Major Problem!! Please Help!!

I went to some crack web pages and my computer froze up because of all the popup ads. I didn't wait for it to respond or anything because I was getting frustrated with it, so I pressed Ctrl Alt Delete to restart it. Well I went back to the crack sites to get the crack I needed and it froze again, and I pressed Ctrl Alt Delete. Well when I restarted my computer it got to the startup screen and took forever to load. Well, I scanned my computer for viruses and I had about 5. I got rid of them with AVG, and I thought everything would be fine.

I restarted my computer and it took way too long for it to load. I've run scandisk and disk defragmenter and still way too slow loading up. Inbetween times when it took a while to get past the startup screen I pressed ctrl alt delete to see if it would help. Well that made me start it in safe mode. While in safe mode I looked in Control panel to see what the problem is. Here is what it said:

"Compatibility mode paging reduces overall system performance.

Windows was unable to identify a real-mode driver or memory-resident program loaded in your Config.sys or Autoexec.bat file. You will see another message that lists the name of the driver or program causing the problem.
Because Windows could not identify the driver or program, it has switched to MS-DOS compatibility mode to ensure the program will run. However, this decreases overall performance. To improve performance, remove the program or driver causing the problem, or contact its manufacturer for an upgraded version."


I looked up at microsoft to find a solution and this is what it said"

"SYMPTOMS
The Performance tab in System properties shows that one or more of the hard disks in your computer is using MS-DOS Compatibility mode. MS-DOS compatibility mode may be in use either for the file system or for virtual memory. You may receive the following message:

Compatibility Mode Paging reduces overall system performance
CAUSE
MS-DOS Compatibility mode may be in use for any of the following reasons:
• An "unsafe" device driver, memory-resident program, or virus hooked the INT21h or INT13h chain before Windows is loaded.
• The hard disk controller in your computer was not detected by Windows.
• The hard disk controller was removed from the current configuration in Device Manager.
• There is a resource conflict between the hard disk controller and another hardware device.
• The Windows protected-mode driver is missing or damaged.
• The Windows 32-bit protected-mode disk drivers detected an unsupportable configuration or incompatible hardware.
• You are running Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and have used Drive Copy 2.0 by Powerquest to copy the contents of one hard disk to another hard disk."



None of the solutions it said to do would work. I'm running my computer normally (not in safe mode). But it's still slow starting up and my wallpaper and Icons are all grey looking. I've recently installed a external harddrive to my computer which is 250 gigs. My C:\ drive is only 6 gigs. Could the external harddrive have caused any problems? I'm doubting it did though because the problem has just now happenned and I've had the harddrive installed for about a month now. (Also all of my harddrives don't have any red x beside them in control panel.)

Could the virus have caused this problem to my computer? I've been needing to reformat my computer anyway, because it's over a year past due, so if I were to reformat would that help? Would reformatting help get it back to normal before the virus screwed it up? Please Please help!!!!

Could be a trojan or virus . I visit warez sites all the time ,but my pop up stopper has saved me a few times .That and useing Firefox and Norton. Sounds like a real cluster fuck . But not the end of the world . Try a few other things first, like trojan removers or online scans . Sypware removers etc. I would back up what I could . I never liked System Restore much. Get a comfy chair , format and reinstall . Or mabye Hijackthis might help. :)



http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/

Thank you so much for all your help! I'll try all of the above. :)

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Originally Posted by MusicChick

Thank you so much for all your help! I'll try all of the above. :)

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You did your homework ! I checked microftsoft data base and see what you tryed. :( But not to worry you'll get it fixed . Was going to PM you to see what crack you were looking for ,but sadly pm not enabled . ;)

Have u tried going into device manager to see what is ur current transfer mode for ur harddrive is.

Is the harddrive you are using Ide or sata?

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Originally Posted by spirex

Have u tried going into device manager to see what is ur current transfer mode for ur harddrive is.

Is the harddrive you are using Ide or sata?

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I don't see anything about transfer mode. Oh, and it says that the hardrive is ide.

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Originally Posted by MusicChick

I don't see anything about transfer mode. Oh, and it says that the hardrive is ide.

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Right click on ide controller properties . select dma mode if applicable . Lets start with that . :) But still think it's a virus . But have been proven wrong before . :D


Don't give up yet ! Someone will help. Have a nice night ! Sleep on it . Problems seem so easy in the morning ! :beer:

err i wouldn't go to any crack sites in IE. they almost always contain popups, viruses, trojans, etc. and IE doesn't block any of it.
In firefox just the page loads, the downloads still contain viruses or trojans or spyware but you just scan it first before opening to know which files not to open (never open "start.exe").

no, your hard drive isnt the problem
i'd bet my left nut that its all the shit that the warez site loaded
i would try another anti-virus,
dont know what ever came of edske but he always had up to date stand alone NOD32s
maybe someone can help you find that...or symantec corp
and an anti-trojan, as AVs arent the best for triojan detection
heres a couple of online links that may help:

http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

try trojanhunter found here http://www.trojanhunter.com/ a very good trojan removal proggy w/ free trial version(spyware free).

"Diamond TDS 3"...Best antitrojan on the business..
Website offers a trial version...
I have a cracked version...

I agree with Rossco. Never visit cracksites with IE! Due to all kind of scripts/active x elements it is so easy for those sites to put malicious items on your pc. Hell, some cracksites even won't open if you visit them using Firefox. A notice appears that the site only can be visitied with IE. Whatfor you wonder?

If you use ME or XP and your recoveryoption is turned on, go back to a point before it all happened and after that I would still do a clean reformat and installation.

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Originally Posted by nostalgia

I agree with Rossco. Never visit cracksites with IE! Due to all kind of scripts/active x elements it is so easy for those sites to put malicious items on your pc. Hell, some cracksites even won't open if you visit them using Firefox. A notice appears that the site only can be visitied with IE. Whatfor you wonder?

If you use ME or XP and your recoveryoption is turned on, go back to a point before it all happened and after that I would still do a clean reformat and installation.

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Couple of things here.

1. I use Internet Explorer, have done since IE4 wiped Netscrape off the map, and I've not been hit by any shit from any crack or warez sites in all that time. If you have even a half decent antivirus (I've used Norton, Symantec and Kaspersky - but not AVG) and turn off or severely restrict ActiveX you're half way there already. The golden rule is never to install anything that doesn't have an actual name and never download controls when you're told "you must" in order to get what you want - just keep clicking NO or, with the new pages showing the big yellow arrow pointing to the infobar, keep refreshing until you get what you want.

2. Why bother restoring to a point before trouble if you're going to reformat? Why reformat if you've returned to a state before the trouble? Total bullshit. Personally, I turn off System Restore and make sure the kids don't use my administrator account.

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Originally Posted by Chewie UK

Couple of things here.

1. I use Internet Explorer, have done since IE4 wiped Netscrape off the map, and I've not been hit by any shit from any crack or warez sites in all that time. If you have even a half decent antivirus (I've used Norton, Symantec and Kaspersky - but not AVG) and turn off or severely restrict ActiveX you're half way there already. The golden rule is never to install anything that doesn't have an actual name and never download controls when you're told "you must" in order to get what you want - just keep clicking NO or, with the new pages showing the big yellow arrow pointing to the infobar, keep refreshing until you get what you want.

2. Why bother restoring to a point before trouble if you're going to reformat? Why reformat if you've returned to a state before the trouble? Total bullshit. Personally, I turn off System Restore and make sure the kids don't use my administrator account.

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True enough but like you said yourself, make sure you restrict the activeX elements in the options menu of IE. Lots and lots of people haven't or don't know how. System restore is a good way of looking at that particular moment to see if it really is what you think it is. So good for a total picture of a problem. Reformating iswhat she wanted to do so therefore the advise. And turning off system restore is up to someone's opinion. I also make sure that my kids don't go on the net with my administrator account but they can cause a lot of games or on this account. Prevention starts with explaning my kids what to do and what not.

@chewie , I know somethings are simple .....but. System restore is an o/s killer. I'v had a computer for 10 years , never had a virus . First 5 with out a virus program too! Been known to frequent warze sites aswell , But its a shame what its come down to. Update ,update, update. Weather its spyware, virus programs,or good old winupdate. :)

LOL, I'm not suggesting System Restore is a great part of the OS, I'm taking issue with the suggestion that someone should bother to use it if they're going to reformat anyway, or decide to reformat after using it before ascertaining that it has done the job it's there to do (allbeit not very securely),
Shit, does that make sense to you? It does to me. :)

Prevention is much better than cure, I agree.

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Originally Posted by Chewie UK

LOL, I'm not suggesting System Restore is a great part of the OS, I'm taking issue with the suggestion that someone should bother to use it if they're going to reformat anyway, or decide to reformat after using it before ascertaining that it has done the job it's there to do (allbeit not very securely),
Shit, does that make sense to you? It does to me. :)

Prevention is much better than cure, I agree.

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Make sence ? Oh ya ......... :)

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Originally Posted by MusicChick

Could the virus have caused this problem to my computer? I've been needing to reformat my computer anyway, because it's over a year past due, so if I were to reformat would that help? Would reformatting help get it back to normal before the virus screwed it up? Please Please help!!!!

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Some suggestions...
possible short term fix....try this freeware
#1 hijackthis
http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html
#2 iefix
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4467.html

if no results then do your reformat and re-install os

preventative solution: suggest you install the updated AVG or nod32
and add #3 spywareblaster
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Peatmoss is right, you need to update, to protect your pc.
virus programs keep getting better so you must keep current with protection.