Life can suck

[tom502]

Eh, maybe something like this exists already, but I was thinking just a general bitch and rant thread, as I am disgusted as my home computer cannot open a windows page at all. I was up till 2am f'in with it. I know it's probably something really simple, but I don't know what. I do know I had some malware virus crap, and yesterday I kept getting this firewall alert for a Kernal Verifyer, well, I looked it up on google, and it didn't say it was a virus, or mallware whatever, so I clicked ok, and I immediately got one of those damn anti-virus mallware things. Then I can't connect to any webpage, I keep getting DNS error. I ran Spybot, and Avast, and it did get some stuff I hadn't seen before, but still no connection. I am at work now. I tried messing with the home comp again before I went to work today, and still, no. I unplugged the router thingy, and everything. I'll try again when I get home. I believe it must have been one of these virus things, maybe it set something so I can't connect. It makes me wanna throw the thing out the window. While in many ways I love the net, in just as many ways I think life was better before. Any suggestions on what I might try, please let me know. If I can't figure it out, I guess I'll call my service provider.

[WickedKitchen]

I usually try system restore first. That will usually solve the problem if I catch it early enough.

There are free programs that I've had varying degrees of success with:
LavaSoft Ad Aware
Malware remover
etc.

if all else fails then you can FORMAT C:

This is a colossal pain in the ass though it's getting easier w/ the mass storage devices. This will simply wipe your HDD clean and start from scratch. The pain being that you'll have to re-install your programs again (such as Microsoft Office, etc.) It's not hard, just time consuming. The good thing is you're computer will be fast as hell...that is until it gets all gummed up again with crap from the web.

[tom502]

What's system restore? Where do you find it? I think I almost did the other thing, but didn't.

[LaZeR]

Tom, I've had pretty good luck running that free "Windows Security Essentials" these days for my malware/virus... protection. I realize it may or may not help you now but is worth a shot?

[tom502]

Thanks, well, if it's a downloadable program, I can't get online to download anything. I have not had much virus/malware problems really at all. Everything seems to be fine, but I can't get the websites to open, it just says can't connect, or DNS error now. I'll mess with it more when I get home, it's just so extremely stressful when the comp doesn't work.

[LaZeR]

Tom, try system restore. Are your running XP, Vista, or Win 7?

It's under All Programs // Accesories // System Tools //

There is also a way you can engage system restore from a dos prompt if for some reason it's not showing up there. Try that first.

[Mr. Snuffleupagus]

Good luck, Tom. Computers can be a pain in the butt.

[tom502]

XP, this isn't the thing were you recover from a previous date is it? Because I didn't have that on, I read it wastes a lot of space and makes the comp run slower.

[KCOLLINS18]

I would suggest you get an external hard drive and clone your computer files to it. Won’t make the computer slow and you will always have a back up if this happens again.

[TheJanitor]

Before trying system restore,try running PC in safe mode.Restart,then when it's booting up keep tapping F8 key,a menu should come up asking if you wanna run in safe mode.See if you can get online while in safe mode and download Malwarbytes from here http://www.malwarebytes.org/ then update and do a full scan.

[NonServiam]

XP, this isn't the thing were you recover from a previous date is it? Because I didn't have that on, I read it wastes a lot of space and makes the comp run slower.

Well, if you didn't have it on, then you're S.O.L. for a system restore. I used to keep mine turned off too. That screwed me over too many times, so I just leave it on now. I don't know much about high speed connection since I live in the sticks, but if you're getting a DNS error you could try this: Find the "Run" program under your start menu. Then type ipconfig / dnsflush and hit enter. Probably won't fix ya, but it's worth a try. If all else fails just reload your operating system. Somehow my computers always end up with a corrupted file in the op system. I always have to take my computer to a tech to reload the op system since Dell rarely ever includes the Windows boot disk anymore. But a reload is your last option, and don't forget back up your stuff.

EDIT: I tried typing your problem into google and I really didn't find much that stood out as an answer in plain english. Usually I can type a computer problem into google and get some immediate matches, but not with yours. Hopefully, some of the computer gurus on here will see your thread and help ya out.

[tom502]

Thanks all, I'll try all this later. Good thing my wife has a laptop with wireless. I know I hit a malware yesterday, but her son messes with it too, and I think he hit some stuff too. Why on earth do they even make viruses and malware crap, it seems it only messes up computers. Ugh, I wish it was still the 80's.

[lxskllr]

Before trying system restore,try running PC in safe mode.Restart,then when it's booting up keep tapping F8 key,a menu should come up asking if you wanna run in safe mode.See if you can get online while in safe mode and download Malwarbytes from here http://www.malwarebytes.org/ then update and do a full scan.

^^^This is where I would start. Also, I'd never turn System Restore off. All it does is take up a bit of disk space, and sometimes it can really save your ass. It doesn't always work, but when it does, things don't get any easier.

If you end up reinstalling, you may want to give Linux a try. If you don't have any Windows applications you MUST have, Linux can be easier for someone who doesn't want to mess with computers. Much reduced malware hassles, and if your hardware's supported out of the box, it's usually very easy to get working. OTOH if the hardware /isn't/ supported, you can spend late nights reading forum posts by people don't speak English natively, trying to get your stuff working :^D

What it comes down to for me, is anything but XP. It was a fine O/S 10 years ago when it was current, but the world's moved on. XP is a slow, insecure mess, and you'd probably do better with a newer Windows, or something altogether different.

[IceBleu]

If all your programs work normally, you just can't open a web page, I wouldn't strip the system down. If web access is your only problem, then there's a glitch (virus caused) in your connection setup. Anti-Virus suite did that to me once, it blocks net access and instructs you to pay for their 'service' to get rid of their own block. AGGHHH!!

Try this- open internet explorer / at the top menu bar, click on 'tools' / click 'internet options' / click the tab for 'connections' / at the bottom, click the button for 'LAN settings' / make sure the box for 'use proxy server' is NOT checked. If there is a check mark in that box, click to remove, click 'OK', and then try your net again.

That #$%^&* Anti-Virus Virus software somehow loaded itself and changed that setting to 'use proxy server' on my laptop, so I couldn't access any web page at all. It took me two days on the desktop computer surfing tech sites to figure it out. Real anti-virus software wouldn't fix it because once it's changed, it's not really a virus, just a system setting. Hope this helps.

[tom502]

Thanks. I'll try that, and everything. if nothing works, I'll call a friend who thinks they are an expert, or I'll call the service provider. I don't wanna strip it all off, as I do have mp3s and pics and such I can live without, but would rather not, though I can still access my burning programs, so I could stick it all on discs. But, I think I'll figure it out. The thing it seems with comps, is it's usually something very simple, but not knowing what it is, makes it seem a journey to the hollow earth would be easier.