[dweebosh]

I have recently been battling PSguard with the assistance of greyknight17 on the malware forum. Unfortunately, we've reached a point where I need to re-enable system restore in Windows Me - but so far I haven't been able to! Now that I also have a windows-based problem, greyknight suggested that I post it here. Why won't Windows Me let me uncheck the 'disable system restore' box? When I reboot (either in safe mode or normal) this box is still checked every time.

Please help!

http://www.geekstogo...opic=50870&st=0
(PSguard saga - post #14 describes system restore problem)

Edited by dweebosh, 09 August 2005 - 09:58 AM.

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Can you run system file protection

[Retired Tech]

Can you run system file protection

[dweebosh]

Sorry, I'm completely new to this I'm afraid! I'm not quite sure what you mean?

Edited by dweebosh, 09 August 2005 - 01:17 PM.

[Retired Tech]

ME has system file protection which will replace missing files, Microsoft tell you everything but how to run it, but you should find it if you click start then programmes then accessories then system tools then system information then tools.

If not post back

[dweebosh]

Thanks very much for this.
I went to 'system information>tools' as you directed but didn't find a 'system file protection' option. My choices were:

WMI Control
System Restore
Network Diagnostics
DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Update Wizard Uninstall
Signature Verification Tool
Registry Checker
Automatic Skip Driver Agent
Dr Watson
System Configuration Utility
ScanDisk

Should there be more options here? One of the problems I encountered whilst tackling PSguard was a missing wininet.dll file (don't know if this is important here?) I downloaded a replacement file and put it in the windows system folder - but I don't know if it was the correct file?

http://www.dll-files...s.shtml?wininet

Windows is running very slowly after startup (takes about 1min to show the contents of 'My Computer' but speeds up after this) and is prone to crashing. I haven't got hold of my Windows Me CD yet (should have this later today with luck) so I haven't been able to search for the correct wininet.dll file.

I am also unable to run HijackThis (brings up 'Unexpected error' message and won't boot) but all the other anti-spyware programs are coming back clean - is my problem now with windows?!

Thanks for your help!

[Retired Tech]

These are for SFP in ME but none seem to say how to start it or where to run it from, perhaps you could click start then run, type SFP and press enter or SFP.EXE and press enter.

You are likely to need the ME CD

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;253571

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;266077

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;265371

[dweebosh]

Thanks for getting back to me Keith.
Ahh, classic Microsoft, plenty of detail but nothing I can use!

Strangely enough, my system restore problem seems to have resolved itself after a number of reboots without changing any settings, is this supposed to happen?! I've restarted my laptop a number of times whilst trying to get 'HijackThis' to run (still dealing with this on the malware forum). Then saw your reply to my post and went back to check the status of system restore - the 'disable' box is now unchecked (nothing to do with me! could this have been caused by the anti-spyware tools?)

Now my main concern is to get windows running more quickly and stably. When I receive my windows Me CD (hopefully in a couple of hours), will I simply be able to locate a wininet.dll file and replace the downloaded version in my windows system folder? (...and will this fix my problems!?)

Many thanks for your help!

[Retired Tech]

There is only one version of a file (unless someone makes a malware version, usually with a very similar name).

Dllfiles.com is respectable so the file will be fine, as long as it went to the correct folder, it should have stopped any errors showing.

In XP you can clear all but the most recent restore points, by going to disc clean up, then clicking more options after the initial run. See if ME lets you do this.

Certainly you need to set a new restore point but only after you are clear of malware

[dweebosh]

I went to disk cleanup and looked under the 'more options' tab. One of the choices is a 'Clean up' button under the 'System Restore' heading, but this simply takes me to the File System Properties menu (only allows me to alter the amount of disc space allocated to system restore files as far as I can see?)

How can I tell if my replacement wininet.dll file went in the correct folder? Windows is still running slowly and occasionally not responding, is there something more I can do?

Thanks!

[Retired Tech]

Browse to the location on your computer, where you would like to extract the file. By default, this is C:\Windows\System (Windows 95/98/Me),

[dweebosh]

I think I'm past the worst of my malware problems, but windows still isn't running properly. I think I have more problems than just the wininet.dll issue, but I don't know how to work out what these are!

At the moment my internet shortcuts aren't working properly (greyknight suggested that my problems running HijackThis are due to modem problems).

However, I've managed to get online by going into dialup networking, right-clicking my connection and selecting 'connect'. Is it possible to find out if I've damaged my registry or system files to cause these problems?

How can I get windows running properly again?!

[Retired Tech]

Hopefully you can check the registry

http://support.micro...b/273889/EN-US/

[dweebosh]

I just ran 'scanreg /restore' and it seems to have sorted out my windows problems! (restored to the day before my PSguard infection started). Everything appears to be running at normal speed and my IE shortcuts are working again!

The restored registry contained a lot of malware entries but I've removed these with AdAware (in safe mode) - the associated program files were already deleted before the restore (will this be enough to protect me from re-infection?!).

I have one mystery folder on the C: drive now...
!Submit (contains contmenu.dll and WININET.DLL)
I already have a copy of wininet.dll in my windows>system folder, do I need this !Submit folder? (I'm a bit suspicious of this as I don't remember seeing it before now?). One remaining problem - HijackThis still won't run?

Thanks for all your help, I think I'm finally begining to get on top of things

Edited by dweebosh, 11 August 2005 - 06:39 AM.

[Retired Tech]

Thank You for letting me know

You should now post a new topic in the malware forum to ask for help in getting Hijack This to run

[dweebosh]

Thanks for all your help Keith!
I notice that you don't have a 'donate' link in your signature. I may be a poor student but I still like to show a little gratitude from time-to-time! Do you accept donations?

Edited by dweebosh, 11 August 2005 - 10:11 AM.