[Yavo Lem]

OK, maybe I am getting somewhere now. I found a program called Registry Trash Keys Finder and it turned up the following entries::


1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\%22{345FE780-458C-11DB-E8A2-000054534544}%22

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\TypeLib\%22{DB8E4EE7-9FBF-4538-9B7B-7220B3F32D1D}%22

3. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Asprotect\SpecData

4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\{10F8999E-A1FF-FC15-34CB-F31EF791E2B9}

5. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Licenses

6. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Licenses

7. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\The Silicon Realms Toolworks\Armadillo

8. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\Component Categories

9. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\{00000111-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}

10. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\CLSID\{E053F788-4BF5-11D1-A842-080009DC1470}

11. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}

12. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\TypeLib\%22{8C445A90-9D0A-11D3-A8FB-444553540000}%22

As the program gives me the ability to search each entry on Google (yes, I know, a good source??), it led to the following:

1. ASProtect 2.0+ SKE (to the best of my knowledge I never downloaded anything with this name)
2. ASProtect fake TypLib
3. Common Key for ASProtect
4. Armadillo 4.10+ (I have never downloaded anything by this name)
5. Common Key of Armadillo
6. Common Key of Armadille
7. Common Key of Armadillo\Software\The Silicon Realms Toolworks\Armadillo (never heard of any of these names)
8. Invalid name of CLSID
9. Empty CLSID Key
10. Empty CLSID Key
11. Empty CLSID Key
12. Empty TypeLib Key (reference on Google to Nero Burning ROM 5.5 – I have v. 6.3.1.4)

So, do I have an “virus”, or what? Can anyone tell me how these entries got into my Registry and how to prevent future “changes/infections”? I know it is not my imagination, as now I am having interference with some anti-virus software and also problems with disappearing desktop icons, like the one for my ISP, after a cold boot a few minutes ago. Oh yes, whatever it is, it doesn’t like RTKY, as it has closed it twice so far, and won’t let it reopen without a reboot. (Correction, actually the file was still open, but hidden from sight by Firefox tabs).

I just noticed another strange thing. A new folder has been added to Drive D, labeled “~mssetup.t” with a subfolder labeled “~msstfqf.t”. They both appear to be empty, but who knows. Actually, I did do a reinstall of 98 SE over my existing installation this morning. The first attempt, from within Windows generated one of those white error boxes, with the options “Close” or “Ignore”, and I closed the process, and reinstalled via MS-DOS, with no problems (with the install), but having the same, and slightly worse problem with the OS, especially whenever I have to use Windows Explorer, but at other times, too.

Any thoughts or recommendations are appreciated, especially for a good, but free, firewall, or other type of protective software (no, I won't say it, but I am thinking of a computer "c----m) . Thank you in advance.

YL

P.S. - I wish I was more of a geek, as this is not only very frustrating and time-consuming, but it is also quite mind-numbing. Obviously, I need as user-friendly and well-protected an OS as is possible. Any recommentations?

Edited by Yavo Lem, 06 October 2006 - 03:53 PM.

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Redundant entries or some entries you may not have heard of are not unusual are are not necessarily the sign of a virus. When you uninstall software, the uninstaller almost always leaves entries in the Registry because it simply is not thorough enough in cleaning up.

And many applications you install may contain legitimate components provided by a third-party whose name you will never see until you check the registry entries. One such is 'ASprotect'. This is a legitimate copy-protection component of some applications, and I have it in my Registry also.

You don't say what, if any, AV or firewall you are currently using. But if you want recommendations for free ones, these are regarded as the leaders:
Firewall - Zonealarm http://www.zonelabs.com
AV - Avast Home Edition http://www.avast.com...ast_4_home.html

[pip22]

Redundant entries or some entries you may not have heard of are not unusual are are not necessarily the sign of a virus. When you uninstall software, the uninstaller almost always leaves entries in the Registry because it simply is not thorough enough in cleaning up.

And many applications you install may contain legitimate components provided by a third-party whose name you will never see until you check the registry entries. One such is 'ASprotect'. This is a legitimate copy-protection component of some applications, and I have it in my Registry also.

You don't say what, if any, AV or firewall you are currently using. But if you want recommendations for free ones, these are regarded as the leaders:
Firewall - Zonealarm http://www.zonelabs.com
AV - Avast Home Edition http://www.avast.com...ast_4_home.html

[Yavo Lem]

Hi pip 22,

Thanks for responding and for your suggestion with regard to firewalls & AV programs.

Please note that I did mention, in another, earlier post (Oct 4 2006, 07:55 PM) what I was using and/or had used. I will copy that below for your benefit:

""With regard to the “virus’, nothing detects it and I used AVG, AdAware SE Personal, CW Shredder, A-squared, Avast, AntiVir PE Classic, SpyBot S&D, SpywareBlaster, FireLite Scanner, Norton System Works 2001, Bazooka, Ccleaner, EasyCleaner, G-Remover, HiJack This, PC Pitstop Extirminate, a number of registry cleaners and lastly, Trojan Hunter today, ...""

I have no firewall and have never had one, primarily because I never had the problems I am having now. But getting a firewall now is the reverse of "closing the barn door after the horses have gone". Whatever I causing Windows Explorer to act crazy is already in my computer, so I have no need for a firewall, but rather something of the nature of a "High Plains Drifter" type software that can clean everything out. Hey, if Paul Newman can produce comestibles, maybe Clint Eastwood could produce malware "killers".

Seriously, though, I am just trying to identify what it is that is causing the problems. Once I do that, maybe I, or someone on this site, can figure out how to address it.

Until then, thanks for your interest.

YL

P.S. - Please note that I am not trying to "Bump" this topic up, but I don't see any other way of replying to someone who has responded to a request for help. I see no sense in starting a new topic just to say thank you. Is there something I am missing with regard to how one answers a reply, so that the other person can see it, together with the original message to which he/she responded??

Virgil, be my guide through this version of Purgatory.