Random "Resolving Host..." requiring reboot

Slartybart · 23 Sep 2014

I think my connection issue have been resolved - we'll see if the ISP truly fixed it on their end or if I need to swap out the cable modem.

Halestormed · 24 Sep 2014

I've reset the hsts file back to default.
I've reset all browsers and re-run Ipconfig2.bat

Restarted machine and all seems well.

Installed herdProtect and started a scan. Log below:

Scan_2014-9-24-12-56.txt

All fine at this point.

Ran JRT...log below

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Junkware Removal Tool (JRT) by Thisisu
Version: 6.2.0 (09.22.2014:1)
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Ran by Dad on 23/09/2014 at 19:13:39.66
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~ Services

~~~ Registry Values

~~~ Registry Keys

~~~ Files

~~~ Folders

~~~ Event Viewer Logs were cleared

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Scan was completed on 23/09/2014 at 19:16:14.39
End of JRT log
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ran ESET...log below

C:\Qoobox\Quarantine\C\Users\Dad\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Offercast2802_PCD_.exe.vir a variant of Win32/Bundled.Toolbar.Ask.D potentially unsafe application deleted - quarantined
E:\Downloaded programs\Audio\Audio old stuff\ABANDER TagControl 2.020.rar a variant of Win32/Tool.TPE.A potentially unsafe application deleted - quarantined
E:\Downloaded programs\Internet\HSS-2.76-install-hss-477-conduit.exe Win32/Toolbar.Conduit potentially unwanted application deleted - quarantined

Didn't like the fact that at least one of these last two scanners deleted files without asking first. After this, most of my start menu shortcuts were gone and my network adapter no longer showed in "ipconfig /all" and my internet connection was unavailable. Despite trying to google the problem on a tablet, I gave up in the end and reinstalled Windows as an upgrade and the internet is back but not the start menu items. I can add those I use regularly. I like AdwCleaner and herdProtect and I think I'll use these regularly. Cheers.

Slartybart · 24 Sep 2014

ESET option was set to clean (you could run it without automatically cleaning) and JRT just cleans.

I've seen issues with malware scanners, including shortcut 'removal' (which turned out to be hidden files, not removed). One other anomaly was resetting some optional folder views - but that's a preventative maneuver. I've rarely seen anything a scanner did that was harmful to a machine - sometimes they have to resolve malware in an inconvenient way and it requires follow-up work (System File Checker or changing an option).

The issue with malware infected files is that utilities have to do something about them and the utility usually knows more about the infection that we do (they're written by experts in malware remediation). Sometimes the system is so compromised that the only thing to do is reinstall - most times though the infection can be mitigated.

For the shortcut menu issue, see if this helps:
Launch a Command prompt
(std is ok unless the shortcuts are in the All Users Startmenu
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
then you'll need an elevated Command prompt)

navigate to the start menu folder
cd "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"
--OR--
cd "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu"
dir /a
attrib -s -h filename.lnk
exit

If the dir /a shows the files, you'll have to change the attributes for each filename.lnk

I don't know why your network adapter was affected - sorry you experienced that.

I'd like to know when you ran Combofix (C:\Qoobox\Quarantine) and what you can tell me about E:\Downloaded programs\Audio\Audio old stuff\

The Repair install (an upgrade in place) was a good solution - you might have been able to resolve the network adapter if you posted here from the tablet, but your solution probably resolved a bigger concern of remnant malware.

Thanks for posting your updated information and I'm glad you were able to sort things out.