# Crash



## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

My PC has crashed repeatedly in the last 24 hours. For a time we could not even get IE or AOL browsers to load at all, if they came up, they soon crashed. We got error messages indicating the computer was running slowly. Lots of strange error messages. I have one now which says "Rundll32 has caused an error in &lt;unknown&gt; Rundll32 will now close. If you continue to experience problems, try restarting your computer." We deleted some strange programs that somehow got onto our PC last night. Since then there has been some improvement. Our Norton antivirus is dated 2001, so obviously we are at risk of viruses, which I think is what happened. Any suggestions on how to proceed both to address the Rundll32 error message and update our antivirus protection would be greatly appreciated. We have been lax in protecting our PC and now we are paying the price. But we don't know much about how to go about fixing the current issues or prevention of future problems.


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

Download:

Spybot Search and destroy

Lavasoft Adaware

Spy Sweeper

Update ALL of them

Restart your PC in "safe mode" and run all three erasing EVERYTHING they find.

Then download AVG Free Virus Protection, update it, and keep auto protect turned on.


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

Also, tongith when you go to bed, defrag your PC hard drive!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

Adam, 

Thanks! Can you point me to where to find these protections?


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

Let me look a minute...


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

Spy Sweeper:

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22934,00.asp

Ad Aware;

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,7423,00.asp

Spybot seach and destroy

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp

AVG FREE virus protection program

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

Do you know how to defrag your hard drive or restart your PC is safe mode?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

Thanks again, Adam! I will check out those links pronto. But to answer your last question, nope, I'm afraid not. I need to get "Computers for Dummies"...


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

LOL

To defrag:

Click on START

Programs

Accessories

System Tools

Disk Defragmenter

Then choose your hard drive (usually the C drive) and press "defragment"

I suggest doing that once a month. I suggest updating those spy programs once a week and scanning your PC once a week with all 3 as well!

I will post soon how to start in safe mode. It's not hard but it is a "process"


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

I hoped I could find this again!

Here is how to start in safe mode.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...2001052409420406?OpenDocument&src=sec_doc_nam


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

Ok, what happens exactly when you defrag? I am thinking of fragmentation grenades for some reason! Is defragging the reverse of that, ie., defusing a bomb that has already gone off in your harddrive?


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

It puts everything back in order, deletes stuff that is not used or was not ever fully deleted, etc. It's completely SAFE.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

Gotcha. Thanks again, Adam! You've been a HUGE help, brother! I'll see about fixing this computer now...


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

good luck! I just did this for my brother inlaw the other evening. Took me 4 hours though because he had soooo much spyware on his PC. Over 370 items found.


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## gwine (Jan 23, 2005)

Maybe this happened to keep you from getting too many posts . . .

Naaaaaah. That could never be.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by gwine_
> Maybe this happened to keep you from getting too many posts . . .
> 
> Naaaaaah. That could never be.



 Heh heh, back online now...


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

So Andrew, that worked?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 23, 2005)

I have not completed all the steps but the downloads are definitely helpful. Hope to finish the process in the next day or two. There is already much improvement!

Many, many thanks, Adam!


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 23, 2005)

Not a problem!


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## HuguenotHelpMeet (Jan 26, 2005)

Hey Adam,

Thanks for all your help. I have spent hours upon hours this week trying to get rid of a trojan horse. AVG found it but couldn't heal it. Any suggestions?

Thanks...your help and links have been my only hope of getting our computer running again. Andrew's only been able to post from work this week...poor guy! ;-)


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 26, 2005)

Sometimes with AVG you have to choose to put the viruses in the vault. Then go into the vault and delete them from there.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 26, 2005)

The trojan horse is a stubborn one. AVG can't get rid of it. It's also apparently "contagious" to other files. We are considering investing in a software that specializes in trojan horse removal, but it costs $$ and apparently is not guaranteed to remove any and all trojan horses, just "most" of them. Any suggestions on dealing with trojan horses specifically?


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## fredtgreco (Jan 26, 2005)

Well, I guess Providence took care of making sure you don't catch everyone in posting! 

Seriously, your best solution is a Trojan Horse Remover. I may have a program you can use. It would be on my other PC. If I can find it, then I could put it ona website for you to download and install.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 26, 2005)

Fred, Thanks! Let me know if that's possible. I've known about the dangers of trojan horses and viruses, but until now the dangers never hit home. Man, who invents these things??!!

Don't worry, though, I still have other means of internet access for posting purposes...


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## HuguenotHelpMeet (Jan 26, 2005)

Elder Greco,

Thanks for your kind offer. That is exactly what we need. Each time I do a virus scan more trojans show up and AVG isn't able to heal them, move them to the vault or delete them. I have felt like throwing away this machine...but seems we can't live without it.

Thanks again!


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## fredtgreco (Jan 26, 2005)

Andrew,

Check your U2U


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## ReformedWretch (Jan 26, 2005)

Wow, I have yet to encounter something AVG couldn't at least vault!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 26, 2005)

> _Originally posted by fredtgreco_
> Andrew,
> 
> Check your U2U



Got it Fred. Thanks! 

More later...


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 26, 2005)

Fred,

The preliminary report from my wife is that your recommended downloads have done the trick. She says that our computer is running better than it has in years!

You da man! Thanks so much!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jan 31, 2005)

Well, we are continuing to experience problems with the trojan horse virus. We get periodic messages from AVG announcing the detection of trojan horses and despite "healing" them through AVG and despite the trojan horse guardian download from Fred, the trojan horse just will not go away. It's persistent, possibly replicating in our root drive, or so says a friend. IE is basically unusable. AOL is our workaround means of accessing the internet, but we don't like it. Would Firefox be a better browser for us? We have a friend who may come over and examine our harddrive this week. What a headache! The kind assistance of Fred and Adam is greatly appreciated and we hope to get this thing finally resolved soon.


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## fredtgreco (Jan 31, 2005)

> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> Well, we are continuing to experience problems with the trojan horse virus. We get periodic messages from AVG announcing the detection of trojan horses and despite "healing" them through AVG and despite the trojan horse guardian download from Fred, the trojan horse just will not go away. It's persistent, possibly replicating in our root drive, or so says a friend. IE is basically unusable. AOL is our workaround means of accessing the internet, but we don't like it. Would Firefox be a better browser for us? We have a friend who may come over and examine our harddrive this week. What a headache! The kind assistance of Fred and Adam is greatly appreciated and we hope to get this thing finally resolved soon.



Andrew,

In my opinion, IE is an invitation to such problems. I would use either Firefox or Opera, if I were you (the Opera free version has ads).

Are the trojan guardian programs (did you try both?) showing trojans present? That would mean replication somehow.


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## HuguenotHelpMeet (Jan 31, 2005)

> _
> Are the trojan guardian programs (did you try both?) showing trojans present? That would mean replication somehow. _


_

Yes, we used both the trojan programs that you gave us. And they find new trojans all the time. The trojan removers do help alot though and we are thankful to you for the files. They delete the trojans every time but they keep coming back. They are replicating somehow. I shut off my system restore and tried getting rid of them that way as well as deleting all my temp files but they just keep coming back. Nasty things. I'm going to try firefox. Thanks again!!_


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## fredtgreco (Jan 31, 2005)

Wow!

Maybe the next step is to backup your files and wipe the hard drive clean. Do a fresh and complete install of Windows. Then reinstall your programs and then transfer back the files (after running them through an AV)

A ton of work, but that may be the only way to get rid of everything.


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