Chat Place Forum

Hey all, I recently came across a problem that I wasn't able to solve until this morning. I need your help in identifying the cause of the problem so I can avoid it next time. I have Windows Vista and I am running it on 4 years old computer with 2gb of RAM and decent processor. I keep Windows clean and I installed it on a separate hard drive. I have Norton to keep it "safe" and to be onset, I never had a major problem like I faced 2 days ago. So here what I think happened. I installed Service Pack 1 as Windows Update recommended. No problems after installation. Computer restarted and I was able to work on it. Than, few days later Norton found 81 cookies and was asking to fix them. I did as it asked. After, I was playing video game for like 2 hours, I saved and quit. I ended up seeing desktop in 800x600 resolution and message from Norton saying that it sent me a monthly report on how it did a great job cleaning my PC. Since the resolution was 800x600 and it should have been 1280x1024 I decided to restart the computer and at that time I thought it would get back to normal. BUT, during the restart I could see the loading bar and after that black screen and nothing. I restarted like 10 times, after that I waited for an hour to see if may be the update still correcting the database, but I saw a big "nada".

So I thought Windows is busted! I inserted my copy of Windows and at the start I pressed F12 so that the Boot menu could load Windows CD. After it checked all the files the Windows installation showed up and few minutes later BLUE DEATH SCREEN. I was like WTF!? Since I am not using Windows how come that thing found it's way here? So I freaked out and started to think my RAM is basted or one of hard drives doesn't work. I did some tests, checked core temperature and nothing. I tried load the CD again and it just wouldn't work. Than I gave up, kicked my PC and went to bad. Today I woke up started my PC and same story. I loaded Windows CD and finally the installation menu showed up with first window asking to select language than I choose repair... and it found several problems in System directory. So, what caused this malfunction? Windows' Service Pack 1 or may be Norton erased some files form System32 databasese thinking that some of the files were infected? But again I really don't think I had a virus since I know what I am doing... Please give me some feedback. May be you have had some problems in the past that were similar to the one I had to deal with.



Thanks

To Harvinson:



I checked Norton Log and I found something interesting.



Here:



Activity - Unauthorized access logged (Access Thread Data)

Severty - Medium

Actor - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SERVICES.EXE

Target - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\17.1.0.19\ccSvcHst.exe



That's what I think caused the problem becasue I checked Event Viewer and the only thing that had problem was QuickBooks.

To The Wayne Train:



I used other AntiVirus before I got myself Norton. I had free stuff and I used Kaspersky. It seem to be working and showing that I have no virus or any bugs, but one day my browser started to show me virus messages (a common thing whan u have visrus). I bought Norton checked my PC and I found everthing from trojan virus to 1000 cookies and unautorized access to my computer. Norton is slow, but it has a potential to protect. I am sure they will fix the bugs and I hope it wouldn't be deleting System files unless it's unavoidiable.

I still have the same issue. After each restart it stops right before the windows logo and dose nothing. WTF!? I think Norton is really causing this problem.

Now here what I found:



Unauthorized access logged (Access Process Data)



Actor - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\MRT.EXE



Same target as before.



F&%@!

Get rid of Norton!

Don't know this will solve it or not:
Try to reformat your windows and just don't use Norton, use another, some are better out there.
Sorry if i give you a bad solution,..

I think it was Norton was the problem...I had a similar problem like 4 months ago and Norton had erased some files it should not have...now i look at all the files before hand.And I do not use Norton anymore. There is better programs then Norton out there.

Check your Norton log. it will tell you what it deleted then check your event viewer. It will tell you everything that happened on your system before and after the problem occured. This will help you figure out what exactly took place.

event viewer can be found in the administrative tools in control panel.

MRT.EXE is part of Microsofts Malicious Software Removal Tool. For some reason norton thinks that this tool is a threat. It is scheduled to run every month by default. Try starting in safe mode and disabling the MRT.EXE from starting or remove it completely.

To be honest i think that all your problems lye in Norton. Norton loves to take control (As you can see how many questions it asked you) and with that control it goes crazy. What might help is download AVG free at http://www.avg.com/us-en/download?prd=afg then disable able your internet connection (So you don't get any viruses) then uninstall Norton COMPLETELY then install AVG Free set up the settings that you would like it to do daily scans stuff like that. Also try holding off a few weeks to install Service Packs because new ones will have unknown bugs in them and could cause something to happen. As always keep safe on your pc and scan for viruses regularly.