[Resolved] Do I have a virus?

[The Hobo]

Some weird things have been happening on my PC lately that leed me to believe that I may have a virus. I'll try to explain these "weird things" as best I can.

The first thing I noticed was that MSN popped up right away when I started my computer, trying to connect to the internet. I checked my startup items to see if it was in there (through msconfig.exe) and didn't see anything, except...

I noticed that there was an item listed as "COM Service" in my startup items that has never been there before. I do check this regularly and an quite familiar with the items that are usually there.

This COM Service is the file "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\msisps.com"

I wasn't sure if it was legitimate or not. I searched the web for the file name and returned zilch. So I tried removing it from my startup items, and even went into the registry and removed it manually.

I restarted my computer, MSN popped up, I checked msconfig and COM Service was there again, as a new entry with the old one still unchecked.

I then tried DELETING the file, removing all references to it, and then restarting, but the same results happened.

I also noticed that, after I hit cancel and closed MSN (not connecting to the net), when I hit alt + ctrl +del, there was an item in there "svchost" that was not responding.

I've never seen this before, so I search my computer for it and found it in "C:\WINDOWS\"

I also searched the web and found oodles of information about this file and virus that affect it.

The BIGGEST thing I noticed was that everytime I opened my antivirus (Norton), it closed right away.

I eventually got it to stay open and updated my virus list, then when I went to run a scan, no drives showed up in the list, just My Computer. So I tried to do a scan on that, but it gave me an error and closed out.

I started my computer up in Safe Mode, and Norton ran fine, not detecing ANY virus.

I downloaded a fix blaster and fix welch program from Norton's website because a few sites I read hinted that it might be one of them. I turned of System Restore as instructed, and the tools detected nothing.

My computer also has a problem shutting down. It'll wait awhile then a window will popup saying that a program is not responding (with a blank name), and I'll have to hit cancel.

Then, instead of powering down, it'll just sit there at a black screen.

I'm running Windows ME (don't hate me, not by choice).

Anyone have any ideas before I just format?

[Lightning]

Try an online virus scanner, then you know for sure

[The Hobo]

What and where is an online virus scanner?

[Admiral Michael]

Try Norton's online scanner.

Click Here

[Kasracer]

svchost is not a virus and is probably not infected.

Same goes for C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\msisps.com.

When you TRY to delete an important system file, windows will re-create that file so you don't screw up your system.

Just make sure Norton, and WIndows are fully updated, run another scan if they weren't and you'll be fine.

[Admiral Michael]

Just use the online virus scanner to make sure. A riend of mine had a virus and I couldnt open taks manager, NAV or system properties.

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by kasracer
svchost is not a virus and is probably not infected.

I know it is not a virus, but it can become corrupted or mocked. Go read up on blaster and welch.

Originally posted by kasracer
Same goes for C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\msisps.com.

The question is: why does this suddenly show up in my startup items when it hasn't EVER been there before? And why can't I remove it?

Originally posted by kasracer
Just make sure Norton, and WIndows are fully updated, run another scan if they weren't and you'll be fine.

No, I'm not fine. The problems still persist.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by The Hobo
No, I'm not fine. The problems still persist.

format

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by kasracer
format

Read.

I asked for "ideas before I just format?"

You're suggesting I should format before I format? Please explain.

[Kasracer]

Originally posted by The Hobo
You're suggesting I should format before I format? Please explain.

No, I'm suggesting you just format

I don't know what your problem is. All you say is that MSN pops up (it IS built into Windows XP, it's not listed in msconfig, or anything) and that Norton closed when you opened it once...

Sounds like you want to get rid of MSN, and your norton may me messed up or something...

put this in the run command, then click OK after it says an error, it removes MSN if you don't want it:

rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %systemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

Other than that, format

[The Hobo]

Dude, I'm so close to hitting that ignore button...

Originally posted by kasracer
No, I'm suggesting you just format

Then you're not answering my question and just posting random stuff. I asked what I can do BESIDES formatting. I just formatted last week. I would not like to spend a few hours doing it again...

Originally posted by kasracer
I don't know what your problem is.

Then why are you replying?

Originally posted by kasracer
All you say is that MSN pops up (it IS built into Windows XP, it's not listed in msconfig, or anything)

What does it being built into XP have to do with ANYTHING? Did you read my initial post? I'm on Windows ME.

Originally posted by kasracer
and that Norton closed when you opened it once...

Sounds like you want to get rid of MSN, and your norton may me messed up or something...

I don't want to get rid of MSN. I just want to know WHY it is starting up when it is NOT in the startup items. This makes me think that SOMETHING (possibly a virus) is trying to connect to the INTERNET.

I don't want something on my computer that is trying to connect to the internet.

Originally posted by kasracer
put this in the run command, then click OK after it says an error, it removes MSN if you don't want it:

rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %systemRoot%\INF\msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove

What in this thread -- what in MY posts -- makes you think I want to get rid of MSN. MSN as in my INTERNET CONNECTION. Not MSN Messanger.

Originally posted by kasracer
Other than that, format

I'll wait to see if anyone else has a suggestion as to what's going on before I allocate a few hours out of my life to format again.

[Kasracer]

If you're still using WindowsME, it's probably in your best interest to format and put 2k or XP on it.

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by kasracer
If you're still using WindowsME, it's probably in your best interest to format and put 2k or XP on it.

It'd probably be best that you start to actually answer the questions that were asked.

And if you want to buy a copy of 2k or XP for me, I'll gladly put it on my machine.

[Sastraxi]

I really don't see much wrong with your setup save the fact that your computer won't shutdown -- you've just misunderstood some of the processes and though them to be malicious -- we all do it.

But the shutdown thing is a nuisance. Try getting the latest versions of your drivers; some buggy ones can refuse to unload and therefore lock up your system on shutdown. Also modifying your boot screens can do this too, though I'm sure you would've mentioned it if you had

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-016

There

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by Sastraxi
I really don't see much wrong with your setup save the fact that your computer won't shutdown -- you've just misunderstood some of the processes and though them to be malicious -- we all do it.

But the shutdown thing is a nuisance. Try getting the latest versions of your drivers; some buggy ones can refuse to unload and therefore lock up your system on shutdown. Also modifying your boot screens can do this too, though I'm sure you would've mentioned it if you had

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-016

There

I'll give it a look. Thing is that it was all working fine, then I suddenly had all these problems.

I also just noticed that, sometimes, when I open an application such as MSVC or MS Word, they won't open and appear to freeze.

When I hit alt + ctrl +del, svchost is there again, not responding. Once I terminiate it, the program continues loading fine.

I haven't installed much, and, like I said, just formatted last week.

[NotLKH]

Perhaps you picked up some sort of buggy spyware/adware?

Try : http://www.komando.com/shareware_show.asp?showID=346

-Lou

[NotLKH]

Here's a more direct route:

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/



{BTW, I'm just trying it out. I know I have at least 1, so I'll know if it works or not.}

-Lou

[The Hobo]

Thanks, Lou. I run Ad-aware very often to get rid of nasty stuff.

In light of not finding a solution and getting tired of searching, I formatted my computer for the second time in two weeks.

Everything seems to be running fine now...we'll see how it looks next week.

[Sastraxi]

Know how you feel mate -- just installed 2000 back from XP. And my system has regained the 20% performance loss since the transition from 2000 to XP =/

[Pc_Madness]

I believe Msisps or whatever it is has something to do with MSN 6, as I only just noticed it recently myself.

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by Pc_Madness
I believe Msisps or whatever it is has something to do with MSN 6, as I only just noticed it recently myself.

MSN as in MSN Internet or MSN Messanger? If MSN Internet, I refuse to update from 5.1 because of the new "functionality" blows and I seem to get disconnected frequently when I ran it.

So I don't have MSN 6. And I've never noticed msisps until I started having the problems.

Now that I've formatted msisps has not yet returned to my startup.

I'm sure I didn't have a virus...it must have been some configuration that got changed or something.

But it's all good now.