vista home edition system restore fails

[gsiamrod]

Have Vista Home svc.pack2 . IE, Bing is home , IE continues to launch, once 138 Bings. Tried restore points and get notice "failed, unexpected error occured". Have restores dated back to 8/13 but none will restore. Have run scan , also safe mode scans. All say everything good. Also, W/help pops up and continues to pop up after closing. Same thing on Google Chrome. Any help will be appreaciated.Hope I can get back here to see if any help is offered. Thanks. Rod
Solved.

[Boggin]

Have you tried the restore points in Safe Mode ?

If they still fail then open Event Viewer to see if there are any related errors.

You can also open a command prompt as an administrator and enter the command sfc /scannow to see what that reports

[gsiamrod]

Boggin, cannot get post to you. Bing keeps popping up stopping me.

[Boggin]

That puzzled me when you said you had 138 Bings.

Go Control Panel - All Control Panel Items and select Internet Options and under the Advanced tab click on Reset and check all of the boxes - OK - then reboot the computer and see what IE does then.

This should clear any anomalous add-ons but to change the Search Provider, you have to go into Manage Add-ons and if IE is still playing up, you can open IE without add-ons - but see how things go after you've reset it.

You will have to reset your home page if returns with the MSDN page and you use something else.

Do you have the Bing Desktop that keeps getting offered with Windows Updates ?

Did the restore points succeed in Safe Mode or did IE behave itself in Safe Mode with Networking ?

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, thanks. I finaly got restore to restore to 8/13/2014. However, still popping up bing. Did scannow-Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but unable to fix some of them. Not getting as many bings as before, but still doing it. Have scanned with Norton, Avast, HP and had windows perform repair at start up. I do not know what to do except delete IE 9 and download it again. When it pops up bing, a big circle pops up and it goes to bing. Also, help continues to pop up! Icons on desktop went to huge and sometimes bing is shrunk. Cannot complete actions because of pop ups! Am still working on it. Thanks. (Sorry for taking so long to reply, but cannot help it.) Also, device mgr. shows 6T04 as cannot start! Don't know if it is part of problem? Rod

[Boggin]

I'm just wondering if you have the Bing Desktop installed which comes occasionally with Windows Updates.

You can check this by going Start - type windows update and press enter then click on Installed Updates and scroll through the list.

If you come across one for Bing Desktop, right click on it and select Uninstall - follow the prompts then let Windows do its thing.

After the computer has rebooted, go back into Windows Updates to check if any updates are being offered again, click where it may say one or more are Recommended/Important and if any are for Bing Desktop, right click on it and select Hide - OK.

Go Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)

IE will start, informing you that you are running IE without add-ons.

Click on the home page icon and see if you are getting the same problems and if so, go into Tools - Manage add-ons - check to see if there's anything for Bing and disable if any showing - OK and restart IE to effect.

IE will start as normal but if the problem persists, then you will need to start it again without add-ons.

If IE works okay without add-ons and you don't have an add-on for Bing, then uncheck all of the add-ons and restart IE.

You will then have to enable each add-on in turn and restart IE until the problem returns to find the problematic add-on.

Select Search Providers - click on the Search for more providers link bottom left and when the window opens click on Google - Add to Explorer and follow prompts.

You will need to restart IE for that to effect and then go back into Manage add-ons/Search Providers - set Google as the Default and Move up.

You can then disable Bing - click on the box to Prevent programs from making changes etc. - Close - then restart IE

MS has a fixit to make IE safe and stable and fix any troublesome add-ons so give it a try http://support.microsoft.com/mats/ie_performance_and_safety

You may have to restore back to earlier if you have the restore points to resolve the corrupted files that sfc /scannow found.

It's recommended to run sfc /scannow up to three times if it reports unable to repair all files.

The CBS log that sfc produces is usually quite large, but if you run a chkdsk /f and when it has completed go Start - type eventvwr and press enter.

Wait until it has read the logs then click on Windows Logs/Applications and look for a Winninit entry and click on it - then the chkdsk /f report will appear in the pane below.

If one isn't apparent then right click on Applications - click on Find then type chkdsk or winninit into the Find box - OK - close the box and then you can read what the chkdsk /f found and what it was unable to repair - also check to see if it reports any KBs in bad sectors.

While I have a solution that can fix corrupted files for Win 7 by booting up with a Win 7 install disk, I'm not sure if the same command works in Vista, but you would need a Vista install disk with SP2.

If chkdsk /f or sfc /scannow continues to report it is unable to repair all files, then I'll have to leave that for Shane to advise you as to a resolution.

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, thanks. printed your post cause of interrupions , and can't stay on page very long. Dnld. Mawarebites, found 276 Pups& quar'ed. them. Reinstall IE 9 and still problem. W/ Help pops up and I have 75 IE's open. CP has slowed down. Scripts get bigger the longer I stay on a page. Will try what you posted. I'll try to get back after doing what you say.Thanks. Rod

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, cp seems to have stopped popping up help, and seems to be ok, but while typing this message, bing popped up one time? Scripts kind of jump from tim to time, getting a little larger, then going back to normal. Did what you said: Manage add ons, and watching if happens and disable add ons one at a time to find culprit. Ran sfx/scannow 3 times. Couldn't fix some files. But, they are chess files and other game files which were bad from day one. They do not cause any problems with games, so all other issues were repaired. Ran MS fix it, ok. Check disk will not run except on next boot as being used by other application? ? Havn't rebooted yet, but will to see what is says. So far, so good. Have to wait to see what happens, in meantime I am going to defrag and run full scans by Avast and Norton. Malwarebites shows all ok.Thanks a million. You have saved me a trip to the geeks who would probably do what you suggested at a price, not to mention unhooking this beast and putting it back in this tight place. Wires everywhere.  Rod

[Boggin]

The chkdsk /f can't run until the volume is dismounted which is why it has to run before Windows is loaded on the next start up.

Did you identify any add-ons that could have been the culprit ?

Did you add and change the default Search Provider to Google and disable Bing ?

When you say scripts getting a little larger, are those the fonts you are referring to ?

Can you go into Windows Update/Installed Updates and in the top right search box type KB2982791 to see if you have it installed from last month's updates.

If you find it, right click on it and select Uninstall.

After the reboot go back into Installed Updates and check to see if you have one for the Bing Desktop and do the same for that if there.

After you have uninstalled KB2982791 can you let us know if you still have problems with the font sizes (if that's what you meant) and is the computer still a bit slow ?

While you no longer have multiple windows opening, run this MS Fixit to reset the Hosts File http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972034

That's the second AV program I've seen that has been able to run alongside of Avast - it's also able to run alongside of MSE because Avast doesn't have its own firewall, which is what causes the conflict when you run two active AV programs together.

[Boggin]

You did a lot yourself to resolve this by getting rid of those PuPs.

As for sfc being unable to repair those games files - sfc usually only scans and attempts to repair system files, so not sure why it is picking those up.

Perhaps when Shane picks up this thread he may have further comment on this.

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, id all you said. Still pop ups gave to post fast beforepop up stops me.

[Boggin]

I was going to suggest using AdwCleaner which is more specialized in removing PuPs, but the bleeping.com site for it is infected.

Instead, use its sister program Junkware Removal Tool from http://www.fosshub.com/Junkware-Removal-Tool.html

Do not click on the big green Download button but from the green Download Junkware Removal Tool Windows Portable lettering link above it.

On clicking on that, a small command window will pop up and press any key as it prompts to continue.

The program will take a little while to run but will produce a report when completed.

If running IE without add-ons enables you to browse, then boot IE up like that again.

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, Junkware removal found bad module, reboot, said cannot find path, no report.Have Process Explorer up now, but cannot determine suspicious actions. Keeping it open seems to slow down po ups, allowing m to post here. Problem still exists. Thanks

[Gamezertruth]

Junkware removal found bad module then want to reboot your pc! This happens probably because of the presence of mbam protection enabled. so you need To temporarily disable protection!

Maybe it is worth trying Hijackthis http://sourceforge.net/projects/hjt/

[gsiamrod]

Bloggin, Ran windows repair all in one. It has fixed something? Windows help&support will pop up sometimes and the big circle pops onto screen without it opening Bing?? Toung in cheek-am waiting to see if bing opens. Forgot to mention the takeover of search boxes with "machine gun' speed of double dashes and sometimes with number 65! Also while in safe mode it tried to go to bing many times. Script has setled down and am going to play here to see if we have fixed anything. Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Gamezertruth, thanks. Cannot find way to suspend mbam.Don't want to get rid of it. Will try hijackthis if all in one hasn't fixed the problems. Thanks. Rod
Going back to watch Process Explorer and operate this antique. Thanks to Shane for all in one!

[Boggin]

What did the chkdsk report before we forget about ?

Do you have the latest version of Process Explorer http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

This version incorporates Virus Total - Click on Options and ensure Verify Image Signatures is checked then hover over VirusTotal.com and check Check VirusTotal.com.

When that activates, anything with a high red value over ~50 will be suspect and needs killing.

Is browsing any easier when you boot up into Safe Mode with Networking ?

If it is I want you to download ESET Online Free Scanner http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/ - you click the blue link on the left to download.

When it has finished loading and updating, click on Advanced and check all of the boxes except the last one about proxies, then disable Norton and Avast immediately before you press the Scan button.

This will take a while to run but your computer appears to be riddled with infections and ESET is an in depth scanner.

[Boggin]

Can you also try JRT again in Safe Mode with Networking to see if it will complete as nothing should be loaded then to interfere with it.

Some of the malware scanners don't always see PuPs as malware whereas JRT is like AdwCleaner in that it specialises in removing them.

[Shane]

Sorry for the late reply, was on my anniversary

Your system does sound infected, if you havent run it yet give combofix a try
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/

Once you download it reboot into safe mode and run it from there. I have had a lot of success with combofix, so it is worth a try.

Shane

[gsiamrod]

OK. All in one fixed bing pop up!! Dn`ld Clean Mem and tweaks. That did it!!! But still have troubles. Mhelp&support pops up at random times and when there is a search box, automatic typing of double dashes or 65, or 5, or series of dotts enter to infinity! Desktop shortcuts also grow large and bing page zooms up to huge. When I open an application, sometimes the pop up to delete opens for an item I did not click on.Must be  an infection that mbam cannot find??H&S just popped up! I'd hoped it had quit. Web search on this subject shows no one knows how to fix it?? Adm. Services does not show H&S, so cannot stop it there.`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````KB298279~KB298279~HKB298279~E````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````TKB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~KB298279~``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````THIS IS WHAT IT IS DOING`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

[Shane]

It might be possible you have a stuck key on the keyboard. Had it happen to me actually. UNplug the keyboard when it starts happening and see if it stops as soon as you unplug it

Shane

[gsiamrod]

```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````SHANE< THIS IS WHAT IT IS DOING> TYPING DASHES LIKE A MACHINE GUN HOLDING DOWN SHIFT KEY TO TYPE>HELP!```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

[Shane]

Did you unplug the keyboard like I said to see if it stops?

Shane

[gsiamrod]

HAVE WIRELESS> CHANGED BATTERIES JUST BEFORE COMING HERE>

[Shane]

Doesnt matter, I want you to actually unplug the usb receiver for the wireless keyboard when it happens

Not checking for weak batterys, checking for stuck key or bad keyboard. you need to unplug the usb for it when it starts messing up.

Shane

[gsiamrod]

0k. Iwill try to post to see if it starts the dashes again. On post with dashes,  just does it when it feel like it. Also, it typed among the dashes, KB2982791 twice. I tried to get that into my post, but it didnot show.H&S popped up between our posts for help with IE9. F1 key does not seem to be stuck.