using anti-malware causing 100% usage
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From: timOleary on 9 Jun 2010 21:48 Seems like of I let them all run, my PC is too busy for anything else. Just superantispyware is causing 100% CPU usage, and then the next time I start my PC, Verizon Internet Security Suite says it has been partially disabled and I need to click Fix it. I do and it gets fixed. And while starting up, the blue "Windows id starting" screen takes several minutes to pop up the administrator icon. So of these: Superantispyware, malwarebytes, Spybot S&D and Verizon Internet Security Suite; How best to used these tools daily to protect my PC while at the same time not imapair its performance
From: Shenan Stanley on 9 Jun 2010 22:54 timOleary wrote: > Seems like of I let them all run, my PC is too busy for anything > else. Just superantispyware is causing 100% CPU usage, and then the > next time I start my PC, Verizon Internet Security Suite says it > has been partially disabled and I need to click Fix it. > I do and it gets fixed. > And while starting up, the blue "Windows id starting" screen takes > several minutes to pop up the administrator icon. > > So of these: Superantispyware, malwarebytes, Spybot S&D and Verizon > Internet Security Suite; > How best to used these tools daily to protect my PC while at the > same time not imapair its performance To answer the last statement (assuming you just left off the question mark) you made... You don't. Every day? Seriously? Why would you need to use them every day? Here's what I suggest, knowing nothing more about your computer than you have given and what is probably safe to assume. First - 'what you have given and what I assume"... - You have a 32-bit version of Windows XP (Home, Professional, Media Center, Tablet PC, etc.) - It is likely at least updated to Service Pack 2 - hopefully up to and beyond Service Pack 3. - You have been hit by malware before. - You have some AntiVirus package (perhaps a suite) your Internet Service Provider (Verizon, maybe) gives away. From that - I suggest this: (Shouldn't cost you a dime, will cost you time and a couple of sheets of paper if you print something.) - Uninstall SuperAntiSpyware, SpyBot Search and Destroy, MalwareBytes and any other 3rd party protection software/suite you have installed. Reboot. - Uninstall the antivirus package (suite, etc) that your ISP gave you. Dump it all. Remove it completely. Don't look back. Yes - do this. Reboot. - Immediately download and _install_ Avira AntiVir: http://www.free-av.de/en/trialpay_download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html (Download Now, left side.) Reboot afterwards, update Avira as necessary, let it do a full scan on your computer. Reboot after it is done. - Download and install Belarc Advisor (free - http://belarc.com/Programs/advisor.exe) and let it run on your computer. Print out the results and save them with your external backups, copies of your software, product keys and other important computer backup/information that you keep away from your computer 'just in case' things go wrong. Come back here and let people know more about your computer - in particular what processor you have, how much memory you have and how much "C:\" drive space you have (free and total.) - Ensure your Windows XP Firewall is enabled and at this point - *no exceptions* are allowed. Simple instructions here: http://www.free-firewall.org/windows-xp-firewall.asp (Go there, follow the instructions to get to the screenshotted stuff and check the box for "Don't allow exceptions" on yours.) - Cleanup your Windows XP system and make sure you have the latest/best Windows Update components possible by following these steps: Fix your file/registry permissions... Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting" titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377 *will take time ** Ignore the last step - we are not installing SP3 NOW. Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download/install this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 After installing, do the following: Start button --> RUN --> type in: "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g! --> Click OK. (The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.) Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS): ( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe ) http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237 ... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root of the C:\ drive, do the following: Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications. Start button --> RUN and type in: %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE --> Click OK. (If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"... Reboot and logon as administrative user. Visit this web page: How do I reset Windows Update components? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058 ... and click on the "Microsoft Fix it" icon. When asked, select "RUN", both times. Check the "I agree" box and click on "Next". Check the box for "Run aggressive options (not recommended)" and click "Next". Let it finish up and follow the prompts until it is done. Close/exit. Reboot and logon as administrative user. Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a CUSTOM scan... Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages - first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can release the CTRL key after clicking each time. Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates (deselect any others) and install it. Reboot and logon as administrative user. If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a time. Rebooting as needed. The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or "Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install Internet Explorer 8 at this time. You should now perform a full CHKDSK on your system drive (C:)... How to scan your disks for errors http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265 * will take time and a reboot You should now perform a full Defragment on your system drive (C:)... How to Defragment your hard drives http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848 * will take time - Now that your computer should be fairly clean and Windows XP should be pretty well up to date with a fully functional Windows Update system - now download and install the freeware version of MalwareBytes. Install it and perform a full scan on your computer. Remove anything it finds (should find little to nothing.) Don't have it running natively and don't worry about running it more than once a week unless you just surf a lot of p0rn sites or other questionable areas 'of interest'. - Download and run the MSRT manually: http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx - Come back and let everyone here know more about your computer (from the Belarc step above) and how it is running after doing all the above. You should be using less resources for your protection, getting the same results and worrying about it a lot less. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
From: Andrew E. on 9 Jun 2010 23:34 Youre running way to much anti-malware/spyware software.Try picking one utility,if more than 1 runs at any given time they only corrupt the OS,& give poor results. "timOleary" wrote: > Seems like of I let them all run, my PC is too busy for anything else. > Just superantispyware is causing 100% CPU usage, and then the next > time I start my PC, Verizon Internet Security Suite says it has been > partially disabled and I need to click Fix it. > I do and it gets fixed. > And while starting up, the blue "Windows id starting" screen takes > several minutes to pop up the administrator icon. > > So of these: Superantispyware, malwarebytes, Spybot S&D and Verizon > Internet Security Suite; > How best to used these tools daily to protect my PC while at the same > time not imapair its performance > > > > . >
From: timOleary on 10 Jun 2010 07:23 On Jun 9, 11:34 pm, Andrew E. <eckric...(a)msn.com> wrote: > Youre running way to much anti-malware/spyware software.Try > picking one utility,if more than 1 runs at any given time they > only corrupt the OS,& give poor results. > > > > "timOleary" wrote: > > Seems like of I let them all run, my PC is too busy for anything else. > > Just superantispyware is causing 100% CPU usage, and then the next > > time I start my PC, Verizon Internet Security Suite says it has been > > partially disabled and I need to click Fix it. > > I do and it gets fixed. > > And while starting up, the blue "Windows id starting" screen takes > > several minutes to pop up the administrator icon. > > > So of these: Superantispyware, malwarebytes, Spybot S&D and Verizon > > Internet Security Suite; > > How best to used these tools daily to protect my PC while at the same > > time not imapair its performance > > > . thanks for the feedback. sorry to not include W XPpro SP3 (32) the Verizon internet suite is not free, i have a three PC license and pay monthly got to study the steps recommended.
From: Shenan Stanley on 10 Jun 2010 09:16
timOleary wrote: > thanks for the feedback. sorry to not include W XPpro SP3 (32) the > Verizon internet suite is not free, i have a three PC license and > pay monthly got to study the steps recommended. My recommendation has not changed in knowing that you pay (if nothing else - it's a better deal - use less resources and pay for nothing but get the same level of protection if not better and end up with a better performing machine.) Since you did not respond directly to me - but someone else - I will repost the steps I suggested with what I know about your system now - here... - Uninstall SuperAntiSpyware, SpyBot Search and Destroy, MalwareBytes and any other 3rd party protection software/suite you have installed. Reboot. - Uninstall the antivirus package (suite, etc) that your ISP sells you. Dump it all. Remove it completely. Don't look back. Yes - do this. Reboot. - Immediately download and _install_ Avira AntiVir: http://www.free-av.de/en/trialpay_download/1/avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html (Download Now, left side.) Reboot afterwards, update Avira as necessary, let it do a full scan on your computer. Reboot after it is done. - Download and install Belarc Advisor (free - http://belarc.com/Programs/advisor.exe) and let it run on your computer. Print out the results and save them with your external backups, copies of your software, product keys and other important computer backup/information that you keep away from your computer 'just in case' things go wrong. Come back here and let people know more about your computer - in particular what processor you have, how much memory you have and how much "C:\" drive space you have (free and total.) - Ensure your Windows XP Firewall is enabled and at this point - *no exceptions* are allowed. Simple instructions here: http://www.free-firewall.org/windows-xp-firewall.asp (Go there, follow the instructions to get to the screenshotted stuff and check the box for "Don't allow exceptions" on yours.) - Cleanup your Windows XP system and make sure you have the latest/best Windows Update components possible by following these steps: Fix your file/registry permissions... Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting" titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377 *will take time ** Ignore the last step - you said you have SP3 already. Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download/install this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 After installing, do the following: Start button --> RUN --> type in: "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g! --> Click OK. (The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.) Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS): ( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe ) http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en Reboot and logon as administrative user. Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237 ... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root of the C:\ drive, do the following: Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications. Start button --> RUN and type in: %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE --> Click OK. (If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"... Reboot and logon as administrative user. Visit this web page: How do I reset Windows Update components? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058 ... and click on the "Microsoft Fix it" icon. When asked, select "RUN", both times. Check the "I agree" box and click on "Next". Check the box for "Run aggressive options (not recommended)" and click "Next". Let it finish up and follow the prompts until it is done. Close/exit. Reboot and logon as administrative user. Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a CUSTOM scan... Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages - first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can release the CTRL key after clicking each time. Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates (deselect any others) and install it. Reboot and logon as administrative user. If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a time. Rebooting as needed. The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or "Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install Internet Explorer 8 at this time. You should now perform a full CHKDSK on your system drive (C:)... How to scan your disks for errors http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265 * will take time and a reboot You should now perform a full Defragment on your system drive (C:)... How to Defragment your hard drives http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848 * will take time - Now that your computer should be fairly clean and Windows XP should be pretty well up to date with a fully functional Windows Update system - now download and install the freeware version of MalwareBytes. Install it and perform a full scan on your computer. Remove anything it finds (should find little to nothing.) Don't have it running natively and don't worry about running it more than once a week unless you just surf a lot of p0rn sites or other questionable areas 'of interest'. - Download and run the MSRT manually: http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx - Come back and let everyone here know more about your computer (from the Belarc step above) and how it is running after doing all the above. You should be using less resources for your protection, getting the same results and worrying about it a lot less. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html |