Guest ohanna Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 Hi! Could anyone please let me know if this sounds a like malware issue? I have a scanner connected to my laptop. Occasionally (about once every 15 times), the scanner's software (MP Navigator EX) starts up when I start my computer. Just this afternoon, when I restarted my computer, this program started itself, and did a scan as well. I restarted my machine 2 times and this program didn't start. I verified that this program has been disabled on my list of start up programs via msconfig. Does it sound like a hardware issue or malware issue? I've scanned my machine with a number of Anti-malware programs and nothing has been reported. I have Vista Home SP1. Many thanks for your help! Quote
Guest 1PW Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 On 04/01/2009 09:10 PM, ohanna sent:<span style="color:blue"> > Hi! Could anyone please let me know if this sounds a like malware issue? > > I have a scanner connected to my laptop. Occasionally (about once every 15 > times), the scanner's software (MP Navigator EX) starts up when I start my > computer. Just this afternoon, when I restarted my computer, this program > started itself, and did a scan as well. I restarted my machine 2 times and > this program didn't start. > > I verified that this program has been disabled on my list of start up > programs via msconfig. Does it sound like a hardware issue or malware issue? > > I've scanned my machine with a number of Anti-malware programs and nothing > has been reported.</span> Please avoid vague references when asking us to assist. Exactly what antimalware did you employ. Please include versions, and if their latest signature files had been downloaded just immediately prior to scanning. If you have any other antimalware installed, please list them and if they are up to date. <span style="color:blue"> > > I have Vista Home SP1.</span> Is your Vista up to date? <span style="color:blue"> > > Many thanks for your help!</span> When did you first notice this behavior? Please post a follow-up and we will try to help. Regards, Pete -- 1PW @?6A62?FEH9:DE=6o2@=]4@> [r4o7t] Quote
Guest Malke Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 ohanna wrote: <span style="color:blue"> > Hi! Could anyone please let me know if this sounds a like malware issue? > > I have a scanner connected to my laptop. Occasionally (about once every 15 > times), the scanner's software (MP Navigator EX) starts up when I start my > computer. Just this afternoon, when I restarted my computer, this program > started itself, and did a scan as well. I restarted my machine 2 times > and this program didn't start. > > I verified that this program has been disabled on my list of start up > programs via msconfig. Does it sound like a hardware issue or malware > issue? > > I've scanned my machine with a number of Anti-malware programs and nothing > has been reported. > > I have Vista Home SP1.</span> Either you weren't thorough about checking all the Startup entries and/or the software has an updater routine that is running. Use the free Autoruns for the former and look in the program's preferences for the latter. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx - for Autoruns Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ Quote
Guest ohanna Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 Thanks a lot for your suggestions 1PW and Malke! Sorry 1PW, here's the list of anti-malware programs that I've run. I've also run the first 4 in Safe Mode, and I always check for the latest updates before I run them. AVG 8.5 Free Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.35 SuperAntiSpyware Free 4.26.1000 f-Secure Blacklight (can't find the version) I always download and install the Important and Recommended Updates (via Control Panel -> Windows Updates) so I think my Vista is up to date, but I double checked last night and found out that there's a number of non-windows updates that I never downloaded (Microsoft Office, Microsoft Works, there is also one CP? update that I don't remember the name of, I need to check that when I get home tonight). I also read on the internet about the 950582 (to resolve an issue in which AutoRun features were not correctly disabled). I've never downloaded this update, but my Windows Updater -> Check Update does not detect this one so I don't know if I should still install it. Thanks Malke. I will try the Autorun tonight. The program (that occasionally starts itself at startup) does have an updater, but I am sure that it's been disabled because I have Zone Alarm installed, and ZA used to raise a messagebox to notify me that that program is trying to access the internet. It doesn't do that since I disabled it via msconfig. If the program does still exist on the startup list, should it always starts up itself, instead of doing it sometimes? Thanks again for your help! "ohanna" wrote: <span style="color:blue"> > Hi! Could anyone please let me know if this sounds a like malware issue? > > I have a scanner connected to my laptop. Occasionally (about once every 15 > times), the scanner's software (MP Navigator EX) starts up when I start my > computer. Just this afternoon, when I restarted my computer, this program > started itself, and did a scan as well. I restarted my machine 2 times and > this program didn't start. > > I verified that this program has been disabled on my list of start up > programs via msconfig. Does it sound like a hardware issue or malware issue? > > I've scanned my machine with a number of Anti-malware programs and nothing > has been reported. > > I have Vista Home SP1. > > Many thanks for your help! > > </span> Quote
Guest Malke Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 ohanna wrote: <span style="color:blue"> > Thanks Malke. I will try the Autorun tonight. The program (that > occasionally starts itself at startup) does have an updater, but I am sure > that it's been disabled because I have Zone Alarm installed, and ZA used > to raise a messagebox to notify me that that program is trying to access > the > internet. It doesn't do that since I disabled it via msconfig. If the > program does still exist on the startup list, should it always starts > up itself, instead of doing it sometimes?</span> It won't always run if the updater is scheduled to update at certain intervals. That assumes that it is an updater of course. Malke -- MS-MVP Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ Quote
Guest ohanna Posted April 2, 2009 Posted April 2, 2009 Thanks again Malke. No I am sure it's not the updater. Plus, the scanner was actually scanning. But, if it's a malware maybe it would start something else... instead of my scanner... I hope. Thanks. "Malke" wrote: <span style="color:blue"> > ohanna wrote: > <span style="color:green"> > > Thanks Malke. I will try the Autorun tonight. The program (that > > occasionally starts itself at startup) does have an updater, but I am sure > > that it's been disabled because I have Zone Alarm installed, and ZA used > > to raise a messagebox to notify me that that program is trying to access > > the > > internet. It doesn't do that since I disabled it via msconfig. If the > > program does still exist on the startup list, should it always starts > > up itself, instead of doing it sometimes?</span> > > It won't always run if the updater is scheduled to update at certain > intervals. That assumes that it is an updater of course. > > Malke > -- > MS-MVP > Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic! > http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ > > </span> Quote
Guest FromTheRafters Posted April 3, 2009 Posted April 3, 2009 "ohanna" <ohanna@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:8E0D32F5-5971-4EDF-92AA-25DA3CA13527@microsoft.com...<span style="color:blue"> > Thanks a lot for your suggestions 1PW and Malke! > > Sorry 1PW, here's the list of anti-malware programs that I've run. > I've > also run the first 4 in Safe Mode, and I always check for the latest > updates > before I run them. > > AVG 8.5 Free > Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 > Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.35 > SuperAntiSpyware Free 4.26.1000 > f-Secure Blacklight (can't find the version)</span> Just for information purposes, I have heard from many sources that MBAM is most effective in normal mode. Something about the way it works - it detects active programs. If the malware program doesn't start in safe mode (which is most of the point in using safe mode) MBAM doesn't see the suspect activity that it is so good at detecting. Quote
Guest ohanna Posted April 3, 2009 Posted April 3, 2009 Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware of that! No wonder it takes a lot longer for MBAM to run in normal mode than in safe mode! "FromTheRafters" wrote: <span style="color:blue"> > "ohanna" <ohanna@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:8E0D32F5-5971-4EDF-92AA-25DA3CA13527@microsoft.com...<span style="color:green"> > > Thanks a lot for your suggestions 1PW and Malke! > > > > Sorry 1PW, here's the list of anti-malware programs that I've run. > > I've > > also run the first 4 in Safe Mode, and I always check for the latest > > updates > > before I run them. > > > > AVG 8.5 Free > > Spybot Search & Destroy 1.6 > > Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.35 > > SuperAntiSpyware Free 4.26.1000 > > f-Secure Blacklight (can't find the version)</span> > > Just for information purposes, I have heard from many sources that MBAM > is most effective in normal mode. Something about the way it works - it > detects active programs. If the malware program doesn't start in safe > mode (which is most of the point in using safe mode) MBAM doesn't see > the suspect activity that it is so good at detecting. > > > </span> Quote
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