HELP! I've Been Micro-Hosed

Myself | lafroste

[lafroste]

I've had what started out as a minor problem with my computer escalate way out of control. Two nights ago I got impatient waiting for all the junk on my computer to load after an installation reboot. I hit the reboot program before I should have, it clashed with a just loading Zone Alarm, corrupted a Zone Alarm dll, and all heck broke loose.

The corrupted file looped and brought my system to a standstill. I finally got it turned off (unless I highlight it or do anything to it at all), but I can't delete it (inpage error), I can't rename it, I can't delete its directory tree, I can't turn it off (I did manage to mangle the path, which is how I turned it off - but Norton System Works obligingly fixed the registry to match the new path and it kicked off again).

I can't get my computer to boot into Safe Mode (its a Windows 2000 Profesional) because it refuses to give me the option..

I spent hours preparing emergency boot disks (4 of them) from the original Micro-sludge disk. I ran the disks, selected "repair" and it promptly destroyed my system. It re-installed Micro-puke, and destroyed my development web server, my Office suite, my CAD program and my financial software (probably more than that, but I haven't finished surveying the damage). I'm posting this from a friend's machine that I agreed to set up for her. Also, I am still an administrator, but every time I try to change something (like file views), Micro-slut informs me that I don't have access rights to change that.

The final insult is that damned corrupted dll from zone alarm is still there and still blocking my network access.

How can I delete the Dammed thing?! dOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF IT?

Now excuse me while I go kick the dog...

PS: I may not be able to review this thread until tomorrow (and I don't own a dog :))

[lafroste]

I followed your advice and the file kicked CompareDll's ass, then went on to laugh at Killbox. It froze compare solid. Then when I hit "Yes" to reboot after setting the little bastard up, Killbox came back with an error message saying that it's < info file> (I don't remember what it called it) had been rewritten by an external file, then it aborted the reboot and closed.

That's one seriously demented dll.

[lafroste]

I tried reinstalling ZA thinking it would overwrite it. Wrong, the ZA installation crashed. I tried running msconfig, and Surprize! It's been deleted somehow (right after a fresh install too, hmmm).

Really, this is one demon possessed dll.

[Musket]

bump for later.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Huh. I got the Mac Mini for the same price as a regular PC desktop (~$550)

Most regular PC desktops in that price range come with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and more. Does the Mac Mini (~$550)?

[Bullish]

E-mail Zone alarm. They should be able to help you. Probably a lot more help then you'll get on a political discussion forum.

[NewRomeTacitus]

This is one weird infection, Prime. I thought I was hardened to the max but it still infiltrated through my visiting an apparently infected website. AVG Antivirus couldn't even recognize it, nor did Ad-Aware or Spybot find anything amiss. I tried a new service from Ewido that cleaned that out plus found 20 other infected files the traditional services missed. You get two weeks free use out of it, too.

I'm still having problems from the initial damage but am very impressed that these guys made an interum solution available on their shoestring budget while the "players" put out excuses.

[lafroste]

Ha, I got the little f&*ker. I deleted the entire directory tree where it was hiding.

Confirmed! I smoked the little prick. Shame really, I almost wish I could have donated it to science.

Of course, it may have copied itself somewhere, kinda like what happened at the end of "Lawnmower Man".

Excuse me a sec, phone's ringing...

[lafroste]

I spoke too soon. My network connections worked for about 2 minutes, now they are dead again.

It is.. Alive.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

When someone asks for help, you either give it or STFU.

Consider the following situation: I changed the oil in my new Impala last night but forgot to drain the old oil out. Now the piece of s**t thing won't work. HELP!!!

Under the circumstances, might you not be inclined to respond in a jesting manner?

[pageonetoo]

I tell ya...if Steve Jobs gets serious and puts the MacOS X on Intel, he's going to give Microsoft a serious run for its money.

I bought Apple stock, when it was around 13. This week, it was selling for 46-47. I still have it. It split once, in the meantime...

I'm glad I bought a lot of shares. I wish I had bought some more...

The Intel switch seems to be a done deal.

Though the Mac market share is small, it is the fastest growing segment of the industry. When Intel changes their chips to suit Jobs & Co., you will see evn more developers jumping on board. It will force Micosoft go more into useful products (Office, etc), and take a back seat to Mac/Unix operating systems. That's just my opinion...

[ovrtaxt]

I would get a Macintosh, because it's a fool-proof system.

I don't know-- I've seen liberals using Macs before...

[Dustoff45]

Just a thought for the future.

When first setting up your PC, think about keeping your operating system, your data, and your programs in separate partitions, possibly on separate drives.

Even on a new or current PC, partition magic can help you.

The thought here is to limit the c:\Drive to just the minimum files required for Windows - 2000 Pro or XP to operate. I have used as little as 2 gb, but with larger drives 4-8. Then set up a 2nd partition d:\whatever for Programs, data (your other stuff)

I also install old ide drives as a slave, just for backups.

So, the setup might be an 80gb hard drive, c:\ = 8 gb, and d:\ = 72 gb.

As you install programs, the default will be c:\Program Files\My New Program

Most Programs have an advanced or customize feature, just watch for an option. Change c:\ to whatever other partition letter you are using. Some of the install will still go on the C:\drive, the nature of the operating system.

Here is the good part.

Should you find yourself having to reinstall windows, and you perform a fresh install, all you lose is the data on c:\. Your other programs need to be installed again, (to introduce them to Windows) but all of your customization and data remain.

In practice, keep all of your setup files. For programs downloaded, burn the install files to a CD, or if they are small, park them in an install folder or within the same program.

Example:

I download a new program called MightyZip. When I run the setup, it would install by default to c:\Program Files\MightyZip.

I change the drive letter during the early steps of the install to d:\Program Files\MightyZip. (Or whatever drive letter you are using.)

After install, I go via the explorer to d:\Program Files\MightyZip. I add an install folder to MightyZip that might read d:\Program Files\MightyZip\install\

Then I copy the setup files I just downloaded to that folder. Any time I want, I can run this install again, remembering to change the default drive letter from C:\

I mentioned using another hard drive. I don't toss those old 4 - 8 gb hard drives. I install them within the case for backups.

Every now and then, cut and paste the "My Documents" folder from where it resides on c: or even d: to the other hard drive. Should your hard drive totally fail, and they all will eventually fail, you have most of your data.

I would welcome some other responses on this. These are lessons learned the hard way.

Other thoughts, especially for those with home networks are to move copies of critical data onto other PCs, so it won't get lost.

There are also great backup programs that will incorporate Zip disks (what are those), and CDRW media.

[PilloryHillary]

My husband had a very similar problem with that corrupt file on one of his machines that is running Windows 2000 professional with Zone Alarm. He is now in the process of reformatting. Hope somebody here can help you avoid that. Personally, I have never been sold on Zone Alarm and have much better luck with PCCillin Internet Security. Good luck to you.

[KeyWest]

Oh, and in my business, the machines that walk in the door with the most problems ALWAYS have Norton on them. So if you Nuke/reinstall, give Norton the heave-ho, and go get the free version of Grisoft AntiVirus.

Other than Anti-virus, Norton is crapware. If you only knew all the stuff it does to your registry... Horrors!!

---

Excellent advice. It is not ZA but Norton. I gave up on Norton two years ago after using it since the mid-90s. If you go to any of the win9x, 2000, or xp newsgroups you will continually see Norton problems. ZA can give problems but usually you will see Norton also installed. There are known problems between the two. It is just that ZA gets blamed (and I have been using ZA since it came out with zero problems) but it is Norton.

Plus, do not just try to get rid of Norton with the add/remove programs in control panel. It leaves parts of itself all through your system and will continue to cause problems. Norton has a removal tool at its site. Use it to get rid of everything. I also searched my registry to get rid of every sign of it.

[Dustoff45]

the machines that walk in the door with the most problems ALWAYS have norton on them. So if you Nuke/reinstall, give norton the heave-ho, and go get the free version of Grisoft AntiVirus.

I agree with that statement. I have gone back to the well so many times to give Norton one more try, but over 10 years and many installs on many PCs, I have regretted every Norton install.

I like their antivirus programs, but their systemworks, their firewalls, and their internet security packages have really cost me and the warm/fuzzy I got when I first installed them quickly went away.

[velocityguy]

Sorry, I use Linux. Microsoft sux big time. Dump monopolistic Microsoft. Move on to Fedora 2 or higher. Even SuSE Linux is good.

Here is the site to download ISO for Fedora -

http://fedora.redhat.com/download/#write

Microsoft controls your system if you allow it. With Linux/Fedora 2, life is as easy as it can get. You can do a whole lot of stuff with Linux.

Moreover, Microsoft software is expensive. Linux? Well, it is all free as in FREEDOM from microsoft. :)

[Golden Eagle]

Sounds like a user problem, hitting reboot in the middle of processing which he admitted can cause all sorts of problems. Also relying on freeware software like Zone Alarm is also risky. Get Windows XP, and Norton Security/Firewall, don't reboot when it's writing to the disk, should be fine.

[Golden Eagle]

Zone Alarm hosed the TCP/IP socket on the Windows 2000 machine I was trying it on one time myself, it was impossible to fix even trying to remove everything down to the LAN card driver. I don't recommend the product, or any free product for security. Basically, you get what you pay for, or likely a whole lot less.

[vollmond]

You could try picking up a Linux based Livd CD like Knoppix. You can usually find them attached to Linux magazines. This will let you boot from the CD, and then mount the hard drive so you can go in and delete any files that are giving you trouble. It will also let you access the hard drive to back up any data that you may need if you are forced to re-install from scratch.

[safisoft]

Zone Alarm sucks. Even when it is turned off it gets in the way of legitimate programs and Windows itself. The latest Zone Alarm update screws all sorts of stuff up.