Wow, so where do i start?

[LeperousDust]

So i've just been given a laptop because it was going a bit slow and internet explorer keeps crashing.

Turned it on and this is windows loaded without me doing anything but opening internet explorer and task manager, i **** you not! ;D

[Darrin]

Heh, time to do a boot disk re-install.

[LeperousDust]

Nah they'll hate me for that, people are so entrenched in their sodding ways. I've tried all this in the past, but its worthless even trying to explain to them. Worst case scenario is i'll run anti spyware and virus removal, and delete most random stuff, fully update everything and disable as much as possible then hope that windows still boots nicely. If it doesn't then i'll tell them spyware broke it and it needs a reinstall :p

[LeperousDust]

I must add it depresses me though that people just click install on EVERYTHING and don't seem to engage their brain for one second? Maybe i'm being harsh but it really isn't that hard is it?

[Darrin]

No, not really. I shake my head at it, too.

[Del Lardo]

I would explain that they have two options, you fix the laptop by nuking it (after saving their work) or give it back to them as it is. A sticking plaster on a gaping wound is a waste of everyones time

[Flibster]

Bloody hell! :eek:

This machine doesn't have that many processes running and I've got 3 Chrome windows with 15-20ish tabs in each at the moment and a couple of word documents open and some of my research notes and paint shop pro...

[Mark]

I would explain that they have two options, you fix the laptop by nuking it (after saving their work) or give it back to them as it is. A sticking plaster on a gaping wound is a waste of everyones time

This. Fixing one minor hole is one thing (done that with my Dad's PC). Fixing the entire cavalry is another. Nuke or don't bother.

[Will]

I would explain that they have two options, you fix the laptop by nuking it (after saving their work) or give it back to them as it is. A sticking plaster on a gaping wound is a waste of everyones time

Yup. Don't waste your time on futility Alex.

[leowyatt]

I'd give combofix a go and see what it can do :)

[Jonny69]

That doesn't look like much is wrong to me. HijackThis will tell you what BHOs (Browser Helper Objects) have been installed onto IE, you can just detach the problem one (or all of them) and it'll open up and run fine. Then you can just do your spyware and virus check as normal.

[LeperousDust]

Yeah i have faith, i don't think theres *that* much wrong after i've uninstalled and turned off everything and removed a million brower extensions etc... Autoruns spyware stuff virus stuff and little bit of care *should* do. It'll do enough to keep her happy, and the bottom line is i don't care enough about this person to really try and teach them, and i know trying to teach her would be a waste of my breath. Years ago i'd try that method, make them use firefox and other alternative decent software. Then i grew up and realised it was pointless... ;D

[Desmo]

Holy cow, that's bad :D

[Mark]

You could always 'accidentally' 'break' IE. Just tell them you had to uninstall IE because it was causing the problems. ;D

[LeperousDust]

It's done spent a few hours whilst i was doing other stuff today, nuked it with combofix (which ive never used but seems a pretty good start) then autoruns for everylast thing, then PC decrapifier and ticked everything random to uninstall, updated windows (installed vista SP2!) installed MSE run that defender and super anti spyware on all the sensible places (limewire bearshare utorrent and others have prebiously been installed) now about to run 3 online virus scanners just in case to cover each others back :)

Seems fine though, easy does it :p More importantly nothing is broken (inc IE) but chrome is set to default now and i've "hidden" IE so she'll have to get ****ing used to chrome :)

[Garp]

Given that viruses can do funny stuff with running anti-virus software, it might be worth nabbing an anti-virus livecd, like Kaspersky's Rescue Disk, and running that through:
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivirus/Kaspersky-Rescue-Disk.shtm

[Mark]

^ Agreed. Less chance of being bitten by a rootkit. How they've 'disappeared' out of the spotlight these days.

[LeperousDust]

Nah i just don't care enough :p I've run several of everything, checked autoruns for anything vaguely suspicious anywhere and can't see anything. If something is that well hidden, then they deserve to keep the rootkit on her PC ;D If she was paying me something decent i might bother but nowdays she couldn't care she wants it "cheap" (not the price of the local computer shop) and if shes not paying me my worth then i'm not bothering! Everyones happy, i know i've not done a steller job but i hardly know her and i wont lose any sleep :p

Although as of this morning the wifi will only connect with local access. Which i fear is to do with my harsh messing =/ Hmmmmm Otherwise it really does all work like brand new out the box...

[leowyatt]

combofix is good we use it at work all the time :)

[LeperousDust]

I wouldn't rely solely on it leo, it left loads of harmless yet still **** stuff behind, as with anything its just best to run every decent app under the sun and hope nothing is left unturned.

Anyway quick visit to the dell website internet is working again, seems a vista update and me fiddling and not rebooting and just generally cleansing the computer obviously was going to be a driver disaster :D Now it seems i've fully disabled windows defender from starting on startup and when i load it, it gives me the option to turn it on with admin rights, but its off again at reboot. I did really nuke everything it seems :D

[Feek]

Nuke
and
Pave


btw, computer forum? ;)