[nondaj]

The PC man was here seeing on setting up a 98 machine and at that time, April 24th, he put on Nero and RegScrubXP for me.

The 'crash' or whatever it was happened on April 29. I have had

However, ESET since May 1st.

In checking the event calendar the notations date clear back to 3/14! There are yellow triangular signs with warning beside them and with exclamation mark therein and round red circles with error beside them.

Will make a short list of notations - not sure how many you want:

yellow warnings: 5-6 - EvnAgnt two of them
" " 5-5 - EvnAgnt 4 of them
" " 5-5 - UserEnv one
" " 5-5 - EvnAgnt 4 of them

this continues until:

red circle warning: 4-28 - PerfDisc one
" " 4-27 - Application error three of them

This goes on like this clear back to 3/14. Was not sure just how much info you needed for analysis of what I am doing wrong here.

The highest amount of any one warning seemed to be 4-24 when there were 20 EvnAgnt such notations.

Can I be of any more help?

[Advertisements]

You should know: Am a fanatic about keeping my PC system clean so maybe have over done it or installed programs that are conflicting. Here is my list of "cleaning agents":

Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal
CCleaner
RegScrubXP
Windows Defender
Windows Malicious Tool Remover
Ada-Ware
Spy-bot
TuneUpUtilities

Plus I regularly do the Internet Options cleaning
TaskBar cleaning
Disc Clean
Empty Recycle bin if needed
Defrag and Disc Clean ever so often
as well as keep emails cleaned up

So what is overkill and should be eliminated for good of my PC?

[nondaj]

You should know: Am a fanatic about keeping my PC system clean so maybe have over done it or installed programs that are conflicting. Here is my list of "cleaning agents":

Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal
CCleaner
RegScrubXP
Windows Defender
Windows Malicious Tool Remover
Ada-Ware
Spy-bot
TuneUpUtilities

Plus I regularly do the Internet Options cleaning
TaskBar cleaning
Disc Clean
Empty Recycle bin if needed
Defrag and Disc Clean ever so often
as well as keep emails cleaned up

So what is overkill and should be eliminated for good of my PC?

[wannabe1]

The good news is that the AV is not responsible for the problems.

The bad news is that I'm not sure what is.

EvnAgnt errors are generally, but not always, associated with HP printer/scanner applications. More specifically, to an HP Update Agent. If you have an HP printer, scanner, or all in one, you might try disabling the update utility.

UserEnv errors usually occur after making adjustments to permissions or group policy settings. It's not usually critical enough to cause the problem you saw.

The PerfDisc errors were likely related to either one of the cleanup applications or the Simple Network Management service being enabled. I don't recall this ever being a problem with XP, but there were some problems with it in Windows 2000 and still seem to be a few reports of problems in Windows Server 2003. It wouldn't hurt to see if this service is running, though it would surprise me to find it. Click Start, then Run, type services.msc and click "Ok". In the list of services, see if you can find the SNMP service and determine it's startup type if you find it.

++++++++++++++++++++

You've really got a bit more protection that you need. I never recommend registry cleaners...I've just seen to many machines taken down when using them.

CCleaner is ok, but I prefer ATF Cleaner (by Atribune). It's small, easy to use, and very effective.

If it were me, I'd get rid of CCleaner (in favor of ATF Cleaner), RegScrubXP, Ada-Ware (in favor of MBAM), and would use the Tuneup Utilities sparingly. This is really a matter of personal preference, though...and what routines make you comfortable that the machine is the way you want it.

[nondaj]

Gee wealth of info to follow up on. And do appreciate your input re programs to use keeping my PC clean. I know I do go overboard in an effort to prevent problems and then probably cause some. Want to give your suggestions a try - am so pleased with the AV program you recommended am going to buy so you can't be too far off my taste with your other recommendations.

Re the dire warning problem will follow through on your suggestions. Yes I do have an HP all in one printer and it has been acting weird at times - am considering tossing it in favor of a Lexmark. Will in the meantime disable the updates - there never are any anyway so what the hey - why have the updates causing problems.

The red flags concerned me the most due to the notation - 'security center' after the red circle.

Keep you posted re the latest suggested ideas and huge thanks for all!

[nondaj]

Have followed through on finding info re SNMP:

SNMP - includes agent that monitors etc etc etc - started - automatic

SNMP - trap service - status is blank - manual

Have installed ATF cleaner - neat little program and uninstalled CCleaner

Have uninstalled RegScrubXP

No need for TuneUpUtilities so will use sparingly if at all

And re MBAM having some difficulty understanding what to do here. I thought would be a little program but seems that I have to make some choices and so bit confused. Or am I in the wrong web site? Can advise?

[wannabe1]

You should be able to disable the SNMP service unless you need it for network file sharing...even then, it's more of a monitoring application. To do this, go back into the Services window (services.msc), double click on "SNMP - includes agent that monitors etc etc etc", set the "Startup Type" to "Manual", and click on the "Stop" button. This will keep it from starting with Windows.

This link to MBAM is a direct download...and it should begin a few seconds after you click the link. Ignore the recommended download suggestion that is displayed...you can close that window as soon as the MBAM download begins. Download MBAM

After you install it, it will update and open a scan window. Go ahead and scan your system using either option...I'll be surprised if it doesn't find something.

[nondaj]

This is what I found re the scan:

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{4e7bd74f-2b8d-469e-86bd-fd60bb9aae3a} (Adware.OneToolBar) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Couple questions yet.

Does one never have a clean slate in the Event/applications window? The yellow and red warning signs make me nervous

I take it Advanced windows care and Spybot search and destroy are OK programs to have or are on the overkill list also?

Malicious Software Tool Remover and Windows Defender are OK programs to retain - they seem to be windows recommended programs.

If I am duplicating anything have no cmpunctions about eliminating something.

[wannabe1]

Your security apps look good now..I think all of them are keepers.

Have the error messages stopped? As time goes on, the errors you see in event viewer will move down in the list and disappear from view...hopefully new ones will not take the place of the old ones...

[nondaj]

OK:
have adjusted the SNMP service as directed,

will retain protection as is right now with limited/no use of TuneUp Utilities

deleting Ad-Aware

now using ATF cleaner and MBAM

and with new knowledge now of 'services' window will monitor to watch the warning signs - hopefully they will disappear.

Well, again thanks for your excellent advice, referrals and instructions which have added to my knowledge of my PC! Ready to keep on rolling and NO so far no more PC shutdowns with black window and dire warning of PC damage. If any further problems develop will be back for more of your good help

[wannabe1]

I'd say you're good to go, nondaj...

If you do run into a problem or have any questions, don't hesitate to give me a shout.

(Thank you for the nice PM...do take care.)

[nondaj]

OK - off and running. Will certainly return for your help should I need it in the future. Am taking best care possible - don't want to just up and disappear so am minding my Ps and Qs very carefully. And thanks once more for all your help.

[nondaj]

Well, this was a short lived vacation:) Since I have 'cleaned house' re protection programs etc. hesitate now to download anything not needed from the web.

I get messages that Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, Windows Media player (some added edition to it I believe) are needed to view certain things. What is really needed on one's PC?

[wannabe1]

Those are all ok and will help when viewing/playing certain content on the internet. Adobe Reader, of course, if for viewing PDF documents...which are very prevalent on the net.

[nondaj]

Right - O and right on! Will download same and feel secure in doing so. Thanks mucho and now to gear up for finals at work and then off for the summer!!!!!!! Much time for game playing on PC and more discovery of how programs on PCs work

[nondaj]

UPDATES: Re email problem; boiled down to forwarding issue. Even traced the problem to my son who works in a lab at a big research hospital. They are forever forwarding jokes around the lab and on ad infinitum but do not have the time to do all necessary work to make emails safe. Thus the person whom I did not know who wrote to me, between us, we discovered she has a friend that works in the same lab as my son. Need I say more.

Re the ESET NOD32 - have purchased same. Hope all is well though because I got a warning that Avast AV program was discovered on my PC and to abort the install of ESET. Well have searched my PC upside down, forwards to backwards - no AVAST. Did try it once long ago but removed it because did not like it. So went ahead with the install of ESET and all seems well. Hope nothing occurs because of the Avast notification. How can ESET pick up such on a PC when it has been deleted. I have even tried a manual file research for the silly stuff but came up empty handed.