Re: Machine ceases responding

From: Chuck (none_at_example.net)
Date: 01/02/05


Date: 2 Jan 2005 09:59:07 -0600

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 16:10:33 +0200, "Haim Guivon" <*email_address_deleted*>
wrote:

>After about two hours of being connected, my computer ceases responding,
>and I must do a hot reboot. Sometimes I receive a message about "not enough
>resources".
>
>I think that that my problem is explained in the following article, after
>monitoring my Kernel Memory usage in Task Manager:
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q221926/
>
>But I have Windows XP-Home Edition, not NT for whom the article is intended.
>
>In any case, the recorded "error" in Event Viewer just before the computer
>freezing, says that the non-paged pool is empty.
>
>This behaviour appeared only after I installed a newly formatted HD and
>defined a new dialup connection (ADSL)
>
>Could somebody please assist me? Or perhaps the problem is other than what I
>think?
>
>Thanks,
>haim

Haim,

Windows XP is known as Windows NT V5.1 by Microsoft, so the mentioned article
COULD be relevant.

But these days, I'd bet more on a malware problem as the cause of your symptom,
particularly if your symptom is seen after the computer has been running for a
while. Badly written malware can cause many different symptoms.

Have you applied all security updates, and enabled a software firewall, on your
newly formatted HD? If not, you're vulnerable, and that may be all that you
need to become infected.

How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, non-viral malware.

Start by downloading each of the following additional free tools:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
WinsockXPFix <http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>
TrendMicro Engine <http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp>
TrendMicro Signatures <http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp>
TrendMicro Instructions <http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tsc/readme.txt>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. Create a separate folder for the two TrendMicro files,
such as C:\TrendMicro - copy the downloaded files there (unzipped if necessary).
AdAware, CWShredder, and Spybot S&D have install routines - run them. The other
downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient folder.

First, run Stinger. Have it remove any problems found.

Next, close all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and run CWShredder. Have
it fix all problems found.

Next, disable System Restore.
<http://vil.nai.com/vil/SystemHelpDocs/DisableSysRestore.htm>
Boot your computer into Safe Mode.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=315222
Run C:\TrendMicro\Sysclean.com. Delete any infectors found. Reboot your
computer, and re enable System Restore.

Next, run AdAware. First update it, configure for full scan
(<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=11150>), then scan. When
scanning finishes, remove all Critical Objects found.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it, then run a scan. Trust Spybot, and
delete everything ("Fix Problems") that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=11150>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and please post a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

And Haim, posting your email address openly will get you more unwanted email,
than wanted email. Learn to munge your email address properly, to keep yourself
a bit safer when posting to open forums. Protect yourself and the rest of the
internet - read this article.
http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_munging.htm

-- 
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.


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