The specified service does not exist as an installed service. [Closed]

The last time I had a problem, I followed the advice given to someone else with the same problem. Malewarebytes is awesome! This time … all the solutions say to download things to help … but I cannot connect to the internet, so how can I download? Is it possible to download onto a thumb drive or an external hard drive? The computer that's sick runs Windows Vista SP2. When I try to run the anti-virus or Malewarebytes, I get the message I used as the topic title. I get the same message for the sound; sound-free games don't bother me. Is there any help to be had? Thank you.

Hi, and welcome to our malware removal forum!

My name is Richard and I'll be happy to help you with your computer problems.

Please be advised that I am currently in training, so my responses will need to be approved by one of our experts before I post them. This is only to ensure you are receiving accurate instructions. It may cause a delay in my replies.

Please note the following:

• The cleaning process is not instant as logs can take time to research. Sit tight and please be patient.
• I will be working on your malware issues. This may or may not solve other issues you may have with your system.
• While we are fixing your problems, do NOT install/re-install any programs or run any fixes or scanners unless told to do so.
• Ensure that your anti-virus definitions are up-to-date.
• I would advise backing up all your important documents, personal data files and photos to a CD or DVD drive.
• Do not back up any Applications (programs). These should be re-installed from the original source CD(s) or website(s).
• During the course of our cleanup, please do not do any additional online work or surfing until we have verified that your system is clean.
• I suggest printing out each set of instructions and reading the entire post before proceeding. It will make following them easier.
• Be sure to follow the directions and run tools/scans in the order listed.
• If you do not reply to your topic, it will be closed after 3 days.

I will return as soon as possible with more instructions.



Regards,

Richard

OK. I guess that means I should NOT transfer all my files (photos, knitting patterns, etc.) to a portable hard-drive, only to a CD or DVD. Portable hard-drive is available; I'll have to get a blank DVD from my son when he gets home.

Thank you so much for answering!

Last night, before your answer came in, I tried - again - to run Malewarebytes, my McAfee, and even Windows Defender (which I never use).
These are the results:
Malewarebytes: message saying it is not installed. I know it's installed! I used it just a couple of weeks ago!
McAfee: Ran a full scan - over an hour to run it - and it says no problems - but did have a bunch of cookies and two 'boot records'. What's a 'boot record'?
Windows Defender: "Application failed to initialize: oX80070006. The handle is invalid." What's a 'handle'??

Because the computer was running very slowly (just for the stupid card games my darling loves to play), I assumed that it (it being the virus) was connecting to the Internet and working on something - like propogating itself. So, I disconnected the wireless receiver. If it won't let me access the Internet, I wasn't about to let it do so!

I await your reply. I am patient, now that I know there's someone who can help me!

Thanks for the information It is possible to download our tools onto a thumb drive, but I would like to know what happened first Could you describe what happened that caused you to lose your connection? Regards, Richard

"What happened?" I have no idea. I am supposing that I picked up some virus/trojan or other and it is the reason my computer is giving me messages that the wireless, sound, Malewarebytes, etc. are not installed. No one - unless invisible gremlins - has deleted anything. I have disconnected the wireless receiver, since I suspected it was connecting the supposed virus to the internet. Is there a virus that causes installed soft and hard-ware to suddenly appear uninstalled? Or that actually uninstalls them? I'm afraid that I might move the supposed infection too if I try moving my files to a thumb-drive. Thank you.

No need to worry about the boot records and handles.

We could try restoring your wireless connection so that you can download our tools.

Let's run FSS to see if there is an issue with the internet related services and other services. Download the following tool onto a thumb drive and transfer it to the sick computer's Desktop.

Please download Farbar Service Scanner and run it on the computer with the issue.

• Make sure the following options are checked:
  • Internet Services
  • Windows Firewall
  • System Restore
  • Security Center
  • Windows Update
• Press "Scan".
• It will create a log (FSS.txt) in the same directory the tool is run.
• Please copy and paste the log to your reply.

In your next reply, please provide the following:

• FSS log.
• Update on how your PC is running.

Regards,

Richard

OK. I guess I should have expected it. My sick computer not only claims that there's no sound device, no internet connection device, etc. It says that the "Devices with removable storage" are all empty. Therefore, it can't 'see' the thumb drive, and I cannot run the FSS on it. I guess I've two choices: pay to get it fixed in a shop, or trash it and buy a new one. Can I begin crying now? I'll keep the thumb drive with the FSS on it … just in case I need it at some future date. Thank you for trying to help. Jessica-Jean

Does both infected and uninfected computers have CD drives? Do you have any blank CD's? Regards, Richard

They do and I do, but what makes you imagine that the computer will 'see' a CD in the drive when it can't the thumb-drive?

It's worth a try

From the clean computer, please download the following tools and then save them to a blank CD:

OTL
aswMBR.exe
Farbar Service Scanner

After creating the CD, please place the CD in the infected computer and move all of these files to the Desktop.

Let's run FSS first to see if there is an issue with the internet related services and/or other services.



Regards,

Richard

Surprise! I was able to download the programs onto a CD. Second surprise: the sick computer was able - albeit slowly - to recognise that there was a CD and allowed me to open it and copy the programs to the desktop. Unsurprisingly - to me - when I tried to run the FSS, I got the same pop-up saying, "The specified servie does not exist as an installed service. Then I tried "Run as administrator" … and got the same damned pop-up. Same result when I tried to run the OTL and the aswMBR. I'm ready to throw in the towel, unless you have any other ideas? (I'm ever hopeful!)

Thanks for the information!

Could you let me know whether there were any Windows updates or other changes to the computer around the same time that this "The specified service does not exist as an installed service" problem started to occur?

Let's try running FSS in Safe Mode with Networking.

Enter Safe Mode with Networking
—————
To start your computer by using the Safe Mode with Networking feature, please do the following:

• Start or restart your computer.
• As your computer restarts but before Windows launches, tap and re-tap the F8 key.
• When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Networking, and then press ENTER.

Next

Please run FSS.exe (select Run as administrator).

• Make sure the following options are checked:
  • Internet Services
  • Windows Firewall
  • System Restore
  • Security Center
  • Windows Update
• Press "Scan".
• It will create a log (FSS.txt) in the same directory the tool is run.
• Please copy and paste the log to your reply.

In your next reply, please provide the following:

• FSS log.
• Update on how your PC is running.

Regards,

Richard

How do you feel about jpegs of the FSS log?

I tried as you said; hadn`t thought about Safe Mode myself.

I did manage to get the tools from the CD onto the desktop. I even managed to run not only the FSS, but the Malewarebytes hour+ scan.

Malewarebytes did remove - supposedly - a slew of nasties. I didn`t think to take photos of that report. However, in Malewarebytes, under the tab Protection, it said Protection is disabled. When I try to enable it, I get a pop-up: An error has occurred. Please report this issue to our suopport team (include the content of all error message(s) and code(s) in your submission). PROGRAM_ERROR_PROTECTION_MODULE(1084, 0, Protection Enable) This service cannot be started in Safe Mode.

OK, back to the FSS log. Even when I put a blank disc (CD or DVD) in, the properties are 0 bytes free, and it shows a totally blue disc. If I try to move the log to it anyway, it just refuses, saying there`s no room.

So, I took a break, knitted and watched TV for awhile, then went back to it. If I can`t copy the log to send to you … so I put it in Word, enlarged it a ton, and took photos of the individual pages - 7 in all. I`m guessing that if I can read them on my computer, you should be able to also. Now, I`ll see if I can upload/attach seven jpgs!

OK, that's no go. Your maximum upload size is 500K and just the first of them is 2Mb.
I tried copying one jpeg into Word and uploading that, but the attachment box says, "Upload failed. You are not permitted to upload this type of file. I can't upload a Word docx either!? It's only 296Kb.

I can only think of one other solution, other than printing them and sending them to you by snail-mail: Is there an e-mail address I could send them to? YahooMail will actually allow me to attach 25MB at a time; all seven photos come to under 15MB.

Thanks for whatever help you can offer.

Some more questions

McAfee: Ran a full scan - over an hour to run it - and it says no problems - but did have a bunch of cookies and two 'boot records'.

Were there any McAfee updates installed just before the problems showed up?

Do you remember if any threats or issues were found and then removed/fixed by McAfee around that time?

If McAfee did remove/fix any threats or issues, please copy and paste the log(s) it produced to your reply.



Regards,

Richard

Cannot run McAfee now.

Ran Malwarebytes, but cannot copy-paste anything or get anything that's on that bleeping computer off of it. I cannot save to the CD or to a DVD; I've tried numerous times, because I want to remove my files from it. (No, I don't have them backed up; my bad.) I cannot save to a thumb-drive; it doesn't 'see' it at all. I only have one portable hard-drive, but I'm afraid to even try it, just in case whatever bug is in the computer infects it.
I could take more photos of the Malewarebytes log, but what good is that if I can't upload them to you?

I am not the only one to use that computer; my husband - technological dinosaur - also 'uses' it, very maladroitly. He may or may not have clicked on an update to go ahead; I don't know and he hasn't a clue. When he sees a pop-up, he just want it to go away so he can continue his card game. He doesn't always tell me before he clicks on something, which may be how the machine got sick in the first place.

A few weeks ago, it did have an infection, and that's why I got the Malewarebytes. McAfee wasn't able to remove it, or even see it. I've been trying to remember the name of the trojan/virus/whatever for the last few hours, but it escapes me. You'd think, that after all the trouble it was for me to get it gone, that I'd remember its name! No. It kept giving pop-ups insisting there was a serious threat to my computer and that I needed to buy its program … It turned McAfee off … I did get the blue screen once in the last few weeks, after the infection was (theoretically anyway) removed. … Finally! It was SmartHDD that I got the Malewarebytes to remove a few weeks ago! That was the name! Lot of good that does though.

I'm still hoping you can help me.