Halp I'm nine and what is this (PC issues)

GnomeQueen

Hello dahlings,

I've been having some problems with the big PC lately. I had some viruses (I must have been doin' it rong), but I think that I have gotten rid of all of them. (Not 100% sure, though). For some reason though, in the last few days, the internet on my PC has been absurdly slow during the day, but normal at night. This doesn't affect any other computers on my network, so I don't think that the issue is the ISP.

I have been considering just reformatting, but I figured I'd inquire here to see if anyone has any suggestions about what's been going on. For the record, I'm using an internal wireless card on my PC right now.

FYI, I'm in class right now and I won't be home till around five pm, so I won't be able to do anything to my big PC till then.

Annes

If it were me I would reformat it anyway, there's no telling if you actually got rid of everything. Plus a fresh new install feels fabulous, like a colon cleanse.

GHoosdum

Check your proxy settings. One of the pieces of malware we contracted at work had set the proxy to loop back to a specific port on local host where the software was listening, leading to a huge slow down in perceived browsing speed.

quake101

Like @GHoosdum said, check your proxy settings, some nasty malware like to create it's own loop back proxy to deliver ads, updates, etc to itself.

You should run a malware bytes scan and run combofix as well.

GnomeQueen

Like @GHoosdum said, check your proxy settings, some nasty malware like to create it's own loop back proxy to deliver ads, updates, etc to itself.

You should run a malware bytes scan and run combofix as well.

I already did the malware bytes scan and ran combofix. Thanks!

Also ran superantispyware and rKill.

quake101

You could also to 2 continuous pings, 1 to the local router and 1 to a public IP address. See if you're getting any type of packet loss.

GHoosdum

Anne's plan will certainly do the trick.

GnomeQueen

Sigh, I should probably just do that, I just find reformatting really annoying. Gotta download an ISO and figure out how to boot load it, redownload all of my games and drivers, figure out how to save my steam game history, etc.

Tushon

Check your proxy settings.

Totally agree. Control Panel --> Internet Options --> Connections Tab --> LAN Settings
Uncheck the use a proxy server options.

You can also check your HOSTS file for any malicious entries. Assuming you have never altered it, you can look here for how to get to it and what it should look like.

For other things you can run:
CCleaner (make sure to look at the options for the file cleaner, and you can probably let everything go in reg cleaner)
ComboFix (just follow the directions)
Malwarebytes (update and full scan)


EDIT: between talking to people at work, this comment was already stated and you already did it anyways.

For Steam, there is a backup function built-in to steam, but I've never had to use it. You may want to partition your drive when you do the reformat to have a windows partition and data partition separate so you can wipe Windows without losing Steam. PM incoming about ISO

primesuspect

Steam game history? I've reinstalled three PCs in the past month and have had zero issues with Steam except for Terraria saves. Any game that doesn't use Steam cloud (Terraria, Skyrim, probably others) is stupid, but yeah, you should back up those saves. Most of them are in c:\users\titsmcgee\My Documents\My Games\

Just back up your entire \titsmcgee folder and you'll have basically everything.

GnomeQueen

Check your proxy settings.

Totally agree. Control Panel --> Internet Options --> Connections Tab --> LAN Settings
Uncheck the use a proxy server options.

You can also check your HOSTS file for any malicious entries. Assuming you have never altered it, you can look here for how to get to it and what it should look like.

For other things you can run:
CCleaner (make sure to look at the options for the file cleaner, and you can probably let everything go in reg cleaner)
ComboFix (just follow the directions)
Malwarebytes (update and full scan)


EDIT: between talking to people at work, this comment was already stated and you already did it anyways.

For Steam, there is a backup function built-in to steam, but I've never had to use it. You may want to partition your drive when you do the reformat to have a windows partition and data partition separate so you can wipe Windows without losing Steam. PM incoming about ISO

Well, right now I have things partitioned into windows being on my C drive, and everything else being on my D drive. I have accidentally saved things to C before, so I guess viruses could have wormed their way on there, though? I also have no idea how to reformat just one drive...

Tushon

Well, right now I have things partitioned into windows being on my C drive, and everything else being on my D drive. I have accidentally saved things to C before, so I guess viruses could have wormed their way on there, though? I also have no idea how to reformat just one drive...

It is possible, but you can choose to select a single partition for installation and to leave the D: partition alone during installation. Just make sure to choose "clean/advanced" and you'll see a map of the drive. You'll select the first section instead of the D: section. At least this way, you'll try it and if it works, great. If it doesn't, you're still in for a full reformat and reinstall anyways.

csimon

Plus a fresh new install feels fabulous, like a colon cleanse.

I like the way you think Annes ...Queenie get back with report please.

ardichoke

Never not reformat and reinstall after an infection.

As long as your user folder is backed up (which you should be doing on a regular basis anyway) you should be fine.

GnomeQueen

I checked the proxy server option, and it says I don't have anything with that set up, so I guess that's not the issue. Full reformats for me, fun. Could someone tell me which steam folder I have to save to keep my save games?

GHoosdum

I think it depends on the game.

For example, if I recall correctly, I think Terraria saves to your User\Documents\My Games folder.

ErrorNullTurnip

In the main steam library window, select the list view on the top right. It will show which games have cloud sync. The ones without cloud sync are the only ones you have to worry about and are stored somewhere in \Users\\Documents\ or \\AppData\.

GnomeQueen

So, I figured while I was doing all of this stuff, I might as well install my new graphics card I got a while back. I did so, and now my computer when it is turned on is making this horrible shrieking noise. Am I correct in thinking that the PSU isn't powerful enough now to support my new card?

Thrax

That, or it's not plugged in to the dual auxiliary power connectors that card has.

GnomeQueen

Ooooohhh, yes, I only had it plugged in once. I put the old card back in because I assumed it was a PSU issue; Rob, could you recommend a new PSU for me?

GnomeQueen

Oh, and the reformat did fix the issues I was having with the computer. You were right, Annes, a reformat DOES make everything all scrubbed clean and new. The computer is running faster now, too.

Thrax

What is your budget.

Tushon

Ooooohhh, yes, I only had it plugged in once. I put the old card back in because I assumed it was a PSU issue; Rob, could you recommend a new PSU for me?

I'm not Rob, but something from this this listthat fits your total wattage requirement (that list is Corsair, Seasonic, PCP&P and Silverstone, 80+ silver or better)

GnomeQueen

I guess the better question is what's the new graphics card, Rob? I don't remember.

Thrax

Radeon 5870.

GnomeQueen

Thanks!

GnomeQueen

Hey guys,

I'm having issues again. Now, the computer keeps freezing. Whenever I load it in normal mode, it freezes soon after loading, oftentimes when I try loading a game or some pages in Chrome. It doesn't seem to affect the computer in safe-mode.

Any ideas? Should I pull the RAM and start mem testing it, or is there a chance that it has something to do with the reformat?

Tushon

Run Memtest before pulling and see if you get any errors. If you don't, no reason to pull. I'd also throw DFT (Hitachi's HDD test) and then whatever HDD manufacturer's test you actually have (i.e. the specific test for WD or Seagate). All of that is available via UBCD

If you do get errors on Memtest, note the location, so that when you switch them, you can see if the errors follow the stick or stay with the slot.

primesuspect

Did you install all of your drivers? Especially chipset?

Look in device manager. Do you have any "bangs" (yellow triangle with ! in them) next to anything?

Tushon

That was actually what I meant to put first in my comment and someone excluded it altogether. Honestly, I would grab the drivers you can straight from manu (i.e. network from Intel or Broadcomm, chipset from Intel/AMD, etc) just to rule that out. Win7 got A WHOLE lot better at auto-installing drivers, but not perfect.

Straight_Man

Win 7 might also, after you get a basically stable machine with mfr drivers, need all the Win 7 updates. I found that I had to tell Win 7 to get and install the Recommended as well as the Important updates to get some drivers that Microsoft updated for my hardware. These were more recent than what came on the DVD. YMMV but you might well benefit from this also.

There were also Win 7 security patches issued today and on January 1, 5 important ones for Win 7 today, all security patches except the January Malicious Software Removal Tool update.