Windows XP Genuine = Sucks!!!

[monky91]

Argh yes, yesterday evening, I decide to format my computer once again as all teh files in my computer are like having hairs in teh butt, eyes in teh mouth. Its quite annoying as I don't even knwo where I put the files in, and take me hours to find a files.

So I decided to format again, using my old Genuine XP Home Edition Servoice Pack 1. Waiting and waiting and still waiting.... After 1 hour or more, the installation finally completed..

And then I directly installed again my BitDefender, and then install Windows Live Mesenger. Nothing happen except it is like STRONG MAN CAN"T LIFT A 1KG things - the installation is definitely slow and freeze up all teh time, well and after hours, this two programs finally installed. Not this two actually, I am installing the motherboard VGA, audio, Direct X 9 and others. And then I install free Download Manager 2.1, smartftp and stuff like that,

After all things done ( Finally!!!, it keep freeze up, don't know why ?) I restart the computer, and yes, restart is fast, only few seconds, but after loading some task in teh task bar and WOW, iit start to freeze again. After waiting a while... I install Tango Manager, a aps that help me connect to my ISP, tehn verify my registration key.

And know what, once I click verify, BitDefender start pop-ping up saying that I have malicous in my computer? HUH? Whats that mean.

Actually I want to printscreen for you all to see what happen but my computer is having serious lagging problem. For what I remember is the virus are all from system32 folder.

Below is teh source I remember:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\alg.exe

&

C:\WINDOWS\system32\firewall.exe

Huh., and then it hang and hang, I restart, and try to add-remove programs taht I installed. Waiting for about 1 hour again, the thing finally pop-out. AN dI see lots of "annoying" programs in the installed list? like 8888bar, bitilany... don't knwo whats it. But i am sure I didn't install those things.

What happen actually. Now I don't whether I should buy a pirate disc or buy a Genuine SP2 disc again. It just annoying and my father is definitely angry. He start to hate Microsoft now ( actually he started long time ago, as Microsoft start to make WIndows ME or those version which are lower than Service Pack 1 of XP not supported )

So it is hard to ask him to buy a XP Proffesional or even Home Edituion for me agin.

I need some help, for those of you who knwo whats teh problem. Tell me.

Thanks

 

[Spartan Erik]

I doubt it was the Windows OS that did that.. you must have downloaded a program that was bundled with spyware/adware. Maybe you downloaded a fake torrent and it gave you that junk; don't blame the operating system

Besides, you should have antivirus/antispyware software anyway..

Antispyware = Microsoft Windows Defender / Spybot Search and Destroy
Antivirus = AVG 7.5 (Grisoft)

 

[monky91]

I doubt it was the Windows OS that did that.. you must have downloaded a program that was bundled with spyware/adware. Maybe you downloaded a fake torrent and it gave you that junk; don't blame the operating system

Besides, you should have antivirus/antispyware software anyway..

Antispyware = Microsoft Windows Defender / Spybot Search and Destroy
Antivirus = AVG 7.5 (Grisoft)

Ohh okay, I didn even connect to the internet right after the format, I just use the internet to verify the registration key. So how come, it will have virus? HUH??? I didn't use either firefox or IE to connect a website, and didn't download anything, just VERIFY!!!

So, besides the OS itself, what can I blame? There is no way teh CD contain those thing, its after I verify, and BitDefender keep poping out.

I have a anti-virus, with firewall and many more, and it was rated 92/100 in pcworld.com, and was bought by my father in a retail shop. CALLED BITDEFENDER!!!! will BITDEFENDER CHEAT!!!!

 

[Chris Z]

whoa monky, settle down sir, Spartan Erik was just speculating, you didn't give us all the details, so he was just giving his opinion on what was wrong

 

[monky91]

Then nevermind, so now what should I do now.. I have been scolded by my father for about 1 hour yesterday, really sad.

 

[Spartan Erik]

Ohh okay, I didn even connect to the internet right after the format, I just use the internet to verify the registration key. So how come, it will have virus? HUH??? I didn't use either firefox or IE to connect a website, and didn't download anything, just VERIFY!!!

So, besides the OS itself, what can I blame? There is no way teh CD contain those thing, its after I verify, and BitDefender keep poping out.

I have a anti-virus, with firewall and many more, and it was rated 92/100 in pcworld.com, and was bought by my father in a retail shop. CALLED BITDEFENDER!!!! will BITDEFENDER CHEAT!!!!

Wait so if you didn't download and install anything, then where did bit defender come from?

 

[Aquilus]

Either the spyware was bundled with something that you installed, or you were connected to the internet.

 

[Micro]

... with no firewall or one of your backups was infected. I know lots of spyware that maliciously edits .exe files to host its crap.

 

[monky91]

Wait so if you didn't download and install anything, then where did bit defender come from?

My father buy it from a retailer shop, for about $30, convert to currency here is RM120++.

And all the other things like were downloaded before I format the Hard Drive, and I can sure that I double check and double check with DitDefender, and AVG, and there is no virus in the computer.

And I only connect to the internet when I verify teh registration key.

 

[Livewire]

Are you on dialup or broadband?

I ask cause if it's bb, whether or not you start internet explorer or another web browser doesn't change the fact that you're already exposed. An unpatched unprotected copy of windows is like a candy store with no cops for miles - it's a sweet target (not a bad analogy I think).

Heck, even 56k's vulnerable, it's just a heck of alot less likely to have enough time to download the problem since it's not nearly as fast :S


There's a reason I don't plug my ethernet in on a new pc on the network, until I get kerio, avg, spybot, and adaware running on it. Although in all honesty I doubt I'd need to - the sheer crappyness of the router/modem Verizon gave me filters everything, including what I DO want it to, at the cost of any hope of decent stable online gaming...



Also, I did a teeeny bit of research on a perfect copy of xp sp 2 pro and google: There is no firewall.exe ANYWHERE in the windows directory, let alone the system32 subdirectory.

Cite more than one source?
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/firewall.exe-7614.html - lists it as a file added by a worm
http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/firewall/ - lists it as the exe for BitGuard firewall, but it does NOT state whether that exe should be in the system32 directory, which I doubt it would be.

http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.linkbot.m.html - my personal favorite. Since it lists %System%firewall.exe. Which would be C:\windows\system32\firewall.exe on any copy of xp.

Whether or not you were connected to the net at some point is hardly the question. If you are on broadband, the only safe way to get windows reinstalled is to unplug the ethernet and wifi cards (if you have any), so there's no connection at all to the outside world. Then you get the firewall/antivirus/whatnot installed and running, THEN you plug it in to get windows updates.


My current suggestion? Unplug the ethernet cable from your pc, isolating it so it's no longer at risk of being reinfected from the net. Format the c drive. If you really wanna be sure its gone, format it again. Then reinstall windows, put your firewall and other goodies on it, get them configured and running, then finally hook it back up to the net.

XP has no way to be secure out of the box anymore, too many patches have come out to fix bugs that viruses/trojans/worms are already exploiting the heck out of.



Mini-side-note: firewall.exe doesn't exist anywhere in the wndows folder as I had said, but alg.exe does. And when alg.exe is in the system32 directory, it's probably not a problem - thats where it's supposed to be according to http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/alg.exe.html and my own copy of xp. The culprit therefore must be firewall.exe.

Hope it gets fixed ok, update us when you can


Edit: Quick note, likely why it was freezing as soon as the pc booted is that supposedly the firewall.exe is set to autostart with windows. Not a good thing when it's malicious obviously

 

[apoorav]

Use Firewall Software Boy