What should I do about this computer virus?

August 28, 2009

I think I have contracted a virus. I am having browser issues. When I try to click on a link from Gmail, Google Reader, Google search, Yahoo search, or a variety of other websites, the browser opens a different, spammy-looking shopping website. It won’t open the right link. I have to copy and paste the address into the address bar to get the page to open. And sometimes that doesn’t work. I suspected that I got a virus, so I Googled "virus removal software." Not a single website that contains virus removal software will open. I get the same error message "Page cannot be displayed" for every anti-virus site I try to visit. This makes me think it is a virus.

Here is something that further complicates the issue. I was thinking that if I can’t download virus removal software, I could purchase some and install it on the computer. But then I remembered that our CD drive isn’t working for some reason. Aaargh! What should I do?

I called the Geek Squad and was told that they recommend an agent come to my house and run a diagnostic on the computer to target the problem. I don’t really want to spend 0 for a guy to come out and tell me I have a virus. I am pretty sure that’s the problem. I don’t have a problem paying to have the virus removed, but how can I do that without paying someone to diagnose it? Any suggestions?

Details: It’s an HP Pavilion laptop that uses Vista.

How to fix .dll errors with being able to open registry cleaners?

August 26, 2009

Okay, I have Windows Vista 64-bit. Very recently, I started encountering two major .dll errors. The biggest error is the ADVAPI32.dll missing error. I get a message telling me the ADVAPI32.dll file is missing. I have checked in System32 and it is still there, at about 1,038kb.

I’ve seen solutions that involve using a registry cleaner but I can’t open the registry cleaners because that file is ‘missing’. Many of programs like Internet Explorer 32bit, Microsoft Word, MSN Messenger, all of my installed games, registry cleaners, anti-virus programs, and probably more programs will not open because of this.

I also get an error message that says ntdll.dll is missing from the ‘dynamic library’ when I try to open other programs.

How can I fix these .dll errors without using a registry cleaner?

Also, I tried doing a system restore from its farthest restore point. It simply will not work. I need a solution please!
Tried bringing up the command line as suggested in answer# 2.

Came up with
RegSvr32:
"The module ‘ADVAPI32.dll’ was loaded but the entry point DLLRegisterServer was not found.

Make sure that ‘ADVAPI32.dll’ is a valid DLL or OCX file and then try again."

Where is the toughest computer problem…it’s right here!?

August 23, 2009

Now I’m no rookie, but I’m no guru either, but this problem will stomp even pc veterans. What is wrong: computer goes straight into BSOD before loading windows. What caused it: I went to "start" >> "run" >> "msconfig" then "safeboot" now it goes straight to the BSOD and its says video driver failed to initialize. What’s funny is that I can run other software programs just fine (like windows repair/recovery software) and the video is just fine. I’ve even ran Ubuntu over it just to see if the video works and it does. But this is the kicker, Dell wont even help because the laptops’s out of warranty as of two years ago, I know I can do a fresh install, but I’m trying to save all my pics, music, movies etc…So my question is this: how do you return it to normal mode if you can’t boot windows, what boot software can I obtain to troubleshoot/repair from outside windows, or how to get into Windows period, I can handle it from there, just gotta get in.

P.S. BSOD=blue screen of death (if you didn’t know that then maybe this question isn’t for you to try and answer…but go for it anyhow 😉
Thanx Kobra, but I know the ram is good. Steve, I thought of fixmbr, but I was afraid of the warning it gives me about partitions may not being accessable later. However i did mention the error message on bsod(video driver failed to initialize.) DJ maxx I recall seeing that option before, but neve had a chance to use it. I have a "Super XP" disk so I’m pretty sure I can copy, but if I use Steve’s method and it does render my partitions useless, can I still install windows as you’ve indicated to retrieve my data, then format and install once I’m finished? (and Steve when I start to run fixmbr, it does say: "This computer appears to have a non-standard or invalid mbr" so you may be onto something. I’m just being so cautions, because this isnt my computer, I’m fixing it for a friend, otherwise I’d just play around with everything.

Can I upgrade my windows xp home to pro without doing a clean install using a full xp pro cd?

August 17, 2009

I got an full version of xp professional from our University’s MSDAA (Microsoft Developers Academic Alience). I currently have xp home on my machine and I want to upgrade it to pro but I need to keep all my files and programs that are installed. I have many programs to which I no longer have the cd for and therefore I cant afford to lose them. This cd I got from the school is a full cd, not an upgrade cd. I popped it in and try to install it but i get an error message saying it couldnt install it due to a "third party kernell" being installed (the home edition kernell im assuming). So I tried booting from the cd and installing from there, but it didnt give me an option to upgrade. Instead I ended up with 2 versions of xp installed in my machine. Now when the pc starts, it asks me which OS i wanna load (pro or home). Again my question is, is there a way to just upgrade my home edition to pro using a full cd without losing anything? Thank you very much.