this PC* section, select *Get Started*
7) In the *Choose an Option* section, you will see either two or three choices: A: Keep my files B: Remove everything C: Restore factory settings (not all computers will show option C)
8) *Select* either "*Remove Everything*" or "*Restore factory settings*".
9) A screen will then appear, showing your choice, "*Ready to reset this PC*" ... select *Reset*
10) A screen will appear "*Getting things ready*" ...
11) Another screen will appear, "*Do you want to clean the drives, too?*", and show two options A: Just remove my files or B: Remove files and clean the drive. Choose the second option "*Remove files and clean the drive*". We want the HP to be as clean is it was from the factory. It takes a bit more time - but it's the surest method. And we've been at this for a while -- it won't take that much longer than a boot-time scan from Avast (on todays giant hard drives, that can take more than an hour - sometimes two).
_______________

*Uninstalling Programs using Programs & Features in Control Panel*
When it's all cleaned up, you can then visit Control Panel's Programs and Features to remove any unwanted programs that come with the PC. Remember that you can control the View (using the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of the screen) -- it can switch between Extra Large/Large/Medium/Small icons, List, Details, Tiles, and Content. The view you want is "Details", since you were basing your decisions on installation date. It also is the most useful view (I generally use this view on all my Windows PCs).

==============
Depending on how St. Patrick's has gone, you might have to have a little 'hair of the dog that bit you' before working on all this ....


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Hi Gary,
Needed a day away from the sick computer. It wasn't that I was hungover from St. Paddy's Day. Ashamed to say it but I forgot how much I dislike the taste of Guinness beer, I got some to toast St. Patrick. A long time ago I was a flight attendant for an international airline. We used to stop in Shannon, Ireland for gas and change crews if the plane was going deeper into Europe. I didn't like Guinness then. I do like Irish Whiskey though. Will reply after applying your instructions. Will the restore factory settings option apply if there is limited space on drive D? Assuming whoever had this refurbished machine before me tried that.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

P.S. 
I'm running a McAfee scan now. I read online that one person's scan lasted 19 hours. Right now it has been running 85 minutes Are the Reset or Restore options possible on this machine?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I did the Reset thing,since the McAfee's been running over four hours and figuring the computer would tell me if there was not enough space on drive D. We'll see what happens, I'll let you know. Wish I hadn't been such a cheapskate and bought a refurbished machine, you get what you pay for. I remember one of the girls I flew with used say "You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.".


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again Bill .... 

I was just teasing about the green beer  .... I had an uncle that would agree with you about the whiskey (though his favorite drink was Jack Daniels)... When I was younger, I liked Mr. Smith's ale ... 

*Disk space*
Actually, space shouldn't be much of an issue, since the Reset erases/writes-over things [it uses a saved system image that is stored on a "recovery" partition that is separate from your everyday system partition (the "recovery" partition is smaller: holding just the operating system - and if it is a manufacturer's recovery partition [rather than generic Windows recovery partition] it will also hold the software "bundles" (and even the silly trial offers of things) . . . 

Quite a few of the HP 15 f211wm models came with 500 GB hard drives. If yours did, you shouldn't have any space worries at all.

Once the Hp is back up and running, you can visit Programs & Features, and start removing any of the unwanted software - especially the "trial" software that you don't plan on using. McAfee is likely one of the items on your removal list - but you'll want to have a replacement handy. [Note: if the McAfee that comes with your HP is good for a year, I suppose you could give it a try. But it obviously did nothing to block the "PUPs" (the dodgy rogue software ("System healer", "Byte fence", etc.) ... so it has already proven itself to be less effective than one would prefer.] I've been creating a guide to installing Avast (a "best practices" guide - since there are several settings that help move Avast from a "good" antivirus to "one of the best".... as soon as it's done, I'll post it here).

Time for me to re-heat my standard drink ... the cup of coffee (that never stays hot enough!) ...


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

The last time I looked at the sick computer it was Resetting at 62 %, it took 4 hours to get there. Suddenly the screen says "Installing Windows" and in a circle it says "0%",. Should I be concerned?


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Thanx for the info on disc space.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Should have asked you in the last post. Which Anti-Spyware/Malware do you recommend? On this machine I have Avast, and MalwareBytes, and would run them weekly.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi again

Don't worry about the "percentage complete" when performing scans, installs, updates ...these are notoriously unreliable numbers (because they don't update often enough)....

Is it the Vista computer that has Avast & MalwareBytes? That is actually the same tandem that I use. I use the Avast Free Antivirus as the full-time antivirus, and I only use the free on-demand only version of MalwareBytes very occasionally (I don't let any MalwareBytes modules to load or system start or delayed start ... it stays 100% on-demand only - to keep it from conflicting with Avast). 

There are paid versions of both of those programs, which include a variety of additional modules. But I think the Windows Firewall suits most users needs (certainly meets my needs), and Avast does a good job of prevention/detection/removal).

I'm almost done with the guide to installing Avast (I'll post it here when done).

Oh ... and anytime you want to double-check your disk space:
1) Click the Windows Start Menu icon
2) Select File Explorer
3) Right-click Local Disk (C
4) Select Properties

You should see a graphic illustration of the used space/free space on your system drive. On most Windows systems, the system drive has the drive-letter C assigned. (Not always, but very likely on your HP).


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

Dear Gary,

Thank you very much for your help, patience and expertise. Especially for your patience. The laptop is OK. Yes, I used Avast and MalwareBytes on the Vista computer. I'm a little gun shy of downloading 'free' versions of anything. Right now, the fixed computer is defenseless. 

Thanks again,
Bill K.
Raleigh,NC


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

P.S. 
How do I add my email account, I forgot how I did it. It says 'Not synced yet'.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

If you are using Juno for your email, don't you just visit webmail.juno.com to get your mail? I prefer to get my mail using a browser. Not terribly crazy about the "Mail" program built-into Windows 10. You don't have to use it.

I finally finished my guide to installing Avast. it's attached.


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## keltics (Apr 30, 2008)

I've been trying to install Avast but there is an arrow bobbing up and down that says "Click here to intall"\, but what it is bobbing above on the Task Bar is occupied by the Cortana thing that says "Ask me anything".


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi Bill

Sounds like Cortana's search box is getting in the way? You should be able to close the Cortana box by clicking on a blank spot on the taskbar. That should allow you to select the Avast "Install" button.


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