Possible OS problems

The correct format of the system command would be:

sfc[SPACE]/scannow

Type a SPACE between SFC and /scannow.

The file that is supposed to run is SFC.EXE in your C:\windows\system32 folder.

I only took a PC into a shop once, and that was my old PC a long time ago to add a bigger hard drive to it. But I don't remember who I took it to.

I got the SFC to work so thanks for the tip on the spacing. I think I'm going to take it in to a PC store this week. It's been over a month now and I'm no closer to resolving this than I was when I started. I appreciate all your help, hard work and research in trying to help me resolve this. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and appreciate it beyond words. Shannon

I'm sorry I wasn't any help

I still have been looking and thinking about this. If I come up with anything. I'll be sure to post it in here.

This problem didn't show up right after you installed Spybot did it?

I found this post about someone who had AOL 7 that had low memory problems. They uninstalled Spybot & their problem went away. Although they did have somewhat dissimilar symptoms than yours, they did get the same error message.

When you find out what the problem was, I'd appreciate it if you could come back here and tell exactly what it was and how it was fixed.

May GOD bless you and yours!

M68

This problem didn't show up right after you installed Spybot did it?

No, I installed Spybot after I started having problems. It was suggested to me by someone on the McAfee forums. It was actually one of the programs that finally cleaned some of the spyware I had hiding. My AOL comes with spyware but I don't think it's a very good scan. The spybot and adware scans are much better…in my opinion.

I will absolutely come back here and tell you what the problem was and how it was fixed. If I take it somewhere to be repaired I'll be sure to ask lots of questions and what it was and how they resolved it.

You've been very helpful. It's like you said … it's hard to fix the problem when we can't find where the error is.

I'm just curious … what do you recommend as a good internet security? I've read some people like McAfee and others like Norton so I was curious as to which you prefer.

I've always had Norton Antivirus and Norton Internet Security on this machine.

The only "problem" I've ever had was a "CoolWebSearch" infection back on 02/27/04.

That was partially because of some faulty IE settings, and because my wife accidentally clicked something she shouldn't have when visiting a web site.

She was looking for song lyrics at "stlyrics.com". A box popped up and asked if she wanted to download and install something. She said she clicked "No", but I am sure she mistakenly clicked "Yes".

After I got rid of the infection, I went back to all the sites she visited that day and traced the infection back to that site (I was re-infected when I visited that site and that site ONLY!). I would NOT recommend that site to ANYONE!!! I have since put it in my Norton Internet Security's "do not allow" list so we don't accidentally go there again.

That incident was how I got involved in fighting infections and other problems. I was helped by people I didn't know, and have tried to return the favor to those I do not know.

The only other things I have installed or done as far as security are these things:

1. I keep Windows up do date (as you have as well). I was reluctant to install SP2 and did a lot of research on it before I installed it in April. I haven't regretted it.

2. I have done the Qualsys Browser Check and got my system to pass all the tests. This test is for IE, but since AOL uses IE components I think it's a "must". Actually, since I started coming to forums like this, I stopped using AOL for anything but reading/writing mail. You get a bigger screen size using IE. You can even play the games offered on AOL using IE if you like. About the only thing you can't do is IM people.

3. I have installed IE-Spyad. This is a really good item to have because it puts many known malicious web sites into IE's "restricted zone" thus limiting your chance of infection should you accidentally browse there. It also inhibits most "tracking cookies" on your machine.

I also have Spybot & Adaware installed & keep them updated. I run them at least once a week, but they never find anything.

I agree with you assessment of AOL's "spyware scan". I turned it off a long time ago. It came up twice telling me I had something I am positive wasn't on my machine, so I learned to distrust it and disabled it right away.

Good luck!

I agree with you assessment of AOL's "spyware scan". I turned it off a long time ago. It came up twice telling me I had something I am positive wasn't on my machine, so I learned to distrust it and disabled it right away.

I would LOVE to disable that AOL spyware scan. I'm going to sound like a total idiot here but where do I go to disable that? I'm so excited to learn I have that option.

Thanks for the great links. I'm going to read all about them.

Just an FYI…I did have a CoolWebSearch on my computer. It's been my hunch all along that it's been the source of ALL my problems. I mistakenly downloaded a smilie site … NEVER again. After I downloaded it I was warned about that site on a forum I was reading. I thought I was okay with it because my troubles didn't start until about two weeks after I downloaded it. But I still think it caused all my troubles. I was finally able to clean it off but the damage has been done. Now if only we could figure out where the damage ocurred

To turn AOL's spyware scans off, do this:

At the top of the AOL screen, click: Keyword > Go to Keyword

In the box, type in spyware

On the right side of the screen, click Update Your Settings

Check the dot left of Do not block any programs

Then click Save

Then (after a reboot) if you make a HJT log again, these entries should disappear because they are related to AOL's spyware protection:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AOL Spyware Protection] "C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\AOLSPY~1\AOLSP Scheduler.exe"

O23 - Service: AOL Spyware Protection Service (AOLService) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\AOLSPY~1\\aolserv.exe

Thanks for asking that question because I had forgotten what "spyware" it thought it found on my machine. It told me twice I had "Diablo Keys" (a keylogger). On that last AOL screen, if you click the "Programs" tab, it shows what programs it "blocks".

As far as I know, I'm about the only person to say "bad things" about the program, and I'm really NOT doing that. I'm just saying that it gave me two "false positives" about the same malware.

I researched Diablo Keys (click the link to read about it yourself) and that malware isn't and never was on my PC.

=== Added in edit ===

Guess I'm not the only one.

Look for the blurp about AOL SpyZapper & Diablo keys on this page..

OK … the computer tech guy just left. After trying numerous things the only thing that worked was a repair install of Windows XP. We were never able to find the source of the problem. He even added a really good virus scan and it came up clean. But the repair install worked and I'm fully functional again. So there's the solution if you ever see this problem again. Thanks again for all your help and research. I really do appreciate it. Shannon