Java script problem?

Hello, I recently went through the acquisition and subsequent cleaning of a nasty virus:

http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…124386&st=0

JonTom did a great job helping me with that however I still have some problems with my computer. I cannot use some websites that I had been using prior to the virus; examples being grooveshark.com and ticketmaster.com (they both initially load however lack functionality). Also, when using hotmail.com, it sometimes becomes a 'zombie' and I get a message that live.com is not working and the page loses functionality.

Of greatest concern is a website I need to do my job; http://las.mlxchange.com and I get the following error:

Login :
SiteCode : LAS
EventID : 1007
Category : 4
Severity : 1
Log : JS Exception caught in http://www.passioni.me/javascript/toolbar.user.js - Window.OnError: Unexpected quantifier in line 32
Date : Sat Sep 29 2012 - 11:42:06 EDT


Please help!

Hi Satchmo, Sorry to hear of the problems with your computer.
Its good to know that your machine is now clear of infections but of course we do not know if long term damage has been caused to important system files and services….

The current problems could be as a result of the infection or may be entirely unrelated….

The first step is to try booting into safe mode with networking ( post back if you need directions on how to do that)

Then very carefully test your machine…… I say carefully, as in safe mode with networking you should be able to use the "net" despite only a minimal set of drivers and only essential elements being loaded… NOTE your anti virus and other protections may not be operative fully in safe mode so do be carefull!

If safe mode with networking enables you to overcome the problems then it indicates that something that loads in normal mode but not in safe mode is the culprit(s)

Then its the case of using msconfig in normal mode to remove from startup all items and then enabling them one by one with a reboot inbetween each one until the problem ocurrs, when you will have found the culprit…..

In the workshop we tend to enable 50% of the items and then reboot (keep a note with pencil and paper of which items you are enabling) we can then quickly identify which half of the issues contains the problematic entry…. if with 50% of the items enabled there are still no problems showing then the other 50% next need to be addressed and we use the same approach ……enable half of that group and see how it goes….(don't forget to keep a log of which ones you have dealt with….

You may then need to do a similar thing with the Services tab, but this time hide all Microsoft services and deal with the rest in the same way…..

With good records you may only need to reboot half a dozen times or so to get the result you want…. so it should not take very long.
Incidentally keep a look out for any thing relating to your mouse and keyboard and leave these alone.

As you use the computer for work presumably you have a good back up and a disc image…? so in the worst case scenarion it would not take long to reimage your system back to its "perfect state"
Let us know how things go
Regards
paws

Paws, thank you for the quick reply. I have dell datasafe online backup, so that should be covered. Here's the thing. your message was probably written in a very basic way, but I'm not a 'computer person' so I need it dumbed down a little. Is your message saying to try to use the websites that I am having problems with in safe mode to see if they work there? and then go from there or is it saying something completely different? I can get through it, just need a little help. Thanks

Hi satchmo

Is your message saying to try to use the websites that I am having problems with in safe mode to see if they work there?

yes that's the first step…but it has to be safe mode with networking…. ordinary safe mode wont work
Regards
paws

alright, went to those 3 websites in safe mode/networking and all 3 were completely operational in safe mode. step 1 complete! please advise.

That's good, it indicates there's nothing wrong with your hardware so its a software/operating system error that is the most likely cause….
Whilst in safe mode with networking we need to go into msconfig
Here's a link that explains how to use msconfig:
https://support.smithmicro.com/app/answers/…-using-msconfig
once you have msconfig open follow the directions and let us know which items when started cause the problems
Regards
paws

alright, tried to start doing this and I have a question. you said to start out in safe mode w/ networking however the article doesn't say anything about being in safe mode. should I always be in safe mode while doing this or only prior to step 1?

Hi satchmo, When you make the alterations via msconfig as soon as you reboot it will normally boot into normal mode…you can make the further amendments( whilst you are in normal mode) enabling the disabled items one at a time and then rebooting to see if the problem surfaces… however if you keep a good note of which items you have enabled its often easier to enable 50% of the disabled items at a time… Let us know how you go Regards paws

alright, not sure what to make of it. I first enabled the first half; rebooted; and nothing was solved. then, out of curiosity, enabled the other half; rebooted; and nothing was solved. then, there was 4 startup items that began with A and tried each of them-one at a time-and, obv, nothing was solved. from those 3 samples, is it safe to assume that the culprit wont show itself in this manner? or have I not done this correctly?

Hi Satchmo

I first enabled the first half; rebooted; and nothing was solved

When you enable the first half and then reboot you are looking for the failure to occur….. if it doesn't occur then its likely its the problem is in the second half…..
so to sum up you are looking for the startup(s) item that causes the problem ( inability to access certain website in normal mode) this is a diagnostic procedure to identify the culprit(s) the fix to solve the problems comes later once we have identified the culprit(s)

Don't forget that you may have to follow the instructions also using the Services tab in msconfig….
Regards
paws

alright, I had enabled the first half in startup and then the 2nd half and the problem was present both times–I take that to mean that the problem won't be found here. I tried to do the same in services however my computer couldn't connect to the internet (so I could test whether the websites were working) when either the first half or 2nd half of the items were enabled. Please advise.

Hi Satchmo,

alright, I had enabled the first half in startup and then the 2nd half and the problem was present both times

Can you just check please that when you "disable all" in the "startup" that you can connect to the sites concerned
thanks
paws

ok, I disabled all in services and then in startup—>basically the first couple steps from the link you gave me. In normal startup mode, I cannot utilize the needed websites after that. from prior testing, I could access them in safemode. Please advise; thank you.

When you are disabling services, please make sure you Check the box that says Hide all Microsoft services before disabling anything.

ztruker, I went through and did it once more to verify. 1. started in safe mode with networking 2. followed instructions from website given–hide all microsoft/disable + startup/disable all 3. restarted in normal mode 4. websites that i've noticed not to work are still not working please advise