Computer/Technical Help

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Originally posted by Krang [quote]Originally posted by Gato Gurl914 the "send error report" one when i go into my pictures and just an "error" with an ok box when i try to upload.

Is that the only folder that gives you errors? You might want to check Windows Update to see if there are any software patches that might end up correcting the problem. Also, try scanning your hard drive by right-clicking it in My Computer, choosing Properties, and selecting the Tools tab.

i did the hd scan and just did a windows update yesterday. it didn't work.

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Originally posted by Gato Gurl914 i did the hd scan and just did a windows update yesterday. it didn't work.

Have you tried updating your video drivers? Another possibility is to right-click the pictures folder and copy it, then paste it somewhere else and see if you still get the error message with the new folder.

Recently saw "mrtstub.exe" and "Windows-KB890830-V1.14-Delta.exe" running. Googled "mrtstub.exe", turns out it's malware, so I've been looking up how to remove it. Currently "mrtstub.exe" is not running, so I just can't endtask it.

As for "Windows-KB890830-V1.14-Delta.exe" looks like a windows update, but can't find any info on it.


*edit*

Just found this which sheds some light on it, but still not 100% sure.

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Originally posted by R.Smith Recently saw "mrtstub.exe" and "Windows-KB890830-V1.14-Delta.exe" running. Googled "mrtstub.exe", turns out it's malware, so I've been looking up how to remove it. Currently "mrtstub.exe" is not running, so I just can't endtask it. As for "Windows-KB890830-V1.14-Delta.exe" looks like a windows update, but can't find any info on it. *edit* Just found this which sheds some light on it, but still not 100% sure.

Actually, like you saw at that link, it seems that those files are part of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. There are also malicious files with the name "mrtstub.exe," but in this case, it seems to be legitimate. If you see it again, look for a folder with a random name in your C:\ directory, then make sure that the file mrtstub.exe is digitally signed by Microsoft.

3 questions

Is there something I can do, so that when I browser through folders I normally don't go to, the default setting to view them is as Icons, instead of Details or Tiles?

my default web browser is Firefox, and when I open HTML documents on my computer, i've gotten them to open w/firefox, but clicking hyperlinks in different programs will still open things in internet explorer. what else do i need to adjust so that it all goes to Firefox?

in Trillian, there is a command box where you can enter the location of a virus scanner. i use avast, and it has a scanner for instant messages, and appears to scan every incoming file, but i'm not sure if it checks trillian. do i not have to worry, or is there a command line i should enter? the avast is version 4.6

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Originally posted by NVWC2006 3 questions Is there something I can do, so that when I browser through folders I normally don't go to, the default setting to view them is as Icons, instead of Details or Tiles?

Under Tools > Folder Options, select the View tab and click the button "Apply to All Folders." Windows does have the annoying tendency to forget the default folder settings every once in a while, but this works for the most part.

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my default web browser is Firefox, and when I open HTML documents on my computer, i've gotten them to open w/firefox, but clicking hyperlinks in different programs will still open things in internet explorer. what else do i need to adjust so that it all goes to Firefox?

I don't have a copy of Firefox handy to double check, but use these instructions to make Firefox your default browser. If that doesn't work, try making IE your default browser first, then repeat the steps to make Firefox the default.

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in Trillian, there is a command box where you can enter the location of a virus scanner. i use avast, and it has a scanner for instant messages, and appears to scan every incoming file, but i'm not sure if it checks trillian. do i not have to worry, or is there a command line i should enter? the avast is version 4.6

The virus scanner is most likely watching the IM ports rather than checking for the correct applications, so I'm pretty sure that it is already scanning IM transfers for viruses. If you want to double check, try having someone send you the EICAR test file.

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Originally posted by Krang quote: Originally posted by Gato Gurl914 i did the hd scan and just did a windows update yesterday. it didn't work. Have you tried updating your video drivers? Another possibility is to right-click the pictures folder and copy it, then paste it somewhere else and see if you still get the error message with the new folder.

yeah i still keep getting the error.

Ok, so ZoneAlarm's anti-spyware scan detected a Trojan "Win32.Trojan.Dialer.hz" in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER / SOFTWARE / MICROSOFT / WINDOWS/ CURRENT VERSION / INTERNET SETTINGS / ZONEMAP / DOMAINS/archvior.net(or something like archive)".

This is the second time it's picked up this Trojan today, this has happened since I installed Winamp 5.21 after the previous one I was using froze one time too many.

Now, I googled "ZoneMap", and got this. But the problem is I saw all those sites, and said ok I should delete them, so I did remove a few. But then I read that and said "oh crap!".

So since I don't recall which I removed, is there ANY way I can restore them so things are back to the way they apparently should be?




Also, I'm not too sure, but I'm almost 99.9% sure this particular Trojan has popped up only after installing that verison of Winamp, and I'd like to not see it again, if you know what I mean.




Ok, this is really getting to be a bit too much.

I just finished running a full-system scan with ZA's anti-spyware (going to do a "deep" scan in a moment) and it came up with this now....

TypeRecorder 2.0.0 "C:\WINDOWS\iun6002ev.exe" which it lists as a keystroke logger, odd thing is, I found the file, and it's been in my computer since '04, I wonder why none of my anti-anythings picked it up.

SUF60Runtime
Copyright © 2001 - 2002 Indigo Rose Corporation. All Rights Reserved

quote:

Originally posted by Gato Gurl914 yeah i still keep getting the error.

Are you able to even browse the folder, or does the error prevent you from viewing the files? If you are able to view the files, go to the Edit menu and choose Select All. Then, copy the files and paste them into a new folder somewhere else on your hard drive. If you can't view the files at all, try browsing the folder in Windows Explorer instead (Start > Programs > Accessories > Windows Explorer), then use the steps above to copy the files. Once you have everything backed up, you can delete the folder that is causing problems, and it will be recreated by Windows.

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Originally posted by R.Smith So since I don't recall which I removed, is there ANY way I can restore them so things are back to the way they apparently should be?

Actually, the ZoneMap key is only used for the security settings in Internet Explorer. If you use Firefox, it won't affect you at all if anything was removed.

quote:

Also, I'm not too sure, but I'm almost 99.9% sure this particular Trojan has popped up only after installing that verison of Winamp, and I'd like to not see it again, if you know what I mean.

That's strange, since Winamp has always been free from any sort of spyware or viruses. You could try checking their forums to see if anyone else has reported the same issue.

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TypeRecorder 2.0.0 "C:\WINDOWS\iun6002ev.exe" which it lists as a keystroke logger, odd thing is, I found the file, and it's been in my computer since '04, I wonder why none of my anti-anythings picked it up.

My guess is that it is actually a recent file with the date changed (either that, or the other spyware/virus scanners don't have it listed in their definitions yet).

Not sure if this should go here but I recently (last Monday) bought a Creative Zen Video: M .mp3 player because I have too much self respect to fork over 300 bucks so Apple can tell me what I can't do with my music.

Anywho, thing comes with about zero documentation and no software for converting DVD files to something the player can read. After much banging and wearing-out of 4-letter words I found this: Zen Vision :M DVD Ripping Guide

It's a fabulous little guide that'll show you how to make .avi files out of .VOB files with free software. Works wonders.

Aside from the documentation thing the Creative Zen Video: M is an excellent MP3 player if you happen to be in the market for one.


muchlove
-Dork

that got it. thank you so much!

My computer is reaching it sixth successful year of use.
However, as time passes, it begins to show signs of age, and gradually begins to wane in strength. It has never faltered in reliability, and has served me well for all these years, and I wish to continue using it.

I ask, how good of an idea is a reformat, and how can I go about it? I know I must backup my files, but that's the end of it, and I know nothing beyond that.

My system disks are scattered hither and thither, and I don't know how I'm going to backup my files when I have used up 21 of my 25gb of hard disk space.

Is it even a good idea? What benefits can I accrue from this? If it is any good, tell me how to go about it.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge.

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Originally posted by Randolph My computer is reaching it sixth successful year of use. However, as time passes, it begins to show signs of age, and gradually begins to wane in strength. It has never faltered in reliability, and has served me well for all these years, and I wish to continue using it. I ask, how good of an idea is a reformat, and how can I go about it? I know I must backup my files, but that's the end of it, and I know nothing beyond that. My system disks are scattered hither and thither, and I don't know how I'm going to backup my files when I have used up 21 of my 25gb of hard disk space. Is it even a good idea? What benefits can I accrue from this? If it is any good, tell me how to go about it. Thank you in advance for your knowledge.

In some ways, it is a good idea because when you reformat, you are restoring the computer back to its factory settings. That means your computer will be pretty fast. Other people believe that reformatting isn't necessary to do. It depends on the people's experiences, really.

The other option is to defragment your hard drive. If you're using Windows XP, go to Start --> Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter to start defragmenting your hard drive. Doing this regularly will keep your computer fast because it reorganizes how data is stored (AFAIK). That alone can get your computer faster.

If you want to take the reformat route, your computer should have come with Restore CDs or something to aid you in your reformatting quest. If not, you may have to make one yourself. Be sure to backup all files before processing.

That's about all I know. Someone else can correct me or add to this if they wish. I hope that helps you.

Ok, so I moved this 7GB file from one folder to another, and it then reads as 0 bytes and won't open.

If I undo the move, it reads as 7GB again.

I tried a little experiment, and moved it to the desktop, still reads as 7GB, but once again if I move it into the folder I want to, it reads as 0 bytes.

Tried also moving it into the folder of the folder it was supposed to go in, reads as 7GB, but then moving it in to the folder I want reads as 0.

WTF is going on?

*edit

I took the file out of the folder(s) it was in, and that moved ok. Maybe the directory was too long (would have been about 200 characters) or something??

quote:

Originally posted by Randolph I ask, how good of an idea is a reformat, and how can I go about it? I know I must backup my files, but that's the end of it, and I know nothing beyond that.

I agree with Asirt that you should try defragmenting first. If you have never reformatted your hard drive in the 6 years you've had the computer, it will most likely cause a noticeable increase in the speed in which files are retrieved.

If your hard drive is almost full but you would still like to reformat, another option is to buy a new hard drive and set up your existing one as a secondary drive. Then, you can set the new hard drive as the master drive and do a fresh OS install on it. You will still need to reinstall your programs onto the new drive (be sure to use the actual installers rather than copying the program files from the old one to the new one), but the data from the old one will be readily available as a backup.

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Originally posted by R.Smith Ok, so I moved this 7GB file from one folder to another, and it then reads as 0 bytes and won't open. [...] I took the file out of the folder(s) it was in, and that moved ok. Maybe the directory was too long (would have been about 200 characters) or something??

It sounds like you got it fixed, but if it happens again, you could try compressing the file first, then copying it to the other folder rather than moving it (assuming you have enough free disk space). But you're right, the long directory name may have had something to do with the problem.

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Originally posted by Krang I agree with Asirt that you should try defragmenting first. If you have never reformatted your hard drive in the 6 years you've had the computer, it will most likely cause a noticeable increase in the speed in which files are retrieved.

Is defragmenting in any way bad? i ask because i had a traumatic experience w/defragmentation..

this computer we have now, we got it 3 years ago. when we had it for like 3 months, i defragmented it and turned the computer off. the next day, it would not fully start. a CHKDISK scan as recommended by the manufacturer could not be completed, it froze at like 60some% (and took like 3 hours to get to that), so we reformatted and it still would not work correctly. so it was as far as i can tell, a hard drive crash. i'm happy the computer was under warrenty at the time.

i've just been paranoid ever since.. meaning this hard drive has never been defragmaneted, and it's one month shy of 3 years old.

could any possible harm come from defragmenting now?

Ok, first Zone Alarm had an error and had to close, so I disconnected from the net, and closed any online apps.

I then restarted ZA, and figured since it was running ok, I could go back on AIM. When I did so, AIM told me my buddylist wasn't working, but wasn't "lost" either.

I tried a reinstall of AIM (found an installer for ver. 5.5.3583), that didn't work, but now I get a popup for the newer AIM.

My secondary account on AIM still works just fine, but I don't have many of the people I have now on it.


Any suggestions?



Oh, and it seems WildTangent was included with this install of AIM (removed it with spybot, and double checked the registry), but if I recall that was what ran the games(remembers last time with WT <.<).

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Originally posted by NVWC2006 Is defragmenting in any way bad? i ask because i had a traumatic experience w/defragmentation.. this computer we have now, we got it 3 years ago. when we had it for like 3 months, i defragmented it and turned the computer off. the next day, it would not fully start. a CHKDISK scan as recommended by the manufacturer could not be completed, it froze at like 60some% (and took like 3 hours to get to that), so we reformatted and it still would not work correctly. so it was as far as i can tell, a hard drive crash. i'm happy the computer was under warrenty at the time. i've just been paranoid ever since.. meaning this hard drive has never been defragmaneted, and it's one month shy of 3 years old. could any possible harm come from defragmenting now?

Defragmenting won't harm a hard drive by itself, but the process is heavy on disk access, so it could cause problems on a hard drive with bad sectors or other damage. If your hard drive has never had either of those problems and CHKDSK doesn't detect any errors, there shouldn't be any problems with defragmentation, although you should always back up your files first just in case. However, if you aren't having problems with slow disk access, it may not even be necessary.

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Originally posted by R.Smith Ok, first Zone Alarm had an error and had to close, so I disconnected from the net, and closed any online apps. I then restarted ZA, and figured since it was running ok, I could go back on AIM. When I did so, AIM told me my buddylist wasn't working, but wasn't "lost" either. I tried a reinstall of AIM (found an installer for ver. 5.5.3583), that didn't work, but now I get a popup for the newer AIM. My secondary account on AIM still works just fine, but I don't have many of the people I have now on it. Any suggestions? Oh, and it seems WildTangent was included with this install of AIM (removed it with spybot, and double checked the registry), but if I recall that was what ran the games(remembers last time with WT <.<).

I think the buddy list is stored on the AOL server rather than locally, so it may just have been a temporary server problem. Try again later and it might be restored.

So something is wrong with my speakers. When I turned them on today, I got a blaring, fog-horn type of noise. I checked my cables, and everything looked fine. All my sound controllers are fine (according to the device manager), and I'm having trouble figuring out why my speakers just won't shut up. Any help?

Something like that happened to me like once or twice, and here is what I did:

Kill all programs running that aren't vital to running the computer.

If that doesn't work, go to the volume control thing and mute all of them, then bring them back on in sucession.