[Artellos]

Hello Everyone,

Last weekend I was at someones place fixing their computer.
Running spyware scans and removing unnecessary startup programs from the startup.
But there where also 2 folders opening at the boot.
1 being their "C:\Documents and Settings\%USER%" folder, the other was "C:\Program Files\Spybot S&D\"

My question would be, how do I make it so that the folders do not open at the startup.
I couldn't find anything in msconfig, not in the startup folder in "Start -> All Programs -> Startup"..
I'm confused, please enlighten me

Regards,
Olrik

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hello,
While you can remove spybot, why would you want to?
C:\Documents and Settings\%USER% has the information about your desktop settings. This must run on startup!

[hfcg]

hello,
While you can remove spybot, why would you want to?
C:\Documents and Settings\%USER% has the information about your desktop settings. This must run on startup!

[Artellos]

I'm not concerned about removing the folders.
What I want to do is make sure they do not _open_ themselves at startup.
The user that is using them is getting frustrated by the folders opening themselves at startup.

Regards,
Olrik

[hfcg]

I am confused.
The spybot folder runs at start up to protect the computer.
The C:\Documents and Settings\%USER% folder opens at start up to load your desktop.
You can stop the spybot folder from loading by removing spybot, you can not stop the C:\Documents and Settings\%USER% folder from loading.

[Artellos]

I don't mean loading I know it loads to start-up the concerning programs / settings.
Maybe i should have explained better.

The windows explorer opens with those 2 folders opened.
Normally loading these folders load in the background, this time they pop up for the user to see. this is not what the user wants.

Regards,
Olrik

[Ztruker]

Hi Artellos. Please download and run StartupList from the Merijn web site: http://www.spywarein...jn/programs.php

Save the output (Click on File then Save) and attach it in a reply here by using the Browse and Upload buttons below the message input area.

I'd like to see what is starting on the computer when it boots.

Edited by Ztruker, 03 March 2008 - 04:58 PM.

[Artellos]

I will do this, however you will need to have some patience since I don't actually have phisical control over the computer.
I tried to solve the problem at the person but couldn't get rid of the folders poping up.

I'll send a mail asking to follow the steps and post back here.

Regards,
Olrik

[Ztruker]

Not a problem Olrik. We'll be here whenever you get the data.

[Artellos]

Ok, I do not know how I did it. But I managed to reproduce the same situation on my computer.
I have not been good to my OS and sort of not cleaned it properly. It requires a Reinstallation but since I got the same situation myself now I could use it as a learning opportunity.

The folder that opened for me in the boot. "C:\Documents and Settings\Olrik Lenstra"

Here is the startuplist you wanted

I got a few errors while running startuplist but this has to do with Spybot S&D putting stuff in my hosts file, and trusted / non trusted zones.

Regards,
Olrik

[attachment=19076:startuplist.zip]

[Ztruker]

Olrik, can you tell me what these are:

hamachi.lnk
Nostromo Loadout Manager.lnk

They are in the common auto-start area.

[Artellos]

Hamachi.lnk would be the startup link to Hamachi wich is a VPN networking program.
Explained here: https://secure.logme...hamachi/vpn.asp

Nostromo Loadout Manager.lnk would be the startup link to a program I use for this beauty! (link below)
http://tweakers.net/.../1189682332.jpg

Regards,
Olrik

Edit: I'm pretty sure that those 2 won't cause any problems

Edited by Artellos, 08 March 2008 - 07:48 PM.

[Ztruker]

Could I get one more startup list? This one from HikackThis v2.0.2

Run it and click on the Open Misc tools button.
Check both boxes then click on Generate StartupList Log.

This will open a notepad window. Save it and upload here as you did with the other one. The HJT list seems to be more usefull for this kind of problem than the other (too much data).

[Artellos]

Here it is

[attachment=19091:startuplist.txt]

[Ztruker]

Good grief! You have a ton of stuff running on that computer. Is it all really necessary? VPN and VMWare and Alcohol 120% and Yahoo stuff and Google stuff.

I can think of one thing to try that may help to id what is causing this.

How does it behave if you boot to Safe Mode with Networking? If better then something is starting at boot that is causing the problem. Try the following:

First, physically disconnect from the Internet to prevent a malware infection while your Anti-virus and/or Firewall are disabled in the following steps, then do a normal boot:

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab and disable everything (I mean everything).
Do a regular boot, see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable several items at a time till you find the culprit.

If no, click on the Services tab. Check the Hide All Microsoft Services box then click the Disable All button.
Again, do a regular boot, see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable services till you find the culprit.

Once you've found the culprit, uninstall it or find out how to eliminate it from your system. Simply disabling it in msconfig is a temporary fix at best.

Reconnect to the Internet when your AV and firewall are active again.

Also, looks like you have 4 or 5 versions of Java installed. You should uninstall ALL of them from Add or Remove Programs then download and install the latest Java 6 update 5.

[Artellos]

Yes, I know I have a lot of unnecesary stuff on my computer and some of it might even be spyware or mallware.. I have not had the time to install the propper PC health tools and don't care either. I just want to be able to pin point the problem of the opening folder then re-install my laptop with the propper windows version instead of the one installed now

Do you have any idea's what I should be looking for or do I have to find it by just booting up each time with 1 more startup program?

Regards,
Olrik.