Can Hardly Startup My Laptop!

[Oni]

Hey everyone,

Im on a mac btw not on my laptop right now...

So I have a laptop Wiindows XP, its preety new only a year or so.

Its a Dell something 6000 laptop, its grey and all... Well doesnt really matter

So I try to start it up and it kind of slows down... My Mc-Afee virus scanner goes on and off and I think theres like this real bad bug or a virus made special for me or something

I scan with Mc-Afee, adaware, spybot s&d,ADV or something like that... mistamatt90 reccomended it. I also downloaded Kaspersky 10 Mb VS but I cant get it to work.

See when I turn on my computer it sortta slows down.. The viruscanners go on and off for mc-afee as if its fighting something! Then it looks and runs fine... but when i try to open a folder it searches for it a long time sometimes. and practically ALWAYS when I try to connect to the internet, i press the dialup link but nothing happens. if i wait alot it pops up and i can connect in like 5 minuites...

SO what is wrong with my laptop! btw... I was looking at running proccesses and I dont know some of them.. Theres like 5 of the same thing sometimes and when i try to open a folder, like 10 proccesses start up, so i use about 256mb of strength just for processes...

I got 512 mb of ram pentium M 1600 megahrtz and all that...

I also have a hijackthis log i posted below that I havent been able to fix... maybe someone can find something else wrong with it

http://www.besttechie.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1343

Can someone please help me! I dont love that laptop that much, but I cant lose it!

Thanks!

Ask if ya got any more questions... ill check regularly

[JSKY]

Have you cleaned out your Browser Cache, and went through your cookies?

Have you done a Windows Disk Cleanup?

First turn off System Restore and Boot into safe Mode.

Then do a disk cleanup, and then Run Scan Disk. Then run your Disk Defragmenter. Then boot back into normal mode and see if this helps.

To boot into safe mode:

Open your start menu, go to "Run†Type in "msconfig"(without quotation marks). This will open your System Configuration Folder. Select the BOOT.INI tap, put a checkmark in /SAFEBOOT.

Click apply, you will be asked to reboot for these settings to take effect. You will now reboot into safe mode. When you are done doing your virus and spyware scans and removals, repeat the processes and uncheck /SAFEBOOT. And on the “General Tap†Click “Normal Startupâ€.

To run your Scan Disk Utility:

Open up your "Start Menu" and Click on your "My Computer" icon. Pick your main drive (or Drive C), R-Click on it and and choose "Properties" at the bottom. Goto the "Tools" Tab, then to "Error Checking" And then Click on "Check Now" It will do the check apon restarting. (works best if in safe mode) There are 5 steps to this proccess, and steps 4 and steps 5 can take awhile. Don't worry if it seems like nothing is happining.

[Oni]

thanks for the post. I get the scan utility but what should I do about cleaning by browser cache? And how do I use disk cleanup and defragmenter? Sorry lol ive only defraged once and Ive never cleaned it up like that

Can you gimme step my step instructions like you did with the scan disk thing... Or are they the same thing...

Sorry Im asking for alot but I dont know how to do any of the other stuff

Thanks

[JSKY]

They are different things, You will find both the "Disk Cleanup", And "Disk Defragmenter" Utilities in your "Start Menu" under "All Programs" > "Accessories" > "System Tools"

It would be best, if you haven't done this in awhile. Do do so in "Safe Mode".

This way you won't have allot of programs running to cause interference. And keep in mind, If you have a large partition. Or allot of programs on your disk, that Defragging your disk could take some time to compleat.

To clean out your Browser Cache, and cookies in IE.

Goto your Start menu, to "Control Panel" To "Internet Options". On the "General" Tab, you will see "Temporary Internet Files" Click on "Deleate Files" Then move down to "History" And "Clean History".

Then hop back up to "Temporary Internet Files" Click on "Settings" and Click on "View Files". Here you will see all your "Cookies" stored on your PC. If you just deleate them all, you will have to put in all your log-on names and passwords. to your favorite sites. Or you can go through them one be one and remove those you don't want.

To do the same with Firefox.

You need to open up your browser and on the top tool bar, Goto tools > Options > Privacy. You will see "History" and " Cache" And Cookies" listed here.

Edited January 4, 2005 by JSKY

[MrBill]

Open up IE and go to Tools/Internet Options and in the General tab, Delete Cookies, Temp Files, Clear History. Then close down IE and go to Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Disc Cleanup and click on it. When the box opens up, put a check in ALL the boxes then click OK then in the next window click YES. Let it do its thing. It may take a while because you never done it before. Then when it is finished go to My Computer and then right click on the "C" drive and choose Properties. Then click on the Tools tab and under Error-checking click Check Now then put a check in the first box only (Automatically fix file system errors) then click Start and it will tell you that it needs complete access etc. etc. Click Yes then get out of it and reboot your PC. DO NOT touch the keyboard or mouse until it is in the regular Windows mode like when you start your PC. See if this helps.

[Oni]

its late here school tommorow. Im going to do it when I get back

Thanks for all your help

If you think of anything else please do write it down, Im going to do all of them thanks, lets hope it works

[Oni]

I don't know whats wrong! I did most of the things you told me to... I can't even get dialup to work in safe mode. btw its hard to start in safe mode, kinda freezes at the end sometimes... So I think this is a bug of some sort for my system... I ran tons of scans kaserskpy, avg, macaffe. All the ones worth trying! So how am I going to get rid of this stupid bug!

[JSKY]

Safe Mode disables your drivers to your modem and most other things, It even set your graphic card to it's bare min.

Have you been able to get your HHD cleaned out any at all by running the Disk Utilities mentioned?

You could try a repair of your OS:

There are two types of repair on XP. When you boot with the XP disk. You will come to the first part that asks if you want to install or do a repair. This first repair is a command prompt type for a specific repair. AT THIS POINT! If you click on install XP instead, you will see XP load files as it get ready to install the OS. When it gets done loading files, you will again be asked to install XP or to repair your current OS. At this second repair option, click to repair and sit back. XP will go through your whole system searching and repairing parts that have been changed or need to be replaced. BUT REMEMBER!! With any repair you will need your CD KEY. And you MUST go to windows update and re-download some of the updates because the repair will remove some of them.

[Oni]

well I dont have any Cd's of the laptop...Its not like OWNED by me. Leased by me I guess... We have a xp computer upstairs that we OWN Im preety sure its teh same os, I think I can find the Cd's for that.... Would that work?

Im still running the ones mentioned. I run them and kinda forgot which one I ran because they all have names alike lol. I need sommore time for it I think. Ill do write them alll down and cross them out when i do them tommorow... 9:35 Pm here on the east coast, gotta finish up my Homework

Thanks for the help I'll tell you the results I get when I do all of this tommorow...

[JSKY]

Be sure to check your Hijackthis Log to see how it looks

[Oni]

I did kapersky viruscan in safe mode... It took a while but it found 30 virus's deleted a few of them.

When I try to start up my computer normally or try safe mode I cant start my winodws!

I get In a black and white screen

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

<Windows root>\system32\hal.dll.

Please re-install a copy of the above file.

So I Need ALOT of help. I dont have this laptop's install disk's but I have a xp computer upstairs... But its Dell and I think it CAME with Xp so how can I reinstall it.. Il still check though

I let kapersky delete ALL files it couoldnt clean. i was in safe mode so it could delete EVERYTHING. So here I am...

I have a copy of the file in my mac, I could move it on with usb pen drive, but I dont know how I could move it... I Hope someone does! if its possible...

[Matt]

Oni, try reading this:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_haldll_missing.htm

[Oni]

I tried to boot my laptop's windows with my other computer's XP cd's

It says Boot.INI invalid or something... The old ones service pack 1

and my laptop's service pack 2. Would that maybe have something to do with it?

I mean if I get boot.Ini and my missing hal.dlll then would it maybe work?

Im not sure if windows is that adaptive but...

Any Ideas? I also got a Usb pen drive and an external harddrive HDD if that woould help... SOmehow!?!?!

helphelp!

[Oni]

Hmm

I just talked to a "Dell Technician" What they call themselves and if any of you are thinking about getting a Dell. Get it if you want very bad support.

QUOTE

On this system, it was purchased without the gold contract. This chat feature is only available for gold contracted system. We have been experiencing issues with our support site and incorrectly shows some systems with gold on them. I am sorry for the misinformation. For assistance on this machine, you will need to give us a call at 1-800-822-8965.

QUOTE

Well I mean if a computer systems manufactorer can't make a bugfree site which you can logon and chat, HOW WOULD THEY MAKE A COMPUTER!?!?!?!

And It took me half an hour to get on chat! Im not ordering a computer! I JUST WANT SOME HELP HOW HARD IS THAT

If any of you work at Mr.Dell's office---Why do you?

[tg1911]

... I ran tons of scans kaserskpy, avg, macaffe. All the ones worth trying! ...

Am I to understand, that you are running 3 anti-virus programs, at the same time?

Not advisable!

Something PeteC posted in the past, on another board:

Can you have more than one Anti-virus program?

Posted by Petecovell 04/09/2004, 8:32 a.m.

Can you ===> YES

Should you =====> NO

Is it a good idea, do you get better protection====>NO

The danger, is that one antivirus program may (Read this as eventually will) see

the others definition files as viruses, and will remove them. This is not so much a

problem with manual scans, where you only run one Antivirus program at a time, if

you pay close attention to what it detects, and where. If you manually configure it to

ignore the other program, and its files, then you minimize the risk from this problem.

The big problem, is the silent threat. Most antivirus programs will scan web based

(not necessarily all, like P2P, and IM) file transfers. It is quite common, for one

antivirus program, to detect the incomming virus updates for the other. Thinking parts

of the definition files are viruses in their own right, the AV will strip these out of the

update.

The end result? Instead of having two, or even one, up to date fully functional

antivirus programs, you have two severely crippled programs, which are each

missing critical definition, and detection files .

So, it is best to have one antivirus program, and keep it up to date and use it

properly.

Then, if you experience a problem, or question its efficicacy, you run an online scan.

[Oni]

Hmm Then Id get rid of AVG, get a cracked version of kapersky but cant find one... YET And disable my Mc-Affee? I dont want to delete it... Maybe I can delete it from startups. Taked a long time to start too compared to others

But FIRST

I HAVE TO GET MY COMPUTER WORKING

[Matt]

Hmm Then Id get rid of AVG, get a cracked version of kapersky

Why not use a LEGAL FREE version of AVG, instead of an ILLEGAL copy of other things? You told me personally another scan found things avg didn't, well as stated in another post, those things might not actually be malicious.

M@

[Oni]

Well I COULD do that...

Even though kaspersky did have a more user friendly format and very easy to use, it also tells you the time it takes for the scan to be complete with a bar, like a download bar

If I cant find a kaspersky thats cracked then id goto Avg...

Don't worry matt Ill do it all behind a proxy (Downloading kaspersky cracked) I mean when i get my other computer working somehow...

[JSKY]

You Stated you had over 30 viruses, and could only remove a few of them. Which means you still have more on your machine then right. The first thing I would try doing is to remove the rest of them.

There is the possibility that by now the whole OS could be corrupted beyond repair. You might have to think about trying to save what you can, and do a full reformat of your system. I know it sound rough. But it sounds like that might be your only choice. I have the feeling by now, even if we can get it cleaned out, you are going to start getting errors left and right.

[Oni]

I dont know how you understood it but ill say it again in another way...

I ran kapersky in safemode and I let it delete ANYTHING that it coulndt clean so i woulndt have any viruss deletectalbe... It delete hal.dll because it was infected somehow.

It deleted it and now its missing. I try to boot using Cds of another different xp computer-but it says Boot-ini invalid, As said at Kelly's-Korner.

I just need some REAL support... Im thinking of calling 1800BuyDell And they can forward me to support or something But theres one thing, I hate talking on the phone and trying to do something with computers, I wanted chat but... Dell or Microsoft doesnt give it to me. If any of you can find chat support of micro or dell can you post a link or something? The chat with delldoesnt work btw so.... Im back to micro

[JSKY]

Have you tried downloading the Hal.ddl file? you can get it here at dll.Files

Edited January 8, 2005 by JSKY

[Oni]

yup I downloaded that mistamatt90 showed it to me

But Its on my mac... How would I move it to my laptop's systems32 folder (Or whereever) If I cant even turn the computer on?

[JSKY]

I'm not to much into using chat rooms. Sorry I can't help there.

But you said your Laptop is leased to you, would they (who is leasing it) have the XP disks to do a repair install with? The part about the "Boot.INI" is missing could also be from the infection you had. And I'm not sure if the original disks would work at this point. But I'll See if I can track down a Chat room that might be helpfull.

[Dragon]

Hmm Then Id get rid of AVG, get a cracked version of kapersky but cant find one... YET

i'm stepping in here right now, This forum believes in the sanctaty of LEGAL PROGRAMS This forum is not a place to discuss gettting a "Cracked" version of a program, by getting cracks and hacks you open yourself up to more trouble then it is worth. Not to mention the possibility that with a cracked version you are looking at downloading a virus or trojan that has been configured not to be seen by the program.

Any further discussion of trying to find cracked programs or mentioning warez sites will cause you to possibly be banned from this site. Note this is a warning. When it is recommended to use LEGAL copies of a program, then you should take the recomendation.

[Oni]

Well ok I understand that

But just for the record, some people believe in free clean programs. Even though there are many sites that give you free programs that are infected there are still many other ones that give you "patches" so to speak which are all clean and only does what it says.

I have not listed any sites and advertised the sites which you believe are crack sites.

Even though we do not have to talk about this any more, its all over.

Edited by an Admin.....